Mom’s Sweet Potato Casserole: A Thanksgiving Staple

Pretty much anyone you talk to will tell you what their non-negotiable Thanksgiving dish is.  For some it’s pumpkin pie or mashed potatoes.  For me it’s Stovetop stuffing (original recipe).

And for my mom it’s this sweet potato pudding.

And I have to admit, it’s pretty doggone good.  None of those nasty marshmallows here.  No, sir.  This is creamy and warm but not too sweet—the only really sweet part is the topping, which has a great crunch to it.  It’s really easy to put together and is always a crowdpleaser.  No question that it’s on my list of 14 never-fail Thanksgiving recipes.

Boil the sweet potatoes in water until soft and cooked.

Drain the sweet potatoes and place in a stand mixer and puree.

Add the melted butter, then the honey, and blend.  Add a little milk if it needs to be a bit more “soupy”, but generally my mom’s is fine without.  Add the eggs and vanilla and then immediately pour into a greased 9×13 pan (you don’t want your eggs to cook in the mixture).

Mix up the topping, and sprinkle (or sprinkle clumps) over the sweet potatoes.

Bake at 325 F for 45 minutes, or until the topping looks crusty or lightly browned.  That’s about the only way you’ll be able to tell, since the sweet potatoes themselvesdon’t really change texture or color.

Sweet Potato Pudding

• 3 cups of mashed sweet potatoes (I probably double this)
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup of honey
• 1/3 cup of butter
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla
• Enough milk to make it soupy (if necessary)

Topping:

• 1/3 cup of butter (melted)
• 1/3 cup of flour
• 1 cup of brown sugar
• Chopped walnuts or pecans (I do pecans)

1. Boil the sweet potatoes in water until soft and cooked.
2. Drain the sweet potatoes and place in a stand mixer.  Puree the sweet potatoes.
3. Add the melted butter, then the honey, and blend.
4. Add milk if it needs to be a bit more “soupy”.
5. Finally, add the eggs and vanilla, and immediately pour into a greased 9×13 pan.
6. Mix up the topping, and sprinkle (or sprinkle clumps) over the sweet potatoes.
7. Bake at 325 F for 45 minutes, or until topping looks crusty or lightly browned.