Chili Spiced Hasselback Sweet Potatoes

Chili powder and allspice give these spuds a surprising complexity, but cumin or cloves would be great too.

Ingredients

•    6  (8 oz.) sweet potatoes, scrubbed
•    3  Tbs. olive oil
•    ½ tsp. garlic powder
•    ½ tsp. chili powder
•    ¼ tsp. ground allspice

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Trim ends of potatoes. Thinly slice three-quarters of the way through. Place potatoes on foil-lined baking sheet.
2. In a small bowl, mix the remaining ingredients. Brush potatoes with spiced oil, separating slices to coat. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
3. Cover potatoes with foil; bake 1 hr. or until potatoes are tender, uncovering during the last 15 min. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley, if desired.

Two easy variations

1. Tex-Mex twist: Omit the allspice and add 2 Tbs. lime juice and 1 tsp. ground coriander to the spice mix.
2. Tropical mmm: Sub in coconut oil for the olive oil and sprinkle cooked potatoes with fresh mint.