Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes

As you know by now, my son eats very little variety, and I'm working on not being crazy about that.  One thing he never fails to eat is mashed sweet potatoes.  While my Cooks Illustrated recipe was delicious, I've been tinkering with a way to reduce the massive amount of heavy cream in that (admittedly heavenly) recipe. What I've come up with is incredibly decadent tasting, but much lighter.  And the best part is, my son has no idea that I've changed anything!

These are good on a weeknight.  There are only three steps, and it does most of the work without  my interference.

Ingredients

Two large, or three small sweet potatoes

Two tablespoons of unsalted butter

1/4 cup of water

1/2 Tablespoon packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

Cream, 1/2 and 1/2, or milk for finishing when off the heat (I use 2 Tbl cream)

Optional: cinnamon

STEP 1

Peel and slice sweet potatoes uniformly thin.

STEP 2:

Add potatoes, sugar, salt, butter, and water to the pot.  Turn the heat to medium low.  Allow potatoes to simmer / steam for 20 - 40 minutes (depending on your stove and the size of your chunks), or until potatoes break apart easily with a fork.

STEP 3:

Smash to your preferred consistency - 

• If your family likes chunks, just smash, add your cream / milk to taste and you are set.
• If you don't mind a bump here or there you could process through a potato ricer or a food mill.
• My guys can't abide the smallest lump, so I use my immersion blender right in the pot for about 30 seconds and we're in business.

Taste it here and see if you want more sugar, salt, or cinnamon.  If it is too sticky for you, add more milk.  It is so easy to adjust this to your family's preferences!

-Daisy