Ain't you a sweet little potato. Do you want some raisins? - The Sweet Potato Perogie Dessert

Posted by Marianne Cablooshki

I grew up in a non-sweet potato house. Never touched the stuff until I traveled overseas, and even then it was deep fried and breaded. The idea of a pie made out of this stuff made me extremely weary. (With marshmallows? Nuh-uh.)

But once again, the powers that be stepped in, and I've since met people who have shown me the light. It was one of those instances in which a person invites you over, and places food on your plate. My grandma did it to me all the time! (And ma belle-mere, I'm looking your way, too...) What do you do - Ignore it? Feign illness? Let them know that you're full? Their trick - Give you food after you've said you're hungry, right up front as the first course. No. Way. Around. It.

This is how I've learned to like - and in some cases love - oysters, asparagus, sweet peas, potato pancakes, and most recently artichoke. (But it didn't work for liver.)

So I'm happy to say I got over sweet potatoes, even though test-tasting the filling still made me feel suspicious. Who knows what an actual vegetable - and one with extremely good heath benefits - would leave you.

It turned out rather well.

As many will know, sweet potatoes naturally have something rather nice for the sweet tooth - sugar. Along with the cinnamon and raisins, it can feel like a great, moist cinnamon bun. But healthier.

The filling is rather simple:

3-4 sweet potatoes - peeled, diced, boiled
1/2 cup raisins
2 tsp cinnamon

For frying:
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp brown sugar

Mash the sweet potatoes well, and add the raisins while everything is still hot. (You could soak the raisins in hot water, or some rum. However, I liked the texture of the non-soaked raisins.) Add in the cinnamon, but as with any filling, taste test and look for the sweet spot for yourself. Boil the perogies, as per usual.

Here's where you can get really creative: If you have a blow torch (and who wouldn't want a blow torch for the kitchen?), you can brulee these guys. After boiling, let them dry off a little. Pour sugar over top, and let 'er rip.

You can also fry them in butter and sugar, or try your hand in simmering these in rum, too.

Husband's reaction: Um. Good job. (I will make something he doesn't like, and I promise to report fairly