Sweet Potatoes, Sweet Potatoes

If you’d asked me a few years ago how I felt about sweet potatoes, I would have said what I’ve been saying most of my life: Ew.

The whole candied yam thing? Ack. Nasty.

But 2 years ago? Maybe 3. I was talking to Camela and (as we constantly discuss the most random of things) we started to talk about sweet potatoes. Apparently my not liking them was upsetting to her.

So she sends me a box in the mail and this recipe is in it…

Lara’s Sweet Potatoes
Serves 8-10

• 3 cups cooked & mashed sweet potatoes*
• 2/3 cup white sugar (that’s too much)**
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 eggs, beaten

Topping

• 1 cup packed brown sugar (way too much)***
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/3 cup butter, softened

Mix together sweet potato, sugar, butter, vanilla, milk, and eggs. In a separate bowl mix together the topping ingredients. Pour the sweet potato mixture into a 9x13****, crumble topping on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.

**************

Anyway! What else is in the box? Sweet potatoes, brown sugar, white sugar, pecans, etc. I had to buy eggs. geez! Okay, maybe I already had those in the fridge… The woman shipped me sweet potatoes from Maryland! Crazy.

She decided if she sent it all in the mail I would feel obligated to make this recipe and give the sweet potatoes a chance.

And guess what? I LOVED it. And I mean LOVED. And now I eat sweet potatoes in all kinds of ways. Sweet potato fries are the best! But still no candied yams. (yuck!) The first year I made them at Thanksgiving Drew said (and I quote): FORGET the candied yams. Always make these! That man has always loved candied yams so I make them every year for him but no more! Yay! My dad too actually. He told me to bring those to every holiday dinner.

So there you have it. Just one of the many ways Camela has changed my life for the better! Between sweet potatoes and football – I think I might be indebted for life.

The asterisks…

*I HIGHLY recommend you just baked these and then mash/stir. When you bake sweet potatoes the skin just pops right off. A couple hours and you don’t even have to mash them. Just stir. Chopping and boiling is entirely too much work

**The parenthesis are her notes. I do 1/2 cup of sugar because she said that.

***I disagree. I love that topping. I always do the whole cup.

****Sometimes I do it in an 8x8 and then the mixture and the topping are thicker. Yummy also.

Oh and that serves 8-10 bit? Maybe. If Drew isn’t there….