..: Sweet Potato Casserole

There is nothing I hate about Fall...cooler weather, leaves changing, heartier meals that warm us from the inside out, and...dun dun dun...PREPARING FOR THANKSGIVING!!! October is when I start thinking about what I will be serving for Thanksgiving dinner...aka the big game! It is definitely my favorite holiday (and my birthday hint hint :-P). I pride myself on putting a spread on the table that is delicious and leaves no Plymouth Rock unturned! I don't want to leave my guests or family hungry, but I do want to leave them begging for more (and doggy bags!). So, to bring me back to my point, I start playing with my menu and options now! I always serve some variety of sweet potato or yam, plain canned yams, yams topped with syrup and marshmallows, coconut curry sweet potatoes with raisins, double stuffed sweet potatoes...you get the point! This year I have been toying with the idea of a sweet potato casserole. This one came out well, and presented well (can't forget about presentation when it comes to Thanksgiving!). Well, anywho, here is the recipe and pictures! Between now and Thanksgiving, I will be labeling some of my recipe with the tag of "Thanksgiving" at the bottom of the post (the orange links). So I hope this makes Thanksgiving type recipes easier to find, should you be interested!

Sweet Potato Casserole
Yields 8 servings

To Make the Potatoes
1. Peel 4 - 5 pounds of yams or sweet potatoes. If you are using a food mill, you will not need to peel!
2. Boil the yams or sweet potatoes until they are soft enough to be easily pierced with a fork.

3. Mash the potatoes.

4. Add 1/4 cup of maple syrup, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of milk, and 2 tablespoons of butter to the mash.

To Make the Topping
1. Pour 4 packages of single serving instant oatmeal into a bowl. Make sure it is the oats and not semolina!

2. Add the following to the dry oatmeal: 1/4 teaspoon of Allspice, 1/4 teaspoon of Ginger. 1/4 teaspoon of Ground Cloves, 1/4 teaspoon of Nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon, and 2 tablespoons of Brown Sugar.
3. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter.
4. Mix 1/2 tablespoon of maple syrup into the butter.
5. Mix the wet and dry ingredients together well!