Sweet potato pancakes!

Sweet potato pancakes! Add mashed sweet potatoes to a pancake recipe....leave out a bit of the liquid b/c the potatoes add some. Season with cinnamon and nutmeg.
For the sausage I used lean ground pork and added salt, pepper, hot paprika, onion powder, and maple syrup to it.
It was so good, and about as easy as pre-mixed sausage which has more fat, and loads of junk in it.
Maple syrup (I guess I'm talking about the industry here.) defies all convention and does an A, B, C scale that isn't indicative of the quality.....Grade B is richer and tastier (in my opinion) than grade A.

Russian Borscht.

Barszcz! If you read that like I do it sounds like a fart sound effect, which is fitting since beet soup will loosen you up!

A beef shank browned with a diced half cabbage, petite diced onions, celery and carrots in a bit of olive oil and a couple small pieces of pork jowl....then add a cup of dry white wine then a few bay leaves, juniper berries, coriander, marjoram, a couple whole cloves, peppercorns, salt, and two "boxes" of beef stock; simmer until the beef is cooked through. Set beef aside and when cool pick meat from the bone.

Pour broth through a wire strainer into a pot, then push the soft veggies through, leaving the spices. Saute diced beets and add them to the broth. When they are cooked through add the beef and a small can of tomato paste to the pot....et voila!

Garnish with sour cream, fresh dill, and toasted rye. Or.....and I'm serious, if you are in a hurry, cook any stew beef meat in beef broth and when it's nearly finished add diced, canned beets, salt and pepper. Load it up with sour cream, and get at least 85% of the good bits from the above recipe.