Don’t you just love sweet potatoes? I know I love’em! They are one of those magical foods that are delicious, versatile, inexpensive, AND pretty darn good for you. They come in a variety of colors like blue, purple, orange, yellow and white, and the flesh is full of beta-carotene (great for your eyes) and vitamins A and C.
Fun fact: Did you know that potatoes, sweet potatoes and yams are all unrelated? Potatoes are related to tomatoes and peppers (members of the nightshade family), sweet potatoes are in the morning glory family and yams are related to lilies – who knew!
One of my favorite ways to cook sweet potatoes is to cut them in thick slices and toss with chunks of apple, a little olive oil, and salt then roast on a shallow pan in a 375 degree oven till roasty good.
Or just roast them like you would a regular baker then split and top with brown sugar, a little butter. They are also delicious naked with just a little sprinkle of salt and pepper!
Last holiday season I had a brainstorm to try a scalloped-like sweet potato dish. I thought I’d put a little maple syrup in it and a touch of sage and top it with a few bread crumbs. Well, my experiment was a hit! So I’ve retested my concoction and included my recipe for Maple Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Sage. I love it served with ham or roasted tenderloin. It serves 10 – 12 so is great for a large party. –Kathy
Maple Scalloped Sweet Potatoes with Sage
Serves about 10-12
8 cups peeled and thinly sliced (1/4 inch) sweet potatoes (about 2 1/2 – 3 pounds)
Maple Cream
3 cups cream
1/2 cup real maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Topping
1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs
3 tablespoons high-quality grated parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage leaves
fresh sage leaves for garnish
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 3-quart casserole with pan spray or lightly butter it. Then arrange sliced sweet potatoes in an even layer. In a large bowl whisk together the maple cream ingredients until well combined. Pour the maple cream over sweet potatoes and push them down a bit to be sure they are coated in liquid.
In a small bowl combine topping ingredients and set aside.
Bake casserole for 35 minutes and then sprinkle with topping and bake another 25 – 35 minutes or until topping is browned, potatoes are tender and liquid is thickened.
Garnish with a sprinkle of fresh sage leaves.
Recipe by Kathy Casey Food Studios®.
