Can there be anything more delicious to a kid than candied yams or sweet potatoes? And what can go best with roast turkey or chicken than cornbread dressing!

Whether you are looking for an everyday side dish, or that something extra to accompany your soulful Thanksgiving meal, then you need to try out these two recipes for Candied Yams and Cornbread Dressing with Sage Sausage. I promise you, it will definitely add to your already fantastic meal!

Candied Yams

Whether you call them yams or sweet potatoes, this yummy vegetable is loaded with potassium and vitamin c. It is so good, that you can just bake one and eat them with nothing added.

Some people like to use the can yams. And that’s okay, too. If you are in a pinch for time, they work just fine. However, I like the freshness and natural sweetness of fresh yams for this recipe.

Ingredients:

4 large yams/sweet potatoes (2-3 lbs)
1 tsp of cinnamon
1 tsp of ground ginger
1 tbs of vanilla extract
1 cup of brown sugar
½ a stick of butter
2 medium sized oranges
½ cup of honey
A dash of Kosher salt

Directions:
Bake sweet potatoes/yams on a large baking pan, at 375°F for 45 minutes. They will still be firm to the touch. Allow to cool until able to handle. Peel yams and cut into ½ inch medallions, arranging them in a baking dish. They may overlap. Sprinkle a dash of kosher salt over them (brings out sweetness). Pour vanilla extract over. Sprinkle with cinnamon and ginger. Sprinkle over brown sugar. Dot with butter. Slice oranges and place over yams. Pour honey over top. Cover with foil, and bake for twenty minutes. Uncover, and bake for an additional 15-20 minutes until bubbly.*

*If you want to save time, use the canned sweet potatoes. Be sure to drain the liquid. Follow the recipe and directions, and cook for a total of 25minutes.


Cornbread Dressing with Sage Sausage

I loved my Grandma’s cornbread dressing. It was delicious, hot and spicy. Often the heat and spice coming from the hot sage sausage that she used. She made her own cornbread. But you can easily use the pre-packaged cornbread stuffing from Pepperidge Farms, or Arnolds.

To make your own corn bread
Ingredients:
2 cups of self rising flour
2 cups of cornmeal
5 eggs, beaten
6 tablespoons butter, melted
3 cups buttermilk
1 tsp of cracked black pepper
1 tbls of poultry seasoning
2 tsps onion powder
2 tsps of garlic powder
2 tsps of dried parsley

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 ° F. Butter a 13x9 baking dish.

Combine the dry ingredients and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix the eggs, melted butter, and buttermilk. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, mixing slowly by hand or on low with a beater. Mix incorporated. Pour into baking dish. Bake until top is browned and a toothpick comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Allow to cool completely.


Ingredients:

Corn bread mixture cooled
2 stalks of celery diced finely
1 large onion
1 lb of spicy/mild sage sausage (depends on how hot you like it) cooked and drained
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp of poultry seasoning
4 cloves of garlic, minced
¾ tsp of sea salt
½ tsp of pepper
1 tsp of dried parsley flakes
2 cups of chicken broth or water (if using water, add a dash of salt and ½ stick of butter)
1 can of cream of mushroom soup

Directions:
Cook and drain sage sausage. In the same pan, saute the celery, onions and garlic (you may also use the turkey giblets if you are not using it in gravy). Cook until translucent. Add chicken broth or water and bring to simmer. In a large bowl, add the dried cornbread, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning. Mix, then add sage sausage, and eggs. Pour cooled broth into mixture, adding the cream of mushroom. Mix well. (If stuffing a turkey, allow to cool completely) If not, place in a baking dish and bake for 45 minutes at 350° F.