Hello dear readers, if you follow us on facebook or get our monthly newsletter than you know that we post a weekly “Spice of the Week” and in our newsletter we pick a spice of the month. This blog is going to highlight our spice of the month and how it was actually used in the kitchen and what the results were. So often we see spices that sound amazing but it’s easy to get overwhelmed at the thought of incorporating something new. The recipe for each meal will be posted here and there will be a focus on keeping it simple to show just how easy these spices are to use and incorporate into your meals with minimal effort for results that taste extraordinarily high quality! 

Our November spice of the month is the Autumn Spice Mix. This spice truly captures the essence of autumn, this blend brings together cinnamon, roasted garlic, maple, caramel undertones, brown sugar, and a subtle dash of chile for a little kick that gives it a perfect edge. As soon as I saw this new spice hit the shelves I knew it was the perfect spice to start this series off with. 

One of my favorite meals to cook is a sweet potato meal seasoned with cinnamon, topped with salty pork sausage and a drizzle of pure maple syrup. Once I smelled this spice I knew it was the perfect addition to this family favorite meal of ours with its sweet and savory blend. It’s such an easy meal to prepare, and with the addition of these spices you would think it took much longer than 30 minutes to prepare. 

Lets get right into the directions and ingredients list

Ingredients:

2 medium-sized sweet potatoes

1 pound of pork sausage

pure maple syrup

2 Tbs butter

1/2 Tbs autumn spice mix seasoning

1. Start heating your pan on low heat while you chop or dice your sweet potato depending on how big of sizes you want. I usually go smaller so it cooks a little faster, we also opt to keep the skin on but if you prefer to peel it you can. I usually use about 2 medium-sized sweet potatoes for this. Once they’re ready, throw a tablespoon butter on the pan and a small amount of water for a small steaming effect to help soften the potatoes. 
2. Once on the pan, stir it around so the butter and water have an even coating on all the potatoes, put the lid on and let it work!
3. On another frying pan start your pork sausage. You can really use whatever type of sausage you like, I’ve tried turkey but I’ve found that when you use anything other than pork the meat isn’t as salty, so you may end up having to add some sea salt for the sweet and salty effect if you’re using turkey. 
4. Check on the potatoes while the meat cooks, stir occasionally so nothing gets burned to the pan and add water if it needs more especially if the potatoes still aren't at the desired level of soft. We usually cook them down to be almost mashable since we have a 13 month old baby girl. 
5. When the potatoes are just about done, throw in a little extra butter to give them a small coating, and this is when you’ll add the autumn spice mix. I used 1/2 tablespoon and it was perfect for the 2 medium chopped sweet potatoes, if you want more of a kick you can add more. 
6. Once the sweet potatoes are seasoned and cooked and the pork sausage is done and drained, it’s time to plate up and add the finishing touches! Into your bowl, add a base of the sweet potatoes, then add a layer of the pork sausage. And to bring the whole meal together, top with pure maple syrup and be amazed at the coziest, easiest meal you’re about to enjoy.

Everything blends together to create a harmony of warmth and flavor. This meal hits the sweet, salty, and slightly spicy marks that keep you coming back for more. The best part of this meal is not only that it tastes like a sweet thanksgiving dessert, but all the ingredients are whole foods and natural as long as you use 100% pure maple syrup and real butter which I highly suggest. If you give this meal a shot take a picture and tag us on facebook! If you would like to try this recipe but not commit to buying the whole bag of spices yet, stop in to the store to get a sample bag of the Autumn Spice Mix to try it out yourself!