Chili-Rubbed Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Two significant things have happened thus far during the past two days - one wonderful, and one less than stellar. Starting with the latter, on Thursday night my recently uncooperative digestive system plunged me into chaos again. On the upswing, however, Zach was able to come home for the weekend last night!!! Naturally, I am infinitely cheered, and thankfully am also feeling much, much better again! :-)

So, with a joyous heart, I send the warmest of Easter wishes to my wonderful readers...

While I might not have fixed carrots for the Easter bunny this year, I am fixing another orange dish... Chili-Rubbed Roasted Sweet Potatoes! When I first met Zach, sweet potatoes were on his list of foods to be avoided (except in the form of his mom's sweet potato casserole, which would send anyone into raptures), but while I was willing to let cucumbers drift off of the grocery list, my faith in the vitamin A content and luscious nuttiness of sweet potatoes remained steadfast. Over the years, I've been cataloging ways in which Zach has discovered an unexpected fondness for sweet potatoes - as well as a few dishes that send Zach plunging back into sweet potato disapproval once more. By far, this dish has become Zach's regular sweet potato favorite - spicy, just a tiny bit sweet, crispy and caramelized on the outside and meltingly soft on the inside...

My love returned home, and sweet potatoes in the oven... What more could I ever need?

Chili-Rubbed Roasted Sweet Potatoes

4 medium sweet potatoes
3 T raw turbinado sugar
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt

~ Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, and coat the foil with cooking spray.
~ Cook the sweet potatoes according to your preferred method (I pop them in the microwave).
~ Cut the cooked sweet potatoes into 1" cubes.
~ Coat the sweet potato cubes with olive oil cooking spray.
~ Stir together the turbinado sugar, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a small bowl.
~ Pour the spice mixture over the sweet potato cubes, and toss to coat.
~ Spread the sweet potato cubes in a single layer across the prepared baking sheet.
~ Roast on the top rack of the oven for 10 minutes - until the sweet potatoes are nicely golden brown and just a bit crispy on the outside!