Classic Candied Yams

six servings

2 pounds sweet potatoes (about 6 medium)

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons water

1/4 teaspoon salt

Prepare and cook sweet potatoes by coating lightly with vegetable oil and roasting on a baking sheet lined with parchment at 375 for 45-60 minutes. Check for doneness. They should be tender yet not falling apart. They should show a little resistance in the middle. Allow to cool then remove skins and cut crosswise into ½- to ¾-inch slices. (Picture shows 1/4-inch slices.) At this point you may store the cooked slices covered in the fridge if making ahead.

Stovetop directions: Mix brown sugar, butter, water, and salt in skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until smooth and bubbly. Add sweet potato slices; stir gently until glazed and heated through. Spoon hot brown sugar mixture over the top and flip halfway through. About 15 minutes makes them yummy and thoroughly caramelized.

Oven directions (for less hands-on method and for larger amounts): Prepare sheet pans with sliced sweet potatoes and syrup ingredients multiplied accordingly. Try roasting uncovered at 350-375 degrees (higher?) for several minutes before flipping.

Chocolate Malt Milkshake (Two Versions)

 Classic Chocolate Malt 
source: Mom
1/2 cup of whatever milk is in the fridge

4 tablespoons Chocolate Malt flavored Ovaltine (or to taste)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3-4 Oreo cookies (if you're feeling really crazy)
2 cups good vanilla ice cream (even the cheap stuff is good though)

Blend all ingredients. 

Deluxe Chocolate Malt
1/2 cup whole milk (or mostly 1% with a splash of cream)
4 tablespoons chocolate sauce (Robynn's recipe here is delish!)
1 1/2 - 2 tablespoon malted milk powder
2 cups good vanilla ice cream

Blend all ingredients. Enjoy! Don't even think about symptoms of lactose intolerance.

Romaine Mandarin Salad

Mom made this before the super salads of today. It was fresh, crisp, and sweet, and set off a flank steak dinner perfectly. I often watched her make the sugared almonds and was mesmerized by the process of sugar magically liquefying in the pan. I recently made this again and found I wasn't crazy about the dressing after all these years. (Could have been because I poured it on each serving and didn't mix it in entirely as the recipe instructs. I'll have to try it again.) I substituted a poppy seed vinaigrette to pour on individual portions, and it worked perfectly. (We have a family member who is sensitive to soggy salads so I'm overly cautious about dressings.) I've included both dressing recipes. 

Safe to double salad for a crowd. If doubling the salad and using the Sweet & Sour Dressing, double it. No need to double Rice Vinegar Poppy Seed Dressing. 

Romaine Mandarin Salad
adapted from Betty Crocker's Cookbook, 1981

1/4 cup sliced almonds
2 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 head iceberg lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1/4 bunch Romaine lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
2 medium stalks celery, medium chopped (about 1 cup)
2 green onions with tops, thinly sliced (about 2 tablespoons)
Sweet & Sour Dressing
1 can (11 ounce) mandarin orange segments, drained

Heat skillet to medium high. Add almonds and sugar and stir constantly over medium to high heat, until sugar is melted and almonds are coated. Cool and break apart. Store at room temperature.

Assemble salad just before serving if using S&S dressing. Place lettuces in plastic bag; add celery and onions. Pour Sweet & Sour Dressing into bag; add orange segments. Close bag tightly and shake until salad greens and orange segments are well coated. Add almonds and shake again. 

Sweet & Sour Dressing
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
dash red pepper sauce

Shake all ingredients in a tightly covered jar; refrigerate.

Rice Vinegar Poppy Seed Dressing
also great with Spinach Bacon salads

2/3 cup white rice vinegar (plain, not seasoned)
1 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt (1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1-2 green onions, chopped
2 teaspoons poppy seeds

Blend all ingredients except poppy seeds (did that once--big mistake). Stir in poppy seeds. Serve or chill until ready to serve.

Shasta BBQ Sauce

A simple family favorite since an extended family trip to Lake Shasta in the 80s. Someone made this sauce (mom? Mamoo? Dorothy?) to serve over BBQ chicken, and it became an instant classic. Whenever we make it (which is often--there's always a container in the fridge), my mind is flooded with memories of that trip so long ago: lots of water skiing, trying unsuccessfully to slalom, and at least one riding adventure with a horse named "Bucketmouth." Anyone else have a particular memory?

Shasta BBQ Sauce

1 cup ketchup

1/2 cup water (optional)

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoon molasses

2-3 tablespoon woody's BBQ concentrate


Whisk all ingredients together in a medium-sized bowl until sauce becomes smooth. Taste to adjust ingredients. Always safe to double.