From the HighCraft Kitchen: Bourbon Sweet Potatoes with Bacon Pecans

January 16, 2015

sweet potatoes

When it comes to remodeling or cooking, the HighCraft team is pretty handy around the kitchen.

Here’s a recipe from HighCraft’s Marketing Coordinator and Creative Commando Becky Jensen. She found the original recipe at Half Baked Harvest and only modified it slightly.

“Hands down, this was the most popular new dish at my house during two full months of holiday feasting. It’s sweet and savory potato perfection. Definitely NOT heart healthy, but a great veggie option for the cold months ahead. To me, this is warm comfort food at its best, just go easy on the sage, cayenne and rosemary.” – Becky

Ingredients

For the Mashed Sweet Potatoes:

  • 4 medium sweet potatoes
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1-2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)


For the Sweet ‘n’ Savory Bacon Pecan Topping:

  • 6 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups raw pecans, roughly chopped
  • 1/3 cup salted butter, melted
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 2 tablespoons fresh sage, chopped
  • 1-2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped (optional)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.

Poke a few holes in the sweet potatoes, wrap in foil and bake for 1-1.5 hours, or until soft. When the sweet potatoes are cooked, slice them in half and allow to cool. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F.

While the potatoes are baking, make the topping. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook bacon until crispy. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside. In a bowl, mix the brown sugar, flour, pecans, butter, cayenne, sage and rosemary (if using) and some of the bacon grease. Stir in the fried bacon pieces.

Peel the skins from the sweet potatoes and mash the potatoes in a mixing bowl. Mix in the brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, milk, butter, eggs and bourbon until fully combined.

Scoop the sweet potatoes into a greased casserole dish (I used an oval). Spread the pecan-bacon topping over the sweet potatoes. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the pecans are golden. Remove from the oven and serve warm.

sweet potatoes3

 

Original recipe and photos courtesy of Half Baked Harvest.