Roasted Sweet Potatoes with a Kick

The sweet potato is my carb of choice (aside from dessert). I will pick it over pasta, rice, regular potatoes, and bread any day. And this dish is one of my go-to dished when I don't know what else to make at night. It always hits the spot...it's a comfort food, but it's not the type of clog-your-arteries-call-the-doc type of comfort food.

My first introduction to this delicious specimen was a Thanksgiving meal during my childhood...probably, not unlike many of you. My great aunt would prepare them with marshmallows on top...why would any normal kid not like them? It was like having dessert during the main course. I don't remember when the switch occurred, but eventually, my mother took over the handling of the sweet potato dish. She found a killer recipe (both in taste and butter content), and we have had them at every Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter feast since then. My cousin started calling the sweet potato casserole "candy potatoes," and that's basically what they are. The recipe has evolved over time to use freshly baked potatoes (instead of the canned ones in syrup, eek) and much, much less butter, and somehow they are still just as delicious at the first time we had it. Look for this casserole recipe around Easter.

Second year in college, I would eat sweet potatoes all the time, because they were cheap, and I was on a budget. I also ate my fair share of tuna and peanut butter that year--not together. I have since graduated to food that is more grown up; the sweet potato is something, however, that I will eat no matter how much (or little) money I have in my account.

I have baked them, mashed them, hashed them, but this is one of my favorite ways to prepare them...roasted with a bit of spice. You may cut the sweet potato however you prefer. I really like them served atop a salad with dried cranberries and almonds or pecans, it's best to cube them in that case. I started fixing them like that after a trip to France; one of the bakeries at which we ate had a salad with roasted sweet potatoes, a very soft, crumbly cheese that was not offensive or terribly flavorful, arugula, and a very light dressing...I want to say there were dried cranberries and almonds on there, but that could be wishful thinking. If you want them served as fries or as a side dish, then slice them into 1/4" - 1/2" slices. They have just the right amount of spice that pairs perfectly with the naturally sweet and velvety potato. I like to leave the skin on, because it lends an earthy flavor and some texture (plus, it's got a bunch of nutrients--fiber, vitamin C, potassium, blah, blah, blah, you've already tuned me out), but feel free to remove the skin if you're not a fan.

If you don't let these cook long enough, they will be crunchy on the inside, so give them a proper amount of time to roast!

2 T olive oil
1 1/2 t sriracha
1 t chili powder
salt
2 small sweet potatoes

Preheat the oven to 350. Wash, dry, and slice/cube (whatever you prefer) the sweet potatoes. In the bottom of a bowl that is large enough to toss your potatoes, mix the olive oil and sriracha. Add the potatoes and toss to coat well. If you are using larger potatoes or more than two small ones, you will certainly need another drizzle of oil and squirt of sriracha.

At this point, add the chili powder and toss well so that all potatoes are coated with a little chili powder. Pour the potatoes onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper and sprinkle with salt.

Bake for about 40 minutes, stirring occasionally. They will be finished when the potatoes are soft to the touch or when they are easily poked with a fork. If they are not finished after 40 minutes, check every five minutes. If you cut them larger or you are making a large batch, they will obviously take longer.