Kosher Parve Mashed Sweet Potatoes Stuffed in Oranges

These are a great presentation dish for a dinner of 8 or less. If you're having a dozen or more people over for Thanksgiving, they can turn into a hassle.

Ironically, the best oranges for stuffing are not the tastiest ones for seasoning. Pick big, fat navel oranges with as flat a bottom as you can find. They're just for cosmetics. The actual orange juice should come from whatever OJ you normally drink at home (I go for the pulp free Tropicana with extra calcium myself.)

The banana may seem like an odd addition, but it helps firm up the potatoes while also adding an extra hint of sweetness. Go on. Give it at try.

• 8 large, attractive navel oranges, roughly the same size
• 4 medium sweet potatoes
• 1 banana
• 1 cup orange juice
• 2 tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
  Peel and boil the sweet potatoes until soft. Drain the potatoes. If you don't need the pot for other things (holidays can be hectic) just dump them back in. If you do, put them in a large bowl for mashing. Add the banana, cinnamon, oil, salt, and orange juice. Mash the whole mess until it's well blended. The oil is just there to act as food glue, helping hold all the other ingredients together.

  Give it a taste. Some people like their holiday potatoes sweeter. Feel free to double the cinnamon, add 1/4 cup of brown sugar, or, if they're still fairly firm, 1/4 cup more orange juice.

  Cut the tops of the oranges. Hollow out the insides with a spoon and throw away the pulp. The goal here is to keep the oranges as solid and presentable as possible. Once you have nice, hollow oranges, stuff them with the sweet potato mix. Top the mix with generous sprinkles of brown sugar.

  After stuffing the oranges, there should be enough remaining for leftovers. These reheat just fine in a microwave. If in doubt, add 1 tbsp water or OJ before nuking.

  If you're in a hurry or not interested in schmancy presentation food, just put the whole mashed mess in a bowl and top it with brown sugar.

  VARIATIONS

  A slightly tropical flair works well for these. Try substituting pineapple juice for the orange juice.

  If you're not afraid of the spice blends, a teaspoon of "pumpkin pie spice" adds some flavor.

  You can add some Kosher Marshmallows to the top as well, but keep in mind that while the marshamllows are parve, they're made from fish gelatin and therefore aren't vegan. If serving vegetarians, check to see if fish is permissible in their diet.