Sweet Potato Yeast Rolls

I made these delicious rolls to go along my three-bean chili on Wednesday night. It took a little bit of prep time to get them ready, but it was well worth the wait. The biggest problem with them is they make so many (about 30) and its easy to pop six or seven down before you even realize it.

The rolls are pretty inexpensive to make, especially since most of the ingredients are ones you may already have in stock. I had to purchase the yeast ($1.29) and 1 yam ($0.81) for a total cost of $2.10. One yam was enough to make at least two batches of the rolls.

I boiled the yam and then mashed it before putting it in the freezer for a quick cool down. But if you didn't want the hassle of cooking and cooling the mashed yam, you could probably use canned yams for the recipe.

Prep/Total Time: About three hours

Yield: 2 1/2 dozen

• 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm fat-free milk (110 to 115 degrees)
• 1 teaspoon plus 1/3 cup sugar, divided
• 1/3 cup cold mashed sweet potatoes
• 2 eggs, separated
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons cold water
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

1. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk. Add 1 teaspoon sugar; let stand for 5 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, egg yolks, butter, salt, remaining sugar and 2 cups flour. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
2. Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a bowl coated with cooking spray, turning once to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 1/2 hours.
3. Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into 30 balls. Roll each ball into a 10-in. rope; tie each rope into a loose knot. place 2 in. apart on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.
4. In a small bowl, beat egg whites and cold water; brush over rolls. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks.

Nutrition: (One Roll) 92 calories, 1 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 16 mg cholesterol, 76 mg sodium, 16 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.