between people i’ve met over the years, there has always been a slight disagreement on whether these are actually yams or sweet potatoes. by no means am i bringing up the subject of yams and sweet potatoes in regular day to day conversation … but i just mean i have heard them referred to as both and have never yet come to a conclusion on either or. however, growing up we called them yams so to me yams they will be. in fact, these are the very yams my mom made for us when we were little and they are still the very best i’ve ever had … the absolute best, in my opinion. actually, i think this recipe turns what seems to be an otherwise slightly disliked vegetable into this thing i sometimes crave and becomes something that resembles more of a dessert than a side dish to a meal. i made these yams for camden and i saturday and then took the extra … what i can only describe as a caramel sauce and drizzled it over ice cream for dessert. seriously … try it.


yield: will serve 3 to 5 people.

you will need:
2 – yams
1 – stick of butter
1 1/2 cups – brown sugar
a few tablespoons of water

preheat your oven to 400 degrees. cook the yams, with their skins on for about 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the yam. once the yams are cooked and cooled, carefully remove their skins and slice into about one-fourth inch thick round sections. in a medium saucepan combine the butter and sugar until just melted and mixed together. make sure to stir frequently, then add a few tablespoons of water, about three. once that caramel starts to simmer, add all the yams and cook until the mixture becomes slightly thick but not to hard … enjoy. drizzle vanilla ice cream with the extra sauce for dessert … you won’t be disappointed.