Did you know that?

• One cup of cooked sweet potatoes provides 30 mg (50,000 IU) of beta carotene (Vitamin A). It would take 23 cups of broccoli to provide the same amount.
  
  
• Sweet potatoes have four times the US Recommended Daily Allowance (USRDA) for beta carotene when eaten with the skin on.
  
  
• ·Sweet potatoes are a great source of vitamin E. Most vitamin E- rich foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts, and avocados, contain a hefty dose of fat. Just two-thirds of a cup of sweet potatoes provides 100% of the USRDA for vitamin E, without the unwanted fat and provides many other essential nutrients including vitamin B6, potassium, and iron.
  
  
• Sweet potatoes are a good source of dietary fiber, which helps to promote a healthy digestive tract. Sweetpotatoes have more fiber than oatmeal.
  
  
• Sweet potatoes are virtually fat-free, cholesterol-free, and very low in sodium. A medium sweetpotato has just 118 calories.

For more detailed information on the nutrition of sweetpotatoes, check the NC SweetPotato Commission site.

Recipes

Charlotte Godwin's sweet potato pie is famous in the heart of North Carolina. As the wife of the owner, Anthony Godwin, "Mama" knows that to make the best pie around, you have to start with the very best sweet potatoes -- and that's the real reason why Anthony works so hard to grow the highest quality sweet potatoes anywhere.

Ingredients: 1 (9-inch) pie shell 2 C. mashed, cooked sweet potatoes 1 C. brown sugar 1/2 C. butter or margarine 1-1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1/2 tsp. nutmeg 1/4 tsp. salt 3 eggs, separated 1 C. evaporated milk

Combine mashed sweet potatoes, brown sugar and butter; cream well. Add spices, salt, beaten egg yolks and milk; mix well. Beat egg whites until stiff; fold into sweet potato mixture. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 to 70 minutes or until silver knife inserted at edge comes out clean. Service with whipped cream, if desired.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Ingredients:

• 3 C. mashed sweet potatoes
  
• 1 C. sugar
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1/3 stick melted margarine or butter
  
• 1/2 C. milk
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla

• 1 C. brown sugar
  
• 1/3 C. flour
  
• 1/3 C. softened margarine
  
• 1 C. nuts
  
• 1 C. coconut

Stuffed Baked Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

• 4 medium sweet potatoes, washed
  
• 1 small ripe banana, peeled
  
• 2 Tbsp butter or margarine
  
• 1/3 C. fresh orange juice
  
• 1 C. brown sugar
  
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt
  
• 1/4 C. pecans

1. Bake sweet potatoes at 375 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until tender when tested with a fork.
   
2. Reserving shells, scoop out sweet potatoes into a bowl. Mash banana with potatoes, add butter, orange juice, brown sugar, salt, and beat thoroughly. Spoon mixture into shells. Sprinkle with pecans. Set on a cookie sheet.
   
3. Return to oven 12 to 15 minutes or until heated.

Ingredients:

• 2 C. hot, mashed sweet potatoes
  
• 1/4 C. pineapple juice
  
• crushed cornflakes

Add pineapple juice to the sweet potatoes and beat until smooth. Form into balls the size of eggs. Roll balls into corn flakes. Bake in a buttered 2 qt. baking dish at 325 degrees for 25 min. Yields 4 to 6 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 C.cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
  
• 1 lg. banana
  
• 1-1/2 Tbsp. melted butter or margarine
  
• 1 egg
  
• 1-1/2 tsp. salt
  
• several Tbsp. milk

Preheat oven to 500 degrees. Mash sweet potatoes and banana in bowl. Add butter, egg, and salt; blend well. Add just enough milk to make potatoes fluffy. Drop batter in mounds 1 to 2 in. apart on greased cookie sheets. Potatoes may be forced through pastry tube, if desired. Bake 12 min. until heated through and slightly browned. Serves 6.

Sweet Potato Bread (Muffins)

Ingredients:

• 2 C. cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
  
• 3 C. sugar
  
• 1 C. salad oil
  
• 4 eggs, beaten
  
• 3-1/2 C. self-rising flour
  
• 2 tsp. baking powder
  
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
  
• 2/3 C. water
  
• 1/2 C. nuts, if desired

Cream together sugar and oil. Add eggs and potatoes. Mix dry ingredients. Gradually alternate with water, ending with flour. Add nuts, if desired. Bake in 2 greased loaf pans 1hr. in preheated 350 degree oven. Serves 18 to 20.

For muffins, put into lined or greased muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes in 400degree oven.

Sweet Potato Souffle

Ingredients:

• 3 cups masked sweet potatoes
  
• 1 cup white sugar
  
• 1/2 tsp. salt
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1/3 stick margarine, melted
  
• 1/2 cup milk
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Topping

• 1 cup brown sugar
  
• 1 cup nuts, chopped
  
• 1/2 cup self-rising flour
  
• 1/3 C. butter or margarine, melted
  
• 1 C. coconut (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix ingredients and pour into casserole.
Topping: Mix and sprinkle over souffle and bake 25 min. Delicious with or without topping.

Ingredients:

• 3 C. cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
  
• 1 C. butter
  
• 2 C. sugar
  
• 4 eggs
  
• 3 C. sifted flour
  
• 2 tsp. baking powder
  
• 1/2 tsp. salt
  
• 1 tsp. soda
  
• 1 tsp. vanilla
  
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
  
• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
  
• 1/2 C. chopped pecans
  
• 1/2 C. coconut (optional)

Cream sugar and butter. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well. Add mashed sweet potatoes and vanilla. Blend in flour, sifted with other dry ingredients. Fold in nuts and coconut. Bake in a greatsed tube pan at 350 degrees for 1 hr. or until done.

Ingredients:

• 1 (No. 3) can sweet potatoes, drained or 3 cups mashed, cooked sweet potatoes
  
• 1/4 C. sugar
• 2/3 stick butter or margarine, melted
• 1 small bag marshmallows
• 3/4 tsp. cinnamon or to taste

Mix sweet potatoes, sugar, margarine, and cinnamon together with mixer. Pour in casserole dish and add marshmallows. Bake in a 350 degree oven until marshmallows begin to brown

Did you know there are many recipes for SweetPotatoes in soups, salads, breads, main and side dishes, desserts and party foods? Check them out at the NC SweetPotato Commission website