The weather is playing havoc with our country internet service. I haven’t been online since Sunday and I think I am in withdrawl. The rain and wind just stopped and it looks like I have a window to blog. So here it is!
One of my first recipes that I posted on this blog was a sweet potato casserole. Growing up I didn’t like sweet potatoes. I never ate them at the holidays when mom made them from a can and they were topped with marshmallow (although I was tempted to just scoop out some of that browned gooey marshmallow had she not been looking). It wasn’t until I moved to the South and started making sweet potato casserole that I discovered, “hey! I do like sweet potatoes.” I really don’t know what moving to the South had to do with it, other than this is where I received the recipe from Lee’s aunt.
Roasting sweet potatoes are a great way to enjoy their naturally sweet taste without adding calories or high carbs. However, getting them done just right is always a bit of a guessing game. So, here are some tips to take some of the guessing out. If you don’t currently roast sweet potatoes I hope you will give it a try. You can also wrap them in foil and put them on the grill while cooking your favorite summertime barbeque! Keeps the kitchen from heating up too.
Sweet Potatoes – Are They Done Yet?
Sweet potatoes take longer to roast than you might think – up to 1 ½ hours in a 400 degree oven. Roasting at this higher temperature helps to bring out the rich, natural flavors of the sweet potato.
Here are two ways to determine whether they are properly cooked.
Squeeze : Although the outside might be tender, the center can still be firm. Before removing sweet potatoes from the oven, squeeze them with a pair of tongs – they should give all the way to the center without resistance.
Peek: If you have doubts, cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. If you see whitish marbling (uncooked starches that are firm to the touch), press the halves back together, wrap the potatoes individually in foil, and continue roasting until the marbling disappears!
Serve with your favorite toppings including butter, cinnamon, and brown sugar. For an extra special touch mix the butter, cinnamon and brown sugar, microwave for a couple minutes and drizzle over the potato. This creates a warm caramel sauce that just can’t be beat!
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”