In our home on Thanksgiving some form of orange always appears on the table or during the meal.  Usually there is a centerpiece made of yellow, orange and rust colored chrysanthemums.  And almost always there’s either a casserole or dessert made with some form of orange vegetable:  rutabaga, sweet potato, yam, butternut squash, carrot or pumpkin!

Rutabaga
My dad had a fondness for mashed and buttered rutabaga and he loved Mom’s pumpkin pie.  She always used the recipe on the Libby’s canned pumpkin label.  I like that recipe too, but I add more spice and bake it in a casserole dish instead of a pie shell.

Butternut Squash
I’ve always had a special  place in my heart for butternut squash.  I love it plain, or in soups.  One of my favorite salads is a combination of cooked butternut cubes marinated in a flavorful vinaigrette and tossed with fresh sliced strawberries just before serving!

Ruby Yams
In recent years I have discovered the ruby yam.  A quick and delicious way to fix it, is to peel and slice it lengthwise into 8 long wedges.  Toss it in a bowl with some good olive oil and sea salt.  Place on a foil-lined sheet and roast at 425 for 20-30 minutes or until it is cooked and slightly browned.  Let them cool and serve as an appetizer with a dipping sauce.  I like to use ranch dressing when I don’t have time to whip up a sauce.

This year our Thanksgiving meal included a yummy casserole made with mashed ruby yams and a pecan streusel topping.  You can serve it with the meal (use less sugar) or as a dessert or pie filling.Here’s the recipe.

Mix together and place in a casserole dish or pie shell:
3 cups mashed yams
1 cup brown sugar (use 1/2 cup if a main dish)
2 beaten eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup melted butter

Mix together and sprinkle over the top:
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans. (for more flavor, roast the pecans in the oven before)
Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes until hot and browned.

I think you could substitute pumpkin, sweet potato or butternut squash for the yams in this casserole

Let me know of your success with any of these recipes.  Or if you have a special yellow veggie dish, send me the recipe.  I’d love to try it.

You can e-mail me at:

maybelle@wildsagepress.com

Thanksgiving Flowers
Rosemary and Mums