Yam Balls.

My grandma had a cookbook. It was Sunset Magazine’s Holiday Cooking—a thin hardback book filled with cakes, puddings and gelatin molds. One of the recipes was for Sweet Potato Balls. They were cornflake encrusted mashed sweet potatoes filled with a melty marshmallow center. It has become my Thanksgiving tradition to make these for the past 20 years for friends and family. Even those who hate yams (sweet potatoes)  love these. And for some reason they have been and always must be molded to the sounds of Maura O’Connell’s “Stories” CD. It’s tradition.

Here’s my slightly glorified version of the old recipe...

Scott’s World Famous Yam Balls (sweet potatoes, whatever)

6 medium sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled and mashed (2 cans are easier)

1/2 cup slightly softened butter

1 cup brown sugar

1 tsp. powdered ginger

1 cup chopped pecans

12 large marshmallows

2 cups Great Grains Crunchy Pecan cereal (or something like that)

ground cinnamon

grated nutmeg

Mix sweet potatoes with butter, sugar, ginger and nuts. Form a ball around one marshmallow; roll in cereal to coat heavily. Sprinkle with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Just before serving, warm room-temperature balls in a 350° oven for 15 minutes, or until marshmallow has softened or melted.

Makes 12 balls 

Note: Balls may be made ahead of time and refrigerated or frozen for later use.