Two challenges today. Well, maybe three if you count being on time as one of them. That's already an epic fail.
I visited the new farmers market this morning and am forever changed. Never again will I wade through the crowds at the more well-known "KCC" market. The new market was large enough to have plenty of selection, busy enough to run into friends, yet slow enough to be able to chat with vendors and enjoy the morning. Feeling inspired, I chatted up the Market Manager, telling her about my yummy Mango Bread, Banana Bread & Avocado Pound Cake and my desire to have a booth selling my goods. Though she said 'Mmmmm, sounds delicious', she immediately followed that by 'but we already have two bakers here.' She suggested bringing by a sample of my goods next week and she'd think about it. Now, I am totally jumping the gun but even chatting with her yet. I am no where near ready to go. But maybe I need to stop being so damn methodical and get a fire lit under my ass. So, inspired like I was going to bake all my best recipes in the same week (what was I thinking?) along with designing packaging and apparently becoming Superbakerwoman, I came home with 20 ripe Lilikoi, 4 long and thin mangoes and 3 huge avocados.
So challenge #1- impress Market Manager in very near future with scrumptious samples. Which will also require packaging/ stickers/ logos designed. And a business name. Crap. I've got a lot to do.
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| Holy Sweet Potato, Batman! |
Once home I threw around some ideas for what to make for the "Locally Made" potluck I was supposed to be at over an hour ago (quick aside- I'm typing while the pie is baking... so this technically isn't adding to the tardiness). Mango Bread is out because the Mangoes I bought are too green. Avocado Pound Cake has the same problem. The Lilikois are destined for Curd, so no sense cutting them open yet. I have a half gone jar of Lemon Curd in the fridge, but not enough to make something for a crowd. And I have an ENORMOUS Sweet Potato that is waiting to be used for something...
So challenge #2- Make something delicious and local with what is currently in the kitchen- so "Sweet Potato Something" it will be.
And the underlying challenge #3. Do yard work, bake something yummy, clean house & then proceed to run all over town retracing my morning market jaunt looking for lost cell phone and still be on time to potluck. FAIL. What I actually did was run all over town looking for cell phone to no avail, plant some seeds, clean a bit and take a long nap. And now I am almost 1 1/2 hours late for said potluck with 45 minutes left on the pie's timer. EPIC fail.
So what can I be successful at today? Baking Sweet Potato Pie!
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| Making the monster manageable size. Then I forgot to keep taking pictures. My bad. |
So taking on the Sweet Potato Monster, I eyeballed that bowling ball-sized tuber and estimated it was about 4-5 cups of mashed goodness. Enough to make two pies. One for the potluck, and one for a going away party tomorrow.
I washed it off, sliced it into manageable chunks and peeled it with a peeler. Then I cooked down the chunks. If I had planned ahead I would have boiled them on the stove. But I didn't, so I covered them with water and put them in the microwave for about five 8-minute sessions. Once they slid tenderly off the knife I kept poking them with, I drained them and let them cool.
Now most sweet potato recipes tell you never to put them in a mixer because they get gummy. I have to agree, but timing was not on my side. Nor could I find my potato masher. So mixer it was. I didn't overmix. There are still a few soft lumps in the potato mash. I think that's ok. But that is entirely your call. I mixed it together and licked the spatula more than I should. I really won't be too hungry at this potluck tonight after my Sweet Potato Pie pre-dinner batter-licking feast. But my verdict? Totally worth it.
So here's the official unofficial recipe:
Backyard Sweet Potato Pie
Modified from Joy the Baker's "Dad's Perfect Sweet Potato Pie"
- 2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes. I used a local white fleshed variety.
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
- 1 12 oz. can evaporated milk, divided.
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
Measure 2 cups of the mash and put in a medium sized pot with the packed brown sugar, all of the spices, salt, the 1/2 stick butter, and 1/2 can of evaporated milk. Cook on low for about 5 minutes, whipping with a wire whisk until butter and brown sugar are melted down and mixture is well blended, smooth and starts to smell delicious. Remove from heat and let cool.
In a medium sized bowl, beat the three eggs with a fork. Add the rest of the can of evaporated milk, granulated sugar and vanilla to the eggs and continue beating until creamy. Pour the cooled sweet potato mixture from pot into a large bowl. Stir in the egg mixture. Blend thoroughly.
Pour the yumminess into 9" or 10" pie crust (choose 9" and you'll be licking the spatula a lot with the extra).
Bake 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Then lower the temp to 325 degrees for 45 minutes or so, until it plumps around the edges and doesn't jiggle much when you tap it. Let it cool before serving (well, let it cool a little...)
Enjoy with whipped cream! Yum!
