Justice for the Sweet Potato

Since when do people not like sweet potatoes? As a Thanksgiving side, sweet potatoes are boiled to mush, drowned in butter and sugar, then topped with cinnamon and marshmallows. While this sounds like a perfectly lovely dessert, the sweet potato gets no justice here! 

I say...JUSTICE FOR THE SWEET POTATO. They are good and nutritious and easy and cheap. We have sweet potatoes at least once a week. Here is a vague overview of how I cook them. Let's call it an "unrecipe."

Ingredients

• Sweet potatoes
• Olive oil
• Spice (s) of choice - Herbs de Provence; DAKs Original Red; salt, pepper and garlic; BBQ type seasoning; balsamic vinegar and honey; etc. etc.
• More spices! Don't be shy, spices are good!

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Or 450 if you have something else to do at the that temp.
2. Wash and pat dry. Cube sweet potatoes leaving the skins intact. However large or small you prefer, it is best to get them close to the same size. This is not my forte.
3. Cover a baking sheet with aluminum foil, pour some olive oil on it, throw the potatoes on top, sprinkle on the spice of your choice. Toss the potatoes with the oil and spices. *Be sure the potatoes have adequate space or they won't cook well.
4. Put the potatoes in the oven for 20-25 minutes, depending on the size of the potatoes and temp of your oven. And also how you like your potatoes. 

Cubing sweet potatoes.

Sweets tossed in oil and spices.

As you can see, there is no real science to this process. Dad's favorite spice is the Herbs de Provence purchased from TJ Maxx, of all places. Then there is DAKs, a local company that produces a line of salt free spices. The original red is great for anything, but goes really well with the sweet potatoes for a spicy, smoky kick. 

Here are some tips: 

• Sweet potatoes go GREAT with BBQ and spicy foods. The day Jim 'N Nicks starts offering sweet potatoes bakers, I may never cook again. 
• They look beautiful on a plate with their rich orange coloring. 
• I like adding leftover sweet potatoes to my salads; they add texture and so much flavor. 
• If you have a fussy newborn and are trying to cook dinner, get a K'tan baby wrap. Just be careful around hot surfaces (duh).

B at 5 weeks with zombie Mom.