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Recipes – Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potato Biscuits

Regular biscuits from scratch are wonderful in themselves, but Sweet Potato Biscuits are really extra special!  If you have never had a chance to try them, you simply must take the time and make a batch!  These are great on their own or to accompany a meal.

Sweet Potato Biscuits

1 ¾ lbs. Sweet Potatoes

2 t. Baking Powder

½ C solid white shortening or unsalted butter

1 t. salt

1 ½ C All purpose flour (you can sub ½ C. whole wheat, but no more)

¼ C. sugar

Boil whole, unpeeled Sweet Potatoes in water in covered pot (or bake) till tender when pierced with fork.  Drain.  Remove skins and mash.  Measure enough to make 2 C. mashed (save the rest for another use).  With a spoon, beat the shortening into the Sweet Potatoes til blended; cool.  In medium-sized bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, salt & sugar.  Add the Sweet Potato mixture & work together until blended.  If dough is very sticky, add a little flour sparingly.

Roll out ½” thick on floured surface and cut with round 2 inch cutter (I make a rectangle, as in the photo, and cut with a floured pizza cutter).  Place slightly apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake in a preheated 450 degree oven till medium brown, about 15-20 min.  (Bottoms will be dark, but will not taste scorched.) Rush to the table while they are still hot and serve with plenty of real butter and a drizzle of honey, if desired.

 

 

Baby Sweet Potato Cakes with Pecans & Caramel

This is a special dessert that can be made any time of the year (I usually make them around the holidays), as they make a very pretty presentation that will impress, and everyone will love them!  Recipeis below.
  
BABY SWEET POTATO CAKES
 
1/2 C. Butter, softened 
1 C. Sugar (I use dark brown)     
2 C. cooked & mashed Sweet Potatoes
2 large Eggs                                    
1/3 C. Buttermilk (you can sub 1 T. plain Greek yogurt & milk)
1 1/4 C. All purpose Flour                    
1 t. Baking Soda                            
1/2 C. chopped pecans, toasted or plain
1 t. Vanilla Extract                          
Caramel sauce (I use the Mexican “Cajeta” or “Dulce de Leche”)
1/2 t. Salt
1/2 t. Cinnamon
1/2 t. grd. Ginger                          
(optional:  Whipped Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream)
 
1.  Beat butter & sugar at med. speed with mixer til smooth.  Add eggs, 1 at a time, blending til blended after each addition.
2.  Combine flour & baking soda.  Gradually add half of flour mixture to butter mixture, beating at low speed til blended.  Add remaining half of flour mixture; beat til blended.  Add vanilla & salt & spices, Sweet Potatoes & Buttermilk, beating at med. speed til smooth.  Spoon batter into 12 muffin cups (coated with
oil spray), filling only half full.  
3.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 min. or til wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on wire rack 5 min.  Gently remove warm cakes, placing upside down on plates.  Sprinkle with Pecans & drizzle with Caramel sauce.  Try to eat while still warm. 
Caramel Sauce:  Melt 2 T. Butter in thick pot & melt.  Add 1 C. Cajeta and 1 T. water. (I like to add 1/2 t. of instant coffee granules, too) Stir.  Heat on low till smooth.
Serve warm on warm cakes. You can top with whipped cream or ice cream, too, but it is excellent without.

Sweet Potato Pancakes

Gluten-free, Oatmeal Sweet Potato Pancakes 

I wanted to share the following recipe, as I know there are many people now who are having to eat gluten-free – I being one of them. Pancakes are a real comfort food for me, and I enjoy them as much for supper as for breakfast.
 
When cooking Sweet Potatoes, I usually cook a little extra so I will have some for making Sweet Potato Biscuits or Pancakes. 
 
Gluten-Free, Oatmeal Sweet Potato Pancakes
 
In food processor or blender, process the following:
 
½ C. Whole Oats
 
2 whole Eggs (or 3 Egg whites)
 
½ C. Greek Yogurt (or cottage cheese)
 
½ C. Sweet Potatoes, cooked & mashed
 
½ t. Baking Powder
 
¼ t. Salt
 
1 t. Vanilla
 
1 t. Stevia or 2 t. Sugar
 
½ t. Cinnamon
 
½ t. Pumpkin Pie Spice (or 1/8 t. Allspice & 1/8 t. Nutmeg)
 
Lightly oil a griddle with coconut oil. On med heat, spoon or pour mix onto griddle. When underside is browned, flip and brown other side. Don’t cook too fast, as they need to be cooked well inside.  Serve with butter/ghee and syrup of choice. Yields about 5 – 5” pancakes. This makes enough for one person. Double for more.

Sweet Potato Bread

Sweet Potato Bread

                              Sweet Potato Bread

November means Thanksgiving, and in addition to delicious Candied Yams & Sweet Potato Casseroles for that big day, I think about Sweet Potato Bread.  It makes a fine hostess gift, a great loaf for gift-giving, and a delicious breakfast loaf to have on hand to feed hungry guests (freeze ahead & take out & heat for a trouble-free/time-saving meal).  It’s also a good comfort snack for when you just want to relax in front of the fire or TV.  I developed this recipe a few years ago and even won a prize for it!  It is a very moist bread with a nice Molasses flavor.
Note:  For the flour, you can use 1 C. flour & 1/2 C. Spelt, or 1 C. flour and 1/2 C. all purpose gluten-free baking mix with 1/2 t. Xantham Gum.  Either gives great results.

SWEET POTATO BREAD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Peel & boil in water enough Sweet Potatoes to yield 1 1/2 C.  Meanwhile, grease & flour only the bottom of a 9 x 5 baking dish, or 2 small baking tins (you can also double the recipe & bake in a Bundt pan). Mix the following ingredients in a small bowl:
1 1/2 C All Purpose Flour 
1 t. Baking Soda
1 t. Salt
1/2 t. Cinnamon
1/2 t. Nutmeg
1/4 t. ground Cloves
1/4 t. Ginger
Then in larger bowl blend together in this order after each addition:
  1/3 C. oil
  1/3 C. Molasses
  1/2 C. Brown Sugar
  1 1/2 C. cooked, mashed Sweet Potatoes (press down slightly in cup but don’t pack)
  2 Eggs
  1/3 Milk
  1 t. Vanilla flavoring
  (optional:  grated orange peel or orange flavoring)
Stir or use electric mixer to add and mix dry ingredients into Sweet Potato mixture.  Turn into pan.  Bake at 350 for 1 hour.  Test with a clean butter knife in center.  Don’t overcook.  When done, use knife to clear sides and turn out on rack to cool, or slather with butter and eat while hot. 

Sweet Potato Waffles

 Please don’t forget that Sweet Potatoes are great to eat
even AFTER the holidays.  Sometimes I like eating
breakfast foods for supper on the weekends, and Sweet
Potato Waffles are such a treat.  Stir some up for your
family this month and watch them smile!     Note:  You can substitute Gluten-free flour.

SWEET POTATO WAFFLES (yields enough for 2 people/
                                                     can double for more)
In Small bowl mix the following:
  1 C. All Purpose Flour 
  1 T. Sugar
  1 1/2 t. Baking Powder
  1/4 t. salt
In a larger bowl beat: 1 Egg
Stir into beaten Egg:  3 T. Oil (I use melted butter)
                                       1/2 C. cooked, mashed Sweet Potatoes
                                       1/2 C. Milk
                                       1/4 t. Vanilla Flavoring
Then add dry ingredients, stirring only til dry ingredients are moistened. Don’t beat.  Bake on hot, preheated waffle iron according to waffle iron instructions till ready (I leave it a little longer than regular waffles).  Serve immediately with real butter and one of the following: maple syrup,  agave mixed with a little maple flavoring, a dusting of confectioners sugar or whipped cream. Yum!

Sweet Potato Waffles

Sweet Potato Waffles

Sweet Potato Pie

This is as good as a Sweet Potato Pie gets.  The butter gives it a wonderful richness.  You can feel proud to serve this to family or company!

SWEET POTATO PIE

1 Unbaked Pie Shell (homemade is best)
2 C. Cooked Sweet Potatoes, mashed
3/4 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. melted butter (1/2 stick)
2 large Eggs
3/4 C. Evaporated Milk
1 t. Vanilla
1/2 t. Salt
1/2 t. ground Ginger
1/2 t. ground Cloves
1 t. Cinnamon

Heat oven to 425.  Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger & cloves in bowl.  In a large bowl, beat eggs with a fork or whisk till well blended & slightly frothy.  Stir in the sweet potatoes and the sugar mixture.  Gradually stir in the evaporated milk, vanilla and melted butter until well blended.  Pour mixture into pie shell.  Bake the pie for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350.  Bake for another 40-50 minutes, or until knife comes out clean when inserted near the center.  Let cool on a rack.  Serve as is or with whipped cream. 
Makes one 9″ Pie.

Sweet Potato Pone

“SWEET POTATO PONE”.  Have you ever heard of it?  It’s a very old Southern dessert that you don’t hear much about, but should!  You can sometimes find a recipe in a very old cookbook.  It is a deliciously sweet, spicy dish that is GLUTEN-FREE and uses grated sweet potatoes.  My mother-in-law told me she grated Sweet Potatoes for her grandmother for “pone” when she was just a little girl and has very fond memories of it.  Now, it wouldn’t receive a presentation award, but it could possibly win a taste award.  I love it.  Give it a try!   

SWEET POTATO PONE

4 medium Sweet Potatoes (about 1 1/2 lbs.)                                         1/2 t. nutmeg
2/3 C. butter (10 T.), softened                                                                 1/2 t. cinnamon
1 t. grated orange peel or 1/2 t. orange flavoring                                 1/2 t. cloves
1 t. vanilla flavoring                                                                                    1/2 C. firmly-packed dark brown sugar
1/2 t. salt                                                                                                          4 Eggs, well beaten
1 C. milk                                                                                                         1/3 C. Molasses
Grease or spray a 9 x 9 glass square dish.  Wash & peel Sweet Potatoes & cover with cold, lightly salted water & set
aside.  With mixer, cream the softened butter, flavorings & spices.  Add sugar gradually, creaming til fluffy after each addition.  Scrape down bowl.  Add beaten eggs gradually, beating thoroughly.  Stir in milk & molasses and set aside while grating ‘taters.  Drain and grate ‘taters using food processor or hand grater, enough to make 5 C., lightly packed.  Blend in well with liquid mixture and turn into dish (it will not look well blended, but that is normal).  Bake at 325 for 1 hr. or till ‘taters in center are very tender.  Top should be crusty and lightly browned.  Serve plain or with whipped cream.

Sweet Potato Pone

                                 Sweet Potato Pone