Mashed sweet potatoes

Cafe Society
21

Here’s my own recipe for sweet potatoes w/orange and pecans. You can vary the proportions of orange juice and orange zest to taste. It’s obligatory for all family holidays around here. This summer, I even made it with canned (not candied) sweet potatoes. It tasted better the second day, but it was really very close to the real thing.

Sorry the recipe isn’t really precise. There are really only 2 things that
can go wrong: overcooking the sweet potatoes (way overcooking, I mean; pretty much to the point where they become soup) and burning the topping. I
looked up a suggested cooking time for sweet potatoes, so that should help.
As for burning the topping…just watch them closely after they’ve been
on the higher oven temperature for a couple minutes. If in doubt, it’s OK
for the topping not to be browned at all.

Sweet potatoes with orange and pecans

Boil 2 lbs (about 3 large) sweet potatoes (I cut them in fourths, unpeeled;
I just looked at a recipe that says if you peel them and cut them into
1-inch pieces, it’ll take 15 minutes)

When the sweet potatoes are easy to pierce with a fork (not mushy), rinse
with cold water and let cool until you can handle them.

If you didn’t peel them, slip the peel off the potatoes and then mash or
knead them until they’re smooth. Add 4 tablespoons melted butter, 1/4
teaspoon grated orange peel, dash cloves, 1/8 teaspoon ginger, 1/8 teaspoon
ginger, 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon, 4 tablespoons sugar, and the juice from one
orange. Beat thoroughly with a wooden spoon and then taste.

If there isn’t enough orange flavor, add more orange peel and a bit more
orange juice, if necessary.

Melt 4 tablespoons butter and mix with 1/2 cup sugar (you can use brown
sugar, if you like).

Spoon sweet potato mixture in baking dish (I use a 1 1/2 quart round
casserole dish). Cover with pecan halves (I use between 1/2 and 1 cup of
pecan halves). Spoon sugar mixture evenly over the pecans.

Bake at 350 degrees or microwave until heated through and then place in a
very hot oven (450 or so) or under broiler until the sugar just starts to
caramelize.

GT

22

We don’t measure much at home, so here goes… Nana’s cheesy potatoes (made with sweet potatoes in this case, substitute a waxy potato if you’d like)

Sweet potatoes to fill about 5/8 of your baking dish. Cubed to about 3/4"
Cheese to get it the next 2/8 towards the top. (a variety of types is nice here)
Salt & pepper.

Mix together.

Pour in a couple of “glubs” of milk. (A glub is the very accurate and technical description of quickly tilting the milk jug over the baking dish, and getting one “pulse” or “glub” of milk.)

More salt & pepper on top. Perhaps a few bread crumbs if you like that sort of thing. ( I do, Mrs. Butler doesn’t.)

Bake in a 350F oven for about 45 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft, the cheese melted & bubbly, and the top nicely browned.

<Homer gurgle here>

23

ooooo i think i will make this casserole for turkey day … does it freeze well? I need to be able to make it ahead and transport from connecticut to rochester ny …

24

I mash them with milk, butter and maple syrup. It’s divine.

25

Just popping in because I never saw the word “garlic” anywhere in this thread.

Just a thought. Roast the garlic with the sweet 'taters. Then proceed to mash as with white potatoes, adding butter, salt, pepp, etc. Me, I’d add a little cayenne pepper, or some fresh cayenne peppers from my garden. Got some ripe this very moment as I type this… I’m a big fan of sweet + hot = delicious.

26

I use them to make Sweet Potato Pie with Bourbon Sauce. I’ve made this for the last few Thanksgivings, and it’s usually the first pie to disappear. And be sure to make the Bourbon Sauce, it’s great on anything.

27

You may also want to consider the amazing snack-osity of Sweet Potato Chips. Slice, fry, and salt just like a regular potato chip, but brother, it ain’t no ordinary potato chip! Sweet, crunchy, and salty all in one delicious chip!

28

There is a BBQ place around here that has Sweet Potato Fries on the menu. Good, they are. But you have to share an order, I’ve found. Too much for one person at one meal. But a nice variant from the usual.

29

Freezes great. If you’re going through the effort to make them (once you figure out your variations, into tinfoil pans, and make in bulk. Making 5 is the same mess as making 1! :D)

Garlic works in everything. I forgot to add that. I just ASSUME :smiley: it’s in everything.

aruvqan You can add some spices into that mixture as well, onion powder, garlic powder, even chili powder and the like if you’re feeling up to experimentation.

By the way, I usually buy “Cheese ends” from the deli at the supermarket. These are the leftover ends of the cheeses that are too small to cut on the slicer. They sell them at a HUGE discount ($1.99/lb - $2.39/lb is usual for my markets) and it’s an easy way to get a variation of cheese types. If they aren’t displayed in the presliced meat area, ask at the counter. We also use these for cheese sauces, and mac-n-cheese.

30

Up here in Canaduh, we treat sweet potatos and yams more as veggies than dessert fixings- not big on the marshmallows or other sweeteners. A 2:1 tater/butter ratio is always advised, however :slight_smile: This tastes more ‘mashed’ (light and fluffy) than just mashing SP’s since those buggars are so dense to begin with.

My dad’s recipe, if you don’t mind whipping an egg white:

Sweet potato puffs

2 cups cooked mashed sweet potato
2 tbsp oil
¼ cup cream or milk
salt and pepper
1 egg separated
Whip egg white to stiff peaks. Mix remaining ingredients, fold in egg white. Scoop into casserole disk and bake at 375 until hot in centre (time depends on dimensions of the dish-check it at 20 minutes). Serves 2, so feel free to double/triple.

31

I usually roast them, slide out of the skins, and mash with some butter. Pack into a pie plate or casserole, top with toasted slivered almonds, a little cinnamon, and brown sugar, then broil to caramelize. Yams brulée, anyone?

32

Something a little different, if you like heat - Chipotle Smashed Sweet Potatoes . And if you are into heat & light (as in calories), CL also did a version in their October 2002 issue (and the recipe should be in their 2003 Annual Recipes cookbook).

I keep thinking I’ll have to try Sweet Potato Waffles. I’ll get to them - someday!

Susan

33

I’ve made them by roasting them, then mashing them with orange juice and crushed pineapple, plus cinnamon, nutmeg, etc. I need to find that recipe, because it’s delicious.

34

Roast 'em

Butter and Sour Cream - so thick and creamy!
Salt & Pepper

Nutmeg and Tarragon…touch of garlic if you like.

Super Yum. I don’t care for “sweet” sweet potatoes with maple syrup or marshmallows. These are a savory variety.

35

Mashed sweet potatoes are really good–plus they’re festive

36

Made them last night.

Roasted them in oil with a little curry powder – mashed them with a little butter…

Dayum. They were ridiculously good.

Thanks all – I look forward to trying some of these other tips as I expand my sweet potato horizons.

37

We usually just roast them with olive oil, salt, black pepper and plenty of onions.

This is a staple for us at many a meal.

38

For something on the fancy side, try mashed yams in orange cups:

From: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/recipe_views/views/105819

39

I am not a big fan of ‘sweet’ foods during dinner, but because sweet potatos are healthier than normal potatos, I’ve learned to deal with them.

One method is to cut them into either strips or into steak fry sized chunks, toss them in olive oil, and sprinkle cajun seasoning on them. Bake them at 450 degrees for about 20 minutes (or until crispy brown) and enjoy. The spicy of the cajun flavors mixes well with sweetness of the potato.

I also mash them, but instead of adding more sweet flavor, I add just a bit of milk and lots of butter.

40

You are my new best friend.