Believe it or not, sweet potatoes have more in common with morning glories than they do with regular potatoes. Originally from Latin America and the tropical areas of South America, sweet potatoes are now cultivated throughout tropical and warm temperate regions wherever there is enough water to support their growth.
It’s interesting to think that this tropical vegetable – one which does not tolerate frost at all – is now closely associated with many of the traditional holiday foods served during the dead of Winter.
Nostalgia Farms Easy Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients:
4-5 medium sweet potatoes
1 stick of butter (softened)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
zest of one orange
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
Directions:
1. Simply boil the sweet potatoes until just fork tender, place in cool water and peel.
2. Slice into ¼ inch slices.
3. Meanwhile mix stick softened butter with brown sugar, honey, zest of one orange, cinnamon and ginger.
4. In square casserole dish start with a layer of sweet potatoes, spread a layer of butter mixture and continue until dish is full.
5. A layer of toasted pecans is a nice addition in the middle.
6. I top the last layer with a generous dose of cinnamon sugar and bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.
Note: I am not a huge fan of marshmallows, however it is a great way to get the kids to try it; after cooking, add a layer of mini marshmallow and place under a broiler until lightly browned.
 |
Joe Dennis is a farmer at Nostalgia Farms in Walcott, Iowa. Together with his partner, Ed Kraklio, they sell locally-grown, organic produce at the Freight House Farmer’s Market in downtown Davenport, IA near LeClaire Park, every Tuesday (3-6 pm) and Saturday (8 am -1 pm). You can visit the farm’s website at: www.nostalgiafarms.com. Read more of Farmer Joe’s blog posts on MVHNews, or try any of the Nostalgia Farms recipes on this website. |
