IMO, the best best best Thanksgiving side dish is one that another member, Konditor, shared with us last year.
The first time I made them I couldn't believe how amazingly delicious they were, and the presentation is so beautiful.
(PS - I use navel oranges for this recipe) I've also used both yams and sweet potatoes. Both are great)
Baked Sweet Potatoes in Orange Cups
5 thin-skinned oranges, halved hemispherically
3 lbs sweet potatoes, pared & cut into large chunks
1 cup white granulated sugar
5 ounces uns. butter (plus another ounce for topping)
Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 ounces peeled fresh gingerroot, grated
Using grapefruit knife, remove flesh from oranges over a sieve place above a bowl; reserve the juice. Squeeze remaining juice from fruit into the bowl. Measure out ½ cup orange juice; reserve remaining juice for another use.
Cook sweet potatoes in large, covered saucepan of boiling water for 20-30 minutes, or until they're tender when pierced w/ point of knife. Drain. Return sweet pots to saucepan. Heat over med. heat & shake pan about 1 min. Mash the potatoes. Add orange juice, sugar, 5 oz. butter, and seasonings; beat until combined.
Mound sweet potatoe mixture into orange shells; sprinkle the tops evenly w. grated ginger; dot w/ remaining ounce of butter. (The filled orange cups can be made ahead, covered & refrigerated for up to 6 hours.)
Bake the cups at 350° until heated through, about 25 min.
At your turkey dinner, serve these orange cups as an accompaniment along w/ cranberry relish, parsnips, Brussel sprouts, & candied chestnuts.
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