Candied Sweet Potatoes

Welcome to Mouthwatering Monday.

Today's feature is Candied Sweet Potatoes. These are a terrific alternative to the standard mashed sweet potatoes with brown sugar and pecan topping. Not that I've ever turned down mashed sweet potatoes with brown sugar and pecan topping. I'm just saying...variety is the sweet potato of life.

Candied Sweet Potatoes

6 large sweet potatoes (about 4 lbs)
1 lemon
1 orange
3/4 C butter, melted
2 C sugar
1/2 C orange juice
2 t ground cinnamon
1 t vanilla extract
1/4 t cloves

Peel potatoes; cut potatoes, lemon, and orange into 1/4-inch slices.

Place potato slices in a lightly greased 11x7 baking dish; arrange lemon and orange slices over potato.

I use the tip of a knife to pop the seeds out of the lemon slices.

Combine melted butter, sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, and vanilla. Pour mixture over potato mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and let stand 1 hour.

Oh yeah, now we're starting to look sweet and candied.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 1 1/2 hours, basting often with pan juices.

This dish makes people go, "Ohhhhh!" when you place it on the table. It's very pretty.

I've never been able to decide if you are supposed to eat the lemon and orange or not. I usually shove them aside and go for the tender sweet potatoes. What do you think?

Serves 8-10.

For amazing recipes links, visit Rachel in the Land of Monkeys and Princesses.