MASHED S/P WITH ORANGE BUTTER PECAN GRAVY

PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT: I JUST WANTED TO SHARE THAT I HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL CALLED SAYBERS COOKING. (www.youtube.com/c/sayberscookingc) ITS WHERE I POST VIDEOS OF THE FOOD I BLOG ABOUT. SO BE SURE TO CHECK ME OUT OVER THERE AND SUBSCRIBE. AND FYI THIS RECIPE HAS A VIDEO THAT IS UP ON MY CHANNEL AS WELL!

OK SO NOW THAT WE GOT THAT OUT THE WAY LET'S MOVE ON TO THIS DELICIOUS SIDE DISH THAT YOU KE FOR YOU'RE THANKSGIVING SHEN-DIG.

OK SO AS ALWAYS THIS TIME OF YEAR ESPECIALLY DURING THANKSGIVING I FIND THAT THERE IS ALWAYS A BAKING DISH FILLED WITH SLICES OF SWEET POTATOES SMOTHERED IN A CINNAMON, BUTTER, AND BROWN SUGAR. HOWEVER, THIS YEAR I WANTED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT AND FUN. THAT IS WHEN I CAME UP WITH MY OWN TAKE ON SWEET POTATOES AND DID MASHED POTATOES AND SWEET ORANGE BUTTER PECAN SAUCE THAT I CALL A "GRAVY."

INGREDIENTS: (FEEDS 4-5 PPL)

 3 lbs Sweet Potatoes (small)

 1/3cup Chopped Pecans

 1/2cup Brown Sugar

 1/3cup White Sugar

 4tbsp Unsalted Butter

 2tbsp Orange Marmenlade

 1 tsp Pure Vanile Extract

 1 tbsp Cinnamon

 1 tsp Nutmeg 

 1 cup Half and Half (for gravy)

 

THE FIRST STEP IN MAKING THIS EASY AND QUICK SIDE DISH IS TOO PEEL AND CUT YOU'RE SWEET POTATOES. I USED 3 LBS OF SMALL SWEET POTATOES THAT I BOUGHT FROM MY LOCAL ALDIS STORE. IF YOU ARE USING LARGE SIZE SWEET POTOTOES THEN I RECOMMEND 4 S.P. 

AFTER PEELING THEM, THEN YOU WANT TO CUT THEM INTO CHUNKS. THIS PART DOESN'T REQUIRE A CERTAIN SIZE BECAUSE ALL YOU ARE DOING IS JUST BOILING THEM. 

PUT THE SWEET POTATOES IN A POT OF COLD WATER. FILL THE POT JUST ENOUGH TO COVER THE POTATOES. NOW ITS TIME TO ADD THE BUTTER IN THE WATER. I LOVE THIS PART BECAUSE IT GIVES THE CHANCE FOR THE SWEET POTATOES TO GET FLAVORED WITH THAT NICE BUTTERY TASTE. I USED HALF A STICK OF UNSALTED BUTTER.

WHILE THE SWEET POTATOES ARE TAKING A NICE HOT BUTTERY BATH; WE ARE GOING TO MOVE ON TO MAKING THE "GRAVY." I FIRST START OFF WITH TOASTING THE CHOPPED PECANS IN A PAN WITH NOTHING IN THE PAN BUT THE PECANS. THIS WILL HELP THE NUTS RELEASE THEIR FLAVOR AND OILS SO THAT YOU REALLY GET THAT PECAN FLAVOR THROUGH OUT THE "GRAVY." YOU WANT TO DO THIS UNTIL YOU ARE START TO SMELL THE PECANS ONCE YOU START TO SMELL THEM THEN YOU CAN MOVE ON TO ADDING THE NEXT INGREIDENT!!!!

NOW WE ARE GOING TO GET BUTTERY AND ADD HALF A STICK TO PECANS. I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU BUT IM GETTING EXCITED JUST BY LOOKING AT THE BUTTER MELT IN THE PAN WITH TOASTY PECANS OH YA, OH YA!!

ONCE THE BUTTER MELTS, YOU WILL SEE IT START TO FOAM AND THAT IS WHAT YOU WANT IT TO DO. NOW WE CAN ADD THE OTHER 6 INGREDIENTS (BROWN SUGAR, WHITE SUGAR, ORANGE MARMALADE, VANILLA, CINNAMON, AND NUTMEG). YOU WANT TO STIR ALL THE INGREDIENTS TOGETHER AND FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES YOU WILL SEE THE SUGARS START TO CARAMELIZE. AFTER 5 MINUTES ARE UP YOU SHOULD MOVE ON TO THE LAST PART OF THIS "GRAVY" THAT IS GOING TO PUT IT ALL TOGETHER AND REALLY MAKE IT LOOK LIKE GRAVY!

ITS TIME TO ADD THE HALF AND HALF! THE HALF AND HALF GIVES THE SAUCE A CREAMY YET TEXTURE AND IS WHAT MAKES THE SAUCE LOOK LIKE A GRAVY. OH BY THE WAY YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU LABEL THIS "GRAVY" YOU DON'T WANT ANYBODY PUTTING THIS SWEET GOODNESS ON THEIR TURKEY AND DRESSING LOL. OK BACK TO WHAT I WAS TALKING ABOUT. SO YOU ADD THE HALF AND HALF TO THE SAUCE AND STIR. LET IT COOK ON THE STOVE ON LOW FOR 9 MINUTES AND BOOM YOU HAVE ORANGE BUTTER PECAN "GRAVY."

I HAD TO MAKE THIS PICTURE BIG SO THAT YOU CAN REALLY GET A GOOD LOOK AT THIS BAD BOY! THIS IS THE FINAL LOOK OF THE "GRAVY."

NOW THAT THE GRAVY IS DONE! WE CAN MOVE ON TO THE SWEET POTATOES. WHICH IS THE EASIEST PART. I BOILED MY SWEET POTATOES UNTIL THEY WERE FORK TENDERED (WHICH MEANS UNTIL YOU ARE ABLE TO PUT A FORK IN THEM AND THE FORK JUST SLIDES RIGHT OUT). ONCE THEY WERE TENDER THEN I DRAINED THE WATER FROM THE POT AND THREW THE SWEET POTATOES IN MY STAND MIXER WITH 2 TBSP OF UNSALTED BUTTER. 

WHILE MY STAND MIXER WAS DOING ITS THING I THEN ADD WHAT I HAD LEFT FROM MY HALF AND HALF TO MAKE MY SWEET POTATOES SMOOTH CONSISTENCY! I ADDED 1/3 CUP OF HALF AND HALF. AND AFTER THAT I WAS DONE! NOW ITS TIME TO PLATE THIS BABY! I LOVE THIS SIDE DISH FOR SO REASONS AND I HOPE YOU ENJOY IT TOO! LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS OR IF YOU DECIDE TO MAKE IT THIS YEAR! FROM ME TO YOU 

"Love and Good Eats"

     -Sayber