Glory Farms (Glory Foods, Inc.) sells Mound Bayou Sweet Potatoes, grown in Mound Bayou, Mississippi. The city of Mound Bayou (Bolivar County) is one of the oldest African-American cities in the United States.

Myers Enterprises, sells sweet potatoes by the bushel or half bushel.

SWEET POTATO CHEESE BALL
(Mississippi Sweet Potato Council, Vardaman, MS)

1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese,

2 cups (8 oz.) sharp cheddar cheese,

  softened

  shredded

1/2 cup Mississippi Sweet Potatoes,

1 (8 oz.) can (1/4 cup) crushed pineapple,

  mashed

  well drained or (squeeeeeezed dry)

1 (2.5 oz.) pkg. smoked beef,

1 tablespoon onion, minced

  chopped fine  or 5 strips bacon*

pecans, finely chopped for garnish (opt.)

Beat cream cheese and sweet potatoes until well combined. Stir in beef, cheddar cheese, pineapple and onion and mix well. Form mixture into a ball and chill. Serve with your favorite crackers.

*I personally made this recipe the day before a special occasion and it was absolutely wonderful! I used 5 strips of bacon, fried crisp and ground in the blender. The original recipe calls for 1/4 cup of well drained, crushed pineapple. I found that an 8 oz. can crushed pineapple with "all" the juice squeezed out is the equivalent to 1/4 cup. Just before serving I rolled the ball in finely chopped pecans.

The sweet potato gives this recipe an attractive light peach color. No one will ever imagine that it contains sweet potato unless of course, you tell them. Thanks Mississippi! Pamela S. Weston.

SWEET POTATO CHEESE CAKE SQUARES
(Cindy Alexander, First Place Winner, Misc. Desserts,
1993 National Sweet Potato Festival, Vardaman, MS)

1 package butter flavor cake mix

2 cups fresh Mississippi Sweet

4 eggs

  Potatoes or 1 (15.5) oz. can, mashed

2 tablespoons margarine, melted

1 teaspoon orange extract

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, soft

1 cup pecans, chopped

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk  

Combine cake mix, 1 egg, margarine and cinnamon. Press mixture into bottom of greased 10"x15"x2" baking dish; set aside. Beat cream cheese until smooth and gradually add milk, remaining 3 eggs, sweet potatoes, orange extract and salt and continue beating until well blended. Pour mixture over crust and sprinkle top with nuts. Bake at 325 degrees F. (preheated) for 30 minutes or until set. Cool completely and cut into squares.

Excellent recipe! I personally made this recipe for another special occasion and it was well received. Serve on your best china for that very special occasion. It is sure to please.