Sweet Potatoes

So sweet! So versatile! So . . . oddly shaped!?!? They’re sweet potatoes. Related to the morning glory rather than to the traditional potato, they may not be much to look at with their skins on, but sweet potatoes cook up so well. Bake them as you would a regular baked potato, fry them, mash them, puree them for soup, even make them into pie or bread. Rich in Vitamins A and C, sweet potatoes add wonderful flavor and texture to many favorite dishes.

Sweet Potato Soup

2 Tbl. butter
1 medium onion, chopped fine
1 stalk celery, chopped fine
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
3 medium white potatoes, peeled and diced
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat butter over medium low heat in a large stock pot. Add onions, celery, and garlic. Sautee until tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Add stock, sweet potatoes, and white potatoes. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Simmer over medium low for about 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

3. Remove about 1/3 of soup mixture to a medium bowl and puree using a hand blender (like Braun) or process in small batches in a food processor or blender. (If you choose one of the latter two, be VERY careful – hot liquids can be very messy.) Return puree to soup pot and stir.

4 . Add milk and turn heat down to low. Heat thoroughly.

5 . Season with salt and pepper as desired.

About 4 servings.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
6 Tbl butter, room temperature
1 egg
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt

Topping:
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbl cold butter, cut into bits.
1 Tbl flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
1. Cook potato chunks in boiling water until tender (check with fork tines). Drain.

2. Transfer sweet potatoes to a medium bowl. Add butter and beat with an electric hand beater until smooth.

3. Add egg, spices, and salt. Beat until combined.

4. Transfer sweet potatoes to a small baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, for the topping combine brown sugar, butter, and flour. Use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour and sugar.

6. After first 20 minutes of baking the sweet potatoes, remove dish from the oven and sprinkle on topping. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until top is golden and bubbly.

About 4 servings.
NOTE: for a more elegant appearance, bake in individual ramekins