I love sweet potatoes. I’ll eat them baked, mashed, fried, sautéed…. they’re delicious. While my usual go-to is to bake them, on special occasions I create this mashed dish inspired by Ina Garten. Having always questioned the Thanksgiving favorite of marshmallows melted on yams (but have since decided is delicious – I even sometimes add a small section of mini marshmallows), I was intrigued by Ina’s take on adding the apples to sweet potatoes. While the apples still have a sweetness, you don’t feel like you’re eating candy with your turkey. I took it a step further and made them even healthier by removing the cream. Trust me – you won’t miss it. The mashed sweet potatoes with caramelized apples has become a family Thanksgiving staple over the years. But beyond even the holidays, this is a great fall and winter dish that adds a special feel to any dinner table. Not to mention, warm, comfort food during these cold months!

Ingredients:

• 4 large sweet potatoes
• Fresh squeezed juice from half an orange
• 1/8 tbsp. orange zest
• 1/4 c. skim milk
• 3 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 6 Tbsp. butter
• 6 apples, peeled, cored and sliced
• 6 Tbsp. brown sugar

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Fill a large boiling pot with water and place the potatoes in the water. Bring to a boil and let potatoes simmer until tender with the touch of a fork, about 30 minutes. Once tender, remove from the water and carefully remove the skin. When cooked through, the skin should peel right off.

Combine orange juice, orange zest, milk, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and pepper.

Combine the sweet potatoes, once the skin is removed, with the orange juice mixture. I just use a spoon for this, but a mixer or food processor will also work. Place the sweet potato mixture in a casserole dish.

Melt the butter and brown sugar in a skillet over medium heat. Add the apple slices and saute until lightly browned, about 10 minutes

Top the sweet potatoes with the apple slices, layering them slightly on top of the next apple slice. Sprinkle lightly with cinnamon.

Bake the casserole dish,  uncovered, for about 25 minutes or until it starts to brown. Serve hot.