Monday, November 15, 2010

Fall Favorites--Sweet Potato Souffle with Pecan Praline Topping


With Thanksgiving here in ten days, I though I'd share my favorite sweet potato casserole recipe. This is not your typical Thanksgiving-day-yams-with-marshmallow-topping sweet potatoes, this dish has a yummy topping made with brown sugar, pecans, and butter that melts together into a praline flavored crust on top of soft and sweet mashed sweet potato souffle.
Ingredients:
  • 6 c mashed sweet potatoes
  • 2 c sugar
  • 1 c melted butter or margarine
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 t vanilla
If you're using canned sweet potatoes/yams, drain and mash. If using fresh sweet potatoes, bake these ahead of time, then scoop out the insides. Add the sugar & melted butter. Beat eggs separately, and add after the butter has cooled a little. Add vanilla, and beat with mixer until ingredients are well blended. You will probably still have some lumps, unless you run it through a food processor. You can also mix by hand, but the batter will not be as smooth. Pour this into a greased or cooking-sprayed 9 x 13 pan or equivalent casserole dish.
(Note: the pictures below are a half recipe)

In a separate bowl, mix together :
  • 1 c chopped pecans
  • 1/2 c flour
  • 1 c brown sugar
  • 5-6 T melted butter or margarine
Mix together the nuts & flour, then add the brown sugar and stir together. Add the melted butter last, and stir until everything is moistened. Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potatoes.
If I use especially fine chopped pecans, or for special occasions when I want the finished product to look especially pretty, I add extra pecan halves on top.

Bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, (longer if you make this ahead and refrigerate overnight) or until topping is melted together and browning on the edges.
There's something that happens when I add the pecan halves on top that's more than the sum of the separate ingredients--the nuts take on a completely different taste, with a smoky, roasted flavor, which combines with the brown sugar and butter to a make a candied pecan taste that is out of this world.
My husband loves this so much, he eats it as a side dish with his meal, and then usually gets more for dessert. I think it would make a wonderful pie--I keep telling myself that someday I'll try it that way, but it's so good just as it is that I can't bring myself to change it up!

This recipe is linked to:

Meatless Monday at My Sweet and Savory
This Week's Cravings at From My Tiny Kitchen
Mouthwatering Monday at A Southern Fairytale
Tuesday Night Supper Club at Fudge Ripple
Tuesdays at the Table at All the Small Stuff
Tempt My Tummy Tuesday at Blessed with Grace
Pantry Recipe Swap at Home and Pantry
What's Cooking Wednesday at the King's Court IV
Ultimate Recipe Swap at Life as Mom

Until next time, good cooking, and good eating!

14 comments:

  1. This looks fabulous! (I also have that same baking dish passed down to me from my mom and grandma!)

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  2. What a fantastic dish. I am a sweet potato fan. I always have a few sweet potatoes in the house and I bet I can find a way to sneak this in. Yeah.

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  3. I forgot to thank you for the link and I really want to because this is a great side dish.

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  4. The praline topping makes it simple perfection - yum!

    I'd love for you to link this to This Week's Cravings: http://frommytinykitchen.blogspot.com/2010/11/this-weeks-cravings-thanksgiving-dinner.html

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  5. Wonderful recipe, makes me want to go eat again! Just had lunch.

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  6. That sounds great! I'll have to try it.

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  7. Yum, the pecans really make it for me. I'd be going for a big helping of just that top layer with the nuts. Mmmm.

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  8. This looks like a great mix between sweet potatoes and pecan pie! Thanks for sharing!

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  9. Thanks for linking up to This Week's Cravings! We hope you come back next week for "Thanksgiving Left-Overs"

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  10. i love sweet potatoes and this looks scrumptious! this would be the perfect addition to our thanksgiving table...i am going to have to try it. thank you for linking it up to tuesday night supper club.

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  11. What a lovely side dish! The pecans look beautiful on top, and I can just imagine how yummy this is!

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  12. Hoo boy, does that ever sound and look good. It's definitely going to show up on my table this year. Thanks

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  13. That is so pretty and does sound DELICIOUS!

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  14. I fall in love with this again every time I make it. Happy Thanksgiving!

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