Autumn Sweet Potato Pie

I love pumpkin pie, and I like it with lots of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and a touch of clove. When I started making a Sweet Potato Pie recently, I just couldn't resist spicing it up like I do with a pumpkin pie. Southerners will see that this vears off the traditional sweet potato path, but I think it tastes delicious! This is the same recipe I use for my Spiced Pumpkin Pie, the only difference is I use sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin (I use the orange-fleshed ones commonly called yams, but you can use the yellow-fleshed sweet potatoes if you prefer). If you want, you could even do half sweet potatoes, half pumpkin.

To prepare the sweet potatoes:  Pierce with a fork two large or three small yams. Bake in the oven until tender just like a regular potato, 400 degrees for 40-60 minutes depending on size. OR pierce with a fork and microwave until soft (about eight minutes, turning halfway through cook time). Do not boil them or they will be watery. When they are soft, carefully pull the skin off and mash with a fork. I was told by a Southerner years ago that my sweet potato pie was too "smooth" because I had used a potato ricer to remove all lumps - since then I just mash with a fork.

1 flaky pie crust shell, unbaked

1 1/2 Cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes
1 twelve ounce can of Evaporated Milk
1/2 Cup White Sugar
1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
pinch of cloves (about 1/8 tsp)
1 teaspoon cornstarch
1/8 Cup Molasses
2 eggs
Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Mix all dry ingredients together in a small bowl. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs lightly. Add the sweet potato to the eggs, then mix in the spiced sugar mixture and the molasses. When it is mixed well, slowly pour the evaporated milk in, stirring to incorporate in gradually (The mixture will be thin). Pour into the pie shell and bake at 425 for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 350 and bake an additional 35-40 minutes, until the filling is set in the middle. (Check the crust halfway through and put foil over the crust if it is getting too brown before the filling is set. Cool to room temperature before slicing with a sharp knife dipped in hot water. Serve with whipped cream.