Sweet Potato & Chai Tea Bars

So, my Uncle Frank recently sent along two huge bags of some huge sweet potatoes for my sister and me. So far I have had: baked sweet potato fries (Paula Deen's healthy recipe, which is terrific), a sweet potato pie (also good), a delicious sweet potato casserole (at my sister's house on Easter Sunday), and now, a recipe I've named Sweet Potato & Chai Tea Bars.

I am convinced there's probably not a recipe out there we couldn't add tea to in some fashion if we put our minds to it. Adding it to sweet potatoes seemed like a sure bet, and my husband and I both love these bars!

Sweet Potato & Chai Tea Bars

Crust:

1 cup plain all-purpose flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1-1/4 cups quick oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla

Filling:

1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
Contents of 2 chai teabags
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash salt
1 egg
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 extra large sweet potato, cooked and mashed (about 1-1/4 cups)
1/3 cup whole milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line an 8-inch square glass baking dish with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the flours, oats, baking soda and salt. Add sugars and combine well. Add butter and vanilla, stirring until all is combined. Press half of mixture into parchment-lined pan and bake for 15 minutes.

For the filling, in another medium bowl combine sugars, chai tea, cinnamon and salt. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and combine. Stir in the sweet potato, then the milk, and combine well.

Once the crust has baked, pour filling over the crust and return pan to oven for 15 minutes. Remove pan from oven and sprinkle remaining crust ingredients over filling, patting down slightly. Return pan to oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until set. Allow pan to cool on wire rack at room temperature for one hour. Once cooled, refrigerate pan for 2 hours. Cut into rectangular bars. Store leftover bars in refrigerator. Yields 24 servings.