Apple Cinnamon Yams

Just in time for Thanksgiving, this recipe comes from the very last companion I had on my mission -- Whitney Worthen. Being from "the Apple State," she showed me all sorts of ways to enjoy apples. She made these for Thanksgiving on the island of Tenerife and they were a total hit.

I've made them every year since and people can't get enough of them. They are especially great for crowds that normally don't like yams -- as they taste more like an apple pie than anything else.

• 4 large cooked yams (2 medium cans)
• 2 large apples (peeled, cored, halved and thinly sliced)
• ½ c firmly packed brown sugar
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 4 Tbs. butter
• ½ c chopped pecans
• mini marshmallows (optional -- obviously, vegans/hardcore vegetarians wouldn't want to add these)

Place ½ yams in dish; layer ½ apples on top. Mix sugar, cinnamon, nuts and ½ tsp. salt in a bowl. Sprinkle ½ of mixture over apple layer. Repeat with remaining yams, apples and mix. Drizzle melted butter over the top. Cover and bake 40 minutes at 325 degrees. Uncover and bake about 10 minutes more with mini marshmallows on top (until slightly brown).

Pumpkin Soup With a Touch of Basil

Love this soup. It was passed along by a family friend a few years back. I've made it for Enrichment and had rave reviews. Shane even likes it, and he's not a huge pumpkin person. The longest part is just the dicing and then mixing it in the blender; from there, it just needs to simmer a bit.

Ingredients:

• 1 lrg. onion, peeled & finely minced

• 1/4 c. butter

• ½ lb. fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and coarsely chopped (Romas)

• ½ lb. carrots peeled & cut in lrg. chunks

• 3 3/4 c. broth divided (vegetable or chicken, obviously, I use the former)
  

• 1 cup (16 oz.) solid pack pumpkin

• salt and pepper

• 2 Tb. minced fresh basil or 1 Tb dried

• 3 Tb. heavy cream - optional*
  

• grated Swiss cheese for garnish*

• toasted curried pumpkin seeds or croutons (plain)*

In large pot, saute onion in butter 4-5 min. Add tomatoes, simmer 5-6 min. In another pan, simmer carrots in 2 ½ cups chicken broth. Combing cooked carrots, hot broth & pumpkin in blender - puree. Add remaining stock. Add pumpkin mixture to pot, season with salt and pepper. Fold in cream and heat but do not boil. Garnish with cheese and croutons.

*I've never added the cream or garnish suggestions just because I usually try to avoid dairy and the soup is still phenomenal.