New Ideas for Sweet Pototoes

Bet you didn't know that the sweet potato is a tuberous root vegetable belonging to the same family of plants as the morning glory. It is a particularly popular food in the southern United States, especially during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. Their sweetness makes them versatile so think outside the traditional recipe this holiday season and try these new ideas.

Sweet Potatoes & Apples

Serves 4-6
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1:10 hour

Ingredients:

4 medium size sweet potatoes

2 sweet firm apples, (Fugi, Gala) peeled, cored and thinly sliced

1 small onion, chopped

1/4 cup light brown sugar, packed

1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup water

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Boil sweet potatoes in salted water for 30 to 40 minutes, until tender.
Drain, cool, peel, and cut into 1/4-inch slices.
Arrange have of the sliced sweet potatoes and half of the sliced apples in a 1 1/2-quart shallow baking dish.
Sprinkle with onion, brown sugar, and marjoram; dot with butter.
Arrange remaining sweet potato and apple slices in the baking dish. Combine water with lemon juice; pour over layer of sweet potatoes and apples. Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake at 350Â° for 30 minutes.

Sweet potato and Sausage Casserole

Serves 6-8
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total time: 20 minutes

Ingredients

6 baked sweet potatoes

1/4 cup granulated sugar

juice and zest of 1 lemon

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 pound cooked ground sausage, cooked

Â½ cup cheese of your choice, optional

Instructions:

Scoop sweet potato pulp out of shells into a mixing bowl. Blend with sugar and the juice and zest of lemon, along with cinnamon. Beat until light; spoon into a buttered baking dish. Top with sausage and cheese. Bake at 450Â° for 10 minutes, or until heated through.
See below for serving suggestions.

See below for serving ideas.

Terri's Tips:

Purchase sweet potatoes that are firm with no cracks or bruises.

Store in a cool, dry and dark place; The flavor of raw sweet potatoes might be altered if they're kept in a refrigerator.

To serve 4, slice two oranges in half and juice; reserve the juice. Remove pulp from the oranges. Place potato mixture in orange halves. Optional: garnish with buttered breadcrumbs, cinnamon, nutmeg, dried cranberries, or even marshmellows. You can toast the tops under broiler for 3-4 minutes.