As the seasons go by I have to say that I am a bit pleased that we have steadily increased our food production for our family and community. With each increase however comes the challenge of utilizing the produce in ways that are fun and exciting for our adventurous family of four. I wouldn’t say that we are foodies per say but anyone can become bored with the same foods, even if they are home grown!

This year we doubled our sweet potato planting. Last year we loved them so much and used them in pies, smoothies and of course we made yams as a side dish. The flavor versus store bought was, once again, unmatched. We knew we could never go back! So we planted more! This enabled us to share them with our CSA members and benefit ourselves. In addition, a fellow grower sent us beautiful basket that they had grown! Now to enjoy these babies! I immediately wanted to do sweet potato bread because it was something I planned to do last year before running out of potatoes. I figured it couldn’t be that difficult so I took to the internet. I found a few options that really struck my interest. This is the recipe that I modified for our family.

The Modifications

We did adjust this recipe ever so slightly to fit our tastes.

• We left off the nutmeg simply because we were out. We also left off the pecans because I didn’t feel up to cracking them. Even a farm girl is allowed to be lazy – sometimes.
• Instead of boiling our potatoes we cooked them as if we were making yams:
  • In a small cast iron skillet we placed 3 tablespoons of vegan butter, 1 teaspoon dried Rosemary, 1/2 cup of sugar, 1 pound of peeled & cut sweet potatoes and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and baked at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.
  • Remove and allow to cool to blend in blender or transfer into mixing bowl & use an emersion blender very carefully!
• Since we added cinnamon to the potatoes already there was no need to add anymore in the mixing process. We also only used 1 cup of sugar since 1/2 cup had already been added to the potatoes when they where cooked.

Story Time!

The day before I decided to make this dish I also made a batch of hot sauce using our Scotch Bonnet and Habanero peppers. Coincidentally the blender that was used in that process was again used in this recipe. When I tasted the blended potatoes I kept wondering why it had a hint of spice. “Duh Shena!” I exclaimed followed by hysterical laughter. I then announced to the family that the Sweet Potato Bread would be spicy. The reactions just spawned another round of laughter! At this point, I was for sure that I had ruined the bread but I’d come too far to back out now!

Back to Modifications

• We used a 9 x 5 inch glass loaf pan and looking back I would have preferred to use a metal one instead and use a little less of the batter. Guess it is time to invest in a metal loaf pan!
• In regards to cook time, it took one hour and twenty minutes for the bread to pass the knife test. I’m sure this is in part related to the use of a glass pan and using more batter than I should have. Since the bread cooked for longer (to be done at the center) it was darker than it should have been however not burnt.
• After removing from oven, allow to cool and place on plate. Using a sifter I sprinkled powdered sugar over the top. Cut. Serve. Enjoy!

You maybe wondering how the spice affected the flavor. IT WAS DIVINE! After cooking the spice was barely noticeable and combined with the cinnamon it almost gave off hints of ginger. This is one mistake that actually paid off! We will definitely be amping up our sweet potato planting yet again for 2021 so that we can make more of these delicious loaves! Stay tuned!