Happy Thanksgiving!!

Well, I think the title says it all... It's finally that time of year! Time to get fat, and nobody can say anything about it! :-)
Last year, at my husband's family gathering, I brought along a dessert that received such rave reviews that this year I am feeling the pressure to do it again! I didn't want to bring the same thing, but I wanted to keep in the Thanksgiving spirit and not go too crazy. I thought pumpkin pie, but everyone brings and/or expects that it will already be there. So I thought, sweet potato pie! It is pumpkin-y enough to please most people, but it's just different enough that it can be judged on it's own, instead of compared to everyone else's treats.

For my recipe, I used one very similar to a traditional pumpkin pie, but made some tweaks that I think will help to set it apart. For example, instead of sweetened-condensed milk, I used heavy cream and sugar. And I used a little more nutmeg (at my husband's request), as well as the addition of vanilla. If you decide to try it, I hope you like it!

Sweet Potato Pie

Ingredients

* 1 lb sweet potato (or 2 cups mashed)
* 1/2-cup butter, softened
* 3/4 cup white sugar
* 1/2-cup heavy whipping cream
* 2 eggs
* 1 tsp ground nutmeg
* 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
* 1 (9 inch) unbaked piecrust

Directions

1. Boil sweet potato whole in skin for 40 to 50 minutes, or until done. Run cold water over the sweet potato, and remove the skin.
2. Break apart sweet potato in a bowl. Add butter, and mix well with mixer. Stir in sugar, milk, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until mixture is smooth. Pour filling into an unbaked piecrust.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 55 to 60 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Pie will puff up like a soufflé, and then will sink down as it cools