Sweet Potatoes -- It's a Love/Hate Kinda Thing

Love ‘em ’cause they are nutritious. Hate ’em ’cause how many ways can you cook a sweet potato? Let’s find out.

To keep the kids from getting bored with sweet potato, I need fresh ideas for cooking it up. My very picky four year old won’t eat much, but she will eat sweet potatoes. This is a great thing seeing as how a medium-sized cooked sweet potato has more than a full day’s requirement for vitamin A, is an excellent source of vitamin C, good source of fiber, potassium, copper and manganese, and contains important omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.

I’ve done the mashed sweet potato with butter and made sweet potato fries (which my husband ate and wants again!) but I’d like new ideas. For those in the same boat, I’d like to share what I’ve found, courtesy of my local Farmer’s Market.

1. 1 Roast whole or halved sweet potatoes at 450 degrees F for 25 to 35 minutes.
2. 2 Saute sliced or diced sweet potatoes in oil for about 10 minutes.
3. 3 Quick boil by adding 1-inch thick slices to a skillet with 2 inches of boiling water; cook for about 12 minutes. Or, steam over simmering water.
4. 4 Microwave whole sweet potatoes on high for 5 to 8 minutes for each potato; rotate halfway through.
5. 5 Micro-bake whole sweet potatoes: microwave 4 minutes, then bake at 450 degrees F for 5 to 10 minutes.
6. 6 Grill or broil 1-inch think slices for 10 minutes. Or cut sweet potatoes in halves lengthwise and grill 20 to 25 minutes.
7. 7 Shred raw sweet potato to add color and flavor to salads and coleslaw.
8. 8 Cut raw sweet potato in sticks, like carrots, to serve with ranch dressing or dip.
9. 9 Sprinkle wedges with vegetable oil and Cajun seasoning. Roast in a hot oven.
10. 10 Mash cooked sweet potatoes with butter, milk, salt and pepper. Flavorful stir-ins: peanut butter; curry powder or ginger; orange juice and zest; or, caramelized onions.
11. 11 Puree cooked sweet potatoes and apples, blending in a little milk, salt, pepper and ground ginger. Bake in a casserole dish, dotted with butter and chopped nuts.
12. 12 Layer sweet potato and orange slices in a baking dish; drizzle each layer with melted butter, orange juice, and maple syrup. Cover and bake until tender.
13. 13 Toss sweet potato chunks and sliced onions with oil, salt and hot sauce. Roast until tender.
    
    More recipes (that sound yummy) can be found at www.ncsweetpotatoes.com .