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Thursday, December 31, 2009

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Cinnamon and Orange

Today is New Years Eve. And this holiday can seem a little lack luster when you have small children. I sat up last night thinking of how I can make it significant in some way. And I decided on us all filling out a time capsule paper and we will open it in 10 years. We will answer questions like "Where do you see yourself in 10 years?" and "What was the funnest thing you did in 2009?" Jack's answers should be excellent. And I will go to the store and buy a bottle of bubbly, but only as long as the snow isn't too high. I think we have a foot and a half outside. Mothers of small children, how do you guys do New Year's Eve?


Calling all sweet potato lovers. I need your help in convincing Ethan that sweet potatoes are actually one of the most delightful vegetables ever to grace the produce section. He claims to not like them. I claim lame. So please, I need you to bear your testimony of the truth of sweet potatoes. Tell him how they make your insides tango. Tell him how you are a better person because sweet potatoes are apart of your life. And for heaven's sake, tell him that they are at the very best right now seeing as they are in season.



5 sweet potatoes, peeled, quartered and chopped
1/4 cup butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tsp kosher salt
A few grinds black pepper
2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
Zest of 1 orange

In a steaming pot over simmering water, add potatoes. Cover and steam for 15 minutes, or until very fork tender. Pour potatoes in a large bowl. With a hand mixer, add butter and heavy cream and mix until butter is melted and potatoes are smooth. Add salt, pepper, cinnamon, cayenne pepper and orange zest. Mix until combined. Taste to check if additional salt is needed.

Yields 6-8 servings.

Served with this: Sweet and spicy oven-baked pork chops. I think I will post these soon. Delightful little chops, they were.

Rookie's Notes: After researching the best way to cook sweet potatoes to be mashed, steaming was the best option. Something about the starch content of sweet potatoes or whatever. With the size of the veggie steamer that I have, I had to do the sweet potatoes in two batches. But it didn't take long because with the second batch, I didn't have to wait for the water to boil.

4 comments:

Kalli said...

sweet potatoes, yams, orange, yellow-ish, whatever form they take it all tastes delicious to me. Especially with cream cheese mashed in, a bit of cinnamon and a crumble topping, and then twice baked. Yes, put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Tricia said...

tell me you've had sweet potato oven fries? I thought I've even seen them on your blog. they are one of my favorite ways to eat them. also, I love them baked & smothered with butter, next to a steak (and I don't even eat steak much but the thought of one next to a sweet potato makes it better!).

as far as new years eve goes....we roasted marshmallows in the fireplace & made smores....watched movies, ate chips, had martinelli's in grown up glasses, popped poppers, did silly string, banged pots & pans outside & called it good. oh, then this morning we packed a cereal picnic & went to the park to play. the kids loved it & we hardly spent a dime!

Ingrid_3Bs said...

Your sweet potatoes sound delightful but then again I've always been fond of them.

Happy New Year Whitney! Can't wait for you to share Jack's responses to your questions (in 10 years. LOL!)
~ingrid

Shayne said...

thanks and happy new year to you too and I bet these sweet potatoes would be great with some scallops mmmmmmmmm