Weak-in-the-knees Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

This has, quite possibly, been the most difficult post to get up.  Yes, universe, I'm talking to you.  Throw every curve you've got and I will still blog.  The latest being 5 children and 1 husband (not that I have more than one of those, mind you) vomiting until...(fill in the blank).  I have thus far evaded the pesky bug, along with our least germ conscientious child, Clover, and plan to never face that particular porcelain fixture in such a manner.  Knock on wood. Or porcelain?  Parenthetically, I admit to refraining from eating anything I truly love, lest it returns, changing love to loathe.

Meanwhile, these little morsels of heavenly golden goodness beg to be shared.  I've always liked sweet potatoes.  Whirl them in a soup, fry them up, even a good ol' casserole and I'll devour them.  But I was pondering the sweet potato one day, thinking how they were already so sweet, and while I love a brown sugar topping on them, I wanted more of a savory flavor.

So I began looking for a recipe and kind of combined and adjusted a couple until I had this.

And I'll tell you what.  Fresh sage makes the difference.  If you don't like sage....what?  Who doesn't like sage?

Also.  Feel free to loosen your laces.  Feel free to use your favorite cheese, or add a little bit more or less of anything to your liking.  It's a forgiving recipe that will taste good almost no matter what.

✪ 4 scrubbed sweet potatoes
✪ 6 T unsalted butter
✪ 1 c bread crumbs
✪ 2 T + 2 T chopped sage
✪ 1/4 c + 1/2 c Gruyère cheese
✪ 1/4 c sour cream
✪ salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Pierce each sweet potato twice with a knife and bake at 400℉ until tender, 45 minutes to an hour.  One might be tempted to just add a pat of butter and pinch of salt and eat them up right then and there, and if you restrain yourself to just a half a potato, that is acceptable, but these are worth the wait.  Cut each in half when cool to the touch, or play hot potato and try to do the next step if you have mom hands.

Scoop out the majority of the potato into a bowl, leaving a bit for structure around the skin.  Melt butter in a pan on medium heat.  When it begins to turn brown and smells absolutely heavenly, remove from heat.  Pronto.  

In another bowl, mix half the butter, breadcrumbs (which can be fresh (just tear up a couple of slices and pulse in a food processor), or panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)), 2 T sage,  1/4 c Gruyère cheese, and salt/pepper to taste.

Add 2T sage, 1/2 c Gruyère, sour cream and remaining butter and salt/pepper to taste to the sweet potatoes and mash to desired consistency.  I use those whirly twirly attachments my hand mixer came with, or a fork.  Or a potato masher.  Whatever.  Fill potato skins back up and then top with the breadcrumb mixture. Go ahead and use it all.  Mound it on if need be. 

Cook for another 10-15 minutes until topping is of a golden crispy goodness and serve hot.  

As I was loading these photos, Ryan said he wanted them again.  Me too.  They're a superfood, you know.  

Oh, and Happy New Year.  It's gonna be spanktacular.  I just know it.

ps! zulily has my favorite quilt!! go here if you need an invite.