One of our favorites is this classic sweet potato casserole with a crunchy-sweet pecan topping. My version uses less butter and sugar than many traditional recipes but loses none of the flavor or richness.
You can make my casserole with brown sugar alone or with maple syrup. With dairy or non-dairy. Or even with a brown sugar substitute. Finally, I have a tip for making the process a snap on Thanksgiving day...
So, let's get started!
 |
Cleo Coyle writes two bestselling mystery series with her husband. To learn more, click here. |
☕ A Recipe Note from Cleo
The origin of this recipe goes back a long way. I remember seeing a version published in a 40-year-old cookbook celebrating heritage recipes from Georgia, but that recipe likely had its roots in the "sweet potato pudding" published in the first American cookbook, circa 1796.
For my lighter, easier version of this classic, I started with the more traditional version here, cut an entire stick of butter, some of the sugar, and a small amount of flour. The result was delicious! I did not miss the extra fat and calories and neither did my husband, who is never coy about expressing his opinion on good eats.
For my lighter, easier version of this classic, I started with the more traditional version here, cut an entire stick of butter, some of the sugar, and a small amount of flour. The result was delicious! I did not miss the extra fat and calories and neither did my husband, who is never coy about expressing his opinion on good eats.
I created some options in the ingredients, as well. You can make this casserole with brown sugar alone or with maple syrup. If you're cutting back on sugar, you can even use a brown sugar substitute. And you can go dairy or non-dairy.
Finally, here's my tip for making the process a snap on Thanksgiving day. Forget the traditional method of peeling, dicing, boiling, and mashing, which leaches nutrition from those nourishing sweet potatoes. And don't even think about using canned yams, which can't compare to sweet potatoes made from scratch. Instead, simply bake your sweet potatoes alongside your turkey.
My baking method produces sweet potatoes that are just as moist as the boiled version, but with less fuss and cleanup. And (the best reason to do this...) baking the potatoes will help them retain more nutrition and flavor.
Now let's start (some early Thanksgiving) cooking!
~ Cleo
ORDER UP!
Sweet Potato Casserole with
Brown Sugar and Pecans
Ingredients:
For the casserole:
3-4 medium to large sweet potatoes (You will use these to
make 3-1/2 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes)
1/4 cup light brown sugar*
1/4 cup pure maple syrup*
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1/4 cup milk (low-fat cow's milk or dairy-free almond)
4 tablespoons butter melted (or dairy-free margarine, melted)
*To make this recipe without maple syrup, increase the brown sugar to 1/2 cup and reduce the amount of cooked, mashed sweet potatoes by 1/4 cup. If you're cutting back on sugar, you can use a brown sugar substitute.
For the topping:
4 Tablespoons butter, melted (or dairy-free margarine, melted)
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup light brown sugar (or brown sugar substitute)
Generous pinch of table salt or finely ground sea salt
1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
Step 1 – Easy-bake sweet potatoes (you can either bake these with your turkey or the night before your Thanksgiving meal): Wash the sweet potatoes and leave skins wet. Tap your inner serial killer and stab the taters a few times with a knife to prevent them from exploding in the oven.
Wrap the sweet potatoes tightly in aluminum foil and bake them in a well-preheated 350 degree F. oven for 90 minutes. Remove them from the oven, but do not unwrap! Allow them to cool in their foil cocoons for 30 minutes. This will keep them nice and moist. Now open and slice each potato in half.
As shown above, scoop out the still-warm flesh,
which is now very close to pre-mashed for you.
A fork will make quick work of the mashing.
See the photos above and below.
You want a nice, even consistency.
You want a nice, even consistency.
.jpg)
Step 2 – Assemble the casserole: Measure out 3-1/2 cups of the cooked and mashed sweet potatoes and combine them with the rest of the casserole ingredients. Stir well. Pour into a well-buttered casserole dish (1-1/2 to 2 quarts in size). The dish you see below is 1-1/2 quarts.
Step 3 – Make the casserole topping: Melt the butter (or margarine) in a small saucepan. Remove the pan from heat, add the topping ingredients to the pan, stir well. The mixture should be damp and crumbly. Distribute it evenly over the casserole top.
Bake at 350° F. for about 40 minutes. Casserole will be bubbling when finished and some liquid will appear to be pooling in the topping. Don’t worry. As the dish cools, the liquid will settle back into the casserole and the top will become crusty, crunchy, and delicious.
Thanks for stopping by today.
May you...
Eat, Drink, and Read with joy!
Thanks for stopping by today.
May you...
Eat, Drink, and Read with joy!