Maple Thyme Hasselback Yams

Slightly sweet yet delightfully savory, these tender maple thyme hasselback yams are a wonderful (and pretty!) side dish for your holiday table.

Everybody makes a big deal of Girl Scout cookie season, and rightfully so, of course. They are delicious and iconic, especially the Thin Mints. But I daresay fewer people are aware of a Scouting America (formerly Boy Scouts) fundraiser that takes place in many councils across the United States. 

I discovered the program a couple of years ago at a neighborhood holiday event where among the vendor booths there was a troop of scouts selling their branded Scout’s Own maple syrup. Apparently, if they live close to maple syrup country, scouts can attend “Sap Camp” to learn about and help with the production of the syrup.

Since I cannot say no to a young person selling something delicious, you know I had to buy a bottle. Scout’s Own maple syrup is lovely, dark, rich and just the perfect amount of sweet. I used it to make these maple thyme hasselback yams. 

Maple Thyme Hasselback Yams

Growing up in the southern United States, we called these orange flesh tubers yams or occasionally, sweet potatoes. You can substitute your favorite sweet potato here. 

Ingredients

3 yams

2 tablespoons olive oil

Fine sea salt

¼ cup or 56g butter

¼ cup or 60ml maple syrup

2 sprigs fresh thyme plus extra for garnish

Method

Preheat your oven to 350°F or 180°C.

Scrub the yams and trim the hard ends and discard. Place a yam in a deep serving spoon and use a sharp knife to cut thin slices in it, just down to the spoon edges. Repeat with the other two yams.

Place the yams in a tight-fitting baking pan and drizzle them with the olive oil, opening the slices to get a little oil inside the yams. Sprinkle with fine sea salt, trying to get some inside the yams as well. 

Bake the yams for 30 minutes in your preheated oven. 

Melt the butter and mix it with the maple syrup, ¼ teaspoon salt and the leaves from the fresh thyme sprigs. 

Spoon the maple butter thyme mixture over the yams, making sure to get it in between the slices, inside the yams. 

Bake for an additional 15 minutes or until the yams are tender and cooked through. Turn off the oven when you take the yams out.

Drain the syrupy butter into a small pot and put the yams back into the turned off oven to stay warm. 

Bring the syrup to a boil over a medium high heat. 

Cook for about five minutes until reduced and thickened. 

Leave to cool for just a couple of minutes then spoon over the yams and garnish with tender sprigs of thyme. Serve immediately. 

Enjoy! 

It’s Sunday FunDay and today we are sharing recipes with maple syrup ahead of Maple Syrup Saturday on March 21st. Many thanks to our host, Camilla from Culinary Cam. Check out the links below!

• French Toast by Mayuri's Jikoni
• Karawya with a Maple Syrup Drizzle by Culinary Cam
• Keto Baked Chicken Legs in Buffalo Sauce by Sneha's Recipe
• Maple Bacon Candied Walnuts by Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Maple Bourbon Smash by A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Maple Dijon Bacon Green Beans by Making Miracles
• Maple Mousse by A Messy Kitchen
• Maple Pecan Glaze for Scones by Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Maple Thyme Hasselback Yams by Food Lust People Love

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

Pin these Maple Thyme Hasselback Yams!

 

.

Maple Banana Cornbread Muffins #MuffinMonday

Sweet ripe bananas and maple syrup replace the sugar in these wonderful maple banana cornbread muffins. They make a fabulous breakfast or snack on the go!

The day before yesterday - Saturday - was my birthday so I asked my mom if she wanted to sleep over. She doesn’t like driving after dark so spending the night meant she could enjoy my birthday dinner with us. I seared some scallops and served them with garlicky greens and pasta along with a tomato mozzarella salad. It was all so good!

Yesterday morning I baked these muffins for breakfast and brought them up to Mom on a tray with coffee. Though not a big eater, she ate two! Then my daughter said, “Don’t give all the muffins to Grammy when she goes home. I like them!” With my final taste-tester husband chiming in that he likes them too, I’m calling this recipe a winner. 

And just for the record, I like them also. I’m not a big sweet eater but the maple syrup and banana make these just the right amount of sweet for me. 

Maple Banana Cornbread Muffins

This recipe was adapted from one on Pam’s Daily Dish for a cornbread loaf. I used the last of my small golden bananas for the muffins, the ones I discussed in my peanut butter banana waffle post. 

Ingredients 

3/4 cup or 94g flour

1 cup or 165g cornmeal (yellow or white)

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 medium ripe bananas (about 6 1/2 oz or 185g, peeled)

1/2 cup or 120ml maple syrup

1/3 cup or 80ml milk 

2 tablespoons canola or other light oil, plus more for the pan

1 large egg

Method

Preheat oven to 375°F or 190°C. Prepare your 12-cup muffin pan by lining it with paper muffin cups or greasing with a little oil or butter. I used a little canola oil and a pastry brush. 

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In another mixing bowl, mash the bananas and then add the maple syrup, milk, oil and egg.  Whisk to combine. 

Pour the wet ingredients in to the dry ingredients bowl. Fold until just combined. 

Divide the batter between the muffin cups in your prepared pan. Bake for about 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Cool on a wire rack for five minutes then remove the muffins from the pan. 

Serve warm, plain or with butter. 

My mom always needs extra butter but you do you.

Enjoy! 

It's the last Monday of the month so that means it's Muffin Monday! For some reason, corn seems to be featured this month. It wasn't planned! Check out all the great muffin recipes we have for you today, both sweet and savory. 

• Bacon Cheddar Muffins from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Coconut Cornbread Muffins from Passion Kneaded
• Cornmeal Cheese Bomb Muffins from Magical Ingredients
• Honey Cornbread Muffins from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Lemon Pound Cake Muffins from Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Maple Banana Cornbread Muffins from Food Lust People Love
• Onion Crunch Corn Muffins from Palatable Pastime
• Pineapple Coconut Muffins from Zesty South Indian Kitchen
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Mini Muffins from Making Miracles

 

 #MuffinMonday is a group of muffin loving bakers who get together once a month to bake muffins. You can see all of our lovely muffins by following our Pinterest board. Updated links for all of our past events and more information about Muffin Monday can be found on our home page.

Pin these Maple Banana Cornbread Muffins!

 .

Pecan Streusel Maple Coffee Cake #FoodieExtravaganza

Crunchy streusel sweetened with brown sugar and maple syrup bakes inside and on top this maple coffee cake. It’s finished with a sweet maple syrup glaze for a perfect seasonal treat.

I’m learning all sorts of things this week, up in Baltimore. First, in these parts, a horse drawn cart that sells fruit and vegetables is called an Araber. I haven’t seen it yet but there is apparently one still active in the neighborhood where my daughter and son-in-law live. Unrelated to my current location, I also found out that maple syrup is not just produced in the northern United States and Canada. While looking for a cocktail recipe using maple syrup and Kentucky rye, I came across Kentucky maple syrup. Who knew?

Last but not least, I learned that when a hand mixer dies, if you open it up to see if there is a replaceable fuse, you will never, ever get it back together again. Also, sadly, there is no replaceable fuse.

Fortunately for me, I didn’t need a mixer for my version of this pecan streusel maple coffee cake.

Pecan Streusel Maple Coffee Cake

This recipe is adapted from one on Maple Syrup World. Theirs was adapted from a recipe on One Perfect Bite, which was itself, in turn, adapted from a Martha Stewart Living recipe. Both of them are made in the traditional way of cake, creaming the butter and sugar then adding the other ingredients. Trust me when I say that my way is much easier and just as delicious.

Ingredients
For the streusel:
1 cup or 125g all-purpose flour
1/3 cup, firmly packed, or 65g light brown sugar
1 /4 cup or 60ml pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons or 42g unsalted butter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup or 65g chopped, toasted pecans

For the cake batter:
2 cups or 250g all-purpose flour
2/3 cup, firmly packed, or 66g light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons double-acting baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 large eggs
3/4 cup or 185g sour cream
1/2 cup or 113g unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/4 cup or 60ml pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the glaze:
1 tablespoon or 14g unsalted butter
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 cup or 62g confectioners' sugar

Method
To make the streusel: In a food processor blend flour, brown sugar, maple syrup, butter, cinnamon, and salt until the mixture is crumbly. Stir in the chopped pecans and set aside.

To make the coffee cake: Preheat the oven to 350°F or 180°C. Butter a 9-inch pan and line the bottom and up the sides with a circle of parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt together. In another smaller bowl, whisk the eggs, melted butter, sour cream, maple syrup and vanilla.

All at once, pour the wet ingredients into the dry, then fold them together to create a very thick batter.

Spoon half of the batter into your prepared pan and spread it evenly.

Sprinkle the top with half of the streusel topping. Spoon the balance of the batter on top. This is really thick so I suggest putting spoonsful of batter all of the cake.

Spread the batter out to cover the streusel then sprinkle the rest of the streusel on top.

Bake in your preheated oven for about 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick or raw noodle comes out clean. Place the pan on a wire rack for about 10-15 minutes, then invert it on a plate to remove the pan. Invert it once more onto the wire rack and leave it there till the coffee cake has cooled completely.

When the cake is cool, slide it onto a serving plate. Measure the maple syrup and butter for the glaze into a microwave proof vessel or a small pot and heat till the butter is melted. Whisk in the powdered sugar and drizzle the glaze over the top of the cooled cake.

Enjoy!

This month my Foodie Extravaganza friends are sharing recipes using maple syrup in honor of National Maple Syrup Day on the 17th of December. Many thanks to our host, Juli of Pandemonium Noshery. Check out all the great maple syrup recipes below.

• Canadian Maple Bear Claws from Pandemonium Noshery
• Maple Brined Pork Chops from Making Miracles
• Maple Coconut Cookies from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Maple Pecan Caramel Corn from Palatable Pastime
• Mapled Pink Banana Pumpkin Pie from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Maple Yogurt from Sneha's Recipe
• Oatmeal Maple Bread from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Pecan Streusel Maple Coffee Cake from Food Lust People Love

Foodie Extravaganza is where we celebrate obscure food holidays by cooking and baking together with the same ingredient or theme each month.

Posting day is always the first Wednesday of each month. If you are a blogger and would like to join our group and blog along with us, come join our Facebook page Foodie Extravaganza. We would love to have you! If you're a spectator looking for delicious tid-bits check out our Foodie Extravaganza Pinterest Board!

Pin this Pecan Streusel Maple Coffee Cake!

 .