Ahem, may I have your attention please? I know this isn’t a cake. Or pie. It’s nothing beautifully trendy or dripping with a salted, dark chocolate ganache. But bear with me, this little side is a perfect dish for Thanksgiving and IMHO I would rather eat an extra serving of Creamy Browned Butter Sweet Potato Mash instead of pie.
But also, no offense to pie…I love you. And, I’ll see you this Thursday.
Guys, this has all my favorites, and you’re not going to want to miss out. Let me take you through some deets?
First, you’ve got your yellow sweet potatoes, peeled and boiled to perfection. Then you splash in some freshly browned butter because, we aren’t worried about calories right now. Go ahead and sprinkle in some fresh nutmeg for that perfect flavor that is just needed in all things sweet and savory. Speaking of sweet let’s toss some brown sugar in there for good measure. Then, I’m going to ask you to do the impossible and drizzle in the thickest cream you can find. With me on this? Mmkay. Let’s finish it off the only way I know how and top off some parmesan cheese.
Oh, let’s not forget to top with with some candied pecans!
So, that’s the kind of stuff we’re working with. It’s not that basic mashed potato kind of stuff. Which yes, with some garlic and seasoning salt is drop dead amazing. It’s not meant to replace the mashed potatoes, it’s like a yam kind of a side. This is more like mashed potatoes on steroids. There isn’t a lot that can go wrong here. It can be described in an all encompassing word: warm. Sooooo much warm happening here. And when the air is starting to crisp up and all you want is old blue eyes to sing you a tune, WARM is the way to go.
I’ve been making this side for years and it’s always a winner. It started from a Thanksgiving of years passed when my Aunt Rene’ brought a similar dish. She gave me the ingredients off the top of her head and I quickly ran home to try copy/improve it. I’ve made it every year. It was my heart’s desire to get it on the blog last year for Thanksgiving but I was just too sick last year this time.
I think that’s why I’ve been so JAZZED about the holidays this year. I wasn’t able to truly enjoy it last year. My body was doing crazy things and my mind was a thick fog. Standing for longer than 2 minutes was as draining to me as climbing Everest. I couldn’t even think without breaking a sweat, let alone do what I love. Those times were hard. And yet, they are very special to me too. It was a fork in the road. A place in my life that I chose joy instead of bitterness. But boy oh boy did I want to chose bitterness. That was quite the battle my friends. But in the end I grappled with it and circumstances wouldn’t dictate my life.
Here I am now, with a year under my belt and some meal time insulin so I can actually partake in the traditions this year, I couldn’t be more thankful. Sounds cheesy to say, but it’s true, I’m so thankful. Sometimes it takes a really cruddy circumstance to cast contrast and make you enjoy the holiday season a little more than most.
So whatever you’re thankful for this year, be thankful for a functioning pancreas 🙂 lol, jk you can be thankful for whatever you want. But use all your disappointments this year to cast a blinding light on all that you do have. Even if it seems minimal, or shallow, or odd. Be thankful for the little things and the big. Your life is bigger than your circumstances.
And life is made better with browned butter mixed with complex carbohydrates.
Creamy Browned Butter Sweet Potato Mash
A little side a perfect dish for Thanksgiving, I give you Creamy Browned Butter Sweet Potato Mash. I’ve been making this for years and it’s always a winner.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
Ingredients
6 yellow sweet potatoes
1/2 cup browned butter
1/4 cup cream
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
Peel and boil sweet potatoes until tender, about 10 minutes.
Drain the water and add in the rest of the ingredients. Use an immersion blender to combine and mash until creamy. If you don’t have an immersion blender, use a rice strainer or hand mixer.
Top with candied pecans.
Keywords: pecans, sweet potatoes, thanksgiving
Such a pretty side dish! So glad you are where you are this year! You speak the truth! Thanks!
Awe!!! flattered. Gotta bring food and truth to everything 🙂
Dying… this looks so good.
Hahahaha thanks, Amanda!
Ohmygosh, these look fabulous! I’m just worried I won’t find these type of sweet potatoes.
Thank you so much! You know, I’ve found them at every grocery store! They are right next to the golden sweet potatoes but they have a less golden skin.