Alice Visits Maggie's Garden

Maggie in her garden.

Soon after we arrived at Marble Mountain, Maggie, a close neighbor, brought us a large bag of Swiss chard that she grew, and invited us to go over and see her garden.  Alice who is an avid gardener was eager to go and on Tuesday we visited.  Maggie*, with help from her husband Kit, has numerous raised beds in which she grows all kinds of vegetables.  It is an amazing garden.

Maggie and Alice in the garden.

Alice looking at the "Jack in the Beanstalk" beans.  A whole wall of beans.Those are some tall beans.

A fine bed of leeks.

Sweet potatoes.

Maggie says the whirligig helps to chase away the voles.

A lush bed of Swiss chard.

Alice, ever the gardener, could not resist pulling a few weeds out of the broccoli patch.

Turnips like the ones we grow in North Carolina.

Maggie also raises chicken and their eggs are so fresh and delicious.  And I love to hear the rooster crowing, but so far this summer I don't believe he has crowed.

She has two flocks of chickens.  This is a black variety she has.  The fresh eggs when we can get them are delicious.

Alice and I thoroughly enjoyed visiting Maggie's wonderful garden. Fantastic job Maggie!

*Maggie and Kit moved here from Maryland.  They are here pretty much year round.

Baked Sweet Potato for Lunch

The other day I was here alone, and I wanted an easy to prepare lunch.  I thought, Why not a simple baked sweet potato?  Easy, tasty and healthy.  I popped a few NC sweet potatoes in the oven, and an hour or so later, lunch was ready.

Heat oven to 400° F.   Wash the sweet potatoes to remove any dirt and pierce each sweet potato several times with the tines of a fork. You can coat with olive oil or not depending upon whether you want the skins to be soft or crisp. Place the sweet potatoes on a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil because as the potatoes get done, they will ooze caramelized syrup. Bake until fork tender, about an hour.

Cut potato in half and add butter and brown sugar. This is the most common way to eat baked sweet potatoes.

Baked sweet potato with butter and brown sugar.

However, my favorite way to eat a baked sweet potato is to add a dollop of Trader Joe's Honey Yogurt.

Baked sweet potato with Honey Yogurt.

Trader Joe's Honey Yogurt.

This Greek Style Honey Yogurt from Trader Joe's is my favorite yogurt.  

Maggie gets the left over sweet potato skins.  She LOVES them.

Maggie finishing off the sweet potato skins.

Mama's Sweet Potato Pie Recipe

 

Sweet potato pie featured in News and Observer's Life Section on Wednesday.

Reading the feature article about sweet potato pies in Wednesday's N&O reminded me how much I like sweet potato pie and of my mother's recipe for it.  So I dug out the recipe from my recipe file, went to the Farmer's Market and bought some sweet potatoes and made me a pie.  I agree with the article that suggests that the sweet potato pie should become the official pie of North Carolina.  The sweet potato is already the official state vegetable for North Carolina.  A number of states do have an official state pie.

Recipe for Mama’s Sweet Potato Pie

2 cups, cooked, peeled, and mashed sweet potatoes

¼  cup melted butter

3 large eggs beaten

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

¼ cup bourbon whiskey (optional)

1 unbaked 9” pie shell

Boil sweet potatoes until tender, peel and mash them well. (I actually puree them in a blender to break up the potato fibers). Mix all ingredients together and pour into an unbaked pie shell (9 inch).  Place in a preheated 400F degree oven and immediately turn the oven to 325F.  Bake for 45 minutes or until the center of the pie is set.  Cool slightly before serving.  It is good warm or cold and can be topped with a dollop of whipped cream.  Serves 8. 

Boiled sweet potatoes.

Pureed sweet potatoes.

Sweet potato pie with a dollop of whipped cream.

 

This is a good recipe. It's not too sweet, and don't leave out the nutmeg (I grate fresh) or the lemon juice. I didn't have bourbon this time, and it is much better with the bourbon.  Mama never made it without the bourbon.  


Yes, I think sweet potato pie should become the official state pie for North Carolina.