Finding Flavor

with soda bread and green beer or Reubens on rye, I like to think of my Nana on March 17, the day she passed away when I was in 7th grade. Instead of feeling sad in her absence, I prefer to honor her and thank her for all of the fond memories she gave to me. The cooking lessons, stories, tea parties, porch swings, and most importantly, for letting me sit in her lap and drive her car to the Best Way Grocery when I couldn’t reach the pedal. I

The Basic Baked Sweet Potato can’t think of a better way to celebrate her memory than making and sharing a sweet potato pie with the people I love and the readers of this magazine.

Below you will find three recipes which are very basic ways to use this wonderful root vegetable. The baked sweet potato can be used as a building block for lots of other recipes. I hope you enjoy them time and again.

Contrary to what my mom thinks, you do not have to wrap sweet potatoes in foil to bake them.

Pre Heat oven to 375°

Line baking sheet with parchment paper or foil (you will thank me for this later)

Wash potatoes thoroughly removing any remaining roots. Choose potatoes that are similar in size to bake together.

Place sweet potatoes on baking sheet and bake 45-60 minutes depending on how large the potatoes are. Skin will be slightly separated from the flesh, a fork or knife should insert easily. Enjoy immediately with a pat of butter, salt and pepper (and a little cayenne if you are like me)

Not my Nana’s Sweet Potato Pie

2 cups pureed sweet potato white or orange, approximately 2 medium potatoes (use white sweet potatoes if you want it less sweet, and use baked sweet potato recipe above)

½ cup pure maple syrup (do not use pancake syrup — you will be sure to be disappointed if you do)

½ cup dark brown sugar, packed

1 cup heavy cream

2 eggs

4 T. salted butter, melted

1 T. butter cut in small pieces to put on bottom of the crust

1 t. cinnamon

½ t. nutmeg

1 t. vanilla

½ t. salt

1 pie crust (if you don’t make your own, I recommend Pillsbury in the dairy case)

Pre Heat Oven to 425° with rack on bottom

Whisk or use mixer to blend all ingredients together.

Prepare pie crust and cut up 1 T. of butter and spread around bottom of the crust. Pour mixture into pie crust, sprinkle with a little cinnamon and nutmeg if desired and bake for 25 minutes on 425° (this will help brown the bottom of your pie)

Carefully remove pie from oven, center will not be set. Turn oven down to 350° and move oven rack to middle of the oven.

Immediately place pie back in the oven and continue baking 30-40 minutes. If crust begins to look dark, spray foil with cooking spray and lay across pie until it’s done. Pie will be set in center and crust will be golden brown.

Cool on a rack for an hour. This pie is great warm or cold.

Pairs well with fresh whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream. Keep refrigerated.

Ashley’s Baked Sweet Potato Bites

2 medium sized sweet potatoes peeled and cut into cubes

2-3 T. your favorite oil (I prefer to use avocado oil) salt & cayenne to taste brown sugar, lemon

Pre-heat oven to 425°

Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil and use 1-1 ½ T. salt to season water

Balance potatoes for 4 minutes and drain well, return to pot and over low heat stir for a minute to ensure potatoes are dry

Line packing sheet with parchment or foil sprayed with cooking spray

In a bowl mix the cubed sweet potatoes with oil until just coated, you don’t want too much oil it will keep them from crisping. Add ½ t. salt and 1/8 t. cayenne and toss.

Pour on baking sheet and bake approximately 25-35 minutes depending on size of cubes, stirring occasionally to achieve browning on all sides. When cubes are browned and tender return to the bowl and toss will a little more oil and additional salt and cayenne to taste.

I like to sprinkle mine with a dark brown sugar and a squeeze of lemon. These are also delicious served with honey mustard or cinnamon butter. Serve with your favorite dish.