"Slow-Baked" Sweet Potatoes

4-8 medium (6-8 ounces each) sweet potatoes (see note)Optional toppingsButterMaple syrup, honey or molassesOrange marmaladeMiniature marshmallowsChopped pecans or walnutsRinse and dry the sweet potatoes. Place them in a 4-quart or larger slow cooker. (Exactly how many fit depends on the size and shape of the crock insert.) Cover and cook on low until the potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, 8 to 10 hours.To serve: Cut a slit in the top of each person's potato. (See note.) Drizzle or sprinkle with the toppings of your choice, and serve at once.Serves four to eight.Cook's note: This recipe was tested in a Rival brand Crock Pot. Cooking times for other brands may vary slightly. Allow 1 sweet potato per average appetite. Young children can probably share, or cook the smallest you can find. Whole leftover sweet potatoes will keep in a zipper-top bag in the refrigerator for a week or more.Oven method: Place rinsed and dried sweet potatoes (unpeeled) on a heavy cookie sheet or other flat baking pan (lined with foil for easy cleanup), and bake in a 400-degree oven until tender when pierced with a knife, about 30-50 minutes depending on their size.Nutrition values per serving: 164 calories, trace amount fat (0 g saturated), 39 g carbohydrates, 5 g fiber, 3 g protein, 0 mg cholesterol, 16 mg sodium.