Savory Sweet Potatoes

First up...it's podcast Tuesday! Hope we can keep you company while you decorate or wrap or address cards or whatever you've got going on this week! Lots of fun this week: stories from Thanksgiving, decorating our new home, and some highlights from our anniversary trips in the past few years!

Click here to listen. 

And now...it's time for a new recipe!

As you know, I didn't know until this past year that I even liked sweet potatoes. I had been tainted by the Thanksgiving presentation of them buried in marshmallows and pecans, and I didn't have a clue there were other options of ways to prepare them.

In the process of learning that I actually do like them, I also learned I prefer them to lean a bit more to the savory side. I started out making the sweet potato chip/fries, and I still like them that way, but not every meal is a chip/fry meal, so I've been on the hunt for additional recipes.

So I found this recipe on Pinterest and did some tweaking to make it my own. I have served it twice now at Tuesdays at the Table, and both times, it got rave reviews - and one time the thumbs up came from a couple who doesn't even really like sweet potatoes. Ryan also really likes it, so I've decided to make it a permanent fixture in the Shafferland recipe box. 

I also want to say, before I launch into the recipe, that seriously, the hardest part of this recipe is cutting up the sweet potatoes. It is so easy to make. I love a recipe that is simple and delicious, so here you go! 

Savory Sweet Potatoes

* 3 average sized sweet potatoes

* 1 1/2 Tablesoons olive oil

* 1/2 teaspoon thyme

* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

* 1/2 teaspoon cumin

* 1 teaspoon sugar

* 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt

Wash sweet potatoes and cut into small cubes. Dump cubes into an oven safe baking dish and drizzle with olive oil. Use a spatula to toss potato cubes in oil until well coated. In a small bowl, combine all the seasonings and sprinkle over the potatoes in oil. Stir until well-coated. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for an hour, stirring two or three times throughout the hour. Check potatoes to make sure they are soft when speared with a fork.

* A Few Tips

* The smaller you cut the potato cubes, the faster they will cook. It will take longer to prep, but you'll be glad you did it when the house starts to smell delicious!

* The original recipe said to bake on a large cookie sheet for 40 minutes. The potatoes will definitely bake faster if spread out like that, but since I'm usually making this recipe for a nicer dinner, so I prefer to go ahead and put it in a nice baking dish, even though that means it has to bake longer.

* Make sure you don't skip stirring the potatoes; this helps bring the uncooked ones to a new spot in the dish to speed along the process.

* If the potatoes are still hard after an hour, keep baking them and check the dish every five or ten minutes until they are soft. 

* If you like your veggies extra seasoned, you could always double the seasoning, and likewise, if you prefer them a little more bland, you could cut the seasoning in half. I think this amount is just right for our tastes. 

* This pairs really nicely with any meat and makes for a colorful vegetable option. It's also a good thing to serve if you have company with babies, because if they've started on solid foods, sweet potatoes are often a big win!

* This also reheats nicely if you have leftovers.