Candied yams

Growing up, my mom made Thanksgiving dinner for the two of us, which usually consisted of roasted cornish hen, scalloped potatoes, cranberry jelly, and candied yams.  I love the candied yams.  It was sweet, but not too sweet, and steamed to a nice tender consistency.  The sweetness also nicely complemented the saltiness of the meat.

Yams

The last two years, I made my mom’s candied yams, and brought them over to A’s mom’s house.  This year, I also brought a dish to our friend’s for a potluck.  Everyone really seemed to enjoy it and I didn’t have any leftovers to take home with me.

Steam the yams

The yams should be cut width-wise so they can easily be placed in a baking dish.  Placing the yams side by side is better than stacking the pieces on top of each other because it is easier to baste the yams with the honey, butter, and brown sugar mixture.

Yams in the dish

I love how colorful this dish is.  This recipe is super simple and does not require a lot of work.  The only ingredients are yams, honey, brown sugar, and butter.  Yum!

Sauced and buttered

CANDIED YAMS
(My mom’s recipe)

Serving size: about 6

Ingredients:
2 large yams, scrubbed
1/3 cup honey (or corn syrup)
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons bourbon (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease shallow baking dish with butter or cooking spray.

2. Steam yams for about 30 minutes. Wait for the yams to cool before handling.

3. Peel the yams and cut width-wise into 1 inch thick pieces.

4. Place the yams in the baking dish side by side.

5. Stir the honey, butter, and brown sugar together. Pour mixture over the yams.

6. Dot the yams with butter.

7. Bake in oven for about 30 minutes and baste several times until heated through.