Sweet Potato Sugar Butter Bomb Food

CANDIED SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• Peel then slice the sweet potatoes into 1/2 inch thick slices. Place in a greased 9×13 inch or other 3 quart baking dish. Sprinkle salt on top and toss to coat. I just use nonstick spray to grease.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).
• Cut stick of butter in half. (Helps it melt easier.) Combine all the butter, water, maple syrup, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook and stir until the butter has melted. Stop stirring and bring to a gentle boil. Boil for 2 minutes without stirring. Remove sauce from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. (And orange zest, if using.)
• Pour sauce over potatoes and toss to coat.
• Bake for 1 hour, stopping and stirring the sweet potatoes every 20 minutes. After the first 20 minutes, I cover the dish with aluminum foil so the potatoes bake evenly.
• Remove from the oven, sprinkle with rosemary and sea salt (if using), then cool uncovered for 10 minutes before serving. The sauce is thin right out of the oven but thickens as it cools.
• Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Sauce will be thick after refrigeration, but thins out as you warm the leftovers up. Simply warm in the microwave.

CLASSIC CANDIED SWEET POTATOES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Place whole sweet potatoes in a steamer over a couple of inches of boiling water, and cover. Cook until tender, about 30 minutes. Drain and cool.
• Peel, and slice sweet potatoes lengthwise into 1/2 inch slices. Place in a 9x13 inch baking dish.
• In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, brown sugar, water and salt. When the sauce is bubbly and sugar is dissolved, pour over potatoes.
• Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour, occasionally basting the sweet potatoes with the brown sugar sauce.

SWEET POTATOES WITH BOURBON AND BROWN SUGAR

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap potatoes in foil, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Let rest until cool enough to handle but still warm, then remove the foil and peel off the skins.
• Add sweet potatoes to a food processor, along with butter, brown sugar, bourbon or juice, lemon zest, salt, nutmeg, pepper and cloves. Purée until smooth. (Or, for a chunkier texture, mash them by hand.) Taste and add salt, sugar or both if you like. Serve while still warm or reheat before serving.

BOURBON BROWN SUGAR-STUFFED SWEET POTATO SKINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Roast the sweet potatoes on the prepared baking sheet until soft when pierced with a fork, about 1 hour. Let cool for 15 minutes.
• Slice each potato lengthwise and scoop out the flesh into a bowl. Brush the empty potato skins with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Return the skins to the baking sheet and bake until crispy, about 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, mix the sweet potato flesh with the beans, cumin, chile powder, scallions and jalapenos. Season with salt and pepper.
• Remove the skins from the oven and fill each with some of the bean mixture. Fit a baking sheet with a wire rack, transfer the filled potato skins to the rack and bake for another 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend together the sour cream, lime juice and avocado until smooth. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the chorizo and cook, stirring to break up the meat, until brown and crispy, 8 to 10 minutes. Drain off the fat.
• Top the potato skins with warm, crispy chorizo, avocado drizzle and sliced scallion tops.

SWEET POTATO BUTTER

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan, combine all ingredients; mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 2 to 2-1/4 hours or until mixture is thickened and about 1 cup of liquid remains, stirring occasionally., In a blender, process mixture in batches until smooth. Transfer to jars or containers. Chill for at least 2 hours before serving. Store in the refrigerator.