Spicy Sweet Potato Fries with Cool Avocado Dipping Sauce

Mmm...Sweet Potatoes. I didn't like, or didn't think I liked, sweet potatoes for years. They always were topped with marshmallows and butter and brown sugar and the like and I just couldn't get into it. Were they side dishes or dessert? However, I love this side dish. Nick found this on Food Network and since then, I can't stop eating them. It's a great way to eat sweet potatoes without the usual other sweet toppings that are usually associated with them. It's a spicy, savory version of the veggie (with their natural sweetness of course) with a cool and creamy avocado dipping sauce. And ya'll know that I love avocados.

We served these with a pork tenderloin with lime, chili and cilantro that I'll post tomorrow.

Ingredients (for fries):
2 sweet potatoes, peeled
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
salt and pepper to taste

Peel the sweet potatoes and cut it into fries. Ours are usually around a 1/2" square, and anywhere from 3-4" depending on the size of the potato. Make sure that they are all about the same size so that they cook evenly.

Once you have them cut, place the potatoes into a plastic ziploc bag (or a bowl) and add the olive oil, paprika, chili powder and ground coriander. Shake (or mix) until all the fries are evenly coated with the spices. Using a ziploc is also great if you are making these in advance, or want to save 1/2 for another time. If you are doing that, just place in the sealed bag in the fridge and they will keep for a day or two (any longer I can't say, since they never last that long in our house).

Since we were making these as a side (for two), we placed half on a piece of foil, spread out evenly, and kept the rest for another day in the ziploc. Once they are on the foil, salt and pepper them to taste.

Cook in a 450 F oven for about 15 minutes on the bottom rack. Your cooking times may vary, but just cook until they are soft. Then, place on the top rack for 8-10 minutes, until crispy. Ours got a bit charred, but I kind of like the crusty bits because they have a nice, smoky flavor.

Ingredients (for dip):

1 avocado

1/3 c cream cheese

1/3 c mayonnaise

1 jalapeno (I subbed a 1/2 poblano just because we had one)

2 scallions, white and light green parts only

1 lime, juiced

salt and pepper

Blend the avocado, cream cheese, mayonnaise, jalapeno, scallions and lime juice in a food processor or blender and process until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This is so delicious. I actually bought more sweet potatoes this week just so I can eat this again. Yum!