Southern-Style Sweet Potato Pie

Yesterday I became a real Texas - I made my first sweet potato pie.  Sweet potato pie tastes very similar to pumpkin pie, but the flavor and texture are slightly different.  The pie was DELICIOUS and is something I plan on making again in the future.  The recipe below is a combination of a few recipes I found online.  If you've never tried it before, I encourage you to make one!  It does take some time, but the process is relatively easy.  Share pictures if you attempt your own!  Makes 8 - 12 servings depending on how large you like your pie slices.  I didn't bother with nutrition facts on this one.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

• (1) 1 Lb. Sweet Potato
• (1) 9" Unbaked Pie Crust (You Can Make Your Own if You're Ambitious)
• 2 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter, Softened
• 2 Medium Eggs, Slightly Beaten
• 1 Cup White Sugar
• 1 Tbsp. Unbleached White Flour
• 1/2 Tsp. Salt
• 1/2 Cup 1% Fat Buttermilk
• 1/4 Tsp. Baking Soda
• 1 Tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1/2 Tsp. Each: Cinnamon, Ginger, and Nutmeg
• Tinfoil or a Pie Crust Shield (Like This One)

Directions:

• Fill large stock pot with water and boil whole sweet potato, skin and all for 45 - 50 minutes or until soft.
• Run cold water over the potato until cool, then remove the skin (it should rub off easily).
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Mash sweet potato well.
• Put sweet potato mash into stand mixer and add eggs and butter; turn mixer to medium-high level.
• In separate bowl, sift together sugar, salt, flour, and spices.
• Add sugar mix to stand mixer and continue to mix on medium-high.
• Add buttermilk, baking soda, and vanilla to stand mixer.
• Allow filling to mix on medium-high until very smooth; will be somewhat runny.
• Pour filling into pie crust
• Cover rim of crust with a homemade tinfoil circle or a pie crust shield; make sure it's not touching the filling.
• Bake for 45 minutes and then turn off oven; leave pie in oven.
• Allow pie to cool slowly in oven.  This will keep the pie from cracking in the center.  Pie can come out after 25 - 30 minutes.
• Serve pie with whipped cream or ice cream with a little pumpkin pie spice sprinkled over it.