Sweet Potatoes with Caramel Sauce

At a gathering last week the conversation quickly turned to holiday dishes as we shared traditions and recipes. This involved important information linked with crucial decision making like turkey or tenderloin, country or city ham, mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes.  Those topics could all be worthy of debate, but finally we focused on the potato situation. Some of us admitted that indecision leads to having both mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes on the table. My mother used to make sweet potatoes that we forbid our children to consume for fear that the bourbon, being the main ingredient besides potatoes, would have some child protection agency knocking at the door. Because no one really ate them, sweet potatoes gradually dropped off of our holiday menu.

As we rattled off recipes from hilarious to sublime, the most intriguing by far was my friend Dena’s recipe from her daughter-in- law for Sweet Potatoes with Caramel Sauce. It sounded like just the thing to transform a bunch of sweet potato fence sitters into rabid fans. She sent the recipe that very night and I could not wait to try it out. A quick read clarified two things- first no bourbon was involved and secondly the sweet potatoes could be mashed and assembled the day before serving.  The next day simply whip up the sauce, pour it on the sweet potatoes, and put the casserole in the oven. Halving the original recipe that called for six potatoes to three made an easy six to eight servings. After baking in the microwave, the potatoes mashed up nicely with cream and brown sugar. It was good enough to eat right then, but using the last bit of self-restraint available, I followed directions, folding the sweet potatoes into a casserole and added pecans making a well in the middle for the sauce. The original recipe called for an iron skillet to make the sauce, but mine was already in use so a heavy bottomed sauce pan did the job. The sweet potatoes went into the oven for 30 minutes to warm and then were ready to serve. Blessedly this dish does not have to be blazing hot, so if you are dealing with several other things a rest on the kitchen counter will not hurt a bit. This recipe proved to be fabulously delicious. It is not something you want to relegate to only a holiday table. My very honest and sometimes overly critical tasters practically swooned.  Sweet Potatoes with Carmel Sauce is a crave worthy recipe all year long.

Thank you to all my friends who so graciously share their recipes. We are blessed to live in a place full of tradition, but always ready to embrace something new. Make this recipe during the holidays and share with family and friends. Have a wonderful Christmas and celebrate welcoming in a bright New Year. Enjoy!

Sweet Potatoes with Caramel Sauce

Ingredients (Easy to half)

6 sweet potatoes

½ cup cream

¾ cup brown sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chopped pecans

Optional: I added ½ tsp salt

For Sauce:

½ cup (1 stick) butter

1 cup sugar

½ tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup cream warmed in the microwave

Directions

Bake or microwave sweet potatoes until soft and cool slightly.

Peel and mash potatoes.

Add cream, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt (if desired)

Spray a 9×13 casserole with cooking spray and add potatoes, making a small well in the middle for the sauce.

Sprinkle pecans over the top.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Melt butter in an iron skillet or heavy sauce pan and stir in sugar.

Cook over medium heat until golden.

Remove from heat and add warmed cream, vanilla and salt.

Cook for 2 more minutes until smooth and pour into well in sweet potatoes.

Bake 25-30 minutes until warmed through.