Sweet Potato Soup

I have great in-laws.

Seriously.

Great in laws that raised a fine young man.

I told you he was fine. He cooks!

I am not saying this because I know they may be have been reading my blog since the very first awkward post. They are great. They love me.

They are southern.  They grow okra in their back yard and have sliced tomatoes as a side dish through out summer. Oh Texas....

They eat a lot of beans and a lot of meat. They also know I don't really fancy all that much meat and make sure there are ample fruits and veggies around the house.

Like sweet potatoes.

These are Mr. B's sweet taters.

Or should we say sweet potato pie(s).

This is sweet as pie. Mr. B's sweet potato pie to be exact.

They really do know how to treat a lady in the south.

Mr. B's pie factory. This is serious. He sent me these photos, it is worthy.

They are my in laws. No, you cannot have them. Unless you are strapping man ready to whisk my lovey sister in law off her feet.  Then we can talk. Only then.

Like numerous dishes such as chicken and dumplings, fried chicken, OKRA (!?!), black eyed peas, collard greens, corn bread and biscuits (it is true) I have never heard a mention nor tasted a crumb in all my years of growing up in the pacific northwest, I most defiantly never came across a sweet potato pie until I the Stiles entered my life. It has been seven years this month that J with his red beard came waltzing into my life. 

Oh how sweet it is. The Stiles Family and the whole southern cooking thing. And the whole seven year thing.

Once you go Texan you never go back.

Every year around the holidays MY father in law seems to come across a box of sweet potatoes and makes pies for the entire South. Well it seems like that. They are perfect, I am sure the everyone South of the Mason Dixon Line would like to get their hands on one. Well, I am north and I want one  more than ever.

He recently made a dent in a forty pound box of sweet potatoes making these famous pies. Really how many pies can a person eat (lets not find out - please) until they crave something savory.

J made soup the other night - a sweet potato soup that was delightful. His special signature ingredient is beer. These days J has been putting it in nearly every dish besides our eggs. I like it.

J's sweet tater soup
 Like most soup, this is a great opportunity to devour lots of vegetables. Include leeks and carrots if you have them on hand. Try topping this soup with celery leaves, sour cream, crushed peanuts, a scoop of peanut butter or be carnivorous and add crunchy bacon bits.

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp (1/4 stick) butter
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2 small celery stalks, chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds red-skinned sweet potatoes (yams), cut into 1-inch pieces (about 5 cups)
• 4 cups chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon oregano

1 Melt the butter with the olive oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium-high heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add chopped celery stalks, sauté about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes.
2 Add sweet potatoes, chicken stock, and spices; bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered until potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes.
3 Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return to pot.
4Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool soup slightly. Cover and refrigerate soup. Bring soup to simmer before continuing.) Ladle into bowls.