A Sweet Treat for Thanksgiving

Written By: Tori Ward, CVB Marketing/PR Assistant

Thanksgiving is only a few days away, but we just couldn’t wait another day to start cooking things up in the kitchen! Eager to create a culinary masterpiece, we turned to our “Louisiana Cooking” Pinterest board for inspiration. We decided right off the bat that we wanted to make something sweet, yet savory with a touch of fall flavor. The moment we saw, “Roasted Apples and Sweet Potatoes in Honey-Bourbon Glaze,” we were hooked. After looking at the recipe, we knew we could use several local items as ingredients for this tasty-looking dish. 

Fresh, local ingredients  

Our first stop for local ingredients was the Ruston Farmer’s Market on Saturday morning. We were able to snag some locally-grown sweet potatoes at the market, as well as a jar of local honey from Jennings Apiaries. We then visited Mid South Pecan, a local, family-owned company that sells incredible pecans in just about every form imaginable. After a quick trip to the grocery store for the other ingredients, we were all set to make this yummy fall dish! Here’s what you’ll need:

Roasted Apples and Sweet Potatoes in Honey-Bourbon Glaze

Roasted Apples and Sweet Potatoes in Honey-Bourbon Glaze

5 large sweet potatoes (about 5 lb.)
3 Golden Delicious apples
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup honey
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup bourbon
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans

Follow these steps for roasted sweet potato and apple deliciousness:

Recipe ingredients 

Right before going into the oven 

1. Wash sweet potatoes, and place on a baking sheet; prick with a fork. Bake at 400° for 1 hour or until almost tender. Remove from oven. Let stand until cooled.

2. Meanwhile, peel and core apples. Slice apples into 1/3" thick wedges; toss with lemon juice in a bowl. Peel cooled potatoes, and slice 1/3" thick. Arrange potatoes and apples alternately in a greased 9" x 13" baking dish. Pour remaining lemon juice over potatoes and apples.

3. Combine brown sugar, honey, butter, bourbon, cinnamon, ginger and salt in a saucepan, stirring well. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally; boil 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Pour glaze over potatoes and apples. Bake, uncovered, at 400° for 30 minutes.

4. Remove from oven; baste with glaze from bottom of dish and sprinkle nuts across the top. Bake 15 more minutes or until apples look roasted. Baste with glaze just before serving.

Bon Appétit!

Not only will this fall dish make your house smell incredible, but it’s a perfect Thanksgiving dinner side or dessert. Our favorite thing about this recipe is that it brings delicious fall flavors together and is subtly sweet, making it an extremely versatile dish. Definitely try it out this Thanksgiving; you never know when you’ll find a new favorite holiday recipe! Happy Thanksgiving from everyone at the Ruston Lincoln CVB!

Recipe pinned on Experience Ruston Pinterest, originally from Southern Living Magazine.

Tori Ward is a proud Louisiana native, born and raised in Shreveport, La. She is a Louisiana State University alumna and has a passion for all things PR. Tori is an avid movie watcher, coffee fanatic and lover of the outdoors. She is currently attending Louisiana Tech to pursue a master’s degree in business administration.