There's little I enjoy more than having a noisy house full of guests, laughing over a delicious, special meal. From the very first time I prepared my sweet potato spoon bread, I realized that this was a dish that would keep the crowd clamoring for more. Even if you're not a sweet potato lover, I bet you're going to savor this dish, because it turns the everyday veggie into a rich, spice-infused custard I guarantee you're going to love!

PREP TIME: 20 minutes
COOK TIME: 100 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours

INGREDIENTS

  • 4 large sweet potatoes, about 4 pounds
  • 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS

  1. Heat oven to 400°F. Bake sweet potatoes until soft when pierced with a knife, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool. Peel, and discard skins.
  2. Reduce heat to 350°F. In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine cornmeal, milk, butter, brown sugar, spices, salt and 1 cup water. Cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
  3. Butter a 2-quart baking dish. Working in batches if necessary, place cornmeal mixture, sweet, potatoes, flour, honey, eggs, and cream in a food processor. Process until smooth; pour into dish. Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve.

TIPS: When baking the potatoes, be sure to poke them all over with a fork so they don't explode in the oven. Also, place a baking sheet beneath them to collect any juices that may drip down to ensure easy cleanup.

YIELDS: 10 servings

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