Topped Sweet Potatoes

This is barely a recipe--more like some serving ideas but worth a post nevertheless. Sweet potatoes can be a meal by themselves with these toppings.

Bake sweet potatoes at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes and top each with one of the following combinations:
3 tablespoons crumbled cooked bacon
2 tablespoons crumbled gorgonzola
2 teaspoons maple syrup
This one is smokey from the bacon, salty and rich from the cheese and slightly sweet from the syrup.

Or try:
2 teaspoons butter
1 tablespoon pine nuts
1/4 cup sliced dates
1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary
Melt the butter in a small skillet. Stir in pine nuts and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add dates and rosemary. Cook and stir for 1 to 2 minutes then slide over split hot potato and serve.
This topper is sweet and rich, the browned butter and the pine nuts lend a savory undertone to the chewy dates. The rosemary rounds out the flavors beautifully.

And finally:
1/4 cup finely shredded Balsamic Bella Vitano cheese (purchased at Costco)
2 tablespoons orange marmalade
Top split hot potato with cheese and then add marmalade.
Tangy, sweet orange flavor along with the slight nutty edge of the cheese combines to make a lovely flavor profile. Add some cracked black pepper for a slight kick if you like. (Romano cheese would also be delicious.)

All three of these toppers are delicious. Try a new style of potato bar at your next gathering and let me know how it goes!