Thanksgiving Sweet Potatoes with Apples

I grew up eating more sweet potatoes than most people. My family regularly ate them grilled or sauteed in a little butter for everyday dinners. Therefore, I'm a bit skeptical of the sweet potato mash loaded with sugar and marshmallows that I have come across a few times. This is the recipe my mom has made every Thanksigiving since I can remember. It is simple, delicious and uses real sweet potatoes (as opposed to canned).

• Microwave 6-7 peeled sweet potatoes for ~5 minutes or until pretty soft, chop into large chunks

• Peel 6-7 Granny Smith apples and chop into large chunks

• Mix the sweet potatoes and apples into a square baking dish

• Dot with 3-4 tbls of butter

• Sprinkle 1/4 cup of brown sugar over the top

• Optional Additions: Drizzle with real maple syrup, sprinkle with finely chopped pecans

• Throw it in with the turkey and bake for 25-30 minutes, or until potatoes and apples are soft

Enjoy!

Blackberry/Cranberry Sauce

I've yet to meet someone whose favorite Thanksgiving fare is the cranberry sauce. And yet I feel it would be missed if omitted. I typically like my cranberry sauce on the sweet side, which typically means LOTS of sugar. During my Thanksgiving recipe search last year, I found a great recipe on Baking Bites for cranberry sauce with blackberries. The blackberries added a natural sweetness and a bit of depth to the flavor. Personally, I am not at all opposed to canned cranberry sauce. There are some really good ones out there. However, I am normally on an "everything needs to be made from scratch for Thanksgiving" kick. The other benefit to making my own cranberry sauce is the leftovers. I will ultimately use most of the sauce for Christmas cookies (recipe to come). Enjoy!

Blackberry Cranberry Sauce
12-oz bag cranberries
2 cups blackberries (approx 12-oz)
1 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground allspice

Place cranberries in a medium saucepan and fill about 1-inch deep with water. Cook over medium-high heat until cranberries start to pop. Cook for 1-2 minutes, until popping slows. Add in blackberries, sugar, salt and allspice. Stir well and cook over medium heat until sauce comes just to a simmer and starts to thicken.
Use a potato masher to gently crush the berries, the cook for an additional minute.
Pour sauce out into a heat resistant dish, cover and let cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Berries will keep, refrigerated, for at least a week. They can also be frozen.

Makes about 4 cups