Thanksgiving can be a little overwhelming for first time hosts. Heck, Thanksgiving can cause anxiety in award-winning chefs…don’t feel bad if the thought of it gives you hives! Here are some helpful tips to get you off on the right track:
4. Write down your menu, gather your recipes, then make a thorough grocery list. You don’t want to be running back to the store at the last minute!
Cool slightly. Cut each potato in half and place the flesh of the top halves in a bowl—it should just fall out of the skin. Gently scoop the flesh out of the bottom halves and add it to the bowl, leaving a little around the edges for stability. Mix in the crème fraiche, 4 Tbs. butter, syrup, bourbon, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 3/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. salt and pepper to taste. Using a hand mixer (or immersion blender), puree until smooth.
Scoop the potato puree back into the bottom halves. Mix the remaining 2 Tb. of butter and ¼ tsp. nutmeg with the panko and chopped nuts. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the mixture over the tops of the sweet potatoes. Bake another 15-20 minutes until warmed through and golden on top!
* These can be made 2-3 days in advance. If coming out of the fridge, bake 30-40 minutes–until warmed through or cheat and rewarm in the microwave. *smile* I won’t tell!
Recipe: Twice Baked Bourbon-Hazelnut Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
- 2 Tbs. veggie oil
- 3 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 round, not skinny)
- ½ cup crème fraiche or cream cheese
- 6 tablespoons melted butter, divided
- 2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons bourbon
- 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, divided
- ¼ cup chopped hazelnuts (or pecans, walnuts…)
- ¼ cup panko bread crumbs
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Oil the sweet potatoes and roast on rimmed baking sheet until very tender, 1 to 1 ½ hours. (You can nook them in the microwave to speed the roasting time!)
- Cool slightly. Cut each potato in half and place the flesh of the top halves in a bowl—it should just fall out of the skin. Gently scoop the flesh out of the bottom halves and add it to the bowl, leaving a little around the edges for stability. Mix in the crème fraiche, 4 Tbs. butter, syrup, bourbon, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 3/4 tsp. nutmeg, 1 tsp. salt and pepper to taste. Using a hand mixer (or immersion blender), puree until smooth.
- Scoop the potato puree back into the bottom halves. Mix the remaining 2 Tb. of butter and ¼ tsp. nutmeg with the panko and chopped nuts. Salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle the mixture over the tops of the sweet potatoes.
- Bake another 15-20 minutes until warmed through and golden on top!
- * These can be made 2-3 days in advance. If coming out of the fridge, bake 30-40 minutes–until warmed through or cheat and rewarm in the microwave. *smile* I won’t tell!
Preparation time: 20 minute(s)
Cooking time: 1 hour(s) 50 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 6
Guess it's time to start planning! Love this time of year, but I'm definitely behind. Sitting and enjoying is key.
We don't celebrate Thanksgiving in Greece but I will sure try these potatoes. They look very appetizing.
I love sweet potatoes and those look wonderful. Bookmarked!
This is a great time table. Those sweet potatoes sound amazing. I love the crunch you put on top.
The sweet potatos sound wonderful. I saw a couple of fabulous recipes, one for Rolled turkey breast stuffed with dressing (Ina) and anotehr for stuffed pumpkin with bread and cheese (Dori). I was momentarily tempted to create these show off dishes, but decided the old standard would be much less stressful. I love Thanksgiving, but it does have it's moments.
Wow, those sweet potatoes look so yummy!
delicious presentation of sweet potatoes yummy
Step #1 is so key!! Sweet taters look amazing! Thanks and cheers!
Your sweet potatoes look sooooo good! I'm definitely going to make them but without hazelnuts (I'm allergic). Mmm I seriously could eat all of those.
I love your Thanksgiving tips too, very very helpful!
THUD.
I fell out of my chair over this one. It is amazing.
I made twice-baked sweet potatoes a few weeks back and thought they would be a perfect side dish for Thanksgiving. The hazelnuts are just the piece de resistance… I was gifted with a huge container of local ones last month.
All these tips are excellent! Thankfully I don't have to think too hard this year because my sister is hosting Thanksgiving and we're not getting to her house until late, late WEdnesday night. But I love your idea of serving a traditional meal but going crazy/creative with the side dishes. I'll keep that in mind for the year it's my turn to host . . . =)
You are wonderful! Thank you for all the planning tips. I always need help in that "organizational" area of my life! Beautiful sweet potatoes… a must dish for this time of year!
Your planning tips are so helpful. My house is always a disaster as me and my mom try and finish everything on time and about the same time as everything else. The sweet potatoes look fabulous as well!
The twice baked sweet potatoes look flavoursome and delicious!
Great timeline! I particularly like that pouring yourself a glass of wine is #1. Definitely what I do!
Your sweet potatoes look really delicious. I'm always trying to come up with new and interesting ways to serve them, and this sounds perfect.
see post #20 for my recipe
sorry that is post # 21
great post and your right planning takes some stress away
Great tips (and funny!), and a truly wonderful sounding recipe. I'm drooling over here!
Yum! Those would be dessert for me. But side dish works, too.
Oh my gosh. These are simply amazing! I can’t wait to try this!
I like to bake my sweet potatoes. Cut fresh oranges in half and squeeze them.. Save the orange shells. scoop out the baked sweet potatoes. Mash them with some fresh orange juice, butter and brown sugar. Fill the orange shells with the mashed sweet potatoes. You can put 1-4 mini marshmellows on top ( kids will eat anything with marshmellows) and bake for a few minutes until they are heated through and slightly browned on top. YUM!
Yummy recipes. I tend to suffer heart burn with the likes of food such as this. Yum just the same.
Thank you for sharing.
Going to try these for my birthday as a side dish along with a raspberry vinaigrette salad, grilled asparagus, & a big salmon fillet!! It’s going to be such an epic meal!!!! I am going to smother these bad@ss sweet potatoes with a bourbon reduction sauce and then add the toppings. Oh & with a nice glass of step 1
. So excited for my 25th birthday dinner!! Thanks