Sweet Potato Pie

I decided this year for Thanksgiving that I would try my hand at some real down home Southern cookin'. I had a huge list of recipes and ideas and Southern variations of the normal Thanksgiving foods all planned out but when it came right down to it, I only got to try one Southern food.

I may be adventurous and ready to give up old traditions for the sake of some new ones, but I discovered that I'm the only one in my family that shares those aspirations. Everyone else was happy as a cat to let good things go unchanged. You know the old saying "Why change something if there's nothing wrong with it" (or something like that...)? Well my family pretty much takes the phrase to heart and lives wholeheartedly by it. Which is totally cool. That's fine for them but I still have to experiment. I was just itching to try a new Southern recipe so I did it in a small way and said "No" to four different desserts for a total of 6 people that would be attending my Thanksgiving feast. I put my foot down by golly! (Well, pretty much. I did make a pumpkin pie too as a safeguard in case the sweet potato pie was a flop. I didn't want a mutiny on my hands!) And I think I made some converts to my way of life because they loved my new dessert! Good ol' sweet potato pie. See what happens when you step outside of your comfort zone and challenge those taste buds? (Who knew one could get so philosophical about pie??)

The recipe is so, so good because although yes, sweet potato pie is a lot like pumpkin pie, I tried to find a recipe that would stand on its own and not necessarily be "just like pumpkin pie". This pie has a graham cracker crust and very simple ingredients, which is also great because who wants to make something complicated when it's just going to get scarfed down as soon as it cools slightly from the oven?

Here's the recipe! Tell me if you try it and what you think of it!

Sweet Potato Pie

Makes:
1 (9-inch) pie, 8 servings

Ingredients:
2 sweet potatoes, about 10 ounces each
1 3/4 cups fine graham cracker crumbs (about 15 whole crackers, finely ground) (I use cinnamon flavor)
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
2 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Wrap the sweet potatoes tightly in 2 layers of aluminum foil and roast them in the oven until very soft, about 1 hour and 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

In a bowl, stir the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar until well combined. Add the butter and mix until the crumbs are evenly moistened. Press firmly and evenly on the bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate to create a crust, being sure there are no cracks. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes or until golden. Remove from the oven.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Unwrap the potatoes and peel them. Put the flesh into a bowl and mash well with a fork. Add the eggs, 1/2 cup brown sugar, cream, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla and whip until very smooth with a whisk. Pour the filling into the partially baked crust. Sprinkle about 1 tablespoon brown sugar over top and bake in the center of the oven until set, about 40 minutes.

Allow the pie to cool completely before cutting. Serve at room temperature.

(I found this recipe on foodnetwork.com.)