Recipe: Sweet Potato Casserole

Julie, when are you going to dazzle your readers with food photography and recipes to delight the soul? is the gist of the e-mails that fill my in-box every day. Y'all are right: when am I going to step up and finally publish all those iPhone pictures from last week's eat? Wait no longer.

Sweet Potato Casserole 

I did not grow up eating many sweet potatoes; Dad cooked them for us once (he always called them "Halloween Mashed Potatoes"), and Mom refused to eat them because they are orange (?!). I enjoyed them, but never had too many opportunities to eat them. My family does not abide by the sweet potato and marshmallow Thanksgiving rule either, it seems. Then, last Thanksgiving, my sweet MIL served this dish and my taste buds swooned.

A few weeks ago, I was fondly remembering the dish and realized that I too could fix this deliciousness for dinner. My MIL kindly sent me the recipe and wa-la! A wonderful seasonal side dish for to complement whatever else you are cooking.

This recipe hails from a Mrs. C.D. Hammer of Louisiana.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups of sweet potatoes (about 4 good-sized ones)
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 1/2 cup of butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 1/3 cup of milk

Topping:

• 1/3 cup of melted butter
• 1 cup of light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup of flour
• 1 cup of chopped pecans (I, personally, refrained)

Directions:

1. Boil and mash potatoes

2. Mix in sugar, butter, vanilla and milk.

Second rule: eat butter!

3. Put in 13x9 inch baking pan.

4. Topping time: Melt butter and mix in remain ingredients. Sprinkle on top of potato mixture.

5. Bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees.

Ta-da! Serves 10-12 people, or 2-4 people for a couple days. Even picky babies like!