For as long as I can remember, my daughter Karen hasn’t been able to keep her hands out of the sweet potato casserole before dinner. It’s become a bit of a Thanksgiving tradition — one she clearly inherited from her father.

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve walked into the kitchen to find a big piece missing from the middle of the cornbread, knowing full well my impatient daughter had “sampled” it on her way past the stove. The sweet potato casserole is no exception. No matter how pretty I make it, there’s always a little corner where the nuts or topping have been mysteriously scraped off — and there she is, Karen, smacking her lips with no apology, just that familiar grin.

I hope your own silly kitchen antics bring laughter and love to your holiday season. Thanksgiving is the perfect time to share good food, fond memories, and family traditions. I hope you enjoy my recipe as much as we do.

(But if you want your dishes to be perfect and intact on your tablescape, I’d say inviting my daughter over might not be a good idea!)

Sweet Potato Casserole

Casserole:

2 1/2 c. Sweet Potatoes
1/3 c brown sugar
1/4 c white sugar
2 eggs
1/4 c. margarine or butter
1/4 c. milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 c. coconut (optional)

Topping:

1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c flour (you can use gluten free, but it won’t brown quite as much)
1/2 c chopped pecans (you can also use walnuts, if preferred)
1/4 stick of melted butter

Directions

Cook and mash the sweet potatoes.  Mix the casserole ingredients and transfer to a sprayed baking dish. Make the topping and sprinkle it over the sweet potato mixture. Chopped pecans can be added to batter OR use half pecans to decorate the 

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until the topping is lightly browned.