Day 4 with Ms. Prune Whip: I Yam What I Yam

(While Amy is away, we’re following Ms. Prune Whip’s field trip to the cookbook room at Jane Addams Book Shop in Champaign, Illinois.)


Expedition, Day 4: Sorry to leave fabulous collection, but must depart - both from Jane Addams and from money for cookbooks which I simply cannot leave behind. Besides my darling Golden Fluffo, the Mary Dunbar and Monsieur Prudhomme, have bagged these classics:

Your Share: 52 Menus 226 Recipes 369 Hints On Food Buying, Preparation, Meal Planning and Serving (Betty Crocker, General Mills, 1943)

57 Prize-Winning Recipes (H.J. Heinz Co., 1957)

Delicious New Combinations of Inexpensive Favorites (Pet Milk Company, 1934)

75 Easy Yam Recipes with a romantic past . . . from the magic Evangeline Land of Louisiana (Louisiana Sweet Potato Commission, c. 1970)

And now, my parting gift, a stunning recipe from 75 Easy Yam Recipes.

Minted Yam and Pineapple Bake

(Makes 6 servings) (Molly’s note: possibly more than 6 if they’ve seen the picture.)

2 cups canned crushed pineapple green food coloring

1 tablespoon cornstarch 6 to 8 medium Louisiana yams, cooked

3 tablespoons butter or margarine and peeled – fresh or canned

Mint extract

Drain ¼ cup pineapple syrup from pineapple; heat remaining pineapple and syrup to boiling point. Combine ¼ cup pineapple syrup with cornstarch and mix well; add to hot pineapple and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Add butter or margarine and mint extract to taste. Tint sauce a light green with coloring. Cut yams in half crosswise and place in greased casserole. Pour mint sauce over yams. Cover and bake in slow oven (325º) 25 to 30 minutes.

Thanks to Don and Susan Elmore, owners of Jane Addams, for allowing me to photograph and post pictures from their shop. You can find Jane Addams on the web at www.janeaddamsbooks.com, or in person at 208 N. Neil St., Champaign, IL 61820. You can follow Jane Addams on Facebook: Jane Addams Bookshop or Twitter: @janeaddamsbooks. Phone is 217-356-2555. Email is info@jandeaddamsbooks.com

(Four photos attached:
Minted Yam and Pineapple Bake
An array of offerings from Jane Addams’
From Rachel Ray to Fearless Cooking for Men
Books Ms. Prune Whip bagged)