You know, I think our traditional Thanksgiving meal is about as close as we get to indigenous food, right? The wild turkeys were here when the first Puritans arrived. The native Americans were raising corn and squash and beans, I think, and sunflowers as well, which was a major vegetable protein source for them via the seeds which are easy to preserve. Cranberries are native in some parts of the country, and so is wild rice. So, all those ingredients are more or less indigenous American foods. Maybe one problem is that our nation is so large geographicaly, so we do have more regionalized "America food" depending on what foods are readily available in each region instead of a well-known "American" cuisine. For example, if you grew up in Boston, you might argue that lobster and Boston baked beans are true American cuisine, but if you grew up in Georgia or South Carolina, maybe you'd insist it was barbeque, baked beans, cornbread and grits. I was thinking about what kind of native food a forager would find growing naturally here in Oklahoma....there's wild game, of course, and wild blackberries and wild grapes here in southern OK, and some of you probably have wild huckleberries or currants in some eastern parts of the state that we don't have here. Here in southern OK, we have the wild prickley pears (you can make jelly from them) and native pecans and walnuts, and persimmons. There's also several kinds of wild plums, and you can fish in the Red River for catfish. Dorothy, I think I am going to grow peanuts next year so we can make our own peanut butter without all the additives. I remember having a Mr. Peanut machine when I was a little kid....you put the peanuts in his hat and turned the handle and got peanut butter (a peanut paste probably would be a better description). It was simple, so it seems like it'd be simple to make homemade peanut butter in the food processor or blender. Carol, I love all those old Southern Living recipe books...they are my kind of cooking! Another great cookbook full of old-style southern cooking is Fannie Flagg's Original Whistle Stop Cafe Cookbook, which came out at about the same time that her book, Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, was made into the movie of the same name. If my grandmother and southern aunts had written a cookbook of the foods they prepared their entire lives, it would have been very, very similar to Fannie Flagg's cookbook. Dawn

I have several for dinner tomorrow (thank you, DH, for all the 'warning') and wanted to prep my sweet potatoes today- can anyone recommend a foolproof way to hold them in the refrigerator overnight? Ann? Would I hold them in cold salted water, like regular potatoes? Here's the recipe I'm using- from Gourmet, May 2004- it's a favorite, and it's a beautiful dish. Lime Cilantro Sweet Potatoes serves 4 2 lb sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 3/4" pieces 3 T. EVOO 3/4 t. salt 1/4 t. cayenne 1/2 t. finely grated fresh lime zest 1 T. fresh lime juice 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro Put oven rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 425. Toss sweet potatoes with 2 T. oil and 1/4 t. salt in a shallow baking pan. Arrange potatoes in 1 layer and roast, stirring halfway through roasting, until tender- about 25 min. total. Stir together cayenne, zest, and remining salt in sm. bowl. Whisk together lime juice and remaining T. oil in a med. bowl then add potatoes. Sprinkle with cayenne mixture and cilantro, stirring gently to combine.

Teri, let me know how yours come out if you make the sweets today. Dreamhouse, I may have that cookbook laying around somewhere. I thought it was one of the ones I got from my dear MIL when she passed away. I'm going to look for it so I can see the recipe. Jessy, I like the Reynolds wrap non-stick foil as well. I use it to line my baking dishes when I make bar cookies and brownies. I hope it's not killing any of us:-) If I use it for the sweet potatoes, would I cut down on the oil in the recipe? Ann, your recipe looks delicious, I have copied it and will try that one as well. I've never had sweet potatoes with parmesan cheese before, but I like both so I'm going to give it a whirl. Your photos, as always, are mouthwatering. Kathy, it sounds like the wedges in your recipe are pretty big? I'm looking for some crisp or crunch on the outside, but tender on the inside. That's a good basic recipe for me to start with, and the dipping sauce sounds like I could forget the potatoes and just eat that!!!! Thanks everyone for such good recipes and tips. I am planning to go later to our beachside produce market and get several sweet potatoes, so I can make these beauties. Happy Fall! We are expecting two days of rain here in Coastal FL, then a couple of cooler days. I can't wait!! DONNA

I have made and loved AnnT's recipe and the chipotle one above.....yum... Another fave way is this: Sweet Potato Wedges with Dipping Sauce- lorijean 2 lb. 4 oz. sweet potatoes, unpeeled, cut into 3-4" wedges - Toss with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Sprinkle with chili powder & salt to taste. Place on baking sheet in single layer. Bake at 375 F., 40 - 50 minutes, until tender and lightly browned on edges. Dipping Sauce Mix 1-1/4 cups sour cream, 2 tablespoons sweet chili sauce, 2 green onions (finely chopped), and 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Cover & refrigerate. Serve hot wedges with dipping sauce. Lori And while I haven't made it yet, I had this one saved - looks wonderful. Sweet potatoes with bacon, romesco and spinach serves 6 posted by dlundin (Diana) 2 1/4# sweet potatoes 1/3 cup brown sugar 1 cup unsalted butter 1 tablespoon sage, julienned 2 teaspoons picked thyme leaves 1/2# slab bacon, cut into 1/2 inch lardons 1/3# young spinach, cleaned 1 recipe romesco (attached) 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 2. peel the potatoes and cut them into 1 1/2 inch cubes. Place them in a large bowl and toss with the sugar. 3. Brown the butter in a saucepot over medium heat. When the butter is deep brown (but not burnt!) with a nutty aroma remove from the heat for a few minutes. Then add the herbs and quickly pour the butter over the sweet potatoes. Toss with a large spoonbe careful of the hot butter. Season generously with salt and pepper. Put the sweet potatoes on a sheetpan and bake in the oven for about 1 1/2 hour until then are tender. Toss frequently with a metal spatula to coat evenly. 4. while the potatoes are cooking, render the bacon over medium heat until the lardons are crispy but still tender and chewy. Set aside. 5. when the potatoes are cooked, toss in the bacon and then, at the last minute, the spinach until it is just wilted. Remove to a platter and drizzle with romesco. Pass a bowl of the romesco at the table for those guests who would like more. AOC romesco makes 2 cups 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil 5 ancho chilis, seeds removed, soaked in warm water for 30 minutes and then dried 2 tablespoons almonds, toasted 2 tablespoons hazelnuts, toasted 1 clove garlic 1 each 1" thick slice of bread, fried in olive oil until golden brown, cut into cubes 1/3 cups roasted or canned tomato 1 tablespoon chopped parsley 1. in a heavy sauté pan, heat 2 tablespoon of oil and sauté the chilis for 5 minutes. Season with salt and put aside. 2. In a food processor, blend the nuts, garlic and fried bread cubes by "pulsing" with the machine. 3. When they are ground together add the chilis and 1 teaspoon salt. Pulse for one more minute. Then add the roasted tomato and the parsley. With the machine running, slowly pour in 1 cup of olive oil until you have a smooth puree. Season to taste with lemon and salt.