Posts for November 19th 2011
Sweet Potato Pie With Candied Nut Cream
From Real Simple
Sweet Potato Pie With Candied Nut Cream

Ingredients
1 pound sweet potatoes
12 graham crackers
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
pinch ground cloves
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup chopped candied nuts or peanut brittle
Directions
- Heat oven to 400° F. Pierce the potatoes all over with a fork, place on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake until very tender, 50 to 60 minutes. Let cool, then halve and scoop out the flesh (discard the skins).
- Reduce oven to 350° F. In a food processor, process the graham crackers until fine crumbs form. Add the butter, sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt and pulse until moistened. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate, using a straight-sided dry measuring cup to help. Place on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until dry and set, 10 to 12 minutes (if the crust puffs while baking, press it down gently). Let cool.
- Wipe out the food processor and add the sweet potato flesh, condensed milk, eggs, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and the remaining ¼ teaspoon of salt and process until smooth (do not overprocess). Pour the mixture into the crust and bake until set in the center, 45 to 55 minutes. Let cool completely.
- Before serving, using an electric mixer, beat the cream on medium-high until soft peaks form. Gently fold in the nuts and serve with the pie.
Serves 8.
The Basics: Graham Cracker Crust
Hey you. Yeah, you. In the baking aisle with a premade graham cracker pie crust in your arms. Stop! Put down the pie crust. Did you know it's easy to make a homemade graham cracker crust? It's seriously the most simple pie crust around — if you have a food processor.
All you have to do is pulse the crackers with butter and sugar until the mixture is fine and moist. Then you press into a pie pan, bake, and voila! Pie crust is ready for any type of filling. Now the only thing you have to worry about is what to fill it with.
This recipe is quite versatile — don't limit yourself to just graham crackers. For the recipe and more variation ideas, keep reading.
What's Yummy This Week
- Sweet potato pone is the holiday must make you've never heard of.
- This year, sit down to the menu for a classic Thanksgiving feast.
- Top Chef's Padma Lakshmi shares her recipe for sautéed cauliflower with anise.
- Join us at the table for a virtual Turkey Day dinner.
- Easy rice dinners to help you get through the week.
- Celebrate Breaking Dawn with a Twilight-themed dessert party.
2011 Holiday Gift Guides: Cool Gives For Co-Workers, Splurge-Worthy Fashion Finds, and What to Give Your Fit Friend!
The holiday season is here, which means it's time to get the giving started! We've got you covered with our 2011 gift guides, including awesome ideas on what to wrap up for your favorite co-worker, your fashionable friend, and even the Christmas music fanatic in your life. We'll help you cross off the names on your gift list from now through December, so make sure to check back for the best picks across the network. Also, don't forget to check out all of our Thanksgiving planning, tips, tricks, and inspiration ahead of the festive day next week!
Make This Thanksgiving Vegetarian-Friendly
Although the turkey is a huge part of the holiday, this Thanksgiving, why not honor the vegetables (and the vegetarians), too? You could plan an entirely meat-free meal or simply make your Thanksgiving more vegetarian-friendly. With a few small steps, you can easily alter your menu to suit both carnivores and vegetarians. Here's how:
- Start by making all of the appetizers vegetarian. Serve things like baked goat cheese and crackers, olives, and nuts. Your meat-eating family and friends won't turn these down.
- When it comes to the sides, offer a variety of meat-less dishes. If you're cooking the stuffing inside the bird, set aside some for the vegetarians and bake in a gratin dish.
- Use vegetarian stock. One of the biggest mistakes people make when cooking for vegetarians is forgetting about the stock.
Get the rest of my suggestions — and share yours! — after the break.

Holiday Finds For Your Boss
Tunes For Holiday Music Fanatics