Growing up, we always had sweet potatoes stored in our can house. That was a

small concrete building with thick walls and a roof that my dad built and it never

got below 45 degrees in there. Any root vegetables were always stored covered

by sand in homemade wood boxes and there were rows of shelves for all the

canned goods put up in the summer. It was also a great place to step in and cool

off since there was no air conditioning in our home.

There are as many variations of sweet potato casseroles as there are cooks. Some make a savory version but I like mine on the sweeter side. I am offering two toppings, a marshmallow and a pecan, and it really depends on what I have available in my pantry as to which one I use.

When choosing sweet potatoes for a casserole, try to get ones that are close to the same size. They can be boiled, but I prefer to wash them, wrap in foil and bake at 350°F until they feel soft when squeezed (see recipe). Once unwrapped, the skin is easily removed.

Why I like this recipe . . .

♥ Simple, easy to find ingredients.

♥ It will quickly become a family favorite, especially on your holiday buffet.

♥ This sweet potato casserole will be devoured completely at any family function.

♥ There are 2 simple toppings.

♥ It's easily doubled.

About the ingredients:

• Sweet Potatoes-I like to use medium size without many blemishes.

• Sugar-White, light or dark brown sugar work equally well.

• Butter-Salted or unsalted, no margarine.

• Vanilla-Use a good quality vanilla (our recipe here)

• Milk-You can use whole or skim milk, or even orange juice. I prefer whole milk because of the richness it gives.

• Egg-Use large or extra-large. The egg binds the ingredients in your casserole.

• Toppings-Mini marshmallows or pecans (with flour, butter, and sugar)

Ingredients

• 2½ cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes (about 3 medium)*

• ½ cup granulated sugar (could also use light or dark brown sugar)

• 1 Tbsp butter, softened

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• ¼ cup milk (orange juice works too)

• 1 large egg

You will need a buttered casserole dish.

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Thoroughly scrub the sweet potatoes, wrap individually in foil and bake about 1 hour or until soft when squeezed.

2. Cool, peel and mash or chop the sweet potatoes. Add the sugar, butter, milk, eggs and vanilla to the sweet potato mixture. Spoon into a small greased baking dish, then add one of the toppings.