KIzer Family Sweet Potato Casserole - A Thanksgiving Tradition

Thanksgiving Sweet Potato Casserole

The smell of this fabulous casserole has been a part of my Thanksgiving memories for as long as I can remember.  At one particular Thanksgiving gathering when I was about 4 or 5 year old, I remember seeing my grandmother, 'Dear', pull her sweet potato casserole out of the oven.  I have a distinct memory of thinking, "I want to learn how to make THAT in my oven."

Our family's version of Sweet Potato Casserole has been served at family gatherings for much longer than I have been alive and I am grateful that the recipe has been handed down through the generations.  It is so sinfully good that I like to have it for dessert the few days after Thanksgiving!  

Kizer Family Sweet Potato Casserole

3-4 cups sweet potatoes (4-5 large sweet potatoes) - I tend to lean toward more sweet potatoes when I prepare this dish

1/4 - 1/2 cup butter, melted (Y'all know I tend to cut back on the butter and the base of this recipe works just fine with less butter.  The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup butter.)

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 cup milk (I use skim)

1/3 cup of sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Boil sweet potatoes.  This will take some time.  Once you can easily put a knife into a potato, they are ready to put into your colander.  Let your potatoes cool so that you don't burn your hands trying to take the peeling off of the sweet potatoes.  (Yes, I know from experience.  Sometimes I'm not very patient.)  Mash potatoes in a large bowl using a hand mixer.  Slowly add sugar, butter, eggs, milk and vanilla.  Beat mixture until potatoes are smooth.  Pour potato mixture into greased 9 x 13 dish.  

Topping - 

1/3 cup melted butter (no skimping on this part)

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup flour

1 cup chopped pecans

Mix topping ingredients well and sprinkle on top of potatoes.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until bottom is slightly bubbly.  Serves 10-12.  

What you need to make the Sweet Potato Casserole base

The ingredients needed for the topping

After you boil and peel the sweet potatoes beat with hand mixer until potatoes are smooth

Pour Mixture into prepared dish

What your casserole will look like after you add the topping

Kizer Family Sweet Potato Casserole

Did y'all notice that I didn't show the entire finished dish?  That would be because Honey couldn't help himself and took a serving before I could photograph it!  After he took a serving, I threw caution to the wind and got a serving for myself as well.  It was delicious!

We do have a few members of our family who are gluten free.  To make sure everyone can enjoy this dish, we cut the topping recipe in half and only put the topping on half of the casserole.  You could always put marshmallows on half of the recipe and the brown sugar /pecan topping on the other half so everyone can enjoy this wonderful dish!

What recipe has your family 'passed down through generations? I would love to hear.  

I hope y'all enjoy this as much as we do!

Hope