Sweet Potato Casserole with Homemade Marshmallows

Is it possible to still be full from Thanksgiving weeks later?  With the copious amounts of food we consume on Thanksgiving I dare say a man could go a whole year without eating another thing besides that Thanksgiving feast and still live on.  How many turkeys did you have at your meal?  Don't count the human ones : )  We had 3 turkeys!  So many turkeys!  And at the end of the meal we barely had leftovers to spare!  How the heck did that happen?  I don't want to know!

The turkey fryer on fire!

I looked up the definition of Turkey to see what it said...just out of curiosity, and this is what it said:

1.  plural also turkey : a large North American gallinaceous bird (Meleagris gallopavo) that is domesticated in most parts of the world

2.  Failure, Flop; especially: a theatrical production that has failed

3.  Three successive strikes in bowling

4.  A  stupid, foolish, or inept person

I am going to start using the word "Turkey" at least once a day...guess I will either be bowling a lot, or hanging out with some real goofy people. : )

Our pretty table!

I was fortunate enough to spend many Thanksgivings with random families while I was in boarding school and then college away from home.  I always find it funny that people insist upon having certain dishes at their Thanksgiving meals...including myself in this as well.  They hold these foods near and dear to their hearts.  So...when you have many people from different families come together for Thanksgiving sometimes you end up with competing dishes...which is why we had 3 turkeys!  Each person was so insistent that their way to cook the turkey was the "only" way to do it!  So we had a fried one, a grilled one, and a smoked one.  Fried turkey won!  Sorry other contenders!

One dish that we insist upon having at our Thanksgiving meal is sweet potato casserole.  I am sure this is found on most tables for Thanksgiving, where it rightfully belongs.  I decided to play around with my traditional recipe a little bit.  I reduced the sugar, increased the streusal, and made homemade marshmallows to top it off.  I have to admit, I loved it.  The day after Thanksgiving it was the only thing I wanted to eat...well that, and this apple pie of course. : )  This will now be making an appearance at our Christmas feast as well!!

Marshmallows chilling out before being cut into chunks!

Sweet Potato Casserole

6 cups roasted sweet potatoes, mashed

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup heavy cream

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

Topping:

2 cups chopped pecans

2 sticks melted butter

1 cup brown sugar

6 TBS Flour

Homemade Marshmallows I made, and then ones made without refined sugar 

I roast/bake my sweet potatoes because it helps them maintain their natural sugars.  You can cook them anyway you like, but I prefer roasting them.  I simply wash them, wrap them individually in tin foil.  Stick them in a 375 degree oven and bake until tender - this all depends upon how thick the potatoes are so just check them every 10-15 minutes.  Once baked - allow to cool for a few minutes, scoop out the flesh and mash.

Mix the cooked sweet potatoes, sugar, cream, eggs, and vanilla together until smooth.  Place in a 13x9 baking pan and spread smooth. 

In separate bowl mix together the topping ingredients until combined: pecans, melted butter, brown sugar, and flour.  Sprinkle over sweet potatoes.  Bake in 350 degree oven about 20-25 minutes.  Top with homemade marshmallows and bake until marshmallows are melty and toasted - about 5 minutes.

Look Ma - I made marshmallows!

Lovely Thanksgiving plate : )

Make this casserole, listen to this song, and don't forget to prepare your heart for Jesus this Advent!