I ♥ sweet potatoes. I could eat them daily. A baked sweet potato, hot and fresh from the oven with just a pat of butter… mmmmm!!!!
A lot of people serve up sweet potato dishes around the holidays. I wonder if these same people enjoy sweet potatoes year round?
Did you know that sweet potatoes are good for you? There are actually health benefits associated with enjoying the white potato’s sweet cousin.
Sweet potatoes…
- Are High in Vitamin B6
- A Good Source of Vitamin C
- Contain Vitamin D, Iron, Magnesium and Potassium
- Are High in Caratenoids and Beta Carotene
- Contain Natural Sugars (they release slowly into your bloodstream
Let’s not forget that sweet potatoes are also very versatile. You can bake them, puree them, grill them, chop them up to add to stews or top off a salad. You can even add them to baked goods.
Here are a few tasty sweet potato recipes that you might enjoy for the holiday, or year round, compliments of North Carolina Sweet Potatoes (www.NCSweetPotatoes.com).
SWEET POTATO COTTAGE PIE
Ingredients:
- 1-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 2 large)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 cup chopped celery
- 1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic (1 large clove)
- 1 pound ground beef, 90% lean
- 1 can (15 ounces) tomato sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1-1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or herbes de Provence, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon milk
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil a 6 to 8 cup shallow baking dish. Pierce sweet potato skins; microwave until tender, about 4 to 6 minutes; cool. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion and celery; cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes. Add garlic; cook and stir 1 minute. Add beef; cook and stir until it just begins to brown. Stir in tomato sauce, Worcestershire, 1 teaspoon of the thyme and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Transfer to baking dish; spread evenly. Scoop sweet potato from skins into medium bowl; add butter, milk, remaining 1/2 teaspoon thyme and 1/4 teaspoon each salt and pepper. With electric beater, beat until smooth; spread over meat in baking dish. Bake until bubbly, about 20 to 25 minutes.
YIELD: 4 to 6 portions
SWEET POTATO BISCOTTI
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup sugar
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 2 large eggs
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 cups unpeeled coarsely grated North Carolina sweet potato (1 large, about 8 ounces)
- ½ cup finely chopped walnuts
- ½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease large baking sheet. In medium bowl, beat together sugar and butter; add eggs; beat well. Add flour, baking powder, orange zest and salt; beat on low speed until combined. Fold in sweet potato, walnuts, and coconut. Divide dough into two equal pieces; with oiled hands, shape each piece into a log about 2 inches by 11 inches; place on baking sheet. Bake until firm and golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack; cool 15 minutes. Trim thin slice from ends of logs; cut logs into ½-inch-thick slices. Place slices on 2 ungreased baking sheets with cut side down. Bake 12 minutes; turn and bake until crisp and golden, 10 to 12 minutes longer. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container.
Yield: About 4 dozen biscotti
OLD-FASHIONED SLICED SWEET POTATO PIE
Ingredients:
- Pastry for a 9-inch double crust pie
- 3 medium sweet potatoes (about 2-1/4 pounds), peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rounds
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon butter, cut into bits
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425ºF. Line a 9-inch pie plate with 1 layer of pastry; set aside. Combine 1 cup of water and the salt in a large saucepan. Add sweet potatoes; cover and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until sweet potatoes are just barely tender when pierced, about 5 minutes. Drain slices, rinse with cold water until cool to touch. Drain slices well; transfer them to a large mixing bowl. To sweet potatoes, add sugars, lemon juice, flour and pumpkin pie spice. Toss gently with a spatula until slices are evenly coated. Spoon sweet potatoes into pastry-lined pie plate; dot top of potatoes with butter. Place top pastry over filling and crimp top and bottom pastries together to make decorative edge. Cut 3 to 4 slits in the top to allow steam to escape. Bake in oven until crust is browned and sweet potatoes are tender when pierced, about 50 minutes. Cool pie on wire rack at least 1 hour. Serve warm or cool.
These all sound SO GOOD!
If anyone makes the Sweet Potato Biscotti recipe feel free to send some my way. 🙂 They sound especially yummy.
For more recipes or nutritional information about sweet potatoes visit the NC Sweet Potato link (above).
Do YOU have a favorite sweet potato recipe? I would love to learn more about it. Feel free to leave a comment and share it with me and others.
Kimberly
*I was not compensated for this post. I posted this for the enjoyment of my site readers. Recipes posted with permission. Any opinions expressed are my own.
Doctor Cris says
I do not know if I just have breakfast on my mind but the recipe for the Melba’s Sweet Potato Pancakes and Sweet Potato Date Scones sound so good on the http://www.NCSweetPotatoes.com website. I also wanted to add that Sweet Potato is also low in sodium, saturated fat and cholesterol plus is also a good source of dietary fiber, Time to go to the store:)
Kimberly says
I’m glad you discovered some new recipes. And yes, sweet potatoes are good for you. Not to mention they are oh-so-good!
Margaret says
We are a Sweet Potato lovin’ household. Thanks for sharing these recipes, I know we’ll try some asap. A favourite of ours, year round is Baked Honey/Cinnamon sweet potato. We eat it with pretty much anything, hot or cold. Simply toss chopped pieces of sweet potato through a bowl with a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil + another drizzle of honey; lay pieces onto baking tray and sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake til golden brown.YUM
Kimberly says
Mmmmm!!!! This sounds SO GOOD! Thank you for sharing. I have to make this for myself. :-)!