NBR: Thanksgiving Sides

krispy83

So I'm hosting Thanksgiving on Thursday and it's the first time in 30+ years that someone other than my grandma is hosting Thanksgiving.  No pressure :P

I am having trouble finding a good sweet potato recipe.  My grandma always baked them and topped them with marshmallows, which I find just kinda.. meh.  I was trying to do something a little more creative than mashing them with butter and brown sugar, but that's my plan at the moment.  

Does anyone have a good recipe they have used and wouldn't mind sharing?  Bonus points if it can be prepared the day before and warmed up on Thursday after the turkey comes out of the oven!

taylormillgirl

There's a dinner theater about an hour north of me, and they have THE BEST sweet potato souffle. Here's the recipe: http://lacomedia.com/souffle_recipe.htm

WillyH19

I have a really unhealthy but tasty recipe.  I make it in an electric skillet, so no baking required. We usually do about 5 pounds of sweet potatoes for our group of 10 and have lots of leftovers.

5 pounds of sweet potatoes peeled, cut into large chunks, and boiled until soft (I peel and cut them the night before and place in a pot with water to sit overnight and boil in the morning)

2 sticks of butter

1 small bag of brown sugar

2 navel oranges, sliced thin

 

Melt butter in an electric skillet over medium heat.  Add brown sugar and oranges. Stir quickly until the brown sugar is absorbed into the butter, making a sauce. Add sweet potatoes and turn heat to low. Cover and cook for 3-4 hours, basting and stirring occasionally to cover the  the sweet potatoes and prevent scorching.  They are done when they almost fall apart and the butter and sugar is a bit caramelized.

Good luck with hosting, I'm sure you will do great!

jkfranklin

I've been making this one for the past couple of years and it is so good!  I don't like sweet potatoes and I eat this one.

http://www.parenting.com/article/sweet-potato-casserole-with-gingersnap-streusel-1000085630

ETA:  This one reheats really well so you could cook it a day or two before and then just reheat it on Thanksgiving. 

booneybear

I usually make candied-bourbon sweet potatoes.  They are a bit time consuming but they are so good.  

LaBellaBarv66

Any nut allergies? My mom does one that is phenomenal but it has pecans on top.

booknerd226

I'm not a sweet potato person, so I always make just regular sweet potato casserole and then I mash mine with an equal amount of regular potatoes and eat it like mashed potatoes. It's actually really good, not sweet at all. I think that's why I like it. Sweet foods with dinner grosses me out lol.

I say all that to say good luck hosting Thanksgiving! I help my grandmother host every year. It's hectic and busy but I love having a hand (not literally!) in all the food that everyone's loving.

EliStar

I make this one every year: http://www.food.com/recipe/ruths-chris-sweet-potato-casserole-278583

sfgiantsjo

I do tropical mashed sweet potatoes every year. They are the BOMB.COM. It's mashed sweet potatoes made with pineapple and coconut milk. If anyone is interested let me know, and I'll look up the recipe. I'm not sure I have it on my computer, it might only be written down at home...

SRodi811

This is one that I make every year.  It has gotten people who "hate sweet potatoes/yams" to eat them and received rave reviews!

Sweet Potato Recipe

-3 cups cooked sweet potatoes (boil with skin on, then peel).  **Mix until smooth. (about 6 big sweet potatoes or yams)-
** I use Yams
 
-1/2 to 1 cup white sugar (cooks preference)

-1/2 cup  milk

-1/3 cup butter

-2 eggs

-1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix together and put in buttered 9x13 inch pan.

Topping:

-1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

-1 cup coconut

-1 cup brown sugar

-1/3 cup butter

-1/3 cup flour

Mush together and sprinkle on top of sweet potato mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

krispy83

SilverGlitter05 said:

Any nut allergies? My mom does one that is phenomenal but it has pecans on top.

Nope, no nut allergies!

krispy83

Thank you so much everyone!  Mmmm.. these all look really good!  Those of you who have dishes with a cobbler-style topping, are they super sweet?  I looked at a recipe like that initially, but was worried that it would be too sweet to have with dinner.. more like dessert.

EliStar

The one I make is really sweet, but it's delicious. 

krispy83

EliStar said:

The one I make is really sweet, but it's delicious. 

Thanks @EliStar.  That's actually the one I was leaning towards.. I may drastically reduce the sugar that goes into the actual potatoes so that it's not too dessert-y.  It looks amazing!

EliStar

KrsCrp83 said:

EliStar said:

The one I make is really sweet, but it's delicious. 

Thanks @EliStar.  That's actually the one I was leaning towards.. I may drastically reduce the sugar that goes into the actual potatoes so that it's not too dessert-y.  It looks amazing!

I never put as much sugar as it says, now that I'm thinking about it. I sweeten to taste! 

sfgiantsjo

I found the recipe - using the Nest serach function, no less. I posted it in 2008!!!

ISLAND SWEET POTATOES 

2-3 med Sweet potatoes (about 2 lbs)

2 tbs unsalted butter, divided

1/2 c. finely diced fresh, or drained crushed pineapple

1/4 c. coconut milk

2 Tbs light brown sugar, divided

Hawaiian or Kosher salt to taste

Veg cooking oil 

 

Preheat oven to 425 F

1) Pierce potatoes in several places. Arrange on aluminum foil lined baking sheet. Cook until potatoes are tender when pierced with knife - about one hour.** Cut potatoes open, Cool until room temp. Scoop pulp out of skins, and pass pulp through a food mill or ricer.

2) Melt 2 Tbs of butter. Combine potato puree, melted butter, pineapple, coconut milk, & 2 Tbs of brown sugar.  Mix thoroughly. Saeason to taste with salt.

3) Lightly spray 8X8 inch baking dish with veg oil spray. Spoon potato mixture into dish and smooth top. Cut remaining tbs of butter into small pieces and scatter them over surface of potatoes. Sprinkle remaining brown sugar over the top. Bake until top is lightly golden brown and potatoes are heated through.

** I bake the potatoes in the microwave to save time - just piece with a fork, put them in a shallow, micro-safe dish, and cook until they are tender. 

CeeCeeSugaPie

@sfgiantsjo - I think it was your recipe that I used last year. It was delicious!

jackiback

taylormillgirl said:

There's a dinner theater about an hour north of me, and they have THE BEST sweet potato souffle. Here's the recipe: http://lacomedia.com/souffle_recipe.htm

My brother's girlfriend worked there for years and made the sweet potatoes and she always makes them for us. They are TO DIE FOR. 

(Again, how have we never met IRL? I mean....)

SRodi811

I always serve mine with the meal.. it kind of counteracts the heavier foods.

CeeCeeSugaPie

jackiback said:

taylormillgirl said:

There's a dinner theater about an hour north of me, and they have THE BEST sweet potato souffle. Here's the recipe: http://lacomedia.com/souffle_recipe.htm

My brother's girlfriend worked there for years and made the sweet potatoes and she always makes them for us. They are TO DIE FOR. 

(Again, how have we never met IRL? I mean....)

I am thinking about giving this a try. Do you think that it could made the night before and just add the topping and back it on Thanksgiving?

lab7979

I used this recipe last year.  It was really easy and everyone liked them. 

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ask-aida/roasted-sweet-potatoes-with-pecans-and-spiced-maple-sauce-recipe/index.html