Ah, the traditional Thanksgiving feast. Turkey? You bet! Mashed potatoes and giblet gravy? Seconds, please. Stuffing? Cranberry sauce? Green bean casserole? Yes, yes, and burp (pardon me)!
Then, belly swollen, comes the best part of the day: dozing in your easy chair with the Cowboys playing on TV in the background.
There is nothing wrong with tradition. But those old traditions handed down over the years had to start somewhere. Thus, new traditions are born all the time.
For instance, instead of the baked 20-pound gobbler, some smart cookie decided to drop a turkey into a vat of hot oil, and the deep-fried turkey was born. Someone else decided to stuff a chicken inside a duck inside a turkey, and the legendary Turducken became a staple of John Madden’s Thanksgiving Day football commentary.
So, this holiday, try something new. You never know what is going to catch on and become a new holiday tradition at your home.
These potatoes will give you a spicy-sweet combination that many folks enjoy. If you don’t like goat cheese, you can substitute cream cheese. Like a little more spice? Add a bit more chipotle (but be careful—those little peppers are potent).
Twice-Baked Chipotle Sweet Potatoes
6 medium sweet potatoes
1 tablespoon oil
8 ounces goat cheese, softened
2 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup cilantro, minced
1/2 chipotle pepper from can
1/4 cup adobo sauce from canned chipotle
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon chili powder
Scrub sweet potatoes and rub skins with oil. Wrap each potato in foil. Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour, or until potatoes become soft. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in mixing bowl. When potatoes are done baking, remove from foil and allow to sit until cool enough to handle, about 5 to 10 minutes. Cut potatoes in half and scrape out most of flesh, taking care not to tear skins. Add potato flesh to goat cheese mixture. Mix well, using potato masher or mixer. Spoon into potato skins, or, for a fancier presentation, use a pastry bag and star tip to fill skins. Return to oven until tops are browned and potatoes are warmed through, 10 to 15 minutes.
Servings: 12. Serving size: 1/2 potato. Per serving: 142 calories, 4.7 g protein, 6.9 g fat, 14.9 g carbohydrates, 2.1 g dietary fiber, 1,330 mg sodium, 13 mg cholesterol, 4.7 g sugars
Cook’s Tip: Choose potatoes that are uniform in size and that are more round than long.
