Sweet potatoes two ways, hold the marshmallows

November 19, 2:13 AMBoston Food ExaminerJacqueline Church

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Ginormous sweet potatoes!

Sweet potatoes and tradition

Marshmallows probably see an increase in sales right before Thanksgiving owing to their popularity in the iconic casserole.

• Americans buy 90 million pounds of marshmallows each year, roughly the same weight at 1,286 gray whales.*

For some people, apparently, Thanksgiving is not a time to experiment with new recipes. It becomes a day for "just like Mom made it" arguments.

My mother did not make marshmallow sweet potatoes so we have her to thank for our new tradition. I tried a new savory preparation with carmelized onions and thyme which was fantastic but got a lukewarm reception from the staunch "they must be sweet" camp.

So this year, we'll stick with the sweet potatoes known as:

Jackie's Killer Sweets

Sweet potatoes are delicious, healthy, and easy. These are at least two of the three. They go well with pork, ham or turkey.

• 3 lbs sweet potatoes. Peeled and cut into chunks.
• 1 C light brown sugar
• 1/2 stick unsalted butter
• 1/4 C orange juice
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 - 1/2 C bourbon
• Maple syrup to taste

Steam sweet potatoes until just tender. Cool, uncovered. Place in buttered baking dish. Simmer sugar, butter, OJ, salt until sugar is dissolved and syrup thickens. Stir in bourbon. Drizzle over potatoes. Bake about an hour. Baste occasionally. Top with a drizzle of maple syrup. Can be made ahead.

If you like this recipe, check out my Homemade Smoked Almonds article.

If you liked this recipe, visit Examiner.com's Thanksgiving menu musts recipe slideshow.

If you want to experiment, here are other flavors that pair well with sweet potatoes:

• chipotle pepper or other hot red pepper
• lime
• bacon
• turnips
• orange
• grapefruit
• pomegranate
• thyme
• onions

The favorite savory dish that I'll have to save for solo dinners, went something like this:

1. Steam or boil sweet potatoes.
2. Caramelize onions in butter, add thyme, s&p.
3. Mix and mash with butter to taste.

Trust me, they really were good this way. God knows with sweet potatoes that huge we had plenty to experiment with!

* MallowMaster