Sweet Potato Casserole
What what what??? YES, it’s one of the most traditional holiday fare to be had …
Sweet Potato Casserole!
If I missed out on a few dishes from year to year during the holidays, I would be okay … BUT don’t you dare leave this one off the menu! My goodness – heads would turn, tongues might even wag, but there would be war if you left out Sweet Potato Casserole.
As you may gather, I’m a bit partial to this dish but even more so to this particular recipe. You see, my BFF’s mom shared this one with the family and for me it was like the Holy Grail of Sweet Potato Casseroles. AND of course we had to call it something else … Senator Russell Casserole, yes that’s what we called it.
I’m originally from Georgia and we pride ourselves on many things from Peaches to Pecans to Sweet Potatoes among MANY other things. I have great memories of growing up in the South and most of my favorites include riding UN-restrained in the back of my BFF’s dad’s pick-up truck, going to Six Flags during the HOT summers and even going to my BFF’s grandfather’s farm to help with the sweet potato harvest one year. Every memory a treasure!
As part of those memories, of course the holidays come in to play and all the gorgeous food that goes with it. And I found it even more important to try to enjoy those traditions when I lived overseas. I made sure that we had a Thanksgiving meal, even though it may have been a roast chicken instead of a turkey. I also made sure that my daughter got to stay home from school that day just to make it as much like “home” as possible (nope, the rest of the world doesn’t really celebrate or “observe” our Thanksgiving much). So I held on as tight as I could to keep my family in the loop when it came to my southern influenced traditions.
Now we live even FURTHER south in even hotter Florida, but deary me – I’m all Georgia girl through and through, lol!
So to uphold my love for Senator Russell Casserole … SWEET POTATOES indeed, I wanted to first thank mama Judy for sharing another of her favorites (and mine) with Little Figgy and to my BFF for being the most incredible friend ever – EVER!
Sweet Potato Casserole
Absolutely delicious Sweet Potato Casserole, otherwise known as Senator Russell Sweet Potato Casserole. Traditional holiday fare at it's best!
Ingredients
Filling
- 3 cups Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch chunks
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1/2 cup Butter or Margarine
- 2 Eggs
Topping
- 1 cup Light Brown Sugar
- 1/3 cup Flour
- 1/3 cup Butter or Margarine, melted
- 1 cup Pecans, chopped
Instructions
- Place Sweet Potatoes chunks in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and cook until Potatoes are soft and knife inserted easily goes through.
- Drain and place in large bowl.
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- Add Sugar, Vanilla and Butter, and give it a stir. Now add in Eggs and using mixer, blend well until fluffy.
- Put Sweet Potato mixture into at least a 2 quart baking dish.
- To make the topping, mix together the Light Brown Sugar, Flour, melted Butter and Pecans until well mixed and butter has been "absorbed" and you now have a "crumble" mixture.
- Sprinkle over the top of the Sweet Potato mixture to cover completely.
- Place in 350F preheated oven, uncovered and bake for about 30 minutes or the crumble on top starts to turn golden.
- Remove from oven and cool for at least 5 minutes before serving.
- Serve and ENJOY!
If you want to add some scattered Marshmallows over top and let them brown, do so during the last 10 minutes of baking.
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Stacey is a Southern girl with a taste for travel, thriving on the discovery of the world through food. After spending many years traveling and living overseas, she’s now back home in her beloved deep south enjoying life with her three little ones and loving the adventure. She’s a food stylist and food photographer, as well as, the creative behind Little Figgy Food, where she loves to inspire others to try new flavors and foodie techniques.
