Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

The first time I had this I knew I would never again make sweet potatoes topped with marshmallow goo. The apples sweeten the potatoes just right. Great with pork and ham. And, of course, turkey. This recipe is easily doubled.

Serves 4

• 3 medium sweet potatoes
• 3/4 cups thinly-sliced apples (about 2)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water or apple water

Cover and cook the potatoes in salted, boiling water until they are nearly done. You will know this when you insert the prongs of a meat fork into the potato and it goes no more than half way then stops.

Drain and rinse under cold water to stop some of the cooking. Return to pan to cool more and proceed with apples.

Peel apples and slice. Don’t bother to core the apple, just begin making slices all around it until you reach the core. I like to use one Golden Delicious and any other variety. Just make sure they are of equal density or crispness. If soft, make the slices large.

In a small frying pan, add a bit of water, add the apples and cook until they just begin to get soft.

Butter a 1.5-quart dish.

Peel the potatoes and slice into 1/4-inch rounds. Layer the potatoes with the apples, sprinkling each layer with a bit of brown sugar and dotting with butter. Pour the apple water or water over them. Bake uncovered at 350 for about 45-60 minutes. Can be made one day ahead and then re-heated in the oven.

Notes: I've tried a zillion ways to avoid boiling the potatoes in order to save time. None works and they usually turn out rubbery. I think this recipe would lend itself well to the addition of pecans and a drizzle of maple syrup. If anyone makes it that way, let me know how it turned out.

Apple and Onion Casserole with Bacon

This is adapted from my Grandma’ old cookbook. It sounded so whacky I had to try it. It’s almost a meal in itself and the first time I prepared it I almost ate all of it. I suspect it’s an old recipe with ingredients that were cheap and which most housewives or farmwives would have had on hand.

Serves 4

• 3 medium-sized onions
• 2 medium-sized apples
• 6 slices of bacon
• 1 cup soft, cubed bread crumbs, crusts removed
• 3/4 cup chicken broth
• Dried thyme and/or rosemary

Peel and slice onions thinly, about 1/8 inch. I used yellow sweet onions. Peel the apples and slice around the core.

Cut bacon into smaller pieces and sauté/fry until crisp. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain and cool. Add the bread cubes to the bacon “renderings” to coat. Remove to a bowl. In the same pan, add chicken broth, a pinch or two of dried thyme or rosemary (or both!). Bring to a boil and reduce to about 1/2 cup.

Butter a 1.5 quart glass-baking dish. Arrange the apples, onions and bacon in alternate layers. Pour in the broth mixture. Cover the top with the bread cubes. Cover the dish and bake in a 375-degree oven for about 25-30 minutes. Uncover it and cook for another 15 minutes longer.

Notes: A mandolin works well for the onions, but be sure to guard your fingers. Mandolins can be very dangerous! I like a sweet/tart apples with this, not, for example, Red Delicious.

There's no need to core the apples. Just peel and slice around the core. If there isn't enough bacon fat to coat the bread cubes, melt in a bit of butter.