food,  holiday,  recipes

Happy Thanksgiving…and a Recipe

November 24, 2010 /

If you’ve ever had the honor (and the stress) of hosting Thanksgiving, you know how important it is to have at least some dishes you can make ahead of time and then just pop in the oven before dinner. When my husband and I hosted our first Thanksgiving, we had timelines taped up all over the kitchen as to what went into the oven (or, in the case of the turkey, the fryer in the backyard) at what times. Yeah, we’re both a little Type A.

The following recipe has become a Thanksgiving favorite in my family and, as an added perk, it’s easy to make and can be prepared a day ahead of time. Have a wonderful holiday, everyone.

WHIPPED SWEET POTATOES WITH PECAN CORNFLAKE TOPPING

adapted from a Bon Appétit recipe (photo from recipe.com)

For sweet potatoes

  • 22 ounces red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams; about 2 large), peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 large egg
  • 4 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon salt

For topping

  • 1 1/2 cups cornflakes, crushed
  • 1/2 cup (packed) brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Make sweet potatoes:
Preheat oven to 400°F. Cook sweet potatoes in pot of boiling water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain; transfer potatoes to large bowl and add butter. Using electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add egg, sugar, OJ, spice and salt; beat to blend. Transfer mixture to 8 x 8-inch baking dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before continuing.) Bake potatoes until beginning to brown around edges and slightly puffed, about 25 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare topping:
Mix together all ingredients in medium bowl.

Spoon topping evenly over potatoes. Bake until golden brown and crisp, about 10 minutes longer.

5 Comments

  • Style Maniac

    November 24, 2010 at 7:55 am

    Love sweet potatoes … and fried turkey! We fried one in our front carport in the city a few years ago and it was quite the adventure … cauldron of oil, started to rain, put turkey 1/4 way in, oil bubbled over (even though we measured liquid level with water before), entire family yelling “suggestions” to hubby and BIL what to do/not do. End result: best turkey we’ve ever eaten, with tender meat and crispy skin.

    Thanks for the recipe, Susan. Have a lovely Thanksgiving.