Recipe for Mashed Vanilla-Scented Sweet Potatoes

Vanilla adds a new dimension to sweet potatoes or yams. Mashed Vanilla-Scented Sweet Potatoes can be made ahead and reheated in a microwave. You also can replace the vanilla bean with 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon and a scant 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated or ground nutmeg.

Credit: iStockphoto.com/Funwithfood

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: About 1 hour

Spice meter: Mildly spiced

2-1/2 pounds sweet potatoes

2-1/2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup orange juice, heated

1/2 vanilla bean pod, split and seeds scraped out

Salt to taste, about 3/4 teaspoon

Freshly ground white or black pepper to taste, about 1/4 teaspoon

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Bake the sweet potatoes on a baking sheet until they can be easily pierced with the tip of a paring knife, about 50 to 60 minutes, depending on their size.

2. Remove the pulp from the potatoes and discard the skins. In a large bowl, mash the pulp with a potato masher.

3. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add the orange juice and vanilla seeds and heat until just warm.

4. Add the butter-vanilla-orange mixture to the potatoes. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Stir until smooth.

Per serving: Calories 169 (From Fat 45); Fat 5g (Saturated 3g); Cholesterol 13mg; Sodium 303mg; Carbohydrate 29g (Dietary Fiber 4g); Protein 2g.