Pumpkin Pie and Candied Yam Recipes - Tis the Season

I am not much of a kitchen dweller.  So much so that before I got married, I rarely cooked a meal.  My old roommate Kelly (who is a whiz in the kitchen) can attest to that.  I used to buzz around the kitchen like a vulture waiting for a meal to drop and because my roommate was (and is) so wonderful, she would always make enough of whatever she was making for me.  Bless her, because I did not starve, gain 100 pounds from fast food and hey, I even learned a little.  Kelly, if you are reading, thank you!  I am happy to report that I have gotten much better since getting married!

My man is fearless in the kitchen and I have my MIL to thank for that!! So, Mama Kim, thank you!  J and I had an upcoming 'friendsgiving' to cook for and we had to provide the dessert last minute.  For someone like me, my shopping cart steers straight to the bakery to pick me up a pie.....for someone like my hubs, he hops online right there in the store and his shopping cart hits the aisles with all the essentials to make a pie.  So my fearless husband held my hand while we baked pies and candied yams, saint!  I thought I would share our recipes because our pies and candied yams turned out AMAZING!!

This picture is to prove that my friends and I have turned into adults that can actually make a decent meal!! Happy Friendsgiving!!

Our candied yam recipe is my mother in law's recipe and it is BY FAR the best way to serve your yams....just don't think about the ingredients, they are not for the faint of heart.

Candied Yam
**serving about 6 people depending on how many yams they eat**

• 3 large yams - they get quartered
• 1 stick of butter
• 3/4 cup of granulated white sugar
• 3/4 cup of light brown sugar
• 9X13 pan
• turkey baster

Preheat oven to 270 degrees
Peel and boil yams until almost soft
Depending on the size, half or quarter the cooked yams. Arrange pieces in 9X13 pan(s)
In a separate bowl mix the 2 types of sugar
After the sugars are mixed pour over the yams evenly making sure each one has some
Cut the stick of butter so that each yam has a square of butter on it (yes, you read that right - remember, not for the faint of heart)
Cook in the oven at 270 for 4-5 hours basting the yams every hour in the sugary butter, this will help them candy
Serve warm!

Pumpkin Pie
~From allrecipes.com

• 1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 eggs
• 1 (15 ounce) can LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 (12 fluid ounce) can NESTLE® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.               
•  Combine sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs lightly in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk. Pour into pie shell.               
• Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees F.; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. (Do not freeze as this will cause the crust to separate from the filling.)