Sweet Potato Gratin with Gruyere

I made Gruyere popovers for Thanksgiving and I had some Gruyere leftover. When I saw this recipe on A Taste of Home Cooking, I knew I wanted to try it.  This recipe is very simple, but it does take some time to cook.  I really enjoyed the gratin, but C was not a fan.  He said he would like it better with normal potatoes.  I may try a mix of russets and sweet potatoes next time, similar to Potatoes Dauphinois.  This recipe would be perfect for Thanksgiving since I much prefer a savory dish of sweet potatoes to the usual marshmallow mess.

Sweet Potato Gratin with Gruyere

2 ½ cups heavy cream
1 ½ teaspoons salt
4 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled
¾ cup shredded gruyere

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 9 x 9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Place baking dish on baking sheet.

Stir together heavy cream and salt in large bowl. Thinly slice sweet potatoes using either a mandoline or a sharp knife. Add to bowl with the heavy cream and salt.

Layer 1/3 of yams in baking dish. Sprinkle with half of the cheese. Repeat with another 1/3 of yams and the remainder of cheese. Top with remaining yams. Pour any remaining yam-cream mixture over top.

Bake uncovered on center rack of oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and press a spatula, carefully, against the top layer to allow liquid to flow over the "crust." Replace pan in oven and bake an additional 30 minutes. Remove pan, press top layer and replace pan in oven. Bake for another 40-45 minutes or until yams are tender. Remove from oven, let rest 15 minutes, then serve.

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Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges

I have been trying to perfect sweet potato fries in the oven for the longest time, I have never been successful. They are either super soggy or over cooked. It is really hard to get a French fry texture from the oven. And I really don't enjoy deep frying, the whole house smells like McDonalds for days after. This recipe is a good solution for my sweet potato fix. The wedges don't get overcooked and they get nice and crispy from the hot baking pan. The cayenne pepper adds a nice kick to complement the sweetness of the potatoes.  You can adjust the pepper to your liking, I add more than half a teaspoon because I like things spicy, the spicier, the better.

Spicy Sweet Potato Wedges

3 sweet potatoes
¼ cup olive oil
¼ to ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut the sweet potatoes into wedges, eight wedges per potato. In a small bowl, combine the oil and cayenne pepper. Brush the wedges with the oil and lay flat on a baking sheet. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, turning over halfway through cooking.

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Potatoes Dauphinois

I have posted this recipe once before, but it was buried in an Easter post and it truly merits its own posting. My friend Shannon, she makes such amazing cakes, gave me this recipe years ago. She had sent it to me as a scanned newspaper clipping originally. This is such a fantastic recipe for a dinner party because you can make it the night before, it looks impressive and it tastes amazing. You don't have to make it in advance if you would prefer to serve it straight from the dish, it's just as tasty.

Potatoes Dauphinois

1 ½ cups whipping cream
1 cup milk
½ teaspoon each: dried thyme, salt and pepper
5 russet potatoes, peeled
1 sweet potato, peeled (can substitute russet potato)
3 cloves garlic minced

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine cream, milk, thyme, salt and pepper in a large pot. Cut russet potatoes and sweet potato into 1/8 inch slices, dropping them into the cream mixture as they are sliced. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are evenly coated and cream mixture thickens, about 10 minutes.

Sprinkle garlic over the bottom of an 8 inch square buttered baking pan. Transfer potatoes into pan in layers, placing sweet potatoes in center layers. Pour remaining cream mixture over. Bake until potatoes are golden brown and tender, about 30 minutes. Cool about 1 hour. Cover, refrigerate until firm, at least 8 hours.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Cut potatoes into rounds with 3 inch ring molds (or cut into triangles). Bake on a parchment lined (or Silpat) baking sheet until they begin to bubble, about 10 minutes.

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Pulled Pork Sandwiches & Sweet Potato Fries

A friend emailed me this week looking for my pulled pork recipe, turns out I don't really have one. I just throw the ingredients of barbecue sauce in a crock pot with pork. If I am making it for a crowd, I use a pork shoulder, but when it is just C and I, I use a pork roast.

I have never attempted sweet potato fries before, but they look so tasty! Next time I won't bother breaking out the mandoline, the potatoes were too strong to be sliced easily with it. They turned out great and were super simple.

Pulled Pork
(use double or even triple if using a pork shoulder)

2 lb pork roast
1 cup ketchup
2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp mustard
several dashes hot sauce
1/2 onion, sliced
2 cloves garlic, smashed

Mix all ingredients in the crock pot, cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. Shred pork 30 minutes before serving. Return shredded pork and sauce to crock pot. Serve on toasted rolls with sliced pickles.

Sweet Potato Fries
serves 4-6

1 - 1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes
1/8 cup olive oil
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp paprika

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (preferably the easy release kind).

Peal the sweet potatoes. Cut into strips that are about 1/2 inch wide on each side.

Place the sweet potatoes into a sealable plastic bag. Add oil, salt, and paprika. Seal the bag and shake well to thoroughly coat the fries. Spread the potatoes out onto the baking sheet in a single layer.

Cook for 25 minutes, turning halfway. Transfer immediately to a paper towel lined plate and serve warm.

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