Sweet potato arithmetic:

15-oz can = almost 1½ cups

29-oz. can = almost 3 cups

40-oz. can = almost 5 cups

4 medium size sweet potatoes is about 3 cups, cooked & mashed

Thanksgiving Dinner!!!  Yes, it comes around every year!!  If you have the “gathering” at your house or you plan to take a covered dish, you always start deciding early for what you want to make or take.

If you cook the turkey and dressing, everyone else usually brings a “dish”  If you’re trying to decide what to make or what to take, we’re here to help you!

In our index you’ll find a long list of delicious “sides” to choose from: traditional sides like Miss Dee’s Cornbread Dressing (Nov. 2017, Favorite Macaroni & Cheese (Feb 2012, Miss Dee’s Crockpot Black-eyed Peas (Jan. 2015, recipes with yellow squash, potatoes and much more! And of course, there’s no shortage of dessert recipes, either.  Most have accompanying photos.

This month I’d like to add another one for you to consider:

 “ Sweet Potato Casserole”

Happy Thanksgiving, Y’all!

Sweet Potato Casserole

3 cups sweet potatoes, cooked & mashed, (4 medium size) or a 29-oz. can sweet potatoes, well drained

1 cup granulated sugar

¼ cup (½ stick), butter, melted

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/3 cup evaporated milk

½ tsp. salt

½ tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup golden raisins, be sure your raisins are fresh and soft (I like to open a new box if I’m taking them to a covered dish gathering)

Miniature marshmallows, enough to cover entire top of casserole

If using canned sweet potatoes, drain well and mash before adding rest of ingredients. Then add sugar, melted butter, eggs, milk, salt, spices and vanilla,  beating well with electric mixer or food processor until thoroughly blended and smooth. Stir in the raisins. Pour into a 9x13-inch (2½ qt.) greased casserole dish and bake at 400 degrees for 30 to 35  minutes, till center is set.. Remove from oven and distribute the marshmallows evenly on top. Turn on the broiler, move the rack up closer to the broiler element nd brown the marshmallows:  Watch, because the marshmallows will brown quickly and you don’t want to burn them, just pretty toasty top!!

Important note: If you are transporting this casserole, take your marshmallows with you in a plastic bag and just before the dinner, put them on top of the casserole in the (probably) already hot oven and brown them then. If you do them ahead of time, they’ll be one big melted mess!

Optional topping: Instead of marshmallows, mix together: 1/3 cup melted butter, ½ cup plain flour, 1 cup of brown sugar, packed and 1 cup  chopped pecans. Cover the sweet potatoes with this mixture and sprinkle on top before baking.  Makes about 8 servings.

If you’re making for a big crowd, make 2 recipes in 2, 9x13’s.

Pictured: a small 1 qt. casserole for us.  I halved the ingredients (1/2 of 1/3 cup milk is 2 Tbsp. plus 2 tsp.)