Day 21 Sweet Potato Casserole

A few years ago, I watched a cooking show, I think it might have been Paula Deen, where I was inspired to tackle sweet potato casserole.  The results have been glorious – no complainers at the holiday meal thus far.  In fact, I have had many a request to showcase the dish on other occasions to which I have often obliged.  I also have enjoyed experimenting with sweet potatoes – indeed they are the under recognized member of the potato family (another theory I have is that the red variety of any produce is superior – onions, potatoes, pears, etc).  A subplot of my blog in 2009 might be expanding my repertoire of sweet potato dishes – if JT can bring sexy back, maybe I will bring sweet potatoes back. 

Pictures will be posted at a later date.

Here is my holiday sweet potato recipe largely drawn from Southern Cooking; http://southernfood.about.com/od/sweetpotatocasseroles/r/bl1109b.htm

Ingredients:

**Serving Size; 15-20.  Enough to nicely fill a 13 X 9 casserole dish; I estimate 1 pound of potatoes per 5 servings

• 3 pounds of sweet potatoes, mashed
• 1/4 cup butter
• 3 eggs (I’ve made it with or without eggs)
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 tablespoon of Maple syrup (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2  teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1  teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping:

• 1 medium sized bag of chopped pecans (go big on the pecans!)
•  Flaked coconut to taste
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• 2 cup packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 cup butter

Cut potatoes into uniform pieces, cover with cold water and bring to a boil.  Once potatoes are tender to a fork prick, drain; when cool enough to handle, remove potatoes from their jackets.  (peeling raw sweet potatoes is the devil’s errand).  Using a ricer, which I consider to be the MVP of the recipe, mash potatoes incorporating butter, eggs (beaten), half and half, maple syrup, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Spread potato mixture into buttered casserole dish.  Mix topping ingredients, using a pastry cutter if possible, spoon mix over potatoes.  Cook at 375 for apx 30 minutes (until topping is melted and slightly browned).