Sweet Potato Pie

For this lovely pie, sweet potatoes are boiled, peeled and mashed together with butter, sugar, milk and eggs, then seasoned with nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 20 mins
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 1 (1 lb)  sweet potato
• 1⁄2 cup butter, softened
• 1  cup white sugar
• 1⁄2 cup evaporated milk
• 2  eggs
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (9 inch)  unbaked pie shells

Directions

1. 1. Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.
2. 2. Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked pie crust.
3. 3. Bake at 350*F. for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a souffle, and then will sink down as it cools.
4. My Notes: Don't store the boiled sweet potatoes in the fridge when you don't have time to make the pie right then -- it separates a bit and makes the pie grainier than it needs to be. It's much smoother when the directions are followed and it's mixed right after boiling and peeling. I use evaporated milk instead of regular milk. I add a 1/4 tsp of cloves and ginger and 2 tbsp of lemon juice. The lemon enhances the tast of the potatoes. I also add a 1 tbsp flour to the mixture to thicken up a bit. Last, I I halve the white sugar and replace with brown sugar. Try this and you won't be disappointed.
5. If you didn't have an hour to bake or boil the potatoes, so I used a 17.2 oz can of sweet potatoes instead of 1 pound of fresh. I didn't even warm them so they would be similar to the cooked, fresh sweet potatoes! I just opened the can, drained them, and threw them in the mixing bowl with the softened butter. I had to mix with electric mixer for a while until most of the lumps were out, but then just followed the recipe as written. I added just a little more milk since the can was a little over 1 lb. The pie was great, and saved me over an hour of prep time.