{Repost} Sweet Potato Casserole

With Thanksgiving coming up I thought I'd repost my Sweet Potato Casserole recipe. Per my "rules" there are no nuts in mine, but you can put them in if you like. :) Actually, I don't mind the pecans in the topping but Prince Charming isn't a fan.

Enjoy!

Okay, so here's a recipe that is a Thanksgiving staple in my home. It's a MUST-MAKE no matter what for my DH. He loves this recipe. Most sweet potato casseroles have a marshmallow topping and while I do like those, I really love this brown sugary crust much better.

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

1/2 cup butter softened

1/3 cup milk

1 cup white sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2eggs, beaten

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/3 cup butter

1 cup chopped pecans (optional....I don't ever put them in. I did once and it was delicious but DH didn't like it)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. So first thing is first peel your sweet potatoes. I used these two huge sweet potatoes and they were plenty. If you see my cutting board it's about 15 inches wide and the one was almost that long. Then cut the potatoes up small. The smaller they are the quicker they'll cook. Don't boil the water first. Rinse the potatoes and put them in the pot. Fill with water till just covered. Add salt and cover with a lid. This will help to quicken the boiling process. Cook over med-high heat. When the water begins to boil, take off the lid so that it doesn't overflow. The water is pretty starchy so just like with pastas, water will boil over if a lid is on the pot.

Next drain the potatoes and put back in the hot pot. This will help dry them out so that there is not too much excess moisture. Mash potatoes but don't over mash unless you like it to be pretty smooth. I like my sweet potatoes to have lumps (but not my mashed potatoes). Add the milk, butter, sugar and vanilla. Stir gently.

Next we want to temper the eggs. Since the potatoes are hot, if we add eggs now then we'll have scrambled eggs mixed in our potatoes. Gross. SO first put your eggs in a bowl and beat with a fork or whisk. Next add a tablespoon of the sweet potato mixture and mix. Do this a couple more times to bring the temperature of the eggs up slowly. Now add the eggs to the sweet potatoes. Mix together gently.

Place in a casserole dish.

In a small mixing bowl mix the flour and brown sugar. Cut in the butter using a pastry blender or two knives until resembling coarse crumbs.

Pour brown sugar evenly over the potatoes. Bake in a preheated oven for 30-40 minutes until the brown sugar forms a crust.

 Hope you enjoy this as much as my family does!

Click HERE to print the RECIPE ONLY

Five Minute Friday: QUIET

1. Write for 5 minutes flat – no editing, no over thinking, no backtracking.

2. Link back to Lisa-Jo and invite others to join in.

3. And then absolutely, no ifs, ands or buts about it, you need to visit the person who linked up before you & encourage them in their comments. Seriously. That is, like, the rule. And the fun. And the heart of this community..

Ready? The prompt is Quiet…

Quiet.

Hmm...that word doesn't exist in my life. I know it should. I should have some time in the morning for just me. Just me and Him. Or a backup time at least..one that I actually make it to. It seems like the minute I wake up there's noise. Sometimes I hear the sweet melody that is my life, but other times, the times when I am feeling the pressure (which is a lot lately) it becomes noise. It's kinda like when you're driving your car and you have the radio on and you're listening to some pretty good music but then you realize you're lost and you need to concentrate. Well, the music somehow magically transforms into noise. It's getting in the way of what you have to do. That's what my life is like often. I lose my patience when I need to have some. Sometimes I wonder, is it all really worth it? I know it is, but I feel terrible for my babies and my sweetie. And the problem always comes back down to this....Quiet. I don't ever have it. Not the literal quiet in the house at all times, although that would help. But I mean the quiet that is just being able to sit down and have peace. The minute I lay my head to that pillow my mind doesn't stop. My mind isn't even quiet because all the thoughts of the things I need to do or WANT to do are running at high speed until I enter the land of Nod. Then...I wake up, and it all begins again.

Quiet.

That's what's missing in my life. To feel the warm hands of my Father surround me and give me peace. To tell me that it's going to be okay and that no matter how much chaos is in my life, I will be okay and I can handle it. He loves me and I love Him and know that without Him..all the beautiful melodies of my life become noise and I don't enjoy them the way he wants me to. Lord, help me enter into your Quiet presence and show You the gratitude I should for all my blessings.

My Momma's Banana Bread

For the record I must confess that I am a snob......Yes...... It's true....Surprised? Yes? No? You knew it all along? :)

Okay, well maybe I'm being a little dramatic...I'm a snob only when it comes to dessert...especially banana bread. I do not eat anyone's banana bread except mine or my Momma's. That's the truth. As I am sitting here typing this I am trying hard to think of the last time I ate banana bread made by anyone else and I really can't think of even once in the last couple years that I have. I could be wrong, so forgive me if I am. But the only reason I'd ever eat someone else's banana bread is out of pure politeness and if I have, the experience obviously didn't stick with me. Anyone else's or even store bought loaves never taste right to me. Not enough bananas? Bananas not ripe enough ? Not moist enough? I don't know what it is. My mother in law loves the banana bread that a friend at church makes....so I may have to break down and try it one day, but even still...she's made those muffins multiple times for bake sales and I just can't seem to go there...and she's an excellent baker...lol..I know, I have problems...Just to be clear, I have had other banana bread in the past. Most of the time I can tell by looking at it if their recipe is similar to mine and will usually try to politely pass. I've been disappointed too many times... My sister in law made a banana CAKE with chocolate icing...which was incredible..but that was a cake..not bread..lol...So, why such strong feelings? I told you. I'm a snob. ha ha...Well, I am one of those people who can eat almost anything...as long as it's not dessert related. Once you get to the dessert category though all bets are off. I have too many RULES. 

Rule # 1. Usually it has to be chocolate or have chocolate in it. (no lemon merengue for me)

Rule # 2. There can never be any nuts in it. (no banana nut bread...ever)

Rule # 3. Definitely no raisins either. (Raisin bread is never spoken in my house)

Rule # 4. Absolutely NO coconut! (No coconut cream pie...no way no how)

Rule # 5. Water ice should never have actual pieces of fruit in them...especially cherries.

I know there are a few more but can't think of them this minute. lol

Okay...a little dramatic I guess...

So...that goes for banana bread, fudge, ice cream. Anything really. Anyway...I can't help being me right? Cause who else am I gonna be? lol...(inside joke) Honestly, I feel like if I'm going to indulge in that many calories, it had better be doggone worth it! Otherwise, what's the point? Either enjoy 660 calories of Chocolate Silk Pie (or whatever else) fully or don't bother:) (btw that was a guesstimate for the silk pie...lol) 

SOOOO....What do y'all think? Do you indulge no matter what? Or are you picky like me?

Okay...getting to the point...My mom has been making this banana bread forever and me after her. The only adjustment I have made though is I discovered (after years of snobbery) that I DO like chocolate chips in my banana bread! Duh! I'm a chocoholic and I would never add them before. (I keep hearing "I DO!..I LIKE green eggs and ham!...I DO! I LIKE them Sam I Am!" in my head..lol) Prince Charming doesn't like the chocolate chips so I usually add them in after I split the batter. So without further rambling here is my Momma's recipe:

Ingredients

2 cups mashed bananas (the darker the skin the better, as long as it's not moldy)

1 1/4 cup white granulated sugar

3 1/2 cups flour

4 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

12 Tablespoons margarine (or butter, I usually use margarine)

4 eggs

Okay, so first preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease and flour two loaf pans. Set aside.

Next..mash the bananas in a medium mixing bowl. Add the eggs and melted margarine. 

 In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and baking powder. Mix together. Next, add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and combine thoroughly with a large spoon.

If you would like chocolate chip banana bread then add however many chocolate chips (or heaven forbid...nuts...) to the batter. Or do like I do and pour half the batter in one greased and floured loaf pan and then add the chocolate chips to the remaining batter. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 45 minutes or till a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Don't over cook the banana bread or it will be dry. Not fun. I usually will warm mine in the microwave and add some butter for a delicious breakfast. 

**Tip: Wrap the banana bread in plastic wrap and put in a large freezer bag. Freezes well for  a few months. To thaw just put in the fridge  or set it on the counter for 24 hours.

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