Sweet Potato Casserole

One of our traditional holiday dishes is Sweet Potato casserole. I try to make it every Thanksgiving and Christmas, and on special occasions throughout the year. There are dozens of recipes for it; here is how I make mine.

Wash three pounds of sweet potatoes and put them on to boil until they are soft. It usually takes about 45 minutes.

Drain them in a colander and let them cool.

Remove the peelings. It is really easy after the sweet potatoes are cooked. Put in a large bowl and whip them until they are smooth.

Add one cup of sugar. I know that is a lot of sugar, but it makes a big casserole.

Add three beaten eggs.

Add 1/2 cup milk. I usually use half-and-half, but I was out so I used evaporated milk. It works just as well. You can also use pure cream if you are trying to gain some weight. Mix it all together.

Add 1/2 stick soft butter and two teaspoons of vanilla.

Mix it all together one more time and put in a 9" x 13" casserole dish that has been sprayed with oil.

This part is finished and it is time to make the topping.

Use 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup self-rising flour, and 1 cup of chopped pecans in a bowl. Mix them together.

When it looks like this, add 1/2 cup melted butter. This part is a little messy, and I have found that the easiest way is mixing it with my hands. I don't have a photo of that because I had butter all over my hands and couldn't use the camera.

Spread the mixture over the top of the casserole. Again, I use my hand because I can't seem to get it right with a spoon or fork.
Bake in a 350 degree over for approximately 25 minutes.

We like ours browned like this, although others prefer it a little darker. It is your casserole; bake it as long as you want to! Just watch it closely; it browns quickly at this point.

We took this casserole to a pot-luck supper the same day I made it. It does my heart good to see people going back for seconds. There wasn't any left, so I know the folks there loved it. I will definitely make another one soon.

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