Sweet Potato Casserole

I've read many versions of this recipe lately in most of the popular food magazines, and thought it would be fun to try and combine the "best of the best" into one delicious side dish. I'll be brutally honest though. This recipe can go one of two ways: naughty or nice.  You can bake the yams (or sweet potatoes), mash them up with a little skim milk, salt/pepper to taste, and they're wonderful, just like that. Or....you can choose to go the whole nine yards and follow the rest of this sugary, crunchy, gooey recipe, it's up to you!

Sweet Potato Casserole
(serves 6-8)
(print)

4 large yams or sweet potatoes
1/3 cup skim milk
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter (melted)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
salt/pepper
1/3 cup orange juice

Topping:

3 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
3 tablespoons flour
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1 cup mini marshmallows (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash and scrub the yams, prick all over with a fork, and place on a foil lined cookie sheet. Bake for one hour, or until fork tender.

This is the best way to prepare yams or sweet potatoes. After baking, the skin peels right off, and the inside of the potato has a sweet, roasted taste.

Gently break the yam in two, peel off the skin, and scoop the potato into a large mixing bowl.

Add the brown sugar.....

then the butter, egg, vanilla, milk, orange juice, and salt/pepper to taste.

Whip on high speed for about a minute.

Spoon into a buttered casserole dish, and set aside.

(At this point, you could cover the top and place it in the fridge until it's ready to bake, even for the next day.)

Now for the sinfully sweet topping...combine the pecans and walnuts together in a small bowl.

Melt the butter in a small skillet, then add the flour and brown sugar, gently fold...

Add this to the chopped nuts and mix together. (I wish you could smell this!)

Now comes the fun part! (Marshmallows are optional, but if you really like a traditional topping on your yams, you'll really love this.)  Lightly spoon the praline topping in a row on top of the casserole...

then place a layer of marshmallows....(stop me now!)

Continue until topping covers the yams. How beautiful!

Now it's ready for the oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes - until heated through and the topping is golden. This is actually more like a dessert than a side dish. Hope you enjoy it at your holiday table this year.