Mama's Ultimate Sweet Potato Casserole

Let me introduce to you my mom's "famous" sweet potato casserole recipe!  

This holiday dish is the best there is!  The sweet potato filling is sweet and smooth while the cinnamon-brown sugar topping is adorned with delicious pecans.  As if that's not enough, butter is poured over the top of it all to give it a praline-like crust.

Mom has made this as long as I can remember Thanksgiving, and once I introduced it to my other family (Mr. Cozy's) it's become a tradition there as well!!  It's served on the savory table with dinner, but it can just as likely be a dessert-cobbler.  

This one is hot out of the oven.  I made it ahead of time and baked it halfway.  I'll refrigerate it tonight and bake it the rest of the way just before Thanksgiving dinner.  I love making things ahead of time to make the day go smoother.  We have 3 Thanksgiving get-together starting tonight at my parents, and we love them all!!! This is such a wonderful holiday.

Before I share the recipe, I have to tell you that God has overwhelmed us with His goodness this year!!!  He answered our prayers and brought us together with our two precious children.  

He showed us first hand what redemption looks like.  4 years ago we were still grieving the baby girl we lost in my 2nd trimester, but I was clinging to Hope.  This year we doubled our family all through His grace and providence in our lives!!!

All good things I have-- big or little-- are from the Lord.  I can't forget to be thankful for the fact that I was born in (1st. world) America, and that I've never seen a hungry day in my life.

That I just lived to celebrate my 30th (wowza!) birthday last Sunday.  Here I am with my chocolate chip cake with chocolate chip icing and chocolate cherries at the celebration my parents had for me.  (Thank you!!)

I'm so thankful my husband really treated me with the perfect, romantic get-away to a bed & breakfast nestled in in the beautiful countryside and quaint hamlet of Augusta, Mo.  We went shopping in historic St. Charles, and everything was decorated for Christmas!  It was so wonderful!!!

Here is a gorgeous Christmas shop in historic Kimmswick.

The inviting Lindenhof Bed & Breakfast.

Historic St. Charles, MO. is a treat to visit!

So thankful for an exceptional and beautiful coffee at Picasso Coffee Shop.

Of course there are countless things I thank God for...

I get so happy thinking about Thanksgiving and sharing delicious food and fun fellowship with family, but that pales in comparison to the bigger picture of thanks I hold inside.  Thanksgiving is a state of mind and heart for what all Jesus has done for me, and that something more satisfying that any meal, as delicious as it may be!

Mama's Ultimate Sweet Potato Casserole 

2 cans of Sweet potatoes (yams)

3 Eggs, beaten

1/2-3/4 c. Sugar

3/4 c. Butter, melted

3 Tbsp. Evaporated milk

2 dashes of Salt

Dash of cinnamon

1 tsp. Vanilla extract

Topping:

1 c. Brown sugar

1/3 c. All purpose flour

1 c. Pecans (half chopped, half left halves)

1 tsp. Cinnamon

6 Tbsp butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mash the potatoes well.  Add all of the filling ingredients together and mix together with a wooden spoon.  Pour into a 3 quart dish.

Make the topping by mixing together the flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped pecans. Spread all over the top of the sweet potato mixture.

Decorate around the edges with the pecans halves and pour melted butter evenly all over the top.

Bake for 40-45 minutes until bubbly and pecans are toasted!

            Happy Thanksgiving!

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.  

For The Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations."

Psalm 100:4-5