Thanksgiving

Listening to: String Quartet in F Major - Ysajae Quartet

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday with family and friends. In honor of the holiday that celebrates food, I thought I'd share a couple of recipes. Every year my family does a potluck; and for the last five years, I have been in charge of all things potato. Here's my sweet potato casserole recipe, originally lifted from www.cdkitchen.com, but with my own tweaks:

Sweet Potato Casserole

5 lbs. sweet potatoes
4 large eggs OR 1 cup Egg Beaters
6 tbsp. butter, unsalted, melted
1 cup packed dark brown sugar OR 1 cup packed light brown sugar and 1 tbsp. molasses
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 tsp salt, iodized or kosher; no sea salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon, I recommend Ceylon
1 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. ground or fresh grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cardamom (green)

The spice measurements don't have to be exact; they are just guidelines.  If you like to "spice things up," go for it :)  Just be careful not to overdo it.  Use a clean spoon every time you taste.

Zak Confetti Mixing Bowls

Scrub the potatoes.  Lay down on a cookie sheet, stab them a few times to get the anger out, and bake at 400 degrees F for about an hour.  After allowing them to cool, slice the potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop out the mushy bits into your favorite LARGE mixing bowl.  I like Zak recycled material bowls.  Throw the skins away, or add them to your compost heap.
Back to the potatoes - mash them up a bit with your Hulk hands or a hand mixer.  Add all the other ingredients and stir the sh** out of it.  Once everything has been mixed to an acceptable texture, pour it all into a large, greased casserole dish.  (I recommend using stoneware because it will hold the heat longer, which is a must for potlucks.  Sometimes I have to drive this food to the other side of town!)
Sprinkle some extra cinnamon and brown sugar across the top and bake at 350 degrees F for about 45 minutes.  It should start to puff up a bit and make your kitchen smell simply delightful. Take the dish out, sprinkle a bag of marshmallows on the top, and bake again until they have melted and browned to your satisfaction.  You can use any flavor marshmallow you choose.  And poof!  You're done :)

This year I also offered some candied nuts as an optional topping.  They add great crunch to an otherwise texturally bland side dish.

Sweet Potato Casserole and Candied Nuts

Easy Candied Nuts

8 oz. bag chopped walnuts
8 oz. bag chopped pecans
2 cups water
2 cups sugar of your choice (I used 1 cup demerara and 1 cup raw organic)
1-2 tbsp. molasses (optional)

Place a Silpat or parchment paper on a cookie sheet and preheat oven to 170 degrees F.  Spread out the nuts on the sheet in a single layer and bake for 10-15 min.  Check on them every couple of minutes to make sure they don't burn.  You can stir them around a bit if you like to get a more even roasting.  You can roast them more quickly at a higher temperature, but this will cause a breakdown of their healthy fats.  Slow roasting the nuts brings out the oils which add so much flavor and a little extra crunch.  Meanwhile, start up a simple syrup on the stovetop.  In a saucepan, bring the water and sugar to a boil.  Whisk until the sugars dissolve completely.  Add the roasted nuts and simmer for a few minutes.  Then spoon out the nuts back onto the Silpat into a single layer.  Use two forks to help separate any chunks that are sticking together.  Drizzle a bit more syrup across the top and bake another 5-10 minutes.  Keep tasting, you'll know when they are done.  Let them cool and and serve or store.

Eat all you want because it is diet time come January :)  Happiest holidays to you all!