Southern Sweet Potatoes

A holiday tradition from my childhood was that special meals usually included my mom's sweet potato casserole. It was more of a dessert than a side dish.  Her recipe used canned sweet potatoes but when I found 3 lb bags of sweet potatoes for $0.99 I couldn't resist.  

I began by throwing six pounds of potatoes into a stainless steel pot covered in water, bring it to a boil and boiling for 20 minutes.  When they finished boiling, I dipped them out of the water to cool.  When they were cool enough to touch, Jon peeled and cubed the sweet potatoes. 

I packed the cubes into sterilized quart jars. Next, I covered the sweet potatoes with the syrup from my mom's recipe: 

2 1/4 cups of water
1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

I proceessed them in the preassure canner at 10 pounds for 90 minutes.  They can stay fresh this way for a couple of years, but these won't last past the holiday season! 

To make the holiday casserole, it will be a simple task to open a quart jar, mash the potatoes, add 2 beaten eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 stick butter. Place all ingredients in a greased casserole 9" x 9" dish. 

And if that wasn't sweet enough, mom always topped it with a crumble topping of 3/4 cup brown sugar and 3/4 cup flour, 1 cup chopped pecans, and 1/2 stick butter.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes! Yum! Tastes like Christmas dinner! 

One person believes he may eat anything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him.  Romans 14:2-3