Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Sweet Puh-tayter Hostess, that's me!

Why, Hello! What a surprise to see you here! Don't forget to wipe your feet on the way in, it's so dusty round these parts. There now, won't you come in and sit down? It's so nice to have you for a visit, dear. How is your old aunt getting on with her arthur-itis? Oh, good, good, I'm glad to hear it. I'm glad to hear about your daughter's engagement; we were wondering when it would happen. Such a nice young man she found, and only two tattoos, isn't that somethin? Now that you're seated, I have a little announcment myself, just a bit of news, now there's no need to panic. I, ahem, am officially the host-ess with the most-ess for Tuesdays with Dorie. Little old me. You'd probably heard, hadn't you? Is that why you came for a visit, to see the hostess? I hope I look the part in my freshly pressed calico house dress. I did think about wearing them hostess pants, that Ethel done gave me on my last birthday, but between you and me, they're just a might too big-for your britches high horse for me.. Maybe I'll wear'em the next time my hostess turn rolls around, in 2012. If they still fit, that is, after three more years of Tuesdays with Dorie. You know, dear, I've eaten my way through cakes, cookies, pies, eclaires, tartes, tortes, scones, muffins, and ice creams for my turn. And now my turn is finally here. I chose sweet potato biscuits; why, I've got some warm from the oven right now. You just sit tight and I'll bring you one now with a little butter and orange marmalade. There you are. Oh, I'm so glad you liked them, honey lamb. If you're still hungry, I'll bring you out a little bitty sandwich with barbecued shredded beef. You know dear heart, I liked these biscuits so much that I made some sweet potato rolls the next day. I wrapped up a good dozen and took them down to the neighbors, on account of the mother being sick with the new fangled piggy flu. Sure, I can get you that recipe. Why, it's not trouble t'all, it'd be my neighborly duty. Well, I guess it's getting a little late, and I've got to be up early to help Jedediah milk the cows; his backs never been the same since he had the chiro-prac-tic adjustment. But it's been awful good having you for a visit. I'm glad you're here and I hope you'll come back and follow me around often, especially on Tuesdays. A body gets plum lonesome for someone to come around and help eat all these treats. You tell your friend and neighbors to come around too, won't ya??? There's plenty for everyone.
Sweet Potato Biscuits
by Dorie Greenspan
Estimated Cost: $2.50 for a dozen (using fresh sweet potato)
Soft and creamy-textured, with flaky layers, these biscuits satisfy like cake.
Using canned sweet potatoes makes them easy to prepare at a moment's notice. I use canned sweet potatoes packed in light syrup -- I just drain the potatoes and mash them with a fork. If you've got leftover cooked sweet potatoes or yams, give them a good mashing, measure out 3/4 to 1 cup and you're good to go.

Makes about 18 biscuits
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons (packed) light brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 stick (6 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 12 pieces
2 15-ounce cans sweet potatoes in light syrup, drained and mashed
Pinch of ground cinnamon or freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
GETTING READY: Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Get out a sharp 2- to 2 1/4-inch-diameter biscuit cutter, and line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt and spice, if you're using it, together in a bowl. Add the brown sugar and stir to incorporate it, making sure there are no lumps. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat it with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips (my favorite method) or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You'll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between -- and that's just right.
Add the sweet potatoes to the bowl, grab a fork, and toss and gently turn the ingredients until you've got a nice soft dough. Now reach into the bowl with your hands and give the dough a quick, gentle kneading -- 3 or 4 turns should be just enough to bring everything together.
Lightly dust a work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Dust the top of the dough very lightly with flour and pat the dough out with your hands or roll it with a pin until it is about 1/2 inch high. Don't worry if the dough isn't completely even -- a quick, light touch is more important than accuracy.
Use the biscuit cutter to cut out as many biscuits as you can. Try to cut the biscuits close to one another so you get the most you can out of this first round. By hand or with a small spatula, transfer the biscuits to the baking sheet. Gather together the scraps, working them as little as possible, pat out to a 1/2-inch thickness and cut as many additional biscuits as you can; transfer these to the sheet. (The biscuits can be made to this point and frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight and kept for up to 2 months. Bake without defrosting -- just add a couple more minutes to the oven time.)
Bake the biscuits for 14 to 18 minutes, or until they are puffed and golden brown. Transfer them to a cooling rack -- cooled a bit, they're more sweet potatoey. Give them 10 to 15 minutes on the rack before popping them into a basket and serving.
SERVING: Unlike most biscuits, these are best served after they've had a little time to cool. They are as good at brunch (they're great with salty ham and bacon) as they are at tea (try them with a light cheese spread and/or marmalade). Or have them with butter or jam, fruit butter or fruit compote.
STORING: You can keep the biscuits in a plastic bag overnight and give them a quick warm-up in the oven the next day, but you won't recapture their freshly made flakiness.
Sweet Potato Rolls
Estimated Cost: $2.50 for a dozen
Notes: Proof your yeast if you are concerned about its reliablity. Mix your yeast into the warm buttermilk and give it 10 minutes to see if it rises nicely. Continue with the rest of the recipe as follows.
3/4 cup mashed sweet potato, pumpkin, or butternut squash
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cups buttermilk, warm (think baby bottle warm)
2 teaspoons yeast (I love SAF)
1 egg, divided use
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 and 1/2 cups flour, plus more as needed
softened butter, for dough
wheat germ, if desired, for tops
In a large bowl or free standing mixer, combine potatoes, butter, and buttermilk. Add in yeast, egg YOLK, sugar, and salt. Gradually stir in the flour, about 1/2 cup at a time. Knead for 10 to 12 minutes, adding more flour as needed to produce a smooth, elastic dough. Form the dough into a ball, and rub the outside of the dough with butter. Place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap and let rise until doubled, about 70 minutes. Punch dough down and shape into 12 balls. Place on greased cookie sheets. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for an additional 45 minutes, or until light and doubled. Brush tops of doughs gently with egg white and sprinkle with wheat germ. Bake at 400 for 8-12 minutes. Serve warm.
Next Up:
My new favorite Shaved Pork with Spicy Green Beans

76 comments:

  1. And what a lovely hostess! Yes, please next time do wear those pants, they're awesome (and so are the biscuits)!

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  2. Wonderful ! I really felt cozy !! I'll try the buns too !Grazie !

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  3. You're a gracious hostess. Thanks for choosing this recipe!

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  4. Your a great hostess and those buns all look wonderful!!!

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  5. The shredded beef sandwich looks especially enticing.

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  6. These were great, thanks for choosing them this week! I never would have picked them myself :)

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  7. Beautiful.

    I'll be making mine a bit later today.

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  8. Good deal on being the host-ess with the most-ess.

    Loved the post.

    Ramona

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  9. You are definitely The Hostess With The Mostess...how cute was that write up? Loved the flavor of the biscuits, guys were popping them like candy around here, but I did not do Dorie justice with the rise on those...tried twice, so will leave it for a bit and try again. Thanks for the pick as I had been wanting to make these. Thanks also for the roll recipe...going there today as well with my leftover sweet potatoes!

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  10. Thank you Erin for the great (and easy to make) pick of the week!

    I had a lot of fun making it, my family had a lot of fun eating it... so I guess, if they'd be writing this, they'd also be thanking you! LOL

    Yours look pretty darn high! WOW!

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  11. Mighty generous of you to host this week. Much appreciated. Great choice!

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  12. You crack me up....you should have written for Green Acres way way way back when. What a wonder? Sweet Pot. rolls too? Wow awesome and thanks so much for choosing these little guys. I'm a big fan of SP but I'm pretty sure they would have stayed in the someday list and now I know I'll make them again.
    AmyRuth

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  13. Thanks so much for hosting and picking these biscuits! Mine aren't as pretty as yours, but they were yummy.

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  14. Prudy-I love all the ways you served these biscuits- they all look tasty. When I made them, they were gone so fast that all we got to do was drizzle some honey on them. Great pick!
    I can't wait to try your sweet potato rolls!

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  15. Great pick, thanks for hosting!

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  16. you are the hostess with the mostess! thanks for a fun pick--these little biscuits were a big hit at our house!

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  17. Great pick and great post! I felt right at home.

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  18. Love your post. It's always fun to see a great recipe with a fun post. Thanks for choosing this week's. It was different, but definitely a good thing to try!

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  19. Im loving those SP rolls, they look great! Thank you for being our hostess this week for TWD.

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  20. Merci Eryn pour le choix de cette recette, c'était bien bon, même si j'ai loupé les biscuits à cause de la quantité de purée maison :)

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  21. My biscuits have never been as sure-fire as my rolls. I think I'll try those rolls/buns first. I saw you were on the schedule this week and cooked up an extra sweet potato last night. Also, thanks for the tip on how to freeze these babies if I ever had the discipline to postpone the yumminess.

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  22. Love your blog! Thanks for chosing the Sweet Potato Biscuit this week. I loved them!

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  23. Erin what a great pick for fall weather! Loved these. Your post is wonderfully witty. Enjoyed the read and the photos. Have a great week!

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  24. Great post, Erin! Fun, different pick, too. And the rolls, I'll have to make those now, too!
    I put a glaze on mine. De-lish!

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  25. oh, I am already drooling! sounds delicious!

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  26. Those serving suggestions look wonderful. Thank you for hosting this week!

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  27. Great pick. These were very tasty. Love your post.

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  28. Thanks for being a great hostess! The biscuits look great...and those rolls!!!! I am very impressed with you!!!

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  29. Thanks for the great pick!

    And I loved your cookie bookie reviews!

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  30. LOVE the idea of making them into ROLLS! I seriously think that would be the perfect compliment to a big thanksgiving dinner instead of that icky yams and marshmellow garbage my mom always makes!! YUMM-O! BTW, yours turned out super duper pretty in comparison to mine!

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  31. Yours look so lovely! I'm glad they turned out for you...I'll have to give mine another go. :)

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  32. Prudy, dear, you are the sweet potato queen!

    And I loved the intro. ;)

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  33. What a great choice, perfect for the chilly weather we've been having. Thanks so much! :) Your biscuits look just perfect and those rolls are inspired!

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  34. Looks great. Would you be able to substitute butternut squash for the sweet potato? It may be an absurd question. I'm not much of a baker/chef I just have a lot of butternut squash.

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  35. thanks Prudy! I loved these biscuits- so easy and delicious!

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  36. Sorry I passed on these - but it was a great choice! I am intrigued by the sweet potato rolls - those sound interesting.

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  37. Thanks for choosing these - I NEVER would have made them - and they were surprisingly some of the best biscuits I've ever had!

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  38. Great pick Erin! I love all you did with them!

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  39. You most definitely are the hostess with the mostess! Great pick - I absolutely loved these biscuits! All your sweet potato creations look wonderful!

    -Amy
    www.singforyoursupperblog.com

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  40. Thanks for choosing this week's recipe. I would have never given these a try on my own (even though I used pumpkin). Your rolls look really good! I don't think

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  41. oops.. I pressed enter before I finished. I was going to say that I don't think my clothes are fitting all that well on me either after a year of TWD!

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  42. What a fun post! You are the host-ess with the most-ess! :)

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  43. "The new fangled piggy flu". That gave me a good laugh this morning.

    But now you have me in a quandry. I have your pulled pork sandwiches on the menu for this week and I am wondering if I should stick with the whole wheat rolls or try the sweet potato ones. Those pictures look way too yummy!

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  44. What a fun post!
    I loved your friendly hostess-y writing.
    I really liked these rolls. They were soft, delicious, and rich--all the good things that homemade rolls should be.
    Thanks for sharing. Next time I hope to see you in those hostess pants :)

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  45. What a wonderful, wonderful post. And what I wouldn't give for one of those biscuits with some pork -- a fabulous idea!

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  46. There is an award for you on my blog spot. I have been following your blog for several months. You have many great recipes. Thanks.

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  47. i can't wait to make these biscuits and rolls. the chiropractic crack? really?;)

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  48. Dear Sweet Puh-tater,
    I loved that picture of Lucy and Ethel with The Hostess Pants.
    We both had pictures of Lucy on our blogs today. Tomorrow there will be another since I had to post about the picture you posted.

    Also, I love the puh-tater rolls. I'm so glad you got a turn to host.
    I should have loaned you my Hostess Pants.

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  49. Great choice and I love the music.

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  50. Hi Purdy, Stopping by to say Hi and tell you how much I have enjoyed your place here. This is my second week doing TWD and I was happy with your choice or recipes. I will be back again to visit with you!
    Kindly, ldh

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  51. Great pick!! We loved these! Great post too, very Welcoming! =) Happy TWD week!

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  52. This was a nice pick. Fun to make.

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  53. Oh, this was your pick?! Now I feel extra bad for talking smack about sweet potato desserts. :) [It was all said with love--let's just say they're not popular around my house.] But these look delish, and I imagine that sweet potato fans love them!

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  54. thanks for choosing a fun, versatile, simple, tasty recipe! i enjoyed baking with you this week!

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  55. Thanks for hosting this week! We enjoyed these biscuits at my house :)

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  56. Great choice and delightful blog! I'm so impressed with your $100 grocery budget.

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  57. Hi
    Such a wonderful blog !!! I was looking for some sweet potatoes recipe when i came across yours .
    The biscuits n the rolls sound yummy !!!!!

    I have a food art blog http://littlefoodjunction.blogspot.com/
    Do sneak a peek when time permits .
    - Smita

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  58. I never did get around to making these Erin, but yours look fabulous. Everything you make always does, and I'd love to see you in those pants! I think those sweet potato rolls look FABULOUS though! I may make them instead!

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  59. Great pick. I probably would not have made them otherwise and they were a huge hit at my house!

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  60. Thanks for the great pick! And the roll recipe sounds fantastic as well!

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  61. Thank you so much for having me at your house. I couldn't find an oven to use in Germany so I will have to bake these at a later date. But, thanks for choosing them!

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  62. Love the song! I'm sorry that I skipped TWD this week. My husband is anti-sweet potato, if you can believe that!

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  63. Thanks for hosting this week!! I love the idea of this recipe. I struggled a bit with the dough but I'm going to give them another shot soon. Yours look fabulous!

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  64. 65 Comments! That's no small puh-taters!

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  65. girl you picked a good one! I love a good biscuit and what I love is you always kick it up a notch by adding your own touch (the sammie).

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  66. LOL - this is a gorgeous post. Thanks for choosing this recipe - I loved it, and it was so nice to escape the full-on sweets for a week.

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  67. Thanks for the great pick. Anything sweet potato is fine by me. I thought these would be great with meat and your pork biscuit sandwich makes me salivate.

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  68. Thanks for these recipes! I made the rolls yesterday but with whole wheat flour (3 1/3 c. whole wheat flour and 1/4 c. vital wheat gluten flour, to be exact) and they came out beautifully with potato bread texture. Perfect because I have a garden-ful of butternut squash.

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  69. Thanks for a lovely recipe choice. I almost filled mine up with some tasty pulled pork, but I didn't get them made in time. You are fabulous!

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  70. great pick - your biscuits look perfect and those rolls look great too. I had trouble getting mine to rise but they were still delicious!

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  71. Great pick! Thanks for hosting! I love that you made rolls the next day ;) PLUS how cool you post a cost estimate! Very clever!

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  72. Thanks for picking this recipe, it rescued our supper ;-)

    I am late with commenting, but I made them in advance, because we spent our holidays in Saxony with ... snow on the Fichtelberg. The kids liked it: Both, the snow and the biscuits

    Ulrike @Küchenlatein

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  73. Thanks for the pick! I was kind of doubtful about this recipe, but we both loved it!

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  74. I just pulled these out of the oven- delicious! I made them with fresh sweet potato, and I wonder- is 3/4 to 1C of fresh really equivalent to 2- 15oz. cans of sweet potato? They seem a little dry, what do you think?

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  75. Mommy, I'm Hungry sent me over. I can't wait to give these a try!

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