Ham and Sweet Potatoes Recipe

With the holidays coming, ham and sweet potatoes are both foods that should be on the mind. You may be thinking of serving them on Christmas or Thanksgiving Day, but they can also make for a great dinner that is sure to get your family in the holiday mood.

If you are thinking of serving a ham and sweet potato meal for your family, here are some ways you can prepare it that will ensure your dish is as tasty as possible.

Ham and Sweet Potatoes

To prepare our recipe, start by preheating the oven to 325 degrees.

Spread 2 tablespoons applesauce on the ham. Then place the ham in a shallow baking pan and bake for 20 minutes.

Combine 1 tablespoon applesauce with ½ cup honey or brown sugar and spread over the ham. Add sweet potatoes and baste with sauce.

Bake an additional 20 minutes and serve.

Applesauce may seem like an odd addition to this meat based dish, but it is often used to give a juicy boost to meats. It also lends a light, sweet flavor that works perfectly in enhancing the taste. Experiment with light and tart sauces to get the taste you are going for.

Overall, the dish is relatively healthy. The sweet potatoes are rich in vitamins and minerals including calcium iron, selenium and vitamin B and C. They are also high in antioxidants. They have been known to reduce the risk of cancer, promote healthy digestion, manage diabetes and boost eye health.

Ham is a great source of protein. It is rich in selenium, zinc, vitamin B, B12, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin and choline. It can also be low in fat, depending on how it’s cooked.

Applesauce is also healthy. It is rich in vitamin C and fiber and low in fat and calories. This makes it great for digestion and for boosting the immune system.

Honey may have gotten a bad rap in the past, but lately, information has surfaced proving that it is better for us then we once thought. It is high in antioxidants and it may improve heart health and boost wound healing. For these reasons, it can be a healthier choice for this recipe than brown sugar which, despite popular opinion, is not really much healthier than white sugar.

Ham and Sweet Potato Casserole

There could be some debate as to whether the recipe we have here would be considered a casserole. After all, it does have ingredients that are cooked together to take on each other’s flavorings much like other casserole dishes.

However, because there are only really 2 main ingredients, some might think more variety is needed to in order to truly consider it a casserole.

In any case, there are plenty of ham and sweet potato casserole dishes you can make. Here is one example.

Cheesy Ham and Sweet Potato Casserole: Because everything’s better with cheese, right?

To make this recipe, cook ½ lb. unpeeled sweet potatoes in boiling salt water for 20 to 30 minutes. Then cool, peel and slice to ¼ thick slices.

Next, melt ¼ cup butter in a medium saucepan. Add ½ cup chopped onion and cook until tender.

Remove from heat and stir in ¼ cup flour, ½ tsp. salt, ½ tsp. basil, ¼ tsp. pepper and 1/8 tsp. pepper. Cook on low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, then stir in 1 ½ cups milk. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until mixture boils.

Boil and stir one minute. Then remove from heat, stir in ¾ cup cheese and ¾ lb. ham, cooked and cubed.

Pour half the mixture into a 2 quart casserole and arrange half the sweet potatoes on the top. Repeat layers and bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Sprinkle top with cheese and bake 3 to 4 minutes longer until the cheese has melted.

This is a casserole you can really dig into to serve your family and it also makes a great dish to add to the holiday table.

Ham and sweet potatoes are two healthy ingredients that taste great in any meal. Prepare them together, separately, or combine them with other ingredients to make a dish that is simply irresistible. How will you be serving a ham and sweet potato meal to your hungry crew tonight?

If you enjoyed this recipe, make sure to check out our Maple Pecan Pork Chops and our Pork Chops Devine.

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