Sweet Potato Casserole

There is a big debate, at least in the south, crunchy crumbly topping or marshmallows.  I am talking about what you put on top of your sweet potato casserole.  I know some people that think it is not Thanksgiving without the marshmallow topped sweet potatoes.  I personally think it's not Thanksgiving unless there's crunchy crumbly topping.  My mother is always in charge of at least two important things for Thanksgiving, dressing and sweet potato casserole.  One year my daddy, yes the same one I made granola for the other week, wanted marshmallows.  Thanksgiving was ruined!  He no longer gets a say in the Thanksgiving meal.  And yes he has to be thankful for English peas.  A story for another day.

Well the other day I was baking a ha and thought I wanted some sweet potatoes to go with it.  I checked the freezer and had some baked sweet potatoes there so I was halfway there. I am sure I have my mother's recipe somewhere but didn't want to take the time to look it up so I went to Pinterest in the hopes of finding a recipe that was close. I will let you know as I go through the recipe how it turned out.

That is my sweet potatoes in the bowl.  I was trying to help them thaw out a little bit.

To the 4 cups of sweet potatoes add 1/2 cup white sugar.  Let me say here that my sweet potatoes had too much liquid in them from thawing.  I should have drained them better.

Add 1/2 cup milk

2 beaten eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

4 Tablespoons butter, softened.  I have read that you can grate your butter if it isn't as soft as you would like when you need to use it.  It worked pretty well. Hands get really greasy though.

Mix this really well.

Place in a sprayed casserole dish.

In another bowl add 1/2 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup all purpose flour

3 Tablespoons softened butter

I used a pastry cutter to cut the butter into the flour and sugar.

The butter should be in small pieces.

Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans.

Mix the pecans with the dry ingredients.

Then right before you place in a preheated 325 oven add the crumb topping on top. Place in the oven and bake for about 30 minutes or until topping is lightly brown.

Well I think the added liquid in the potatoes kept the crumb topping from getting crispy.  They tasted good but not quite my mother's.  Going to have to find that recipe.

Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

4 cups sweet potatoes cooked
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs beaten
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons butter softened
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
3 Tablespoons butter softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven 325.  Bake for 30 minutes.