Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes
Twice baked sweet potatoes….what a revelation. Maybe all of you foodies out there have thought of this or heard of this already, but I have not. It just occurred to me the other day, if you can make a twice baked potato out of a regular russet potato, why couldn’t you with a sweet potato? And what a fun way to serve sweet potatoes at Thanksgiving. So, I experimented and tried four different versions: Sweet potato souffle with pecans and coconut, traditional brown sugar and marshmallows, sweet potatoes with orange juice and orange zest and a twice baked sweet potato using all the same ingredients that are in a regular russet twice baked potato. Remember that one sweet potato serves two people, and I tried to pick out the more round potatoes instead of the longer, skinnier ones. Each of the recipes below are for four whole sweet potatoes.
Start by washing and scrubbing the outside of your sweet potatoes. Prick each potato many times with a fork (apparently I was lacking in this step as one of my potatoes exploded in the microwave). Cook for 10 minutes in the microwave, check to make sure they are fork tender. If not, put back in the microwave and cook in one minute increments, checking for tenderness after each minute.
Let them cool so you can handle them. Cut in half and using a spoon, scoop out all the flesh. Use a fork to mash the sweet potato flesh to the consistency you like; a little chunky or perfectly smooth.
Sweet Potato Souffle
This was the overall winner of our “official taste test”.
To your scooped out sweet potato flesh, add:
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. melted butter
1 egg, beaten
1/2 C. milk or cream
1 tsp. vanilla
Mix all the ingredients and refill the sweet potato skins. Mix and sprinkle on top of each potato:
1 C. brown sugar
1/4 C. flour
1 C. chopped pecans
1/3 C. shredded coconut
1/3 C. melted butter
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Traditional
This recipe came in second; who doesn’t love that traditional gooey marshmallow and brown sugar topping? To your scooped out sweet potato flesh add:
1/2 C. melted butter
1/2 C. milk or cream
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Mix all the ingredients and refill the sweet potato skins. On top of each potato sprinkle brown sugar, drizzle with melted butter, then place as many mini marshmallows as your potato can handle.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Twice Baked Sweet Potato
I love, love, love twice baked potatoes with regular russet potatoes. This recipe uses all the same ingredients and flavors with that little sweet potato surprise. I really liked these. To your scooped out sweet potato flesh add:
1-1/2 C. sour cream
1/2 C. melted butter
1/2 C. chopped fresh chives
Salt and pepper
Mix all the ingredients and refill the sweet potato skins. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. When finished baking, add a dollop of sour cream on top and sprinkle with additional chives (bacon and cheddar cheese would be great, too ~ wish I’d thought of that!)
Sweet Potatoes with Orange Essence
These were the least favorite of the judges (my husband and his friend, and the kids) but we are pretty traditional folks. Next time, I think I’d add a little ginger. To your scooped out sweet potato flesh add:
1/2 C. melted butter
1/2 C. orange juice
1 tsp. orange zest
Mix all the ingredients and refill the sweet potato skins. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes..