Candied Yams

This year, I am in charge of making the candied yams for Thanksgiving. Candied yams are something that my family doesn't eat, so I called my mother in law to get the recipe.

Since 90% of sweet potato recipes involve the marshmallows on top, I figured it'd be an easy enough request. After talking for a while on the phone, I brought up the candied yam recipe request. She told me she had to find the recipe and she'd get back to me.

She called back about 15 minutes later and told me the recipe she was about to give me is a recipe that everyone who has ever had it has RAVED about. She also said that my father in law requests it every Thanksgiving and usually she pooh-poohs the idea because it takes more effort than the normal recipe.

This ultimate candied yam recipe contains pineapple, maple syrup, pecans and dried apricots. It decidedly does not involve marshmallows.

When Shawn and I went to the store for our weekly shopping trip, I sent him off to get some foods and I went off to get other items. When we met up in the meat aisle, I said the only thing left on the list was dried apricots. He looked at me like I was crazy and asked, "And WHAT in God's name are those for?!"

"Your mom's sweet potato recipe."

"Are these pecans for that too?"

"Yes, and half that can of pineapple"

"I have never had this recipe ever in my life. I don't know what my mom was thinking. Just make the marshmallow version, okay?"

And this is why you'll be served the normal marshmallow version. Though to be fair, I was going to make the two versions and bring both of them...I mean really, variety is the spice of life, is it not?