Sweet Potato Casserole with Praline Topping

From my kitchen to yours, one of the best sweet potato casseroles I've ever eaten, bar none. There have been many variations of this recipe over the years, but none of them any better than this one contributed to Woman's Day Magazine years ago by a woman named Bette Haney. This wonderful casserole is a favorite on our holiday table year after year. In the picture, the sweet potatoes are on the bottom right of the plate. Tomorrow I will post my favorite recipe for stuffing, pictured between the turkey and mashed potatoes. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 large eggs

5 lbs. fresh sweet potatoes, boiled, drained and mashed (6 cups)

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup butter, melted

1/3 cup heavy cream (fat-free 1/2 and 1/2 works just fine)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. allspice

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 13-inch pan.

2. Beat eggs. Add to mashed sweet potatoes with the other ingredients; mix well. Spread in prepared pan.

Topping:

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

1/3 cup butter

1 cup chopped pecans

1. Mix sugar, flour and nuts. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over potatoes.

2. Bake 1 hour or until mixture is hot and bubbly.

Yield: Serves 12

Note: recipe can easily be cut in half and baked in a 8 x 8-inch pan.

Cardamom Sweet Potatoes

This is a very simple recipe for the traditional holiday favorite, sweet potatoes. We have them for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, as this picture depicts. This recipe is a bit different from other recipes that I have tried in that it has the unusual addition of cardamom. The cardamom can really stand out, so do use the smaller measurement and taste as you go. Blessings...

Recipe:

1-1/2 lbs. fresh sweet potatoes
6 tbsps. packed brown sugar, divided
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
1/3 cup 1% milk
1 tbsp. butter, melted

1. Cook sweet potatoes in boiling water until fork tender; drain.
2. Add 4 tablespoons brown sugar, vanilla, salt, nutmeg, cardamom and milk. Mash all together and taste. Adjust seasoning and milk, as desired.
3. Scrape into 1-qt. casserole. Drizzle with melted butter; sprinkle with remaining brown sugar.
4. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 40 minutes or until top is lightly browned.

Yield: 3 cups or 6 servings
1/2 cup serving = 208 calories
5 gms. fiber

Mashed Sweet and White Potatoes

Years ago I made a sweet and white mashed potato recipe that was very typical of mashed potatoes. The recipe called for the traditional milk, butter and salt, which was simple and good, but this recipe from Marcia Adam's "New Recipes from Quilt Country" is a step above the old one. In this recipe buttermilk replaces the sweet milk and some garlic cloves are added to the cooking water for additional tang and flavor; something not expected in a dish made with sweet potatoes. We thoroughly enjoyed the change in flavor with our pork roast and salad this week. Tonight we will have the leftovers with our beef tenderloin for our Valentine's dinner. Have a wonderful evening meal; blessings...

Recipe:

2 large sweet potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 large white potatoes (about 1 pound), peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes
1-1/2 cups water or more to cover potatoes
8 garlic cloves, peeled (optional, but good)
1/2 tsp. salt or more as needed
1/2 cup buttermilk
fresh ground pepper if desired

1. In a 3-quart saucepan, combine the potatoes, water, garlic if using and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender.
2. Drain the potatoes, saving the garlic, and mash all together. Add buttermilk and beat with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy. Taste and add more salt and some pepper if needed. Serve hot.

Yield: 3-1/2 cups
Note: Because the garlic is cooked with the potatoes it is not strong at all but, that having been said, if there is a concern, the garlic sure could be removed so the flavor of the dish would be even more subtle.

Orange Spice Sweet Potatoes

I know that usually sweet potatoes are thought about for our dinner menus around Thanksgiving and Christmas and we just finished the holiday season, so why bring out a recipe like this now? Because, they are so good, and so good for us, that they are deserving of a place on our tables throughout the year. This dish goes great alongside pork, ham, beef or poultry and could be easily doubled for a larger family or gathering. Blessings...

Recipe:

1-1/2 lbs. Garnet yams, peeled, cut into chunks and boiled until tender in salt-free water.
1 tbsp. butter
3 tbsp. orange marmalade
1-1/2 tsp. minced crystallized ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground coriander
1/8 tsp. ground mace
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Mash cooked yams and stir in all remaining ingredients. Taste and add more salt, if needed for your taste.
2. Use a spatula to scrape yam mixture into a casserole dish. Bake in 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until heated through.

Yield: 2-1/2 cups
5- 1/2 cup servings
Note: I prefer Garnet yams to any other, but any type of yams or sweet potatoes will work.
Note: Casserole can be prepared in advance and reheated in a covered casserole in a 350 degree oven. This will take 35 to 45 minutes; stir once to aid in speeding up the process.

This recipe was adapted from one I found in a spice catalog.

Orange Chicken with Sweet Potatoes

When I prepared this recipe this week, my husband asked me if this was a mini Thanksgiving meal. Yes, in that the chicken is spiced with some of the favored seasonings of the holiday season and served with sweet potatoes. The chicken cooks in the slow cooker on top of the sweet potatoes covered in a fruity sauce for 3-1/2 to 4 hours. The chicken is then served over rice; add a vegetable or salad and dinner is ready. Simple and tasty. Blessings...

Recipe:

3 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced
2/3 cup flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. black pepper
4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ozs. each)
2 tbsps. butter
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted (I use 98% fat-free)
3/4 cup unsweetened pineapple juice
2 tsps. brown sugar
1 tsp. orange zest
1/2 lb. sliced fresh mushrooms, if desired (I don't use)
Hot cooked rice

1. Layer the sweet potatoes in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Turn slow cooker on to low heat.
2. Combine the flour and seasonings in a pie plate. Coat each chicken breast completely.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook the chicken in butter for 3 minutes per side or until lightly browned. Arrange chicken on top on sweet potatoes.
4. Combine 3 tbsps. of the remaining seasoned flour with the pineapple juice, soup, brown sugar and orange zest in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth and add mushrooms, if using. Pour over chicken and potatoes.
5. Cover and cook for 3-1/2 to 4 hours or until chicken and potatoes are tender. Serve over rice.

Yield: 4 servings

Maple Syrup Sweet Potatoes

My family loves sweet potatoes any time of the year. This recipe is an easy one to prepare on a weekday for the family, or can easily be made in advance and reheated if you wanted to serve it when inviting guests on the weekend. The potatoes are mashed in the pan, the rest of the ingredients are stirred in, and the dish is ready to serve.

Recipe:

2-1/4 cups mashed Red Garnet sweet potatoes (approx. 1-1/2 lbs.)
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons packed dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup or to taste
dash ground white pepper
Salt to taste

1. Boil peeled and cubed potatoes in lightly salted water until they are fork tender. Drain and mash.
2. Add butter, sugar, nutmeg, syrup and white pepper. Mix well and taste. Adjust seasoning to taste.

Serves 4-5