Oh-so-sweet potatoes

Sweet potatoes have their roots settled in the United States - when Christopher Columbus came over in 1492, Native Americans had been cultivating them. By the 16th century, sweet potatoes were being grown in the southern states, on their way to becoming a staple of traditional cuisine.

To choose the most ideal sweet potato, select those that are firm to the touch without any signs of decay. Store sweet potatoes in a cool, dry, well ventilated container (like a basket) for up to two weeks. Avoid storage in the refrigerator, as this will produce a hard center and unpleasant taste.

As far as sweet potatoes' health benefits are concerned, they're little orange jackpots. They offer solid all-around benefits such as vitamins A and C, fiber, potassium, copper, and manganese. (A medium sized sweet potato baked in its skin offers a whopping 438% of your daily Vitamin A intake.) A recent study reports that these root veggies may be a good choice for someone on a diabetic diet. Compared to high-glycemic index foods, sweet potatoes break down more slowly in the body, producing smaller fluctuations in blood glucose and insulin levels. Not to mention, these little root veggies absolutely. taste. DELICIOUS!

Sweet potatoes can be cooked a number of ways. Bake them whole in the oven, saute sliced or diced sweet potatoes in oil, boil them in water, steam them, microwave them whole, grill or broil them, grate them raw into salads... And then of course there's the recipes! Sweet potato pie, stuffed sweet potatoes, sweet potato fries (baked, not fried!), sweet potato and apple soup, sweet potato risotto.... The possibilities are endless!

To keep your sweet potato wheels turning, here's another sweet potato recipe. Enhance a breakfast favorite with the tip-top orange root crop.

Source: North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission

Melba's Sweet Potato Pancakes

Courtesy of Melba's Restaurant, Harlem, NY

Ingredients

• 2 medium sweet potatoes
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1-1/2 cups buttermilk, half & half or milk
• 2 large eggs 
• 2 teaspoons butter, melted

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Rub outside of sweet potatoes with oil. Wrap separately in foil; place in a baking pan. Bake 45 to 60 minutes or until fork tender. Remove and let cool. 
3. In a bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. 
4. In a separate bowl, combine milk, eggs, and melted butter. Combine with dry mixture; whisk well. 
5. Peel baked sweet potatoes and mash with a fork. Fold 3/4 of the mashed sweet potatoes into the batter. If needed, add additional milk as your batter should be thick, but easy to pour.
6. Heat buttered pan over medium heat.
7. Pour about 1/4 cup of batter into pan; cook until bubbles begin to form, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip over and cook an additional 2 minutes. Repeat with remaining batter.
8. Serve pancakes with remaining mashed sweet potato and maple syrup.