Sweet Potato Pie

I ran a 6-miler this morning on a pretty haphazard trail that dead ended at a highway, and then picked back up a mile and a half down that same highway. If you’ve never run on the shoulder of a highway, I don’t recommend it.  I debated turning back several times, but I kept convincing myself not to, and eventually it was only logic that told me I was closer to the trail head now than if I turned back.  I spent the majority of that mile and a half on the grassy shoulder, watching for dips in the ground, and ant hills.  Admittedly, this section of the run was probably the most demanding physically, and while it was noisy and slightly scary to run right there, I can’t deny that it was great exercise for my legs.

The trail itself was actually really nice, and meandered through wooded areas, and over small creeks, and there were several bridges that if I had been on a stroll, would have been nice to stop at.  There was even one spot that struck me as the perfect picnic spot.  Not that I’ve had a picnic in about 20 years, or anything.

Speaking of picnics, this pie would be a great addition to any fall picnic basket.   Well, maybe not but it’d be a good addition to any dessert rotation already in place, especially if you need a “fall fix” during other times of the year.

I really don’t like sweet potatoes, I admit it.  But it’s not beyond me to make things I generally don’t like just for the sake of making them.  I don’t find them gross, they just aren’t my thing. I tried to make sweet potato bread that wasn’t at all what I wanted it to be in the end, so, determined not to let these potatoes best me in the kitchen, I made a pie.  It’s a little reminiscent of Pumpkin Pie, and is a good alternative if you’re not a fan of pumpkin.

 

2 sweet potatoes (~2 lbs)

2 tbsp light butter, softened

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup Skim Milk

2 large eggs

1/4 tsp Nutmeg

1/4 tsp Allspice

1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon

1 tsp Vanilla extract

1 Graham Cracker pie crust (or one of your choosing)

Boil sweet potatoes whole in skin for about 50 minutes, or until soft. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin. Blend potatoes in a blender and pulse for about one minute to remove all fibers.

Place sweet potatoes in a bowl, add butter, and mix well. Using an electric mixer, mix in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for ~60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely before slicing.