Saturday, December 10, 2016

Christmas Week: Whipped Sweet Potatoes With Pecans and Maple Syrup #giveaway #Christmasweek




By Victoria Abbott aka Mary Jane and Victoria Maffini aka Santa's Elves - with giveaways!




Are you all getting ready for the holidays?



Everyone is excited around here!  Peach is hiding, but excitedly.


 

We are continuing our veggie challenge even during (our fabulous and fun) Mystery Lovers Kitchen Christmas theme week here at Mystery Lovers Kitchen.  Santa is also doing a giveaway.  Make sure you read all the way. 

We may be skirting our good intentions just a bit with brown sugar and maple syrup in this sweet potato dish.  But hey, ‘tis the season.  




We did a survey elsewhere about favorite holiday veggie dishes and sweet potato dishes were very strong contenders for top spot.  We thought we’d dress them up a bit and have been experimenting all week with proportions and with and without eggs and cream. Without won. We also tried whole pecans (prettier) and chopped pecans (tastier).  We ended up liking the chopped pecans better, BUT the whole pecans looked prettier. That's what you're seeing!  But suit yourself if you're making it.
  
A word about proportions: the nice thing about cooking with veggies is you can increase and decrease ingredients to suit your preferences.  We might add a bit more brown sugar if using whole pecans, or we might not.  Time will tell.
The resulting dish was sweeter than we usually make our sweet potatoes, but we thought it was worth it, especially as our holiday dinners tend to be savory.  We liked that it can be made up to two days ahead too.  

GIVEAWAY!  




Note from Santa:  even though MJ and Victoria are continuing their veggie challenge (leave a comment to get your name in the draw for the pretty platter at the end of the post), I., Santa, am offering all good little cooks and cozy readers here a chance to get an audio of The Hammett Hex!  Just leave a comment and you’ll go in the Santa hat.  And your name will also go in the ‘platter draw’. Ho. Ho. Ho.   






 

Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Maple Syrup and Pecans

Ingredients:

4 sweet potatoes peeled and cubed
1/8 cup tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter, melted  
Juice from half a lemon
½ teaspoons salt
1 pinch ground nutmeg
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 pinch pepper
¾ cup chopped pecans(or whole)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
 3 tablespoons butter, melted (not a repeat – this is for the topping)






Directions: 
In large saucepan of boiling salted water, cover and cook sweet potatoes until tender, about 18 minutes. Drain and return to pot. Using electric beaters, immersion or your old traditional masher, beat or mash until very smooth.  

In bowl, beat together maple syrup, two tablespoons of melted butter, lemon juice, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper; beat into sweet potatoes. 




Transfer to a greased 9 x 9-inch ceramic baking dish. (If you are making ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to two days; bake for 10 minutes longer if it has been in fridge.)



Stir pecans with brown sugar; sprinkle over potatoes. Drizzle with three tablespoons of butter. Bake in 375 °F oven for about 50 minutes or until hot and bubbly.  We did bake one of our versions at 400 °F because we had something else in there and it was just fine!  It’s the holidays and we need our food flexible.

This serves six people but it would be easy to double it if you find yourself with hot and cold running relatives for the hols. Have fun and eat up!

When not fussing about Christmas, Mary Jane and Victoria Maffini write the book collector mysteries, as Victoria Abbott.  Coincidentally any or all of these books would make a great gift for someone on your list who likes cozy mysteries with a book theme.  Lovable crooks included at no extra charge.

 




We hope you have the best of seasons, full of fun, food, festivities and yes, vegetables.

Don’t forget to sign up for our newsletter HERE  and please friend us on Facebook

Make sure you leave a comment for both draws.  Here's a reminder about the veggie tray!

42 comments:

  1. Cute dogs, great recipe, and I would LOVE to read The Hammett Hex! EMS591@aol.com

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  2. Thanks MJ/Victoria for your experimentation to come up with yummy sweet potato recipe. You know I recently enjoyed reading Hammett Hex but would to get au audio copy so please add me to the drawing. Love the hats everyone is wearing! Grace dot koshida at gmail dot com

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  3. oh my goodness. I LOVE sweet potatoes! This looks so good! I'd do it with chopped pecans though, the heck with prettiness!!!
    Anne

    mysandycat (at) aol (dot) com

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  4. Thanks for the recipe. Looking forward to Hammett Hex! Thank you!

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  5. I'm always looking for some thing new to make for holiday meals. I'm looking forward to reading or listening to your book Hammett Hex. dbahn(at)iw(dot)net

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  6. Thanks for this delectable recipe and your wonderful giveaway. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com

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  7. I always put a few pecans in my sweet potatoes, but I like the sounds of your recipe! It will be an addition to Christmas dinner this year. Thanks! Great giveaway too! davisel1830@hotmail.com

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  8. Thanks MJ and Victoria for this fabulous recipe. It is almost like a healthy pecan maple pie. I would love to have a beautiful veggie tray for serving at parties.
    The Hammett Hex was fabulous too and I'm looking forward to whatever comes next from your creative collaboration.
    the Always Anonymous Nancy R - one day I'll figure out the system!
    jw.nl.reid@sympatico.ca

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  9. I think sweet potatoes are sweet just as they are---this dish looks like it could almost be a desert. YUM. Thanks for the contests.
    suefarrell.farrell@gmail.com

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  10. Thanks for this wonderful recipe which is perfect for the holidays. The tray is so lovely. Love your books. elliotbencan(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  11. You can never have too many sweet potatoes this time of year. Even Pep likes them, minus the nuts and sugar of course. Happy Holidays. xo
    sallycootie@gmail.com

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  12. The sweet potatoes look wonderful!! Thanks for the recipe and the chance to win that wonderful tray. I also would love to win the audio book of The Hammett Hex. chettysmom(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  13. That sweet potato dish looks amazing. I love pecan pie... so I'm going to give it try, but I think I'll add a crust of some sort. I can't eat grains, so maybe banana flour. Thank you for continuously entertaining us and for your generosity. I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season, remember to breathe. konecny7@gmail.com

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  14. That recipe looks great. I really want to win the audio book of The Hammett Hex but the veggie tray looks wonderful too! Email: morse712@aol.com

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  15. Ooo-hoo-hoo, that recipe sure looks good! Yummy! Thanks for the oppotunites to win a lovely gift, too! book__wyrm@sbcglobal.net

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  16. The tray is lovely, and the sweet potato recipe sounds amazing -- that's what I love about the holidays -- sweet potatoes, any kind, any way. Thank you for the giveaway -- wow, a beautiful tray and an audio book (thanks Santa)! Happy Holidays! bobandcelia@sbcglobal.net

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  17. Love the recipe. And so timely. You just saved my "bacon". My son wanted a sweet potato pie. I don't want to do a crust. This is an excellent substitute I am sure he will accept. So, thank you, thank you. And I could certainly use that platter. And I have a friend who would love the audio book. So either will do. Thanks for the chance at one of them. And for the recipe. Della at deepotter (at) peoplepc ((dot) com

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  18. Thank you for the recipe. We buy 4 gallons of pure maple syrup from Vermont every year and I use it in cooking and to make maple sugar candy besides the normal uses of it on waffles and pancakes. Love doing the coating on nuts too and have not done them in ages, so this gave me inspiration.
    Love your books but have not gotten Hammett Hex yet as my cataracts are worse and I am not able to have surgery at this time, so listening to books on MP3 and CD has been my method of reading lately. The tray is lovely as well. Thank you for putting out such great stories and for the nice giveaways to the readers and fans. Merry Christmas.
    Sincerely,
    Cynthia Blain

    ceblain AT tmlponline DOT net

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  19. I love your books and listen to audiobooks every day ! The recipe looks yummy too ! kathambre@yahoo.com

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  20. The recipe sounds yummy. Would love the audiobook. Zeta(at)iwon(dot)com

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  21. That recipe looks awesome, I will definitely have to give it a try. Would love to listen to "Hammett Hex" on audio. Thanks for the chance. Merry Christmas.
    diannekc8(at)gmail(dot)com

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  22. Love all the tips included with this yummy recipe, thanks for sharing. Would love to read the Hammet Hex and the plater is beautiful! My email ramosp@comcast.net

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  23. I never thought to add pecans to sweet potatoes. Sounds great.
    turtle6422(at)gmail(dot)com

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  24. Love the recipe and love the tray and would love Hammet Hex to read. Thanks for the chance and thanks for the great recipe!!

    tiggercat24alisha@yahoo.com

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  25. You two make the cutest elves! You make Santa proud!!!
    Sweet potatoes with pecans drizzled with butter toasted on top? Oh my yes!
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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  26. I think pecans are yummy! Thanks for this chance!! lindaherold999@gmail.com

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  27. Tis the season for sweet potatoes!

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    Replies
    1. Forgot the email.... 2boys4me (at) gmail (dot) com. :)

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  28. We've lots of ways to fix sweet potatoes in the south but I haven't tried maple syrup in them. We'll see!
    Pat
    patdupuy@yahoo.com

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  29. great timing. i was looking for a new sweet potato recipe for Christmas. thanks!

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  30. I have never had sweet potato pie. Thank you for sharing the recipe and the giveaway! crossxjo @hotmail. com

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  31. Yum...and more yum...I unfortunately am not a great Cook but my sister is and she makes this without the pecans... well somebody has to be and I am working on it...thank you for the contest.
    Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com

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  32. I love your pups! Thank you for the recipe and this chance to win. areewekidding@yahoo.com

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  33. Hopeful. Great receipe . seascapelife at gmail dot com

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  34. I love sweet potato pie! And audio books are great...you can be in the kitchen making your sweet potato pie, and never miss out on a favorite reading adventure.
    kat8762@aol.com

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  35. This recipe sounds delicious. I am thinking about making it for Christmas. Is that 1/8 cup of maple syrup in the recipe?
    Love your books and have them all.
    Merry Christmas and a terrific New Year.
    Nancy Foust

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  36. How odd. I'm sure I posted a comment yesterday, but I don't see it.
    Well, you two make adorable elves. Santa must be proud to have you!
    Sweet potatoes covered with buttery pecans? Oh my, yes!
    libbydodd at comcast dot net

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  37. Sweet potatoes are one of my favorite holiday dishes. I love this series and audio books. I haven't read this book yet. musiqmom(at)yahoo(dot)com

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  38. Looks yummy and so do all those pecans. I really enjoyed the party today and I would love to listen to the audio...thank you for the contest.
    Marilyn ewatvess@yahoo.com

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