Sweet 'Taters

Sweet potatoes are awesome! Guess what? They are also incredibly good for you. We substitute sweet potatoes for white potatoes quite frequently in our house. They are wonderful baked or mashed, just as one would bake or mash conventional potatoes. Stat Boy's absolute favorite sweet potato application is Sweet Potato Casserole. When he is tasked with making his famous casserole, the added sugar and butter fairly negates any of the health benefits one would get from eating sweet potatoes, in general, but it sure is delicious! You can get that particular recipe here.

I've recently been experimenting with sweet potatoes and have come up with easy recipes for sweet potato hash browns and sweet potato chips.

Sweet Potato Hash Browns

2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and shredded

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

salt and pepper to taste

In a large flat bottom skillet heat 1 tablespoon butter along with 1 tablespoon oil over medium high heat until butter melts and begins to foam. When foaming as subsided add about half of the sweet potatoes to the skillet, distributing evenly into one layer. Allow potatoes to fry without stirring for 3-5 minutes or until you see the edges begin to brown. Gently turn the hash browns over and allow to fry for another 3-5 minutes until crispy and golden brown, stirring only occasionally and with a gentle hand. Season with salt and pepper. Remove to a serving dish and repeat with remaining butter, oil, and potatoes.

Sweet Potato Chips

Two large sweet potatoes, peeled

1-2 quart(s) peanut oil

salt to taste

In a heavy dutch oven heat oil to 350 degrees. While oil is heating use a potato peeler to peel layers from the sweet potatoes. This is the absolute best way to get the sweet potato thin enough to fry up as chips. They may not look pretty at first but once they are fried it they will shrink and crinkle up to a beautiful golden brown. Once oil is to temp add a handful of sliced sweet potato and fry until the chips begin to color and crisp up (about 3 to 5 minutes). Be sure not to over fill the pan as that will reduce the temp of the oil too much and leave you with oily and soggy chips. Remove chips with a slotted metal spoon and let drain on several layers of paper towel. Salt to taste. Allow oil to return to 350 degrees between each batch of chips. Two large sweet potatoes made enough chips for our family of eight to enjoy along with our dinner last night.

Of course these recipes are not nearly as good for you as eating a baked sweet potato with a little plain yogurt as a topping, but they are easy, fun, and delicious and you are at least putting a few more nutrients into your diet than you would if using your typical spud.