This gem of a recipe is from my younger sister, Marisa. She made it at a family Thanksgiving in Michigan years ago, and I’ve been hooked ever since. This is WAY better than the traditional northern version with marshmallows – blech. It gets rave reviews at any potluck I bring it to, and is now a regular feature at my own small Thanksgiving gatherings here in Austin. Photos can not adequately express how mind-blowingly yummy this dish is, but trust me: sweet potatoes as candy, right here.
Fresh from the oven. The smell alone makes me drool.
Southern Sweet Potato Casserole
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup butter, softened
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups cooked mashed sweet potatoes (takes about 5 whole sweet potatoes to make 3 cups mashed, or use the canned pre-mashed stuff – fresh is better though, I think)
Topping
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
Preparation
- Peel sweet potatoes and boil in water to soften. If necessary, cut into smaller pieces and boil further before mashing.
- Beat eggs, granulated sugar, and butter together. Add milk and vanilla.
- Combine well with the mashed sweet potatoes (I use an electric hand mixer on lowest setting – but beware splattering); spoon into a greased 2-quart casserole dish.
- Combine brown sugar, flour, softened butter, and maple syrup in a separate bowl, mixing until smooth; drizzle over sweet potatoes.
- Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.
Step 1
End of Step 1, and Step 2
Sweet potatoes brightening up the Thanksgiving meal nicely.
