Christmas Traditions

December of 1997 found me both weeping and indignant over the failed attempt at dating that John and I had experienced that year. At the time, we were both on staff at Church of the Resurrection, thus both in attendance at the annual Staff and Vestry Christmas party. This is a potluck gathering hosted by the Rector, at that time William and Anne Beasley. This party came a few weeks after John so poignantly told me, "I don't want to hurt your feelings, Margie, but I am not in love with you." Considering the way things had been going, I was not surprised, but certainly not without wound either. Here ended what we now refer to as Act I.

Act I was followed by a two-year intermission. After one year, John came to ask my forgiveness for not offering me the level of commitment I needed. To this I simply replied, "I do forgive you, but if you are hoping that we are going to get back together, that is not going to happen. I know what I need now and you are not it." (Ouch.) Another year passed before we began dating again, which was a miracle. I will have to save that story for another time. (Or you can buy a copy of the DVD of John and me telling our story at a Gathering Place event a few years ago.)

So, here we are at the Beasley's home in December '97. Everyone is bringing in their covered dishes and I am trying to avoid John at all costs. (This is how I got the nickname Frosty Margarita.) I was loving Martha Stewart at the time and prepared a fabulous new recipe from her collection called Sweet Potato Spoon Bread. It is a warm and creamy, wonderfully aromatic holiday dish. I went through the buffet line much before John, but was leaving the dining room just as he was coming around to the Sweet Potato Spoon Bread. I "happened" to watch him as he filled the serving spoon and lifted it to his nose for a sniff. I saw him put the spoon down. I was furious. How dare he sniff my food and reject it? The moment was a snapshot of our dating history.
John will you tell you that he sniffed it, loved it and even returned for seconds. This part obviously missed my awareness.

Both because I love the recipe and because it holds such fond relationship memories for us, I make it every Christmas. I am including the recipe for you if you would like to try an alternative to the sliced sweet potatoes with marshmallows this year.

The Fawcett's Sweet Potato Spoon Bread
from Martha Stewart
Serves 8 to 10

3 large sweet potatoes
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
2 cups milk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup honey
4 large eggs
1 cup heavy cream

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes until soft when pierced with a knife, 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool. Peel, and discard skins.

2. Reduce the heat to 350. In a medium saucepan over medium heat combine cornmeal, milk, butter, brown sugar, spices, salt and 1 cup water. Cook, stirring until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Let cool.

3. Butter a two-quart baking dish. Place cornmeal mixture, sweet potatoes, flour, honey, eggs, and cream in a food processor. Process until smooth; pour into dish. (If you do ahead, freeze at this point and increase baking time when cooked from frozen.) Bake until golden brown, about 45 minutes. Serve.

A few notes from experience:
A double recipe will fit in a 9 x 13, but increase baking time.
You can make this ahead and freeze it before baking it.
I often double the recipe, bake one at Thanksgiving and freeze the other for Christmas.

Hope you enjoy this culinary trip down memory lane.