As fall gets underway, do you know the difference between a sweet potato and a yam? The subject of much confusion, the orange-colored tuber that is often referred to as a "yam" is in fact, a sweet potato.

If you can believe it, there's sweet potato in this tasty treat.

Slashfood had the delicious task this Wednesday of helping judge the North Carolina Sweet Potato Commission's blogger recipe contest. One of the finalists was this delectable cheesecake sweetie by East Village Kitchen.

The contest asked bloggers to come up with recipes that used sweet potatoes in new ways to encourage home cooks to get them on the table after the Thanksgiving dinner season.

Get the cheesecake recipe, see the winner and learn the difference between a sweet potato and a Southern yam after the jump.

Each Thursday, we round up a selection of tidbits from our friends over at YumSugar. Here's what they've got cooking this week.

• They answer the age-old question, what is the difference between a yam and a sweet potato?
• Earlier this week, we weighed in on Starbucks' new breakfast item, the Piadini. The YumSugar team has done an exhaustive taste test of all of their breakfast offerings.
• Dunkin' Donuts is offering up a recession breakfast special.
• Looking for a tasty and wholesome dinner? How about broccoli soup with cheddar toasts?
  
• Slow cookers are perfect for lazy weekends. Try this chicken and sweet potato stew.
• The USDA is now requiring country of origin labeling.

• Be still my tastebuds! It's a pork-tasting showdown, to determine the best porcine rump.
  
• Recipes: Shellfish with Lemon Grass, Chili-Lime Crab Salad, and Smoky Pork Pappardelle.
• Ever wonder what exotic Japanese goods were worth your money? Check out this list.
• Many strong-tasting beers come with a big alcohol content. Not Brakspear Bitter.
• Yams make super-fast lightning bolts.
• South American wines worth mentioning: Chile's Terra noble Vineyard Selection 2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Santa Carolina Barrica Selections 2006 Petit Verdot, and Terra Andina Altos 2005 Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon, plus Argentina's Finca Flichman Expresiones Reserve 2006 Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon and Trapiche Broquel 2006 Malbec.
• Dig deeper and move beyond Vietnamese Pho.

Anyone who has eaten either Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner with me knows that I hate sweet potatoes and love yams. I always thought this was weird because I assumed they were sort of the same thing. Now I know that's not really the case. And I've found one frozen turkey dinner from Boston Market (in stores, not sure about the restaurants) that includes a sweet potato casserole with a pecan topping that I've fallen in love with.

These folks are trying to make November Sweet Potato Awareness Month. The site not only gives a detailed explanation of what yams are and what sweet potatoes are, they also give some great recipes, including Sweet Potato Cornbread Stuffing and Sweet Potato Apple Casserole.

To quote Tom Cruise on The Today Show, "Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt, Matt..."

Matt Wilson over at Cracked.com gives his list of the Best and Worst Thanksgiving Food. I made a prediction before I even read the piece that turkey, stuffing, and pie would be in the "best" category, while green bean casseroles and yams would be in the "worst." Well, I was partly right. He actually lists turkey in the "worst" category!

Whaaaaa?

He gives big props to pie, corn on the cob, and yams though. He doesn't like the cranberry sauce in a can, and it makes me wonder if he even knows you don't have to have it in can, you can actually make fresh stuff yourself!

Matt, seriously, how can you not like turkey? Are you a Communist? (Funny part about the family awkwardness though.)

So what are your favorite ane least favorite Thanksgiving Day foods?

What we're eating has put an amazing twist on a favorite Thanksgiving side dish, making Bleu Cheese Candied Yams that sound like they would be a perfect addition to just about any winter meal. The recipe is very easy and just uses yams, molasses, honey, sage and blue cheese, with a bit of butter added for good measure. Yams (or sweet potatoes) are naturally sweet, and while it might sound as though the sweetness would be overwhelming with the addition of honey, the salty and strongly flavored blue cheese cuts that sweetness and balances the dish. The flavors work in reverse, as well, with the honey and molasses slightly tempering the strong cheese. All things considered, this would make a great addition to your menu for Thursday if you are still looking for sides. It doesn't take too much work and you and your guests will be delighted with the results.