Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Seriously these are the best mashed sweet potatoes ever! The inspiration came from a restaurant I went to the other night with friends. I found their whipped sweet potatoes so good, I decided to try my hand at my own version. The result came out far better than I ever could have imagined. One side note I want to make here about not only this recipe, but all of the recipes on my blog in general, is that I often don't give exact measurements for herbs and spices. The reason is that seasoning is a very personal thing. Many are sensitive to salt, or don't like heavily seasoned items. It is very important to taste as you go to get a flavor that pleases your personal palate. That being said, the below recipe is exactly how I made this dish, but feel free to experiment!

Ingredients:

2 Large sweet potatoes

2 Tablespoons light brown sugar

1 Tablespoon cinnamon

1/4 Cup unsweetened soy milk

1 Tablespoon orange juice

1/4 Cup butter, melted (vegans can subsitute margarine or a vegetable oil spread such as Earth Balance)

1/8 Teaspoon salt

1/8 Teaspoon black pepper

Wash sweet potatoes thoroughly. Wrap individually with plastic wrap. With a fork poke holes in the wrap in several places. Place on a plate and put in the microwave for 7 minutes. Turn potatoes over (be careful they're hot!) and cook an additional 7 minutes. Potatoes will be VERY hot. Allow to cool for five minutes or so, then remove plastic wrap. Remove skins from potatoes. you should not need a peeler, you can now easily remove skins with your fingers. Place into the bowl of your kitchen aid mixer, fitted with a paddle if you have one. Mash a bit with a hand held potato masher. Now add the remaining ingredients to your bowl. Turn on mixer for 2 minutes. If you do not have a mixer, you can use an electric egg beater or simply a handheld masher. That's it! The cinnamon and brown sugar really help to bring out the sweetness of the potato. This is a very satisfying side dish and would make an especially nice accompaniment to a holiday meal.