Everything Thanksgiving has been going through my head now for about 2 or 3 weeks. I am constantly churning over ideas like menu items, seating charts, table settings, and of course ~ dessert. When I discovered that this months Improv Cooking Challenge was all about making something great with sweet potatoes and honey, I had the perfect recipe. I have been thinking about expanding the dessert course to include a dessert bar, so everyone can munch through out the day. Later after dinner, I will fill up the dessert bar with all the traditional pies and cakes and some non traditional tastes that are fun! I think these little Sweet Potato Hand Pies are perfect, and are destined to become part of our tradition!
Sweet Potato Hand Pies
(adapted from Pillsbury)
Makes 14 pies
3/4 cup of mashed Sweet Potato
1 teaspoon Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Honey
1/4 teaspoon ground Cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon Vanilla
1/8 teaspoon ground Nutmeg
1 box Pillsbury refrigerated Pie Crusts, softened
1 Egg, beaten
1 tablespoon Sugar
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Bake a fresh sweet potato in the oven
 for approx. 30-40 minutes. Let cool, and then
peel the skin off.
In a small bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, brown sugar,
honey, cinnamon, vanilla, and nutmeg.
It can be mixed with a spoon and spatula.
Unroll the pie crust.
Cut out 7 4″ round circles.Â
I used a cookie cutters.
Place a heavy teaspoon of sweet potato
 mix onto each pie crust round, just slightly off center.
Brush the crust edges with water.
Fold the crusts in half, and then seal them by crimping
the edges together with a fork.
Brush the tops of each pie with egg,Â
and sprinkle sugar over the tops.
Bake in oven for 16-18 minutes.
Enjoy hot or cold!
Check out what everyone else made: