Serving Up {Side Dish}: Yams and Apples

It is November! When did that happen? The holidays will be here before we know it.

My home will be the hotel for some out of town visitors this Thanksgiving, but I have been relieved of the duties of hosting or preparing the meal this year. I may not be cooking this year but I do have some Thanksgiving standard dishes that, were I to be cooking, would make their annual appearance. I have posted the rolls and the pie recipes during my pumpkin-a-thon. Here is the first of "the rest" of the menu...

Years ago, back when I only had one baby, a friend from church made this side dish for a Thanksgiving dinner and it instantly became "my" Thanksgiving recipe for yams. Sorry to all of you that go for the yams topped with marshmallows - you won't find them at my house.

The tart apples pair perfectly with the yams in this dish. When I received the written recipe from my friend it did have the option of adding raisins to the dish but I have never taken that option so I can't comment on it. What I can comment on is that I have substituted orange juice in place of the pineapple juice and the results are divine. In fact, it is a bit of a toss up as to which I prefer...

YAMS & APPLES     
(recipe from Cindy S.)
printable version

3-4 lbs. fresh yams, cooked until tender; cooled and peeled
(or you can use 2 29-ounce cans Yams)
4-5 granny smith apples, peeled, cored and sliced
2 cups pineapple juice (I have had yummy success with orange juice)
¾ cup sugar
½ cup butter
1 tsp. salt
3 Tbs. corn starch
½-1 fresh lemon, juiced
chopped pecans (optional)

Butter a large casserole dish. Alternate layers of sliced apples and cut up yams; set aside.
In a saucepan, mix corn starch and sugar and then add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil; turn down the temperature and cook until thickened. Remove from heat and squeeze the lemon juice into the sauce and mix well. Pour sauce over the yams and apples. Sprinkle with chopped pecans (optional).
[at this point you can refrigerate until ready to bake]
Bake at 300 degrees for 1 hour.