May Meals Made Easy: Sweet Potato Breakfast Pizzas & Skillet‑Fried Catfish

Recipes courtesy of Family Features

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When the school year winds down and warmer mornings finally stick around, nothing beats sharing an unrushed meal together. This two‑recipe lineup brings everyone to the table—first thing in the morning and again at supper—without chaining you to the stove. Start the day with nutrient‑packed Individual Sweet Potato Breakfast Pizzas, then slide into the evening with a crispy‑on‑the‑outside, flaky‑inside Pan‑Fried Catfish. Both dishes lean on simple techniques, minimal prep, and crowd‑pleasing flavors, proving that family mealtime can be both fun and fast.

Sunrise Favorite: Individual Sweet potato Breakfast Pizzas

Sweet, savory, and ready in roughly 30 minutes once your sweet potato puree is baked, these personal‑sized pizzas feel like brunch at the best café—without the waitlist.

Serves 4 | Prep Time 20 minutes | Cook Time 30 minutes

*Assumes sweet potato puree is pre‑roasted. Add 1 hour if starting from raw.

Ingredients

• 4 medium North Carolina sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs), divided

• 1 tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil, divided

• 1/4 tsp each: garlic powder, onion powder, paprika

• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

• Kosher salt & cracked black pepper, to taste

• All‑purpose flour, for rolling

• 1 lb whole‑wheat pizza dough, room temp, quartered

• 1 cup Gouda, freshly shredded

• 4 large eggs

• 1/4 cup chives, diced

Directions

1. Roast & Puree (Make‑Ahead Friendly).

   • Preheat oven to 400 °F. Pierce 1 lb of whole sweet potatoes and roast directly on the rack for ~1 hour until fork‑tender. Cool slightly, peel, and puree. Reserve 1 cup puree.

2. Cube & Season.

   • Increase oven to 450 °F. Peel remaining sweet potatoes; dice into ½‑inch cubes (about 2 cups). Toss with 1 tbsp olive oil, spices, salt, and pepper. Spread on a sheet pan; roast 15–20 min, stirring once, until just tender.

3. Shape the Crusts.

   • Flour a board; roll each dough ball into a 7‑inch round, ¼‑inch thick. Transfer to a lightly oiled rimless sheet pan.

4. Assemble.

   • Spread each crust with ¼ cup sweet potato puree, leaving a ½‑inch border. Top with ¼ cup Gouda and ½ cup roasted cubes, keeping the center bare.

5. Add Eggs & Bake.

   • Crack one egg into each center. Bake 15 min, until crusts brown, cheese melts, and whites are set.

6. Finish & Serve.

   • Season with salt and pepper; shower with chives. Serve hot (bonus points for fresh fruit on the side).

Why We Love It:
Sweet potatoes add natural sweetness, vitamin A, and fiber, while Gouda lends melty richness. Best of all, each person gets their own mini pizza—bye‑bye, breakfast battles!

Supper Simplicity: Pan‑Fried Catfish

No deep‑fryer, no problem. This stovetop method delivers golden fillets with almost zero cleanup.

Serves 4 | Prep Time 65 minutes | Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup all‑purpose flour

• 2 tbsp mesquite seasoning (or lemon‑pepper)

• ½ cup butter (1 stick)

• ¼ cup avocado oil (or neutral oil)

• 1–2 lb catfish fillets, thawed (½ lb each)

• Cooked rice, for serving

Directions

1. Season the Dredge.

   • In a pie plate, whisk flour with seasoning.

2. Heat the Skillet.

   • Over medium heat, melt butter with oil in a heavy skillet.

3. Coat & Fry.

   • Press both sides of each fillet into seasoned flour. Lay in hot skillet; fry 5 min per side until crust is crisp and fish flakes easily.

4. Drain & Dish Up.

   • Transfer to paper towels. Serve on fluffy rice with spring veggies or a quick slaw.

Pro Tip: Cooking more than four fillets? Wipe out the pan and refresh the butter‑oil combo halfway to keep flavors clean.

Bringing It All Together

Pair the sweet potato pizzas on Saturday morning with fresh‑squeezed OJ, then let that same oven finish a fruit crisp for dessert while the catfish sizzles on Sunday night. Two meals, one relaxed weekend, countless memories around the table.

For more seasonal inspiration—and dozens of ways to work sweet potatoes into breakfast, lunch, or dinner—visit ncsweetpotatoes.com.

Heads‑up: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, I may earn a small commission, which helps keep the blog running.