Sweet Potatoes AKA Yams

The days are beginning to feel like Fall which stirs up a whole host of new thoughts about cooking. Grilling is over it's time for smell good foods from the oven! I absolutely love yams which I also call sweet potatoes. I know there is a slight difference but to me they are interchangeable. At the store the ones that I buy are called red yams. I covered roasting them under Roasted Vegetables so now I will explain how to cook them so they can be mashed. The thought of mashed yams makes my mouth water because when done correctly they are creamy, full of flavor and slightly sweet.

Mashed Yams for 4

Buy 2 large (6" long) knarly fat (theres a word) looking red yams
Wash them and poke about 6 holes in each one with the end of a knife. You may bake them in your oven at 375 for about 30 min. or easier still put them in your microwave for 12 - 15 min. until they are soft to the touch like a baked potato.
Remove from the microwave or oven and let cool about 5 min. Remove peel. It should just peel off with your fingers or use a knife to help if it is stubborn. Try to get all of the potato from the skin and place it in a mixing bowl.
Add 1/2 stick of butter, 1/2 c. milk or half n half, pinch of salt, pepper and I like a touch of ginger. Grated ginger root is the best (1/2 - 1 t. ) or you can use ground ginger (1/4 t.)
Mash it all with a potato masher and then a wooden spoon whipping until creamy. Add more milk if you like them really creamy. Add 1/4 c. brown sugar or a little more depending on how sweet you like them. Mix it in.
That's it! If they get cold before you are ready to eat or you want to make them ahead of time just put them in the microwave for about 30 seconds to warm them up. Delish!!



....don't forget the Spice!

Buttercream Frosting & Kid's Cupcakes

Sorry to be so slow in posting another cooking idea. Times are busy and catering is crazy right now! Anyhow, I just made cupcakes for my granddaughter's class yesterday and I used a recipe I hadn't done since my children were very small. These cupcakes are great for kids and grandkids because the recipients get very excited at the sight of them. The teacher even thought they were ice cream cones! They are great frosted with my homemade buttercream frosting and some sprinkles. The frosting is great on regular cakes as well, it's so easy to make and spreads amazingly well making you wonder why you ever bought premade frosting.



Kid's Cupcakes

Pick any cake mix, I used strawberry, and prepare per instructions on box. Instead of using muffin papers carefully pour the batter into old fashioned ice cream cones. They can be found at the grocery store in colors (not the pointed bottom ones, use the flat bottom type) and sit them in your muffin tins to be filled. Fill them about 3/4 full and bake per directions on cake box. Do not underbake! Let cool and then frost with buttercream frosting. They look like ice cream cones and the kids think they are very fun! I recommend making the cupcakes the same day you are going to serve them if possible as the cones get a bit soft. They are okay the next day just not as crispy as they are out of the box.



Buttercream Frosting

In a mixing bowl place 2 cubes of butter, softened or 1 1/2 cubes of softened butter and 1/4 c. crisco. Add 2 t. vanilla, 2 T. milk and 3 1/2 c. powdered sugar. Mix with a hand mixer until fluffy. Adjust sweetness by adding more powdered sugar. That's it! It tastes great and is so easy to make!

Another secret!!!

If you are baking a cake with a box cake mix you can always make it more moist and tasty by following the cake mix directions and then adding 1 small instant pudding mix (pick one that complements the cake mix) and 1/2 c. additional water. Bake as directed. The cake will come out extra moist and dense - yummy!!

....don't forget the Spice!