For about 2/3 of my life, I thought that I didn't like sweet potatoes. Why were they so sweet? And why  was that sweetness right there on my plate, mixing with the savory Thanksgiving goodies I enjoyed far more? It turned out, the only times I had ever even tried sweet potatoes were in casseroles that always included globs of brown sugar and those evil little mini-marshmellows. Again, I reiterate, why were marshmellows on my plate next to my turkey and gravy?

I'm so glad that my mother-in-law doesn't keep marshmellows around. The first time I had Thanksgiving dinner with my husband's family, I was inclined to pass along the sweet potatoes, knowing that I wouldn't like them. But, because I was a first time guest, I obviously wanted to be as polite as possible, so I gingerly spooned a few potatoes onto my plate...

But wait! This wasn't mashed sweet potato mush! These were actual chunks of potatoes, just simply roasted. There was a pinch of cinnamon, some salt and pepper, and some pecans in the mix, too. But no marshmellows. And no mushiness. And no cloying sweetness. And you know what? I discovered that sweet potatoes deserved a second chance. The vegetable itself is absolutely delicious...it's what some people do to it that I don't like.

Ever since that fateful Thanksgiving, I've been making up for lost time with sweet potatoes. I love that they're usually HUGE, so my husband and I can split just one for dinner. Talk about the best 75 cent side dish ever. Generally I'll be lazy and just pop them in the microwave, but they're awesome cut into chunks and roasted as well. We've even grilled slices of them. Here, I've made some griddled cakes with shredded sweet potatoes mixed with just a smidge of maple syrup and some spices for a nice balance of spicy and sweet. And, because Greek yogurt goes with pretty much everything, I flavored it up with some curry powder for dipping. Any leftover potato cakes are great for breakfast or brunch the next day!

So - sweet potatoes, I'm sorry. I'm sorry I didn't see your greatness beneath the marshmellows. I'm sorry I shunned you for 22 years. You're beautiful, and you didn't deserve the treatment I gave you. I'll even take a Glamour Shot of you to try to make it up to you:

While my hatred for sweet potatoes turned out to be a misunderstanding, this actually isn't the only time something like this has happened to me. When I was a kid, I thought I didn't like shrimp. This was because I always dipped it in cocktail sauce, and my child-sized brain couldn't separate the two elements. Turned out, the cocktail sauce was the problem, and shrimp was awesome (and still is!). And looking back on it, I don't even understand why I used to hate cocktail sauce, because that's awesome now, too.

Does anyone else have a food they've completely misunderstood, and thought they didn't like?

Maple Sweet Potato Cakes with Curried Greek Yogurt

1.  Make Curried Greek Yogurt: In a small bowl, stir together all ingredients.

2.  Make Maple Sweet Potato Cakes: Place shredded potato in a large bowl and toss with salt. Let stand 5 minutes. 

3.  Meanwhile, in a second large bowl, whisk together egg, maple syrup, white pepper, paprika and cinnamon. Using your hands, squeeze all excess liquid out of potato; discard liquid. Add potato, onion and breadcrumbs to egg mixture; toss to combine well.

4.  Form potato mixture into 6 cakes (they should be about 3-1/2" in diameter and 1/2" thick). Heat a griddle or large nonstick pan over medium high-heat. Spray griddle with nonstick spray; place potato cakes on griddle. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown and crispy on the outside, flattening with spatula as they cook and flipping occasionally. Serve immediately with Curried Greek Yogurt

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