We're big fans of sweet potatoes around here. Aside from the fact that they're loaded with nutrients like vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber, we think they're pretty tasty. So my Mom found these Betty Crocker instant mashed sweet potatoes at the grocery store the other day and got me a box.
While it's always better to make something like this from scratch -- and I do make mashed potatoes from scratch every so often -- I always like to keep some quick-cooking boxed foods in the cabinets for nights when I need an easy side dish and/or don't have time for something homemade. I also have to note that the mashed version has nowhere near the vitamins of the real thing. But whatev, you can't expect too much from potato flakes.
Anyway, I decided to pull the box out tonight. My parents came up to Charlotte today and left us a full homemade dinner in our fridge...so we didn't really need another side dish, but I thought it would be a good opportunity to try this out. She had made my Jamaican jerk meatloaf, a recipe I posted last year with sweet potatoes as a recommended side. The potatoes were nice to look at:
...but they were a little on the sweet side for our preferences. Not necessarily bad, it just reminded me of the sweet potato casserole your Aunt Bobbie Sue might make for Thanksgiving dinner...like, the kind that's loaded with marshmallows and brown sugar. Really sweet. So if you're into that, and you like to keep the making of an easy side dish on hand, then go for it. But like I said, you won't get the same nutritional benefits, and you better have a sweet tooth.
In other news, that corn in the above picture was fresh-picked for us by my Dad this morning...local, home-grown with no pesticides, herbicides, etc. We're so spoiled! (Oh, and there was a cucumber salad that went with the dinner, I just forgot to serve it before I took the picture!)
And one final note: for any of y'all who haven't made the Jamaican jerk meatloaf yet, you have got to try it. So delish, so easy, and low in fat and calories. My Mom had the brilliant idea of adding about 1.5 tablespoons of fat free sour cream to the recipe...this will help keep the extra-lean turkey meat from getting too dry. And like any good meatloaf, it's even better the next day.
Anyway, Nashville Star is on and interfering with my ability to write coherent sentences. Happy Monday!



