Some of my favorite ways to cook sweet potatoes ... baked, twice-backed, microwave, french fried, roasted, grilled, skillet hash, mashed and pureed.
Ways to Cook Sweet Potatoes
I realize that folks all over the U.S. eat sweet potatoes, and I also realize that they are grown in a lot of states {and even overseas}, but sweet potatoes sure speak southern to me.
Did you know that over 235 million pounds of them are produced annually right here in our fine state of Mississippi? Vardaman, Mississippi, located in the northern part of our state, is only one of the top five Mississippi sweet potato producers.
Every year in the first week of November they host a National Sweet Potato Festival, and Vardaman, in fact, lays claim to the title of "The Sweet Potato Capitol of the World." In truth, North Carolina is the biggest producer in the U.S., followed by close competitors Louisiana, California and Mississippi. Even still, China is the largest producer of sweet potatoes - about 80% of the world's supply.
Just inserting a quick reminder here.... that this is a blog, not just a "recipe site," and yes, there is a difference! I want to first thank all of you who have supported my work over the years, but if you aren't interested in the chit chat, info, photos, tips and such in a post, as always, you'll find the complete recipe text with measurements and instructions, as well as a printable document, a little bit further down the page. Just swipe or scroll down to the bottom of the post!Sweet potatoes are at peak during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season, but are really available year-round, and make a great addition to just about any meal, any time of the year. Nothing could be easier than baking sweet potatoes either, and they are so delicious and good for you.
An excellent source of Vitamin A and a very good source of Vitamin C, sweet potatoes have powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Sweet potatoes also contain potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and Vitamin B6, have 3.9 grams of fiber and only about 141 calories for an average, plain, medium sweet potato.
Make sure that the potatoes you select for baking are all roughly the same size so they will cook in the same amount of time. Some folks like to coat them with olive oil before they go in the oven, but I only do that when roasting wedges. I like my cooked, baked sweet potato with just a bit of salt, pepper and butter, but The Cajun likes his with butter and just a touch of sweet cinnamon sugar.
Refrigeration affects the texture of uncooked sweet potatoes, so store them unwashed in a cool spot in the pantry or in a basket in an obscure dark and cool corner of your kitchen, but never in the refrigerator. Once cooked they can be refrigerated or frozen. To freeze whole, bake, and let them cool. Leaving the skin on, wrap each sweet potato individually in foil, then place them into a labeled zipper freezer bag.
By the way, at least down here in The South, the terms "sweet potatoes" and "yams" are used synonymously, as one and the same. While there really are true yams, they are a tuberous root from West Africa, and nowhere near what we think of as a sweet potatoes.
It is rumored that Louisiana sweet potato growers started called their sweet potatoes yams, in order to distinguish them from what they felt were far less superior northern sweet potatoes. Most often, when a recipe calls for "yams" they are referring to canned sweet potatoes, but if you check the cans, somewhere in small type on the label, usually under the word "yams," you'll see the words "sweet potatoes" also.
As always, full recipe text with measurements and instructions, as well as a printable document, are a little bit further down the page. Just swipe or scroll past the step-by-step pictures below.
Other Basic Preparations: Instructions are in the printable below.
Crockpot Baked Sweet Potatoes
Twice Baked & garnished with chopped pecans and syrup.
The microwave is a sweet potato's best friend!
Sweet Potato Fries!
Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary
Roasted Sweet Wedges with Spicy Chili Powder Cinnamon Sugar and drizzled with Honey.
Mashed/Pureed
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