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Potato Recipes

Greek Fries, Using Frozen Fries (Because Who Wants to Complicate Things?)

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Quick and Easy Greek Fries

Greek Fries Using Frozen Fries

Before I had to give up gluten (health reasons), I used to enjoy a lot of different restaurants and and an unlimited array of foods. Going gluten-free forces you to give up a lot of things… let’s go ahead and make that  A LOT OF THINGS.  Fortunately, I’ve found that things I once enjoyed can (with a little elbow grease and creativity) be recreated, in my own kitchen, and they’re just as delicious.

Actually, I suppose you could say they’re even more delicious (to me) because I’m able to add more of the ingredients that float my boat and less of the ones that do absolutely nothing for my boat.

One of our favorite restaurants is in the tiny town of Draffenville, Kentucky (they don’t even have a post office… that’ll tell you how small the community is). It’s called The Majestic and it’s extraordinary. They serve pizza, steak, chicken, burgers, have an awesome buffet, and one of the best salad bars I’ve ever trolled. As a salad fanatic, I am completely familiar with salad bars and this one is a perfect 10 out of 10.

Before I had to give up gluten, I would practically throw myself on their pizza as soon as it came to our table. I had to give that up, which totally sucked… but the thing that hurt me EVEN worse was giving up one of their wonderful appetizers, Greek Fries. I’ve found a way to recreate them at home, however, so I no longer have to grieve over them.

I have made Greek Fries using cut potatoes and frozen fries and… while I’m as fond of cooking from scratch as anyone… I honestly find the frozen fries to be just as good. It didn’t take long for my brain to process the ridiculousness of spending more time and effort on something that doesn’t taste better.

I had always used crinkle cut fries for Greek Fries but, this most recent time, I used regular fries.  I honestly don’t prefer one over the other – they both look beautiful and taste delicious. As a matter of fact, Greek Tots (using, obviously, Tater Tots) is also a lip-smacking possibility.

Quick and Easy Greek Fries

This is one of those “recipes” that isn’t exactly a recipe – it’s more of a technique. Below are the steps – but, step carefully, it’s pretty complicated (sarcasm).

  • Bake fries as directed.
  • Sprinkle the baked fries liberally with Cavenders Greek Seasoning (Or whatever Greek Seasoning blend you can get your hands on – I use Cavenders, pictured below. In fact, it’s so darn good, I refuse to run out of it. Seriously, it’s out of this world good.)
  • Top with Crumbled Feta Cheese (trust me on this one.. even if you think you don’t like Feta, use Feta, because you’re going to love Feta in this role), salt, and chopped fresh parsley. The tastes go together beautifully. When the Feta starts to melt on the hot fries… it’s just a beautiful experience, y’all.
  • Optional: I’d say I do this every other time – sprinkle a little fresh lemon juice over the whole shebang. It brings the flavors all together while giving it a little extra kick.

These Greek Fries don’t even need a dip of any type, but feel free to dip them into ranch or even a “lemony mayo” (mayo with a little lemon juice and grated lemon peel).

P.S. Use the Feta….

Cavenders Greek Seasoning

Cavenders Greek Seasoning

 

 

EASY Mashed Chipotle Sweet Potatoes (Using Canned Yams Makes it as Simple as Possible)

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Mashed Chipotle Sweet Potatoes 3

There are quite a few “staples” I keep in the kitchen at all times. Make that AT ALL TIMES – all caps because running out of them would make send me NERVOUS. Obviously salt, pepper, garlic, olive oil, lime juice, lemon juice, miniature peppers, Italian herbs, bacon, white wine vinegar, eggs, butter, and honey make the list. But a few things may not seem quite as obvious: chipotle peppers in adobo, orange marmalade, Classico brand pesto, smoked gouda cheese, Tamari sauce, and Worcestershire Sauce to name a few. Each, in various situations, add depths of flavor that rock my world.

Take chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, for example – the smoky flavor is just addictive as far as I’m concerned. You have to, obviously, go easy with the peppers because they do pack a whallop.

But OH! How I love that whallop!

I’ve found that the adobo sauce can be paired with countless foods. It plays beautifully with just about anything you introduce it to, but one of my favorite ways to us it is with one of my favorite foods in the world – sweet potatoes. By the way, did you know that all so-called “yams” are in fact sweet potatoes? Whatever you choose to call them, they’re out of this world delicious.

Here’s the amazing thing, even if you aren’t as in love with sweet potatoes as I am, Mashed Chipotle Sweet Potatoes will knock your socks off. Trust me.

The fact that this recipe uses canned yams makes it faster AND easier, and who doesn’t appreciate that?

{Recipe Below}

Yams and Chipotles in Adobo Sauce

There really isn’t enough to this dish to warrant calling it a recipe, so I’ll just walk you through the process.  If you think you’ll require more (or less) mashed sweet potatoes, adjust the number of cans and butter accordingly.

I use either two large cans of Bruce’s Yams (40 oz) or one large Bruce’s Yams can and two 15 oz yams cans. The exact measurements, here, isn’t terribly important. A few ounces here or there isn’t going to ruin your day.

One thing I’m a sticler about, however, is my Chipotles in Adobo Sauce. I always use the same brand – La Costena. I love it so much I wouldn’t even glance at another brand.

Place your cans of undrained sweet potatoes in a large pan. Add three of the chipotle peppers to the pan and simmer on low. You could, of course, crank up the heat and cut your time in half, but letting them simmer for about 30 minutes on low gives the chipotles time to flavor the sweet potatoes. Smells pretty amazing, too.

When you’re ready to mash the potatoes, drain and remove the peppers. Place hot, drained sweet potatoes in a bowl and add 1-1/4 sticks of butter (if using unsalted butter, add a little Kosher salt at this point) and 2 TBS of the crazy delicious adobo sauce.

Note: Start with 1 TBS, then taste. Some people are more sensitive to heat than others and 1 TBS is about their limit. IF you can take the heat, go ahead and add the second TBS. If, after tasting it at this point, you want even more…. add more. Go for broke!

I also finely chop up a little bit of one of the chipotles to add to the bowl as well. Again, take it easy – these guys are spirited,

Use a potato masher and mash the potatoes until you achieve the consistency you love.

This makes an absolutely delicious and easy side dish for chicken, pork, steak… you name it. In fact, it has so much flavor and depth, it’s ideal for Meatless meals.

Mashed Chipotle Sweet Potatoes

Baked Potatoes with a Salty Crust Make PERFECT Loaded Baked Potatoes

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Loaded Salt Crusted Baked Potato
Loaded Baked Potato (Salt-Crusted)
True Story: I love baked potatoes so much you’d think I invented them. In fact, I love ALL potatoes so much you’d think I founded the beautiful state of Idaho.

I wish I had founded Idaho – what a cool story to tell your grandkids.

Potatoes are the very reason I lasted all of 2 hours when testing the waters of the Paleo diet. It just kind of hit me, “No potatoes? No way. I’m out.” Never looked back.

Salt Crusted Baked Potatoes
Salt-Crusted Baked Potatoes
While I don’t want to ruffle any feathers, I have to say that if you aren’t baking your potatoes in the oven, you’re short-changing yourself. Can you nuke them in a microwave? Yes. If you put enough butter and sour cream on top, are they passable? Absolutely. However, a baked potato straight from the oven is next level.

I can understand the argument of not wanting to heat up your kitchen. I can also see nuking them if time is an issue. If (at 4:30) you decide you want a baked potato with supper (at 5:00), you don’t have a choice… unless, of course, it’s the world’s skinniest and smallest potato – then you might have a shot.

See: Perfect Baked Potatoes in the Oven

Again, at the risk of ruffling feathers (What’s with me today? Girl, hands off people’s feathers.), if you wrap your potatoes in foil, you are actually “steaming” them more than you are “baking” them. If you prefer them that particular way – go for it! However, next time, try baking them (without wrapping them in foil blankets) and see what you think about the texture of a truly baked potato.

Salt-Crusted Baked Potatoes

While a good old-fashioned baked potato (without a “salty’ attitude) is all kinds of delicious, adding a salty crust somehow makes it extraordinary. It looks fancy and high-brow  too, which never turns me off.

The following recipe (below the beauty on the St. Louis Cardinals red plate) is for “Salt-Crusted Baked Potatoes with Kosher Salt.” This version of a salt-crusted potato calls for an all-over salty crust (trust me, it does not taste too salty – you just wouldn’t want to add any more to the top – unless you’re one of those rare birds that don’t eat the potato skin, that is). If you still (even after my multiple pleadings) think this is too much salt, simply only salt one part of the potato.

* Whispers in your ear: “It will not be too salty.”

I often use another means of coating the potato with salt which involves coarse Kosher salt (I use Morton Coarse Kosher Salt)- and trust me, it looks gorgeous. You don’t add as much salt to a sea salt-crusted baked potato. In fact, when making baked potatoes with coarse sea salt, I don’t rub them in the salt, I simply pat it on – pushing in very lightly.

Loaded Salt Crusted Baked Potato
When turning your baked potatoes into Loaded Baked Potatoes, the following toppings are, in my book, the way to go:

  • Real butter – always, always, always use real butter (in just about everything actually, but especially with a baked potato.. it wouldn’t deserve any less).
  • Sour Cream.
  • Shredded Cheddar (Gouda is also out of this world).
  • BACON. BAAAAY-CON! If you know you’re having baked potatoes for supper, make extra bacon at breakfast. Otherwise, just fry some up while the potatoes are cooking.
  • Chives or chopped green onions.
  • Sauteed mushrooms are also great on loaded baked potatoes. Saute’ sliced mushrooms in a little butter and add them with the other ingredients.
  • Briefly sauteed broccoli (in butter) is also great on a really cheesy baked potato.

One more tip from the potato fiend: Save any leftover baked potatoes for the next day. Leftover potatoes is main reason I only prepare (as in cut open and butter it to distraction) potatoes as they go right onto the plate. Others are left untouched on the stove. The following morning, a leftover baked potato can be warmed and topped with butter, a fried egg, and bacon for a fantastic breakfast or brunch. If several are leftover, scoop out the flesh and mash it with a little butter and sour cream. Fill the potato skin with the mixture, top with shredded cheddar and bake at 350 degrees until warm all the way through. Top as desired (bacon, green onions or chives, black pepper….)

One more idea and I promise I’m through – Sloppy Joes on an open baked potato. Trust me.

Okay, the potato fanatic is through.

For today…


Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with Apple Whipped Topping

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Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with Apple Whipped Topping
All of February is Heart Month and today, itself, is heart awareness day for women. I proudly wore my red today in honor of my mother who died from a heart-attack and as a means of raising awareness for heart disease. I hope and pray strides will be made in heart health for the sake of my three beautiful daughters (and everyone else’s beautiful daughters for that matter!)

In honor of Heart Month and today’s Heart Awareness Day, I want to tell you about a healthy breakfast that’s perfect for any time of day. I got the idea for roasted sweet potato pancakes from a tweet from Cooking Light. They made Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with just two ingredients: a roasted sweet potato and 2 eggs.

Intriguing!

Roasted Sweet Potato Rounds
I saw one willing sweet potato on the shelf and knew I had eggs ready at a moment’s notice in the fridge.

Since I’m “One of those gals” who is always looking for ways to “sneak” healthy food ingredients into as many meals as possible, I decided to also add 1 Tablespoon of Chia Seeds and 1 Tablespoon of Flaxseed to the mixture… but I’m getting ahead of myself. We have to roast the sweet potato first!

I cut my sweet potato (skin on) into four rounds and sat them in a small iron skillet. I drizzled 1 Tablespoon Pumpkin Seed Oil over the tops (but you could easily use Olive Oil). I made sure all sides of the rounds were coated, then sprinkled on a little paprika and a little cinnamon for good measure.

I roasted the sweet potato at 425 degrees for 30 minutes, then removed the skin and mashed them really good with a fork. I then added two eggs along with the chia seeds and flaxseed (1 TBS each).

Roasted Sweet Potato Pancake
I added some ghee to a non-stick pan (you could use butter, of course) and positioned a few pancake molds (not even remotely necessary – I was just trying to be cute). I poured some batter into the two molds and cooked my pancakes over medium heat for 6 minutes – I removed the molds when they looked “set.” After the six minutes, I flipped and cooked them for 4-5 minutes more.

They held together beautifully – which, I’m not lying, kind of surprised me.

Tip: Use the widest spatula you have – otherwise it may take two to flip them. If you aren’t using pancake molds, simply divide the dough into two pancakes. Again, a mold is not necessary.

Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes
Topping:

For the topping, I beat 1 cup of whipping cream with 1/2 TBS sugar. Because I wanted to bring a little bit of apple flavor and goodness to the party, I grated nearly half of an apple and stirred it into the whipped topping, reserving some for the topping.

I topped the pancakes with the topping and sprinkled on some more chia seeds and grated apple.

Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with Apple Whipped Topping
With experimentation, I discovered that these pancakes are also fantastic with maple syrup or honey. You could actually even drizzle a little honey on top of the whipped topping.

When you try these, go easy with the whipped topping at first – I actually added more than I needed. The pancakes, themselves, are so darn good, you don’t need much with them. These were a lot of fun to make and tasted fantastic.

And did I mention they were healthy?

Roasted Sweet Potato Pancakes with Apple Whipped Topping

300 Best Potato Recipes: Cookbook Review from a Potato Fanatic….

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300 Best Potato Recipes Cookbook
300 Best Potato Recipes
I love potatoes so much you’d think I came from Idaho instead of Kentucky… up until I opened my mouth that is. The y’alls would give me away. Sweet potatoes, Russet potatoes, new potatoes, Yukon Gold potatoes… if it’s a potato, I’m a fan.

Health Benefits of Potatoes

  • No fat, sodium or cholesterol.
  • Excellent source of Vitamin C -one potato gives you nearly half of your daily requirement of this all-important vitamin.
  • One potato has more potassium than a banana.
  • Potatoes are  good sources of vitamin B6.
  • Potatoes also provide you with fiber, magnesium and healthy antioxidants.
  • I’ve often read potatoes mentioned in beauty magazines as being a great vegetable to add to your regular rotation.  Apparently they’re great for both skin and hair when it comes to anti-aging. For one thing, collagen requires Vitamin C to protect our skin from the aging effects of the sun. It also promotes collagen’s ability to smooth wrinkles and improve overall skin texture. Boom!

Read more health benefits of potatoes.

In addition to the fact that potatoes taste fantastic, they’re also budget-friendly and I’m always on board for that.

I was sent a copy of 300 Best Potato Recipes in exchange for telling you about the book and, given my history with potatoes, I’m only too happy to do so. This beautiful cookbook is packed with recipes you’ll use again and again. The author takes potatoes in a fun and sometimes even funky new direction and her creativity is nothing short of a joy ride.

The humble potato is a culinary powerhouse and inspires adventurous and tantalizing fare.

A “desert island” vegetable if ever there was one, the potato appeals to all of us, whether in the form of traditional comfort dishes or in the guise of the new and exotic. Versatile, nutritious, inexpensive and unfailingly delicious, no other vegetable, and few foods in general, can make those claims.

These are just some of the delicious possibilities that the humble potato offers in this wide and varied assortment of recipes:

  • Classic mash de luxe
  • Garlic roasties with rosemary
  • Real English chips
  • Gnocchi-roni and cheese
  • Saffron potato cakes
  • All-American potato pancakes
  • Sweet potato-crusted shrimp
  • East Coast chowder
  • Creole potato salad
  • French potato galette
  • Fennel, potato and white bean stew
  • Potato lasagna
  • Oyster pie with top mash
  • Sweet potato gnocchi
  • Mennonite country potato doughnuts
  • Potato fudge.

Appetizers and snacks, soups and salads, side dishes, main courses, hearty vegetarian main dishes, baked goods and desserts make up this vast and colorful collection of recipes. The author also includes a complete history and origins of potatoes as well as a comprehensive chapter that covers hundreds of potato varieties.

This is a wonderful cookbook and a must have for fellow potato lovers everywhere. See 300 Best Potato Recipes for ordering information.

300 Best Potato Recipes Cookbook Pictures

Perfect Loaded Potato Soup in the Crock-Pot

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Loaded Baked Potato Soup in the Crock-Pot

Gluten Free Loaded Baked Potato Soup in the Crock-Pot

I’m not just a fan of Autumn and Winter, I’m competently and utterly in love with them.  They have so much going for them – crisp weather, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas,  It’s a Wonderful Life, Linus in the Pumpkin Patch, Christmas music, Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer and his wonderful adventure, college basketball….

As a foodie, one of my favorite things about this time of year is soup, glorious soup. I love to make soup… I love to smell soup… I love to talk soup… I love to eat soup… I love to see soup.

You get the picture, so to speak.

I would say that another favorite thing about Autumn and Winter is using my crock-pot, but let’s be real, I use my crock-pot year round. Not only am I convinced that slowly cooked food is the tastiest food, I’m kinda obsessed with the way the house smells while something delicious is happening in the crock-pot.

Suffice to say when these two great loves (slow-cooking and soup) combine, I’m a giddy fool.

Toppings for Loaded Potato Soup

Toppings for Loaded Baked Potato Soup

One of my favorite soups to make is loaded baked potato soup.  I seldom make it the same way twice. I have always used real, peeled potatoes in the past, but when I made it a few weeks ago, I wanted to try out frozen hash browns.  I remembered seeing a Paula Deen recipe years ago that called for hash browns in a potato soup recipe and decided that I trusted her food judgement enough to give it a try.

Delicious!

Using hash browns seemed to make each spoonful filled with the perfect amount of soup ingredients. You didn’t just get a big old hunk of potato each time – not that there’s anything wrong with big old hunks of potatoes.

Betty Crocker GF Biscuit Mix Biscuits with Cheddar and Garlic Powder

Gluten Free Bisquick Biscuits with Dried Parsley, Cheddar, and Garlic Powder

{Recipe Below…}


Notes:

  • When it came time to serve the soup, I created a “soup bar” with chopped green onions, freshly cooked, chopped bacon, cheddar cheese, and sour cream.
  • I served my soup with Betty Crocker’s Gluten Free Bisquick Biscuits (recipe on the back of the box). After arranging them on the cookie sheet, I topped them with a little cheddar and garlic powder. They turned out delicious and were perfect with the soup.
  • If eating gluten free isn’t a concern, feel free to use any brand of Cream of Mushroom soup.


Baked Sweet Potatoes in the Oven

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Baked Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar

Don’t get me wrong…. I’ve always loved sweet potatoes. Whether they come to the table baked, wearing butter and brown sugar or they choose to present themselves to me in the form of a pie… I’ve always been a fan.

However, for reasons I can’t even begin to explain, since I had to start eating completely gluten free, they’re one of my biggest cravings. I, literally, can’t get enough potatoes (white or sweet) these days. It’s as though my body says, “Fine. I can’t have this, this, and this… but I can have potatoes! Bwahahaha!”

Crazy body.

At least sweet potatoes are healthy. Just a 1-cup serving gives us 65% of our daily requirement for vitamin C and and as much as 700% of the recommended daily requirement for vitamin A.  I am so juiced up with vitamin A, I can’t even tell you.

If you keep up with glycemic indexes of foods (I do not), sweet potatoes have a modest glycemic index of 17.

I’ve found the best restaurants for ordering sweet potatoes (Rafferty’s and Bob Evans have HUGE, delicious sweet potatoes – Cracker Barrel’s are darn good but, to be perfectly honest, they’ve shrunk to the size of new potatoes) – but, making them at home means I can have them anytime I want. Plus, I know they won’t be the size of a golfball.

Yeah, CB, size matters.

How to Bake a Sweet Potato in the Oven

  1. Pre-heat the oven to 400 degrees.
  2. After scrubbing  your beautiful sweet potatoes and patting them dry (with a dish towel),  give them a nice little massage with vegetable oil.  Pierce them a few times to prevent a fantastic mess in your oven.
  3. Wrap each oiled up, pierced sweet potato in its own square of aluminum foil. You want to wrap each one loosely – but be sure the foil is well-sealed.
  4. Place the wrapped sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet and place into the oven.
  5. The cooking time depends entirely upon the size of your sweet potatoes. It should be anywhere between 30 minutes to an hour.  Simply begin checking after 30 minutes by gently squeezing one of the potatoes (wear an oven mitt or double-wrap a kitchen towel around your hand – don’t burn yourself!).  They should have a little “give.”  You could also do the “knife check.”  The knife should be able to slide through without any problem.
  6. If the potatoes vary in size, be sure to check each one for doneness.
  7. If they need more time, leave them for 10 more minutes, then check again.

When making sweet potatoes in the oven, here’s a golden trick I’ve lived by for years – make more than you’ll need! After they’ve cooled off (in the foil), remove the sweet potato and place it in a container or even a plastic bag and place in the refrigerator. Within the next few days, warm one (or more) in the microwave, add butter and brown sugar and let the party begin.

As for the temperature, sweet potatoes are incredibly flexible. If you’re cooking a casserole or meat dish that requires an oven temp different than 400 degrees, no problem.  Simply place your sweet potatoes in the oven along with the other food.

To show you how “flexible” a sweet potato is, you’d be hard-pressed to find three “How to Bake Sweet Potatoes” recipes with the same oven temperatures OR times! Over the years of cooking MANY sweet potatoes, I’ve settled on 400 degrees as my favorite – however, that  certainly doesn’t mean it’s the only way to do it.

Use the temperature you need to use – simply check on the potatoes often.. without burning yourself, please.

My Favorite Way to Enjoy a Sweet Potato

After cutting my cooked sweet potato open, I add butter (real butter – it makes a world of difference) and as it’s melting down into the potato, I add brown sugar and a couple of dashes of cinnamon.  You can start with 1-2 TBS brown sugar and 1/4 tsp Cinnamon as your guide, adding more or less – depending on your own personal taste.

It makes for a vegetable that tastes more delicious than any vegetable has a right to taste.

Final Word About Baking Sweet Potatoes

Shhhh, high-falutin’ cooks wouldn’t want this getting out, but sweet potatoes can be cooked in microwave.  Simply pierce the sweet potato and nuke for  10 minutes. Check for doneness (I love that word.. even if my spell check is convinced it isn’t a word... it is in my world, spell check, it is in my world). As with baking sweet potatoes in the oven, your time will depend upon the size of your potatoes. Keep adding minutes – a couple at a time – as needed.

Sweet Potato Cookbooks:


 

See Sweet Potato Cookbooks if you’re unable to view the slideshow above on your device.

Sweet Potatoes

Baked Sweet Potatoes: As Easy as 1-2-3

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Baked Sweet Potatoes and Asparagus

Baked Sweet Potatoes are something of an obsession of mine. Come to think of it, all potatoes are. It’s a wonder I wasn’t born in the beautiful state of Idaho. I’d certainly fit right in.  My husband is about asparagus like I am sweet potatoes, so as you can see in the picture here, I like to combine the two.

Keeps us both smiling.

Sweet potatoes are one of those things that a lot of people don’t even think about making on their own.  I’m really not sure why but I’m guessing they think it’s harder than it actually is.

One of the first things to keep in mind is a rule I totally violated with this batch. It’s best to buy “uniform” sweet potatoes…. all about the same size, so they bake evenly at the same temperature, for the same time.

Just look at the picture below for proof of the violation. The fat fellow on the left (not surprisingly) took a little longer than the rest but he was such a cute little guy, I couldn’t leave him behind at the store.

How could I, right?

Sweet Potatoes

Below are the 3 basic (and oh so simple) steps of making the most delicious baked sweet potatoes ever.

  1. Pierce Sweet Potatoes a couple of times.
  2. Bake on a cookie sheet at 400 degrees for 45 minutes – 1 hour.
  3. Top each sweet potato with REAL BUTTER (it makes a world of difference), 2 tablespoons brown sugar,  1/4 tsp Cinnamon, and a pinch of salt.

Naturally, you can adjust the amount of brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt – heck, you could even leave one or more out altogether…. though I wouldn’t, under any circumstances suggest doing that.  The butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon blend together beautifully with the naturally sweet and fantastically delicious sweet potato.

Guess what I’m absolutely dying for right now….

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Brown Sugar and Cinnamon