Sweet Potato Casserole & Thanksgiving Prep

Sweet Potato Casserole is the recipe for today’s post, but first, a few words about Thanksgiving!

If you don’t know this already-and that would only be if you don’t actually read this blog and instead only look at the recipes because I have mentioned this several times before so it should not be news to you :)-I love Thanksgiving.  It is by far my favorite holiday for many reasons.  Of course, the food.  I love the traditions with food, the warm heartiness of it all and…well…mashed potatoes.  But I also love that the stress of gifts and deadlines and wrapping and giving and all that is absent.  It is all about family and love and thankfulness.  With food.  Oh!  And the weather is just a smidge less of a factor when traveling.  I said a smidge.  Not much.  Hey!  You knew that weather was going to make it into this whole conversation eventually.  It determines a heck of a lot of our activities in the North; both good and bad.  Here in central IL it isn’t that big of a deal, but you never know!

But back to the food, this is close to what my menu will be, give or take.  There will only be four adults and two small children at our house this year.  This isn’t too much food, is it?

Brined Turkey W/Sage Butter
Mashed Potatoes & Pan Drippin’ Gravy
Wild Mushroom Dressing
My Dad’s Famous Wild Rice
English Peas W/Bacon
Glazed Honey Carrots
Cranberry Mustard Relish
Orange Maple Cranberry Sauce
Buttermilk Biscuits & Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie
Pecan Pie
Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Cookies or Cranberry Chocolate Fudge (I can’t decide.  Might make both.)

I mentioned about this time last year that my best friend, the one from Mississippi, introduced me to sweet potatoes.  What I haven’t shared with you until now is the dish that started it all.  This dish.  Sweet Potato Casserole.  I made the mistake of assuming it was made with canned sweet potatoes and quite possible a bag of fluffy white marshmallows.  Wow.  If looks could kill.  “No no no no no,”  came Ashley’s indignant reply.  This is the real thing, she told me.  Her Granny’s Sweet Potato Casserole, no less.  A deep south tradition.  Ashley whipped up a batch in my tiny kitchen in San Diego and converted me, my husband, and the other unsuspecting sailors we were feeding that day. Granny’s Sweet Potato Casserole
This casserole will stay hot for quite awhile so don’t worry about it if dinner timing is off.  Leftovers reheat wonderfully.  This also goes great with anything roasted so if you don’t have a chance to make it for Thanksgiving, keep it in mind for Christmas.  Or even a Tuesday.

6-7 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
3/4 c sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 c milk
1 stick of butter

Topping:
1/4 c butter
1/2 c flour
1 c brown sugar
1 c chopped pecans

Steam or boil the potatoes until soft.  Drain well and dump into a large bowl.  Add the rest of the casserole ingredients and mash together or mix with a hand mixer until smooth.  Pour into a large, buttered casserole dish.  Mix all topping ingredients together and sprinkle over potatoes.  Bake at 350 till hot and bubbly.

Note: Amount of butter can be reduced but don’t tell Granny!  In a pinch, I have microwaved this with excellent results!  It also could be heated in the crock pot if oven space is scarce.  Or mix this up a day or two before but don’t bake.  Cool completely and store in the fridge then bake when ready.