Vardaman, MS Sweet Potatoes

The Thanksgiving Holiday starts the seasons for bringing out the best of our recipes to put festive touches to the abundant fare we share with family and friends.

My brother on a short stop over this past summer

I put in a request to my brother to get on the Vardaman Sweet Potato loop for his truck driving business in hopes he would bring me some of those delectable goodies from the South back to this Northern Lady.

A weekand a half ago he came running past making a connection with Hubby before he blew on by to his next drop off an hour away.

He was able to get his route headed back this way to join us for a family Thanksgiving this year.

Being a gardener I have grown sweet potatoes, but this year I didn't get my plants put in the ground so my next best option, go directly to the source...

For a time I had 80 pounds of the orange sweets taking up space just off the kitchen waiting to find their way into one of those special recipes I spoke of earlier.


One of the 40 lbs. boxes remains for me to try out homemade  sweet potato fries, sweet potato pies,casseroles etc...etc...etc...

Sweet Potato Bake

Wednesday, we weighed out 3 1/2 pounds for my daughter Tamara to boil up and mash for one of her
"Paula Deen" recipes to put on the Thanksgiving Day menu.

This one is called Sweet Potato Bake;a different spin compared to how we usually serve them. Traditionally, it is brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon with mini-marshmellows browned on top about ten minutes before serving.


There is a Southern Lady from Vicksburg,MS, whose recipe for her famous Sweet Potato Pie I would like to share with you.

Marian  from Marian's Hunting Stories etc..etc..etc... sent her recipe my way. Now is really a good time to pull it out to add to the Holiday table.With all kinds of get togethers yet to take place by the  New Year I know I will be able to offer a tasty treat for dessert.

                                                     "Marian's Sweet Potato Pie" 
 

3 large sweet potatoes cooked, drained, and mashed up. Will make approximately 2-1/2 to 3 cups. Add the following ingredients to potatoes while they are still hot.

1 stick margarine or butter
2 cups sugar
1 cup milk
3 eggs (beaten)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon extract

Place in uncooked pie shells. Will make 3 thin pies or 2 large ones. Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.

For a crisp pie shell, bake for the first 10 minutes at 425 degrees and then turn back to 350 degrees for remaining 40 minutes

 I hope all my American family and friends had a wonderful Thanksgiving ! Time to prepare for Christ - mas...