Yam recipes

Minestrone Parmesan: Italian vegetable and pasta soup loaded with smoked ham, chickpeas, spinach, and garden vegetables in a rich beef broth. Finished with grated Parmesan.

Pressure cooker black bean soup made from dried beans with no soaking, ready in well under an hour. Smoky or vegetarian, thickened with bulgur, and finished with cilantro and a splash of sherry.

Hearty red beans and rice with smoked sausage, ham, the holy trinity, and tomato sauce. Dried kidney beans simmered from scratch with mashed beans for a thick, creamy gravy.

Straw and Hay pasta combines regular and green fettuccine with mushrooms, peas, ham, and a light Parmesan cream sauce. A classic Italian dish named for its two-toned pasta, made lighter with skim milk.

Pita bread calzone stuffed with ham, Jarlsberg cheese, sauteed peppers, and mushrooms. A quick, single-serving lunch baked in foil until golden.

New Orleans-style red beans simmered with smoked ham hocks, kielbasa, the holy trinity, and a kick of Tabasco. Thick, smoky, and good enough to make on a Monday or any day.

Linda's fruitcake: brandy-soaked dates, citrus peel, raisins, almonds, and cherries folded into a spiced batter with a pineapple jam layer. Wrapped in brandy-soaked cheesecloth to age.

Ham and artichoke heart pasta salad with penne, green beans, tomato, and red pepper in a double-mustard vinaigrette. A hearty cold pasta salad with bold tangy flavor.

Southwest ham and black bean rice salad with crunchy jicama, bell peppers, olives, and a cumin-chili vinaigrette. A sturdy one-bowl lunch or picnic-ready side.

Slow cooker beef daube braised in white wine and brandy with shallots, ham, orange peel, and Provencal herbs. A French stew made effortless in a crockpot.

This is an amazing recipe, you can use all kinds of leftovers, they mix with rice, very tasty!

This is the best Monte Cristo sandwich in the world... and I don't just mean Disneyworld. It seems complicated but believe me..it is well worth the effort. Make each item in the order given. The Currant Jelly Sauce and the Fruit Compote go alongside.

Bigos, Poland's legendary hunter's stew: sauerkraut and cabbage simmered with roast pork, beef, ham, sausage, dried mushrooms, prunes, and red wine. Tastes even better reheated the next day.

The crisp coating keeps the lamb succulent and juicy.

Four-layer spiced chocolate torte filled with apricot jam and frosted with a cocoa-espresso ricotta cream. Warm cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg give this butterless cake a complex, grown-up flavor.

A traditional British Easter fruitcake with a hidden almond paste layer, golden raisins, currants, and candied cherries. Topped with 11 marzipan balls for the Apostles.