Judy's charred maple sweet taters with grilled brats & Strawberry "Pizza" Pie!

Okay..the sweet taters of all sweet taters is here! We were served this at our friends home a few months ago...Judy Mc made these and they are to die for! This is now my pinnacle of sweet potato dishes...I will want them for Thanksgiving and Christmas! and SIMPLE of course! Scott had also had these small brats at the Mc's house and so we grilled out. I am doing this from memory, so the amounts are estimated, but it won't matter! I have been testing an old family recipe...our strawberry pizza pie...i need to work on my pie dough! It tasted good but its unruly! This was my favorite childhood dessert...the one I requested for my birthday. It is supposed to be made on a pizza pan...a thin pie crust, with a baked cream cheese filling and topped with fresh strawberries and strawberry sauce...I made a half recipe...I of course need more practice so we can have the excuse to eat it again while the summer strawberries are so good...one excuse is as good as another:)sauteed onions for the brats
very charred brats...hotdogs on steriods!
Judy Mc's Charred Maple Sweet Taters
serves 4 generously
2 large sweet taters peeled and cut into wedges or thick slices(maybe 6-8)
toss with 1 tbs oil, s&p
grill on a hot grill till charred and tender inside (time depends on heat of grill...approximately 20 min?) They will look crazy burned...but the more char the better, trust me.
Gently toss with a mixture of 1 TBSP maple syrup, 1 TBSP oil (olive or veggie) and a good handful of fresh chopped herbs...my favorite is basil...Judy had scallions on hand I think...anything you like.(I'm sure pure maple is the best...but we all used Mrs Butterworth type breakfast syrup and they were delicious). I could eat a bowl of these and call it a day...ENJOY!
Strawberry "Pizza" Pie
from my Auntie Linda's kitchen Pie Crust: 3 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup crisco, 1/4cup butter, 1 tbsp cider vinegar, 1 tsp salt, 1 egg, 1/4 cup ice water. Cut butter, cristco , salt and flour together ( i use my cuisinart). Beat egg, water and vinegar and add to flour...form into one or two discs and chill at least 1 hr...roll out with floured board and rolling pin for pie ( I made half of this and free formed it...using a jelly roll pan to bake it on....prick with fork, bake at 350 till golden brown...(don't remember how long, maybe 15 min?) let cool slightly, makes 1 large "pizza" pie or two regular pie crusts... Lower oven temp when pie crust comes out of oven to 250.
Filling: 12 oz room temp cream cheese, 2/3 cup granulated sugar, 1 egg...mix till well blended (i use kitchen aid mixer)...fill pie crust and bake 15-20 min at 250 till set (doesn't jiggle too much when jiggled:) let cool...


Topping: 2 baskets strawberries (16 oz? I know i took notes when I tested this...if I find them, I'll update this)...2/3 cup sugar 1 tsp cornarch mixed with 1/4 cup water) I can't remember if this needs to be doubled...Oh well, I guess I'll have to test it again:) -slice 1/2 of berries for top of of pie. Take remaining berries and smash & simmer with sugar in a saucepan...bring to boil-slowly pour in cornstarch misture- cook for 1-2 min to thicken...cool enough to pour over fresh berries on pie...chill and serve...if you can wait that long:)
This recipe can easily be made with other summer fruits...peaches, nectarines....but strawberries are my favorite.