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Is the vegetable you're eating a sweet potato or a yam? Do you think they are the same veggie with a different name? Well, they're not. They are both a veggie and that is all they share in common.

The yam is a tuber, which is the member of the lily family and a sweet potato is a member of the morning glory family. It's beyond me how a veggie can be a member of a flower family, but that's what the botanists say.

Yams are usually more moist, plump, dense and starchy than sweet potatoes. Sweet potatoes have a smooth skin and no starch compared to a yam. They have a lighter skin with a pale yellow flesh and a more firm and drier texture. However, either one can be substituted for each other in all recipes calling for one or the other.

Did you happen to see the huge sweet potatoes/yams in our local supermarket a couple of weeks ago? You'd have had to have a soup kettle to cook them. I cut one in half and used my Dutch oven to cook ONE. It was enough for four meals for two people. Eat them often as they are loaded with nutrition.

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So, it's about sweet potatoes today.

CANDIED SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

1/2 c. firmly packed brown sugar, divided

2 T. orange juice

2 t. vanilla

1-1/2 t. pumpkin pie spice, divided

3 lbs. sweet potatoes (about 5 medium) peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces

4 T. butter or margarine, divided

1/4 c. flour

1/2 c. chopped pecans (if you can't eat nuts, leave them out)

2 c. mini marshmallows

In a large bowl, combine 1/4 c. brown sugar, orange juice, vanilla, and 1 t. pumpkin pie spice. Add sweet potatoes; toss to coat. Turn into 9x13 baking dish. Dot with 2 T. butter. Cover and bake at 375 degrees 45 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender.

Meanwhile, mix flour, rest of brown sugar and 1/2 t. pie spice in a medium bowl. Cut in rest of butter with a fork until crumbly. Stir in pecans and marshmallows.

Take casserole out of oven and stir gently to coat potatoes in the syrup; top with crumb topping. Bake, uncovered for 7-10 minutes or until topping is golden brown. Makes 10 servings.

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SWEET POTATO PUFF

3 c. cold mashed sweet potatoes (4 medium, cooked without added milk or butter)

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. butter or margarine, melted

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 c. milk

1 t. vanilla

1/2 c. flaked coconut

TOPPING

1/2 c. chopped pecans

1/2 c. packed brown sugar

2 T. butter or margarine, melted

1/4 c. flour

In a mixing bowl, beat first six ingredients until fluffy. Stir in coconut. Spoon into butter and 2-1/2 qt. baking dish. Combine topping ingredients until well-blended; sprinkle over sweet potatoes.

Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 8 servings.

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SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE

3 c. cooked, mashed sweet potatoes (4 medium cooked, peeled or two 17 oz. cans vacuum packed)

3 eggs, separated

3/4 c. sugar

1 t. vanilla

1/4 t. nutmeg

1/3 c. melted butter or margarine

2 c. milk

TOPPING

1/2 c. brown sugar

3 T. melted butter or margarine

1/3 c. chopped nuts or flake coconut

In a large bowl, combine mashed potatoes with beaten egg yolks (save whites), sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, butter and milk; set aside.

In another deep bowl, beat egg whites until stiff; carefully fold into potato mixture. Pour into 2 qt. greased baking dish.

Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Makes 8-10 servings.

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And, a very low-fat, no cholesterol sweet potato dish.

SWEET POTATO 'N RAISIN CASSEROLE

8 medium sweet potatoes, cooked and peeled

1-1/4 c. brown sugar, packed

1/2 c. apple juice

1/2 c. water

1/2 c. raisins

1 T. margarine

Cool potatoes; slice 1/2-inch thick and put into a 2-1/2 qt. baking dish sprayed with pan spray.

In a small saucepan, combine rest of ingredients; bring to a boil; stirring often. Pour over potatoes.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35 minutes, basting occasionally. Makes 10 servings.

Nutritional info: saturated fat - trace, cholesterol - 0, sodium - 38 mg, carbs - 70 grams.

Serving size: 1/10 of recipe.

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Thought for today: All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.

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