She majored in home economics and retired several years ago after a teaching career at McCants Junior High School in Anderson. She and her husband Jack were charter members of their church, Forest Hill Baptist, where they have been members for 49 years.
I’m talking about Carolyn O’Dell of Anderson, who sent a great recipe for Sweet Potato Balls. She got the recipe maybe 15 years ago when she was visiting the Georgia Mountain Fair in Hiwassee, Ga., where it was among several bulletins being distributed to the fair-goers. I liked this recipe because of the little surprise: One thinks he is eating sweet potatoes, then runs into the marshmallow. These coconut-covered balls are also pretty on the serving plate.
Their church, Forest Hill, which started as a mission of First Baptist in Anderson, at one time had almost 600 members, but now that number is down. Tom Owens, their new minister, came to the church in February 2009.
Jack O’Dell was on the building committee for the church and served as Sunday school superintendent for some time. In his business affairs, he had a fence company and was a rural mail carrier before his retirement. Carolyn was Forest Hill’s WMU director for several years and also taught the adult Sunday school class. The class doesn’t have an official teacher now, so Carolyn often fills the slot. She has served on the fellowship committee and uses her love of cooking there. She also has always had a love of gardening.
After retiring from her teaching career, Carolyn worked at the local Belk department store for a time. Now Carolyn says her health is not so good, which limits her going, and that she is “more in than out.” The O’Dells’ daughter Catherine and her husband, Robert Fields, now live with them.
Being a home economics teacher, Carolyn, of course, likes to cook and says she makes these Sweet Potato Balls a couple of times a year. She should – and so should you. According to my trusty Internet connection, the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) declares the sweet potato number one in nutrition of all vegetables because of its dietary fiber, naturally occurring sugar, complex carbohydrates, protein, vitamins A and C, iron and calcium.
And they taste good – especially these Sweet Potato Balls – and we thank Carolyn for sharing the recipe with us. Plan to make it this weekend for … Sunday Dinner.
Sweet Potato Balls
4 large sweet potatoes
¾ cup finely packed light brown sugar
4-6 tablespoons orange juice
8 large marshmallows
2 cups flaked coconut, toasted
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Boil potatoes 25-30 minutes. Let cool to touch. Peel. Mash potatoes and measure 4 cups. To the 4 cups potatoes, add sugar, cinnamon and orange juice, and mix well.
Shape ½ cup of potato mixture around each marshmallow, then roll in the toasted coconut. Place balls in 9×13-inch pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Makes 8 servings.