This article was written by Kristel Matousek and was featured in our May issue of Home By Design magazine. Recipe and photographs by Kristel Matousek from www.photoricalfood.com. To visit the original Home By Design article, click here.

TWICE-BAKED SWEET POTATOES

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the sweet potatoes in half lengthways, brush the cut side with oil, season with salt, and place them cut-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until soft when punctured with a fork. Remove from the oven and let cool to the touch.

Preheat a skillet over medium heat. Fully cook the chorizo, then remove from heat and set aside.

Scoop the potato out of the skin with a spoon, leaving a little bit of the potato in the skin so it holds its shape. Collect the potato in a medium-sized bowl as you scoop it out and retain the skin for later use. Combine the potato with the butter and ¼ cup sour cream, taste and season with salt if needed, then spoon the mixture back into the hollowed-out skins.

Top with cheese and cooked chorizo. Place the potatoes back into the oven and bake until the cheese is melted. Top with fresh chopped cilantro and serve warm with additional sour cream.

BACON CINNAMON ROLLS WITH MAPLE FROSTING

In a bowl or measuring cup, combine the warm milk and yeast. Let the yeast dissolve and begin to ferment for 10 minutes. Add the eggs and melted butter, whisking them to combine.

Sift the flour over a large mixing bowl and combine it with the sugar and salt. Slowly add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients, mixing until a smooth dough forms. Add additional flour as needed so the dough doesn’t stick to the sides of the bowl. Cover and proof the dough for 3 hours so it doubles in size.

Roll the dough into a rectangular shape and ¼-inch thick. Evenly spread the softened butter over the surface of the dough, then sprinkle with brown sugar, cinnamon, and bacon. Tightly roll the dough from the bottom up. Slice the roll to produce 2-inch-thick rounds, placing them in a baking dish with ½-inch spacing. Once the dish is full, press down on the rolls, mushing them together. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or a towel and let rise 30 minutes to 1 hour before baking.

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F, then bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

For the frosting, cream together the butter and powdered sugar with a hand or stand mixer, blending smooth. While whipping, slowly add the milk, maple syrup, and maple extract if desired to produce a light and fluffy frosting.

Let the cinnamon rolls cool slightly before frosting, and serve.

BLACKBERRY THYME OLD FASHIONED

Muddle the blackberries with the sugar, fresh thyme leaves, and bitters, macerating the berries until the sugar fully dissolves.

Place a cocktail strainer over a rocks glass and transfer your berries to it. Pour the bourbon over the berries, using a spoon to press the juices through the strainer into the glass below.

Remove the strainer and place a large ice cube or sphere in the glass. Garnish with a sprig of thyme and an orange rind. Serve immediately.