Sweet Potato Casserole.

Our family goes grocery shopping every 4-6 weeks with quick stops for milk and lettuce in between.  We are nearly due for our shopping trip so I'm making sure that all perishables are used up prior to buying new.  Sweet potatoes were on my hit list.

I've only seen sweet potato casserole prepared with marshmallows on top.  While I love an ooey gooey Rice Krispie Treat made with extra marshmallows, I've never been attracted to them on sweet potatoes.  And my husband doesn't like pecans...so I set out to create a crunchy topping on my sweet potato casserole without marshmallows and without pecans.

The result is nothing short of delicious.  All through supper my husband kept saying that he should go grab some ice cream because it tastes like a dessert!  For that reason, this makes the perfect special occasion side.  And, yes, I'm going to make it again on Christmas because I think it's that amazing!

Sweet Potato Casserole.

(Recipe by Me; Inspired by Taste of Home)

Casserole:

4 lbs sweet potatoes (peeled and cubed)

1 cup milk

1/4 cup brown sugar

6 tablespoons of butter (softened)

1 egg (beaten)

1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

3/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Topping:

3/4 cup flour

3/4 cup brown sugar

3/4 cup crushed Chex cereal (crushed)

1/2 cup butter (melted)

Place cubed sweet potatoes in a saucepan and cover with water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and cook for 20 minutes.  Drain.  Put sweet potatoes into a mixing bowl (I used my Kitchen Aide Mixer) and mash.  Add remaining casserole ingredients and beat until smooth and well combined.  Transfer into a shallow 2 1/2 quart baking dish.  Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over sweet potato mixture.  Bake, uncovered, for 50 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

I love that we got 'crunch' from the cereal and didn't have to resort to pecans or marshmallows for this recipe.  You could also pull this off with corn flakes, cinnamon toast crunch, and probably rice krispies!  If your family likes pecans you could do half pecans and half cereal which I think would actually be tastier than just pecans.  However you decide, just make this!  And if you want: serve it as dessert!  :)