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!

Cheesy Potatoes

I initially got this recipe from my grandmother who dubbed it "Potatoes O' Gerry" -- her name is Geraldine. I'm pretty sure she got the recipe from the bag of O'Brian frozen potatoes and just changed the name. Regardless of its origination, this is probably my favorite side dish, and it is super easy to make . . . A real crowd-pleaser albeit relatively high in calories. You can substitute many of the ingredients for their low-fat counterparts, but I tend to use the 'good' ingredients and opt for smaller portions.

1 28 oz. bag of frozen, diced potatoes (I prefer the kind with peppers, but that is a matter of taste)
1 cup sour cream
1 can cream of celery soup
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese + more for sprinkling on top
A few handfuls of rice crispies (or some unsweetened corn/rice cereal)

In a large mixing bowl, combine potatoes, sour cream and soup. Add cheese and mix until well-distributed. Spread into 9x13 dish and sprinkle cheese and crushed cereal on top. To bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for approx 1.5 hours or until heated through and cheese is bubbly.