The Hyper Chipmunk makes Mascarpone Sweet Potato Pie with a Gingersnap Crust.

   My best friend says I remind her of a hyper chipmunk.
   She usually yells this at me from underneath a pile of downy pillows in a messy bed in a Las Vegas hotel room after a night of gorging ourselves on German food, German beer and dancing our asses off..
   That is Vegas at it’s finest.
   At nine A.M. I’m usually at the gates of the pool even after the latest night in The Vegas. This means I will dig around our dark, dark Vegas hotel room at eight thirty A.M.  looking for my bikini, book, racing form, grabbing a coffee and a LaraBar while Mimi wonders HOW IS SHE SO FUCKING LOUD? And AWAKE? We were up until FOUR A.M!!! I really do try to be quiet but my chipmunk tendencies tend to get the best of me and I spend way to much time rustling about looking for my nuts (In the Larabars of course)
    I’m not just a chipmunk in The Vegas.
   Last night I worked until eleven thirty. Than I drove forty minutes home. Than I stepped in cat puke. Than I got in bed. Than I realized I had stepped in cat puke. My alarm was set for four thirty, so I could be back at work by six A.M. and I did consider for just one moment (A very, very brief moment) sleeping in a puddle of fish flavored puke… Than I got up, cursed a few cats names and cleaned up the puke. I knew I would get eight minutes less sleep and for just a moment I was jealous of my friends who own birds (birds who are not, I’m assuming, bulimic.)
    I woke up so early to go back to work to make a Thanksgiving Feast for about eighty coworkers. I do this every Thanksgiving and I love it. I love cooking for friends, family and coworkers. So I started cooking at six A.M. and the meal was ready at eleven.
   I made

• Maple and Apple Glazed Turkey
• Cranberry, Butternut Squash and Pancetta Cornbread Stuffing
• Turban Squash with a cinnamon, chili and Brown Sugar Rub
• Spinach Gratin with Cave Aged Gruyere
• Broccoli Casserole
• Tomatillo Pepper and Cheese Dip
• BBQ Turkey Dip
• Cranberry Baked Brie
• Mascarpone Sweet Potato Pie with a Gingersnap Crust

    I spent eight hours cooking today.
   In that eight hours I ate about six slices of Sweet Potato Pie.
   Do I feel good right now? Um no, no I do not. A normal person would probably lay on the couch watching The Office for the rest of the night, holding their stomach and farting loudly.
   Instead I went for a four mile run, than I came back and repainted my T.V. stand a creamy eggshell white.
   What is wrong with me? I really am a thirty two year old hyber chipmunk. I got four hours of sleep last night, I should be ready to pass out. Instead I’m completing projects in my cabin.
   I’m really proud of myself that it’s been dark outside for an hour and I’m still awake. Yea winter and that time change that we all love.
   Here is the recipe for the Mascarpone Sweet Potato Pie with a Gingersnap Crust.
   If you make one new recipe this Holiday season, it should be this one.

Mascarpone Sweet Potato Pie with a Gingersnap Crust

4 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup maple syrup
1 tab vanilla
1 tab cinnamon
8 egg yolks
2 cups mascarpone cheese
1 package gingersnap cookies
2/3 cup butter, softened

   In a food processor combine the cookies and 1/3 cup butter. Press this mixture into a baking dish. In a big bowl whip the yolks with the mascarpone cheese. Mix in the vanilla, the other  1/3 cup butter (Melted) the brown sugar, maple syrup and the cinnamon. Add the sweet potatoes. Put on top of the gingersnap pie crust. Bake at 350 for 50 minutes with the top covered in foil.
   When you remove this from the oven, the sweet potato layer will be custard like. Don’t worry if it’s not cooked completely through. Let the pie rest at room temperature or in the fridge at least an hour.
   Please don’t hate me to much when you eat four slices.

    This makes a huge pie. You can cut this recipe in half easily for a small gathering.