Sweet Potatoes

We eat sweet potatoes all year long. I like that sweet potatoes can be the star of both sweet and savory dishes. They are so versatile. Sadly, I think sweet potatoes are often neglected until our fall holiday dinners. I’m going to try to convince you to add more of this tasty vegetable to your menus by giving you a few more ways to cook with them.

The main recipe for today is another sweet potato and apple dish. This one is a casserole that definitely reminds me of the Baked Apples with Sweet Potatoes we’ve been eating constantly at my house. (They are quick, easy, and so tasty. Try them if you haven’t had the chance yet. You’ll be glad you did!)

Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

• 3 or 4 sweet potatoes
• 2 medium sized apples
• 1/3 c brown sugar, honey, or corn syrup
• 2 tbsp butter or margarine, or meat drippings
• 1/2 tsp salt

Scrub potatoes and cook with skins until tender. Drain. Peel and cut in slices. Put one layer in a greased baking dish. Over it, arrange a layer of apples, and sprinkle with one-half sugar or syrup. Dot over with one-half of the butter or margarine. Sprinkle with salt. Cover with remaining sweet potatoes, apples, sugar or syrup, and salt. Bake one hour in a moderate oven, 350°F, until apples are tender and top is browned, about 30 minutes.

Results

We used brown sugar, but we also drizzled honey over the apples before we baked them. We used butter rather than margarine or meat drippings.

The final product was suprisingly liquidy. A slotted spoon worked well, and after the mixture was spooned onto plates, the liquid wasn’t a problem. The sweet potatoes were tender and the baked apples were sweet. This dish could easily be a side dish or a dessert. It’s perfect for fall, and it does look attractive after it’s baked, making it a nice dish to take to a family meal.

More Ideas

I also wanted to include more sweet potato ideas. All of today’s recipes are from the 1942 cookbook What Do We Eat Now? A Guide to Wartime Housekeeping.

• Cubes of crisp bacon or salt pork whipped into mashed sweet potatoes add zest.
• Bake sweet potatoes in the same way you would a white potato. Sprinkle the tops with chopped roasted peanuts or other nuts before returning to the oven to brown. Topping with some brown sugar and butter would add some gooey sweetness.
• Candied with Honey Syrup: Blend 1 tbsp cornstarch or 1 tbsp flour with a few grains of salt. Work to a smooth paste with 1/2 c water. Blend into 1/2 c honey. Heat and cook until thickened and clear, stirring constantly. Pour over sweet potatoes in a shallow dish, dot with butter, and bake at 350°F until heated through and browned, or about 20 minutes.
• Candied with Molasses: Boil and peel medium-sized sweet potatoes. Cut in slices or in halves. Arrange in shallow baking dish. Pour molasses over them, allowing two tablespoons to each potato. Dot with butter. Add a small amount of lemon juice or vinegar. Bake in a moderate oven, 350°F, until heated through and browned. Baste top layer of potatoes with syrup.

Do you have a favorite sweet potato recipe? I’d love to see it. Let me know if you try any of these sweet potato ideas this season.