A New (Lemon) Twist On an Old Fave

I know a lot of you will be making a sweet potato pie this Thanksgiving, so here is a recipe that I really love. This one is probably a bit different than other pies you have made in the past. What's the difference? This recipe skips the usual pumpkin pie type spices and uses lemon extract instead. It is absolutely divine! It has a much lighter flavor than the traditional pie. I think it has a summery sort of feel which is a nice contrast to all of the traditional fall foods we have been having.

Of course, if you are not feeling adventurous you can opt for a more traditional version. Simply leave out the the lemon extract and add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon each of ginger, allspice and nutmeg.

• 2 or 3 large sweet potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds total)
• 1 stick butter (real butter is what I like)
  
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 (14 ounce) can evaporated milk (NOT sweetened condensed)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon extract (natural is best)
  
• 2 pie crusts

In a 6-quart Dutch oven, bring 3 quarts water to a rolling boil.

Peel sweet potatoes, then cut into small pieces. Place potatoes into boiling water; return to a boil and cook until fork tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Using a potato masher or electric hand mixer, cream butter into sweet potatoes. Add eggs and milk. Combine sugar with cornstarch; add to potato mixture along with vanilla and lemon flavoring.

Pour into pie shells. Bake until center is set and top is golden brown, about 45 to 50 minutes.

Yield: 2 deep dish pies