Today's recipe goes back to a great good friend by the name of Jan
Saenz. She was the mother of my best friend when we lived in Uruguay
back in the '60s, and this is just one of the many recipes she shared
with my mother that has stood the test of time.
You can serve this dish alongside your turkey if you like, although we
usually use it as a mouth-watering and eye-pleasing way to use up
those leftover sweet potatoes. This dish is too tasty to eat only at
Thanksgiving, so please consider adding it to your list of standard
favorites.
Sweet Potato Balls
4 cups (1 L) mashed sweet potatoes (about 3 to 4
medium-sized potatoes, peeled, boiled, and mashed)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/4 cup (60 ml) brown sugar
2 bananas, peeled and cut into 1 in (2.5 cm) pieces
1/4 cup (60 ml) bread crumbs
8 pineapple rings (canned or fresh)
8 maraschino cherries
Mix together the mashed sweet potato, beaten egg, and brown sugar.
Place about 1/2 cup (125 ml) of the mixture in the palm of your hand,
and wrap it around a piece of the banana, forming a ball. Roll the
sweet potato balls in the bread crumbs to coat evenly. Place the
pineapple rings on a lightly greased baking sheet, and place a sweet
potato ball in the center of each ring. Top with a maraschino cherry.
Bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for 20 minutes. Serves 8.