Oh my goodness. These “yams” are literally heaven-sent. The perfect combo of sweet and savory…OK maybe a tad on the sweeter side with the mallow topping, but you catch my drift.
The slightly sweetened honey goat cheese adds a lovely flavor to the mashed sweet potatoes. It also pairs well with the dried cranberries and pecans, which both add a pleasant crunch to the dish (aka–you won’t think it is baby food).
It might interest you to know that in most US grocery stores, even what is labeled as a “yam” is really a sweet potato. A true yam is a larger root-looking “tuber”, with a whiter flesh, more starchy and dry; and they lacking in good nutrients compared to sweet potato.
So, when you read a recipe that calls for yams or sweet potatoes, you’ll be safe going to the market and buying either one of them, maybe leaning toward what’s on sale.
If having marshmallows at dinnertime isn’t your thing, you can easily leave them off and I won’t be offended. But, as you can see, they add such a pretty texture. And… who doesn’t love a toasted mallow every now and then.
This is the perfect addition to your holiday menu, so be sure to add these ingredients to your grocery list for the upcoming holidays.
Creamy Goat Cheese Yams with Toasted Marshmallows
Side-dish serves 8-10
Ingredients:
3 medium yams/sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled
2 Tbsp light sour cream
5 oz honey goat cheese (from TJs, or you can use regular Chevre)
3/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup pecans, roughly chopped
Big marshmallows, halved or mini marshmallows, for topping ( about 1 cup)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Meanwhile, steam sweet potatoes (or microwave) until very tender when poked with a fork/knife. Allow to cool before peeling and discarding the skin. Place cooked sweet potatoes into a large bowl and mash several times with a potato masher. Add the honey goat cheese, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon and egg yolk and continue to mash until smooth. Mix in the sour cream, adding a little more if creamier texture is desired. Stir in the dried cranberries and pecans.
Transfer to a buttered, medium-sized casserole dish or an 8×8 dish and smooth the top layer. Add halved, large marshmallows (cut side-down), or sprinkle mini marshmallows over top of the sweet potato mixture to cover in an even layer.
Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes on the middle rack, until marshmallows are golden brown and slightly crispy. Serve while hot for a perfect holiday side-dish.
