Easy Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Bourbon, Chestnuts and Sage
By: Sheri Wetherell
Published: December 20, 2014

We're always on the lookout for a delicious sweet potatoes recipe and this one from Maker's Mark bourbon knocks it out of the park! Fresh sage, sweet maple syrup, and buttery chestnuts are just the delicious starters to this great side dish. It's the float of bourbon to finish the dish that make it a winner. Why wait until the holidays? We'll be serving it year-round!
 Smashed Sweet Potatoes with Maker’s Mark, Chestnuts and Sage
Courtesy of Chef Amanda Freitag and Maker’s Mark
	Serves 6-8
 Note: Since the bourbon is added at the end the alcohol will still be present, so this is not a dish for the kids, but adults will certainly appreciate the lovely bourbon accent! If serving children, we recommend scooping out their portions before the addition of the bourbon.
 Ingredients:
	4-5 Large Sweet Potatoes, peeled & large dice
	¼ cup Maker’s Mark
	½ cup + 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
	½ cup Celery, small dice
	1½ cups Whole Peeled Chestnuts, roughly chopped
	1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup
	1 Tablespoon Fresh Sage, chiffonade
	Salt and Black Pepper to taste
 Directions:
	Step 1.  Place diced sweet potatoes into a large pot and cover with cold water. Add salt to the sweet potatoes and bring to a boil. Simmer the potatoes for approximately 25 minutes or until just tender, not too soft.
	Step 2.  Drain the potatoes until dry and place them back into the pot. Stir in the ½ cup of butter and the Maker’s Mark while the potatoes are still hot. As you stir the potatoes they will natural mash and still hold some of their shape. Season the mixture with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a ceramic serving dish and hold.
	Step 3.  Prepare the chestnuts by first melting the 2 tablespoons of butter into a sauté pan and sauté the celery on a medium heat. After 2 minutes add the chopped chestnuts and the maple syrup to the celery and cook together until incorporated. Finish the chestnuts with the sage and season with salt and pepper. Spoon the chestnut mixture over the sweet potatoes and serve.