Sweet Potato Pie

My husband served his LDS mission in Knoxville, Tennessee. While there a wonderful 95-year old lady named Blanche would make Greg and his companion a sweet potato pie several times each month. (She would also call me every couple weeks to tell me how he was doing!) It is a staple in the South and Greg loves sweet potato pie. So I decided to surprise him and try it out for Thanksgiving this year. I found the recipe online and Greg said it tasted like a true Southern sweet potato pie. Victory! It is similar to pumpkin pie but is different enough that if you are expecting pumpkin you will be disappointed. I myself only like pumpkin pie but after trying sweet potato, I now like two types instead of one. It was surprisingly easy too. And it was a big hit at the Smith Thanksgiving dinner this year so double victory! Here it is:

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. sweet potato
• 1/2 c. butter, softened
• 1 c. white sugar
• 1/2 c. milk (or evaporated milk)
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 9" unbaked pie crust

 Directions:

1. Boil sweet potatoes whole in skin for 40-50 minutes or until done. Run cold water over and remove skin when cool enough to handle.
2. Break apart sweet potato in a bowl with a potato masher and a blender (this helps break apart the strings, apparently sweet potatoes are stringy). Add the butter and mix well with the mixer. Stir is the sugar, milk, eggs, spices, and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until smooth. Pour filling into pie crust.
3. Cover edge of crust with aluminum foil and place in oven.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. The pie will puff up like a souffle and then will sink down as it cools. 
5. 15-20 minutes before the timer goes off, take off the aluminum foil to allow the crust to turn a golden brown.

(To add the leaves as I did, use a cookie cutter and cut out the desired shapes. Then place the leaves on the edge at the same time as you take the aluminum foil off. That's it!)

It was super easy and delicious and I have the best pastry crust recipe that I will be putting on here probably tomorrow. Good luck and enjoy Southern goodness!


(http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Sweet-Potato-Pie-I/Detail.aspx)