"Foodie Friday": Ode to the Sweet Potato

The first sweet potatoes I ever remember having were ones my mom would make at Thanksgiving or Christmas.  They were out of a can, she would mix in brown sugar and pineapple (if Daddy wasn’t looking) and cook them in the oven until warm a gooey.  I liked them, sort of, but they were never my favorite.

Fast forward to my first years of marriage and everyone, including me, was making the “Sweet Potato Casserole” with cooked, mashed sweet potatoes, full of brown sugar, and a crusty pecan topping.  That was much better, but only because we had it once a year.

But sweet potatoes are so much more than this. These yummy, nutritionally dense, feasts for your taste buds, tuberous roots are more versatile than you might think.  Those of us who live in the southern part of the US like to claim this jewel of the potatoes as our own, but they are grown and eaten in many parts of the world.  It has been my pleasure these last few weeks to cook and bake some wonderfully delicious foods made with sweet potatoes.  I want to share a couple of recipes with you in my first installment this year for; “Foodie Friday”

Sweet Potato Pound Cake

From Southern Living December 2011

YIELD: Makes 10 to 12 servings

 HANDS-ON:25 Minutes

 TOTAL: 2 Hours, 40 Minutes

 Ingredients

1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

 4 large eggs

2 1/2 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes

3 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or nutmeg (optional)

 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350º. Beat cream cheese and butter at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until creamy. Gradually add sugar, beating until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears. Add sweet potatoes, and beat well.

2. Stir together flour, next 3 ingredients, and, if desired, cinnamon in a medium bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Spoon batter into a greased and floured 10-inch (12-cup) tube pan.

3. Bake at 350º for 1 hour and 5 minutes to 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a long wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan to wire rack, and cool completely (about 1 hour).

Sweet Potato Pound Cake Loaves: Prepare batter as directed; pour into 2 greased and floured 8 1/2- x 4 1/2-inch loaf pans. Bake and cool as directed

Sweet Potato Cornbread

From Southern Living January 2012

YIELD: Makes 6 servings

HANDS-ON:15 Minutes

TOTAL: 50 Minutes

 Ingredients

2 cups self-rising white cornmeal mix

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

5 large eggs

2 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes (about 1 1/2 lb. sweet potatoes)

1 (8-oz.) container sour cream

1/2 cup butter, melted

 Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425°. Stir together first 3 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Whisk together eggs and next 3 ingredients; add to cornmeal mixture, stirring just until moistened. Spoon batter into a lightly greased 9-inch square pan.

2. Bake at 425° for 35 minutes or until golden brown.

 Roasted Sweet Potato Salad

 4 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 Tablespoons olive oil, divided

¼ cup honey

3 Tablespoons white wine vinegar

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon freshly ground pepper

2 garlic cloves, minces

Garnish: fresh rosemary

Coat a large roasting pan with cooking spray; toss together sweet potatoes and 1 tablespoon oil in pan.

Bake, uncovered, at 450 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes or until sweet potato is tender and roasted, stirring after 30 minutes.

Whisk together the remaining 1 tablespoon oil, honey and next 5 ingredients in a serving bowl. Add warm potatoes, and toss gently. Cool. Garnish, if desired. Yield: 6 to 8 servings.

Of course my sweet husband will tell you that there is not many things better than a roasted sweet potato with a little bit of butter and salt.  I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as we have.