Goat Cheese Mashed Sweet Potatoes

There are a couple of schools of thought in my family when it comes to holiday meals.  Some of us are purists.  DO NOT put oysters or fruit or nuts in my stuffing.  I am not even sure I want sausage in my stuffing.  I grew up with bread cubes, onions, celery, butter and broth and I can eat my body weight in stuffing if challenged to the task.  I can remember the first time I made Thanksgiving dinner and I called my Grandma because she made the best stuffing ever and asked for her "secret" recipe.  Without any fanfare, she told me to buy a bag or two of Pepperidge Farm sage and onion stuffing cubes and follow the recipe on the bag.  REALLY?!?!?  That's it?!?!?  Yep, that's it.

Sweet potatoes though are different, at least to some of us in the family.  Sure, you can candy yams or roast them, bake them.  I have made chipotle sweets and taken them to Thanksgiving.  Some people raved...others were not impressed.  This recipe is making me want to volunteer to make the sweets this year.    If no one is impressed, I will eat them myself.  LOL

Simmer 3lbs. peeled and cubed sweet potatoes until tender; drain.  Heat 1/2 C. half and half and 1/4 C. butter in a glass measuring cup in the microwave 1 minute.  Mash into potatoes.  Stir in 2oz. goat cheese.  Toast 1/2 C. pistachios with butter and salt in a skillet.  Sprinkle pistachios, additional goat cheese and fresh sage over potatoes.