The Perfect Sides: Potatoes {simply thanksgiving}

Happy Thursday! Today, in the fourth installment of my {simply thanksgiving} series - I'll be focusing on the starchier part of your Thanksgiving feast - the potatoes! The first recipe I have to share with you is an old favorite of mine - Sweet Potatoes with a Sweet Crust and Marshmallow (from Oprah) - and then I want to show you a trio of delicious mashed potato recipes! All of these recipes will add a little bit of fun and extra flavor to your Thanksgiving dinner.

First, you need to gather up your ingredients - a bag of marshmallows - mini or regular, 2 and a half lbs of yams (or sweet potatoes) (1 large Bruce's yams can works perfectly), 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs, 1 tablespoon brown sugar and 1/4 cup butter melted.

Using a food processor, crush your graham crackers into crumbs. Add the 1 tablespoon brown sugar and combine with the melted butter.

Place this in the bottom of your baking dish, and spread out to cover the bottom of the 2 quart dish evenly.


Then, drain your yams, and place them over the top of your graham cracker crust.


Use as many marshmallows as you need - with mini ones, it'll be about 2/3 of the bag - to cover the yams completely.

Then, bake in the oven for 25 minutes at 350 degrees, or until the marshmallows have turned golden brown. 

And enjoy!

Here is another way to use potatoes - as a mashed side, with a couple of slight twists on your traditional mashed potatoes - buttermilk mashed and mascarpone mashed.

First, gather your ingredients. For four people, without leftovers, 3 large potatoes will be enough. For your buttermilk mashed, you'll need 1/2 cup of buttermilk, 1/2 stick of butter and salt and pepper to taste. For the mascarpone mashed, you'll need an 8 oz. container of mascarpone, 1/2 stick of butter and salt, pepper and parsley to taste.


Wash and peel your potatoes. Slice them and place in a pot. Cover with cold water and cook over medium heat until the potatoes are tender enough to break in half with a spoon.



Once done, drain the potatoes, and return to the pot. Using your potato masher, mash the potatoes until blended to your desired consistency - smooth or slightly chunky.
Then, for your buttermilk mashed, add the buttermilk and the butter, and mix thoroughly.

Add salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!

For your mascarpone mashed, add the mascarpone and the butter and mix thoroughly.

Add salt and pepper to taste, and enjoy!

Do you have a favorite way to prepare potatoes for the holidays? Do you ever make fun mashed potato combinations? I also love adding goat cheese or horseradish to kick up the flavor a bit!