How to Make Sweet Potatoes

• Also try: How to Make Sweet Potato Pie | Sweet Potatoes | Sweet Potato Fries

Introduction: How to Make Sweet Potatoes

• Sweet potatoes are a staple of any Thanksgiving meal. But if you're not making a delicious sweet potato pie, what is the best way to cook and prepare your sweet potato side dish? From traditional recipes to clever alternatives, the possibilities are endless. Here are some great ideas to inspire you in your culinary adventures.

What Are Sweet Potatoes?

• Although many people believe that sweet potatoes and yams are the same thing, the fact is that just about everything called a "yam" in America is actually a sweet potato. Yams are starchier and less sweet in flavor and are much more commonly found outside the United States.

Sweet Potato Basics

What You'll Need

• With so many variations of sweet potato recipes available, ingredients will inevitably vary. However, in addition to the potatoes themselves, many recipes will require:

1. Butter
2. Cinnamon
3. Brown sugar
4. An oven
5. A potato masher or electric mixer

Wash Your Potatoes

• No matter what cooking method you decide to use, always be sure to wash your sweet potatoes before you begin by scrubbing them thoroughly.

Baked Sweet Potatoes

• One of the simplest ways to prepare sweet potatoes is by baking them just like a regular potato.

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350º.
2. Poke your sweet potatoes several times with a fork.
3. Place sweet potatoes on baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.
4. Bake for about an hour.
5. Potatoes are done when soft and easily poked with a fork.
6. Carefully remove from oven and cut in half lengthwise or slip skin off using a knife.
7. Top with butter, cinnamon, and/or brown sugar if desired.

Boiled Sweet Potatoes

• Boiling your sweet potatoes takes less time than baking.

1. Keep the potatoes whole or cut into 1-inch chunks.
2. Cover with water and boil 30-35 minutes until tender.
3. Carefully remove from water cut in half lengthwise or slip skin off using a knife.
4. Top with butter, cinnamon, and/or brown sugar if desired.

Microwaved Sweet Potatoes

• If you're really pressed for time, nuking your sweet potatoes is the quickest option.

1. Poke potatoes a few times with a fork to vent steam.
2. Arrange in a circle on a paper towel.
3. Microwave uncovered 8 to 10 minutes.
4. Carefully remove from microwave cut in half lengthwise or slip skin off using a knife.
5. Top with butter, cinnamon, and/or brown sugar if desired.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

• To add a little kick of flavor, take these next steps to make candied sweet potatoes.

1. Boil 6 sweet potatoes as detailed above.
2. Remove the skin with a knife and cut potatoes into slices.
3. Place slices in a baking dish.
4. Combine 1/2 - 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup water, and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a skillet.
5. Place over medium heat until bubbly, then pour over potato slices.
6. Cover and bake at 350º for 30 to 45 minutes or until well heated.

Mashed Sweet Potatoes

• For an added kick to your sweet potatoes, try this recipe for making roasted sweet potato mash. It involves adding milk, butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and pepper to your baked sweet potatoes and mashing them with a whisk.

How To Make Roasted Sweet Potato Mash

Mashed Sweet Potatoes with Marshmallows

• Mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping is a tasty holiday classic. This recipe will serve 4. You will need:
  • 1 lb. sweet potatoes or one 1-lb. can sweet potatoes
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
  • 3/4 cup miniature marshmallows
  • Casserole dish, buttered

1. If your sweet potatoes are not from a can, cook them as detailed in Sweet Potato Basics above.
2. Heat oven to 350º.
3. Remove skins from cooked potatoes with a knife or peeler, or scoop the insides out.
4. Purée with potato masher or electric mixer if desired.
5. Mix together potatoes and all other ingredients besides the marshmallows.
6. Pour into casserole and top with marshmallows.
7. Bake 30 minutes or until marshmallows are puffy and golden brown.

Other Sweet Potato Recipe Ideas

• From soufflés, pies and muffins to fries and casseroles, the possibilities for unique sweet potato recipes are limited only by your imagination. If you're feeling creative, try some of these recipes to add a new twist to your Thanksgiving meal:

Sweet Potato Fries

• For the fan of french fries, sweet potato fries are a delicious treat. Try this recipe for spicy sweet potato fries.

• Or, for more of a "home fries" style of preparation, this video shows how to make sweet potato cubes with fall seasonings.

How to Make Sweet Potato Cubes with Fall Seasonings

Fancier Recipes

• If you want to tackle some slightly more advanced dishes, try putting these in your oven!
  • Sweet Potato Casserole: With a few extra ingredients, the Food Network shows you how to make sweet potato casserole.
  • Sweet Potato Soufflé: Martha Stewart has a sweet and tasty recipe for mashed sweet potato soufflé.
  • Sweet Potato Puff: Here's an interesting spin on sweet potatoes! Watch these video instructions on how to make sweet potato puff with a crunchy praline topping.

Sweet Potato puff with crunchy Praline topping

Resources and Recipes for How to Make Sweet Potatoes

Sweet Potato Resources

• Allrecipes: Sweet Potato Recipe Search
• Epicurious.com: Sweet Potato Recipe Search
• Food Network: Sweet Potato Recipe Search 
• About.com: Sweet Potato Recipes 
• Blog: Sweet Potato Awareness

Sweet Potato Recipes

• eHow: How to Cook Sweet Potatoes
• Food Network: Sweet Potatoes 
• Simply Recipes: Holiday Spiced Sweet Potatoes Recipe
• MarthaStewart.com: Mashed Sweet Potatoes
• Kalyn's Kitchen: Spicy Sweet Potato Fries Recipe (October 9, 2007)
• Howstuffworks: Spirited Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Recipe Videos

• Metacafe: How to Make Mashed Cinnamon Sweet Potatoes (Time: 1:15)
• Videojug: How To Make Roasted Sweet Potato Mash (Time: 3:28)
• Metacafe: How To Make Sweet Potato Cubes With Fall Seasonings (Time: 1:09)
• Brightcove: Sweet Potato Puff with Crunchy Praline Topping (Time: 2:07)

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