Tuesday, November 22, 2005

SWEET POTATO RECIPES

Perhaps the most common time of year for Sweet Potatoes to be consumed in America is at Thanksgiving Dinner. They are truly tasty tuberous roots. I hated them as a child, but have grown to love them, and even to crave them as an adult. Here are a few recipes that I think any sweet potato lover should have in their collection. I have not tried them all, so please leave comments as you cook them. I will do the same. I have also discovered a recipe book that is put out by a homeschool farm co-op that attends book fairs each year all over the country. As soon as I find a link to the book, I'll come back in and update this post.

The first recipe (Sweet Potato-pecan Coffeecake) is a favorite of mine... it is mouth-watering. I plan to make the last recipe (Sweet Potato Casserole) for Thanksgiving Dinner in our house this year. I'll pop back in to comment on how it went!

RECIPES:
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Sweet Potato-pecan Coffeecake (as found on the internet)

"I have collected hundreds of sweet potato recipes over the years,
I bake and cook with them very often, and always have sweet potatoes
frozen in my freezer, ready to use in a recipe, I usually purchase
them on sale... cook, mash and freeze them .... it is an ingredient
that makes any cake bake out very moist...this cake is definately a winner."

CAKE
10 tablespoons butter, melted
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup cooked mashed sweet potatoes (cooked without any added ingredients)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

TOPPING
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
3 tablespoons butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla

1 9inch springform pan Change size or US/metric
Change to: 9inch springform pan US Metric

INSTRUCTIONS
1. Set oven to 325 degrees.

2. Set oven rack to second-lowest position.

3. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.

4. In a mixing bowl, combine butter sugar, eggs and vanilla; add in
sour cream and mashed sweet potatoes.

5. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda
and salt.

6. With a wooden spoon, stir in sour cream/butter mixture into flour
mixture, just until blended.

7. Spread in prepared pan; sprinkle with topping.

8. Bake 65-75 minutes, or until cake tests done.

9. Let cool.

10. Loosen edges; remove sides of pan.

11. To make topping: In a small bowl, combine all topping
ingredients; mix with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

1 hour 25 minutes 20 mins prep

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Jazz Fest Sweet Potato Pone (as found on the internet)

"For some, Jazz Fest can be a religious experience.
For locals, it is a yearly pilgrimage and for myself,
Sweet Potato Pone is the holy grail. I am still working
on the crunchy, crumbly "crust" but this recipe for the
filling is the closest I have come to the real deal.
If you are ever in the neighborhood of New Orleans during
late April or early May, stop by Jazz Fest and try out the
Pone. It will be in the same vendor tent as the Greenbean
Artichoke Casserole. Or you could just try mine! Cook time
includes the time to bake the Sweet Potatoes."

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes
1/4 cup melted butter
2 eggs
1/4 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup light molasses
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (do not include the white pith, which is bitter)

6-8 servings Change size or US/metric
Change to: servings US Metric


INSTRUCTIONS:
*Preheat oven to 375°F.
*Cook the potatoes unpeeled until tender throughout.
*Let cool, Peel and mash the potatoes, then stir in melted butter.
*In a bowl, beat the eggs, add sugar.
*Add milk, vanilla, molasses, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and orange zest.
*Beat until well blended.
*Stir into mashed sweet potatoes, then mix until well blended.
*Place the mixture into a buttered 1-1/2 quart baking dish.
*Optionally, you may sprinkle the top of the pone with additional brown sugar.
*Cover with foil and bake for 50 minutes; uncover, then bake for 10 minutes.
*Allow the pone to cool completely before serving.

2 hours 15 mins prep

Recipe Comment from Above Linked Site:
"Kari, I’m so glad you dared me to make this recipe! Not only was it very easy to make, but the taste was fantastic. I loved the subtle lemon taste…it was a perfect accompaniment to the sweet potatoes. I also liked the fact that all the ingredients (except the sweet potatoes) were ones that I always have in my pantry...no searching for hard to find ingredients. My son loves sweet potatoes and has asked me to cook this recipe again next weekend. What I really couldn’t believe though was my 3 year old eating two helpings (this is a child that eats as little real food as possible)! I served this with baked ham, blackeyed peas and cornbread. For dessert, we had blackberry pie with vanilla ice cream. It was a truly delicious Southern meal!"

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Skillet Candied Sweet Potatoes (as found on the internet)

INGREDIENTS:
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup butter
1/2 tsp. salt
6 sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled

INSTRUCTIONS:
Mix together the sugar, water, butter and salt in heavy skillet.
Cook until mixture boils and sugar dissolves.

Slice cooked sweet potatoes in half lengthwise and add to the skillet.

Cook slowly, turning occasionally, about 20 minutes, or until potatoes
have a caramel-like glaze.

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Sweet Potato-Banana Casserole (as found on the internet)

Calhoun County Extension Recipes - Mississippi

4 medium sweet potatoes
1/2 cup chopped nuts
4 tablespoons butter or margarine
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup coconut
4 bananas, mashed
1 cup crushed corn flakes
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup brown sugar

Cook potatoes in small amount of water until tender. Mash and beat.
Add nuts, 4 tablespoons butter, sugar and coconut.
If the mixture is dry, add either a little cream of orange juice to moisten.
Pour 1/2 of the sweet potato mixture into a buttered casserole.
Cover with mashed bananas and then top with rest of sweet potato mixture.

Combine crushed corn flakes, 2 tablespoons butter and brown sugar.
Cover top of sweet potatoes.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.
Serves 6 to 8.

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SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE (as found on the internet - can't find link, sorry!)

INGREDIENTS:
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
3 c. canned sweet potatoes (not yams)
3 c. fresh sweet potatoes, cooked
1 c. evaporated milk
1 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. butter
1 tsp. salt
1 c. corn flakes, crushed
1 c. pecans, crushed
1/2 c. brown sugar
3/4 c. melted butter

INSTRUCTIONS:
Cook and mash fresh sweet potatoes to make 3 cups.
Mix together with canned sweet potatoes, eggs, nutmeg and cinnamon.
Add milk, brown sugar, butter and salt.

Pour into 13 x 9 inch casserole and bake 30 minutes at 425 degrees.
Make a topping of crushed corn flakes, pecans, brown sugar and melted butter.
When done baking, put topping on and brown for 15 minutes in 400 degree oven.


HAPPY THANKSGIVING - GOD BLESS YOU AND YOURS!

3 comments:

carrie said...

hey, good stuff! I needed a sweet pot. recipe.

Anonymous said...

This recipe sounds interesting
(combination of fresh and canned sweet potatoes)
I am going to prepare this the day before Thanksgiving and will follow-up with a commentary on its delectability.

It's as warm as a Pre-heated Oven here in Mesa,Az (November)

Julie D.

Anonymous said...

The recipes for Sweet Potato-Pecan Coffeecake and the Skillet Sweet Potatoes sound especially delicious. I stumbled upon your website while searching for a copycat recipe of Loretta's Sweet Potato Cookies--absolutely wonderful cookies that I purchased in New Orleans' French Quarter this week at a sweet shop operated by "Loretta." I'm still searching for a similar recipe--a 2-to-3-inch thumbprint-type soft cookie with a dollop of sweet potato filling in an indentation on top!