I really like sweet potatoes except for canned sweet potatoes with copious amounts of sweetener added. The whole marshmallow topping thing is so unctuously sweet that . . . okay, enough of the trash talk. Here is what I like. I’ve used this recipe for many years and can’t remember where I originally got it, but just found it online at food.com. The recipe calls for fresh sweet potatoes (red yams) and very little sweetener. The pictures illustrate a smaller batch than is called for in the recipe, so use them as a guide on how to do it, but use the recipe for the amounts. I served the dish with shrimp salad, corn muffins, and pork roast that had been slowly baked in mango salsa. A couple days later I took the leftover pork and sweet potatoes, added grated cheese and refried beans and rolled it all up into tortillas for tasty burritos. Two days worth of good eats!

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled

Cut into 1” cubes (about 6 cups)

In a large resealable plastic bag, toss sweet potatoes and 2 Tbsp. olive oil.

Add 2 Tbsp. brown sugar, 1 tsp. chili powder, ½ tsp. salt, ¼ tsp. cayenne and toss to coat.

Transfer to a greased 11×7” baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender, stirring every 15 minutes. Yield 8 servings.

Spicy Sweet Potatoes Recipe

3 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1” cubes (about 6 cups)

2 Tbsp. olive oil

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1 tsp. chili powder

½ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. cayenne

In a large resealable plastic bag, toss sweet potatoes and oil. Add remaining ingredients; toss to coat. Transfer to a greased 11×7” baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until sweet potatoes are tender, stirring every 15 minutes. Yield 8 servings.