Here in the South we have a few cold days to keep us humble. When the mercury dips below 60 degrees there is a sudden outbreak of parkas, coats, and sweaters. Since warm garments are seldom seen at this circle of latitude, fashion is often not part of the equation. At this writing, the temperature in my house is about 62 degrees. All our floors are tiled and serve to keep us cool during our frequent warm months. In the winter they are icy cold and slippers are a necessity. My slippers of choice are a pair of classic Dr. Scholl’s. This morning I am still clad in my flannel pajamas with an old black pashmina thrown around my shoulders. From my seat in front of the computer I can gaze through the large glass doors onto wintry grey skies. I gave my few orchids indoor shelter for the night as weather report threatened possible freezing temperatures. Our old masonry fireplace saw its first logs and blazing fire of the season. This morning, while cradling a cup of hot coffee, I listened as the radio announcer reported that it snowed last night.
I will be making my part of a Thanksgiving meal this afternoon. On my portion of the menu are “Sweets a la Rector” and “Pumpkin Cheesecake”. The sweet potato recipe was given to my by a dear friends mother, a great lady, who abhorred the traditional marshmallow concoction usually found on the table. This is a sweet, flavorful blend of yams, sherry, butter and brown sugar. The cheesecake is a newly acquired recipe and was devoured after dinner last year.
Sweets a la Rector
8 medium sweet potatoes
½ C packed dark brown sugar
2 Tbsp butter
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp paprika
½ C sherry
Peel and slice the sweet potatoes. Arrange them in a shallow baking dish. Sprinkle with the sugar and dot with butter. Add the seasonings and the sherry. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 6.
You can find the cheesecake recipe here. Both are well worth the effort.
Happy Thanksgiving
