North Carolina's Favorite Sweet Potato Pie Autumn Food Day 20

One of the fabulous things about Thanksgiving is being able to sample many and I mean MANY desserts!  I had a bite of Coconut Cream Pie, Great Pumpkin Cake, Fudge Brownies, Grape Pie, Pound Cake, Coconut Macaroons, and a super delicious Sweet Potato pie.  I love sweets!  If I could not eat sweets, I could be the size I was in high school in a heartbeat!  But I do, so I'm not.  So I take a bite of each to enjoy but not over indulge (and be miserable!).  One dessert that I did have an entire slice of was my Aunt's Sweet Potato Pie.  Technically, it could be called Pumpkin Pie as she made it with pumpkin versus sweet potatoes.  It was so good.  And just enough different that I had to ask, "What did you put in it?"  And the secret was vanilla pudding mix!  So of course, I had to come home and google to find the recipe even faster than she could copy and mail it to me!
This pie was thick and creamy, more than a normal pumpkin pie.  I'm now wanting a piece of it just thinking about it!
Enjoy!

An original recipe prepared specifically for the North Carolina SweetPotato Commission by Marianne Langan.


North Carolina's Favorite Sweet Potato Pie

2 1/4 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup packaged french vanilla instant pudding

3/4 cup evaporated milk

2 large eggs, at room temperature

6 tablespoons butter, softened

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie shell

1. In a large bowl combine all ingredients and beat at medium speed until well blended. Spread evenly into unbaked pie shell.
2. Bake at 450°F (230°C) for 10 minutes.
3. Reduce temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake for 40 minutes longer or until set. Cool on wire rack.
4. If desired, garnish with whipped cream, raspberries and mint leaves.

Makes 8 servings.