Alternative Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

I grew up hating sweet potatoes because I only experienced them in that most horrible of holiday dishes: canned sweet potatoes with marshmallows on top.  It sounds like a pregnancy craving, not a traditional dish.  I gave it up cold turkey (come on, it's Thanksgiving, laugh a little) when my future-husband's daughter sat at the Thanksgiving table, examining the spread put before her, including this alien orange dish with large white melted globs on it, and was so curious that she picked up a marshmallow to peer under it.  She got a long lecture in table manners, but you cannot completely fault her for wondering "what is this ridiculous dish?"

My Aunt Pat introduced me to an incredible sweet potato dish that calls upon ingredients that actually compliment the sweet potato both in taste and texture.  It is so amazing that my father-in-law, upon deciding to forgo dessert for another helping of sweet potatoes, turned to his wife and said, "please get the recipe."  Two strikes against my mom-in-law's sweet potatoes did not improve in-law relations, but she does now use Aunt Pat's sweet potato recipe when she hosts.

Crusted Sweet Potato Casserole Recipe

(serves 8)

4-6 organic sweet potatoes
1/2c sugar
1T vanilla
1/3 butter
1/3c (+/-)low-fat milk
Wash sweet potatoes, remove eyes, etc., and cut into uniform pieces.  Place in boiling water with approx. 1T of Kosher salt and cook until easily mashed with a fork.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Cut an incision in the skin or gently squeeze skin (depending upon how you cut your potatoes) to remove the skin.  Whip (the more whipped, the better) the sweet potatoes, vanilla, butter, and add milk to achieve desired consistency.  Add sugar in incrementally and mix thoroughly, as you may not need the entire 1/2c.       

Topping:
1c brown sugar
1/3c whole wheat flour
1c chopped pecans
1/3c butter
Chop nuts in handy chopper until fine.  Combine all ingredients in food processor (I have also done it with my hands) and mix thoroughly.  Sprinkle across the top of your sweet potatoes.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Please note that I do no use canned sweet potaoes, as fresh are too easy to prepare and have so much more flavor.  I also prefer organic sweet potatoes, as they are more moist and have a richer taste, but conventional sweet potaotes will work.  This is also a great recipe for family's with egg allergies, as most casseroles call for eggs in the sweet potaotes.