Stuffed Sweet Potato Holiday Hasselbacks
My family and friends just love the warm, inviting flavors of the luscious citrus butter, smooth cream cheese, sweet dates, fresh sage and toasted pecans that surround and capture the deliciousness of sweet potato in every bite. Prep: 30 min. • Bake: 1 hour 10 min. Makes: 6 servings 6 medium sweet potatoes 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. orange juice 2 tsp. grated orange peel 1/2 tsp. kosher salt 1/2 tsp. coarsely ground pepper 6 oz. cream cheese, softened 12 pitted dates, chopped 12 fresh sage leaves, chopped
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1. Preheat oven to 425°. Cut thin slices lengthwise from bottom of sweet potatoes to allow them to lie flat; discard slices. Place potatoes flat side down; cut crosswise into 1/8-in. slices, leaving them intact at the bottom. Arrange sweet potatoes in a greased 13x9-in. baking pan.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together butter, brown sugar, orange juice and orange peel. Spoon half the butter mixture evenly over sweet potatoes; sprinkle with salt and pepper. Combine cream cheese, dates and sage; spread between potato slices.
3. Bake, covered, until potatoes are just becoming tender, 45-50 minutes. Remove pan from oven and uncover; spoon remaining butter mixture over potatoes and top with pecans. Return to oven and bake until potatoes are completely tender and topping is golden brown, 25-30 minutes longer. If desired, serve with chopped fresh sage.
1 sweet potato: 552 cal., 32g fat (16g sat. fat), 69mg chol., 271mg sod., 64g carb. (34g sugars, 8g fiber), 6g pro.