Sweet Potato Casserole

I’m gearing up for another event, and this one is at my house this year. Our Annual Cookie/Ornament Exchange is less than a week away. One of my favorite things all year. What a haul! I decided to have it at my house this time to motivate me to clean, decorate, and bake, a lot. Too many ideas are racing in my head right now, and I’m not sure which ones I will be able to do this time. Afterwards should be lots of fun blog entries!
But, lets go back to that little food holiday we had last week. Thanksgiving. My husband and I made 9 dishes for that fun day and I thought I would share a few with you. Since I have not been by recently I will include 2 items. First, is my sister-in-law’s recipe for Sweet Potato Casserole. It is not the kind with marshmallows but rather a praline type topping. Yum. Very simple to make and I chose to double the recipe this time and I baked it for about 35 minutes. That was about how long it took for a knife stuck in the center to come out clean. Very smooth and creamy sweet potatoes topped off with a brown sugary almost streusel like layer.
The next dish for today is not sweet at all but there is sugar in the recipe. My Dad’s Pea Salad. This is the vinegary, peppery, pea salad. Not my favorite thing in the world but it does cut through all the heavy starchy foods at Thanksgiving. It would also be wonderful for Christmas because of all the festive colors. I will warn you, make this first and then bake something sweet to kill the boiled vinegar smell. At Thanksgiving, I always cook this salad first and then make all my pies. Smell is gone instantly. Also, this salad keeps very well and for several days when stored in the refrigerator.

Sweet Potato Casserole
1 large can sweet potatoes, drained
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. margarine or butter, melted
2 eggs

Mash potatoes in mixer and add other ingredients. Put in 9-inch casserole dish.

Topping:
1/4 c. margarine or butter, melted
3 Tbsp. flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
1/2 c. chopped pecan

Mix and sprinkle over top of casserole. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.