In The Kitchen with Laura McKenna: Laura’s Favorite Sweet Potato Bake

This is one of my favorite ways to prepare sweet potatoes for Thanksgiving.  It’s become a family tradition of ours and the great part is- it’s easy!

This dish was a recipe handed down to me by Wanda Hoffman (one of my favorite bosses from my old college days of working at the local bank in my hometown).   While she is no longer here to make it for her family gatherings, I hope they still prepare it and think of her each time.   I know we always do and I can’t wait until your family tries it, too!   

What You’ll Need For The Base Layer:

-3 large Sweet Potatoes

-3/4 cup white sugar

-1/4 cup light brown sugar

-2 eggs

-1/2 tsp salt

-1 stick butter or margarine

-1 tsp vanilla

What You’ll Need For The Topping:

-1/3 stick butter or margarine, melted

-1/4 cup light brown sugar

-3/4 cup chopped pecans (or more if you like)

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What You’ll Do:

Boil the sweet potatoes until tender.  Drain the boiling water and fill the pan again with cold water.   This chilling should make the potatoes easier to peel.   

Once peeled, beat the cooked potatoes with a mixer.  Add 3/4 cup white sugar, 1/4 cup brown sugar, eggs, salt, butter, and vanilla.     Beat until mixed and smooth.

Pour into sprayed casserole dish.   Bake at 400 for 30-40 minutes. 

Separately mix melted 1/3 cup butter, 1/4 cup brown sugar, and chopped pecans.  Sprinkle across the top of the sweet potatoes.   Bake again until topping is golden for another 10 minutes.   

I hope you love it as much as we do!

There is something magical about hand-written recipes.   While I miss Wanda, I feel her love and friendship coming through the page whenever I dig out this old, tattered sheet of paper.   She had written little notes, instructions, and measurements everywhere on it.   She loved to cook and bring in her latest dishes to share with all of us at the bank.   I know she’d be happy that I get to share our joys of cooking with so many of you, too.

Want to contact Laura McKenna about some of your favorite holiday recipes or cooking tricks you do? Anything else on your mind? Email anytime, she’d love to hear from you: Laura.McKenna@civicmedia.us
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