If you have a food delivery service you've probably experienced an occasional surprise when receiving your order. This happens to Ma quite often... While visiting one day she sent me home with two cans of (un-ordered) Bruce's Yams. Yep, a holiday staple in many families, I thought it would be a good opportunity to try a new recipe. And when better than as we are planning our Thanksgiving and Christmas menus:@) Today's side dish is a Yam & Apple Bake. My version has been altered a tad from the Bruce's website, but that was the starting point. Another thing I love about this simple recipe is, you can get both the yams and pie filling anywhere, including Dollar Tree. $3 for a pretty holiday side that will easily feed at least four to six people, not bad..
Gorgeous holiday color...
I have a feeling most folks associate these soft canned yams with sweets, and they serve them with either marshmallows or a streusel topping. We carry the sweetness here, but by the addition of apple pie filling. I like that the syrup gets drained from the potatoes, allowing the pie filling to act as a little thickener. I also like that this isn't mashed, the potatoes and apples maintain their texture.
**Today I used 15 oz sweet potatoes and 15 oz pie filling. I think the -best- ratio would be 29 oz yams: 15 oz apple. Unless you know your crew really loves apples:@) You honestly can't go wrong with any ratio, but I'd keep the two smaller cans of yams to the 15 oz apples, and use the larger cans together.
From this point we have options...
- We can leave it as is, and the colors are beautiful:@) I like this color combo for Thanksgiving.
- Or maybe add additional traditional warm spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc.
- Or how about rough crushing some cookies, Nilla Wafters or ~preferably~ Ginger snaps, tossing with butter and adding a crunchy topping. That would lean it more towards a sweeter dessert type side dish.
- Nuts would be great.
- I like dotting the top (after baking) with some maraschino cherries... That's pretty for Christmas.
- Maybe a handful of cranberries mixed in, oh that would be pretty. But I'd add extra sugar to offset the tart.
- And of course the original recipe adds a sprinkling of mini marshmallows.
- Best suggestion: Split the toppings into segments. That's a fun idea if you know Aunt Susie loves marshmallows but Uncle Sam wants only pecans...
- Anything goes!
Leftovers? Heat in microwave and sprinkle with granola for breakfast. Or... Maybe enjoy at night with a scoop of ice cream.
Yam & Apple Bake
15, 29 or 40 oz can Bruce's yams, drained well
15 or 21 oz can apple pie filling
*Any add-ins or toppings of choice. Honestly folks, this is the most versatile and foolproof side dish.
- Butter a 2 to 2 1/2 quart baking dish. *I used a 1 quart, it was plenty big enough for 15 oz cans.
- Mix yams and apples, and add-ins. Lightly break up the yams so they are about the same size as the apples.
- Top if/as desired.
- Bake at 325 degrees for about 30-40 minutes (just keep an eye on the marshmallows).
Let's plan those holiday meals and
Have a Happy Day:@)
