Sweet Potato Tzimmes

"Tzimmes" is one of those Yiddish words that loses something in translation. It is probably best defined as confusion or a mishmash...which is probably where this casserole gets its name. This recipe can be made 2 days in advance; cover and refrigerate until ready to bake. You can vary the proportion of carrots to sweet potatoes.

• Ready In: 1 hr 10 mins
• Serves: 10-12

Ingredients

• 1  lb carrot, peeled and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch pieces
• 6  medium sweet potatoes or 6  medium  yams, peeled and cut into 3/4- to 1-inch dice
• 1  cup  orange juice (plus additional,as needed)
• 1⁄2 cup honey
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1⁄2 cup  pitted prune, coarsely chopped
• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease a 3-quart casserole or baking dish (or 2 smaller baking dishes) with non-stick cooking oil spray.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add the carrots and sweet potatoes; cover, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cook about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are easily pierced with a fork.
3. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine the orange juice,honey,salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
4. Drain the vegetables and transfer them to the prepared baking dish. Add the prunes and toss gently. Stir the orange juice mixture and drizzle over the top. Sprinkle with the butter pieces. (At this point, the tzimmes can be covered and refrigerated until ready to bake.) Cover with aluminum foil and bake 20 to 25 minutes, stirring once or twice, until warmed through. If the tzimmes becomes dry, add a few more tablespoons of orange juice.