starter sweet potatoes.

abundant & plenty is what comes to mind when i see the crates of yams & sweet potatoes (are they one in the same??) at the market....it's that time again... thank you day is here! and we are pulling out the ideas of what to make, create, cook! from the ol' recipe box or the tattered cookbooks with the binding coming undone like my roots.... we always have something sweet potato in our thanksgiving story....oh! did you say something about their shape? yes! speaking of their shape...i mean is there a name for the body they have....they are so mysterious, almost crater like, solar system inspired & yet they couldn't feel more like the earth or our connection to underneath the soil..... how can you not feel something from these amazing roots... i know, i know....they seem callous and hard to approach... but they are the sweetest once they are peeled, boiled, pureed, cut, roasted...really anything you do to connect with them they provide such a beautiful, light and yet deeply sating side.

here are some very simple ideas: yam chips... cut, massage, roast. this one in the picture is a jersey yam.. which has white flesh and almost hits the yucca vibe in texture. it's so sweet, so good & easy. this is great to have out (best warm & crisp out of the oven) when people come over to nosh....as it's so random as a nosh and so good... if someone is starving but the meal is in an hour or so....this is a great solution. also - the kids LOVE it.. shape and all. put the oven on 375, convection roast or just roast or bake works too. cut into chips or any shape really....you can put in a medium sized bowl olive oil, curry, cinnamon, garam masala & a bit of salt... mix up with your hand (best spoon in the house) and dip each chip in, massage and place on parchment paper on the baking sheet & put in oven for about 20 minutes or so.... gotta watch how your oven works... convection is stronger than regular so that is something to remember. the other pictures are of sweet potatoe puree... that lead into adding some buttermilk and flour into a dough for biscuits that were SO good...the ones in the pic were shaped with a biscuit cutter... and the huge, lush one was the last of the dough that i squished together with my hands & the most rustic beauty came out. here is the recipe. i found that this recipe made so many more than 8 biscuits....so be open to the flexibility (always with cooking)...these are a great starter to have out as well...you can add proscuitto, goat gouda, bartlett pear or apple and make a BEAUTIFUL sweet potato biscuit sandwich. it's fun for everybody... i mean who doesn't love a little tiny layered story in an orange blanket of biscuit love? it's different and i assure you it will be a success. these also sate the piece i continue to passionately share... FOOD ALL THE TIME....both of these give that to your home and your family...see you in the kitchenxxx