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Mashed Sweet Potatoes
by Jes Mostek
serves: 5
  Sweet potatoes are a vitamin-rich staple of holiday meals. You'll love this flavorful recipe-- it brings new life to an old standby. Also try using this for everyday meals. Double or triple the recipe for a crowd.
Ingredients:
  3 med.   sweet potaotes
  1/2 c.   butter (1 stick = 1/2 c.)
  3 T.   lemon juice
  1   zest of a lemon
  1 tsp.   cinnamon
  1/4 tsp.   ground cloves
  1/2 tsp.   ground nutmeg
  1/4 tsp.   allspice
  1/2 c.   packed brown sugar, optional
  1 recipe   Meringue Shells, optional
  1 recipe   Candied Nuts (use pecans)
Directions:
  Peel, rinse, and cut sweet potatoes into uniformly-sized chunks. Fill a large pot half-full with cool to luke-warm water. Place the pot on the stove over medium heat. Place potatoes in pot as you chop them.

The sweet potatoes are done when they are easily pierced with a fork. Strain the water and return the sweet potatoes to the pot. Turn on the heat again to sizzle out the remaining water. Turn off the heat and add the butter. Cover the butter with some of the hot sweet potatoes so it'll melt faster. Then add the lemon juice and zest, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, allspice, and optional sugar (use either the sugar or the merigue shells). Mash and stir with a potato masher (or, in a pinch, you could use a heavy-duty whisk).

To serve, carefully spoon mashed sweet potatoes into the prepared merigue shells and top with candied pecans.

If you are not using the merigue shells, you may wish to transfer the mashed sweet potatoes into a casserole dish or pan, top with the pecans, and place in a hot oven (350 or so) to give the dish a beautiful golden copper tone on the top.