Sweet Potato Casserole...that's actually GOOD

I grew up with candied yams with toasted marshmallow topping as a Thanksgiving side dish.  I never liked it.  Never.  I mostly just peeled the marshmallows off the top and choked down the little bit of yams that stuck to the white stuff.  Sweet potatoes and yams were simply a dish to be avoided once a year.  Not anymore.

Nine years ago I spent Thanksgiving on a NATO base in Italy.  I was a missionary there.  My companion and I  were invited to Thanksgiving dinner by an American family and we were over the moon about it.  When the sweet potatoes came around I politely took a helping.  To my great amazement I ended up with two more helpings before the meal was done.  Me, the devout sweet potato hater!  I made sure to get the recipe before I left that evening.  I have since converted my sweet potato hating aunt, as well.  It has since opened me up to the  wonderful world of baked sweet potatoes and sweet potato fries.

If you can't stand yams or sweet potatoes (or even if you love them) give this a try.  Really.  It's worth a shot, right?  I've changed it up just a little over the years, so I'll include those notes in italics.  The picture is not one I've made.  I'm not making it until Thanksgiving and by then it's too late to help anyone.  But it looks similar.

Sweet Potato Casserole--delicious style


9 small to medium or 5 large sweet potatoes (or yams; they're cheaper).  Peel and chop.  Place in a large pot, cover with water, boil until tender.  Because I can't be bothered with peeling and chopping I bake mine.  It takes longer to cook, but is less irritating to me.  Wrap three times in foil and bake at 400 for about an hour and a half.  Allow to cool enough to handle and scoop out the insides.

Mash (or use beaters) with:

1/2 stick butter
1/2 to 3/4 cup evaporated milk  I add this toward the end to check consistency.  It should be creamy, but not liquid-y or stiff.
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp butter flavoring     My husband doesn't like butter, so I leave this out.

Place in baking dish and spread with topping mixture.

Topping (sometimes I double this because I like it so much):

1 cup crushed corn flakes
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup melted butter  Again, my husband doesn't like butter, so I cut it down a bit.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

You can make the mashed part the day before and then make and add the topping right before you cook it. That helps free up the oven on the big day.  Give it a try and let me know if you can stomach it better than the non-tasty stuff.

Coconut Cream Cupcakes=Divine!

My husband has a deep and abiding love for coconut.  He probably developed that while he was a missionary in Fiji.  It really is one of his favorite flavors.  As luck would have it, I found a recipe for coconut cream cupcakes on the morning of his birthday.  Score!  They were fabulous!  To give you an idea of just how fabulous these cupcakes are, his birthday was a month ago and I have made them three times since then.  I'm just going to copy and paste the recipe as shown on www.carrottopmom.com.  I'll use my own pictures and let you know how it went for me.  It was my first time making cupcakes from scratch.

NOTE: You will need to plan a bit ahead for these! The amazing coconut flavor comes from a reduced coconut milk, which needs to be made one day ahead, and refrigerated overnight. Plan ahead. : )

Coconut Cream Cupcakes

Yields 18 cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

• Cupcakes:
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 1/3 cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup reduced coconut milk (NOT Reduced Fat. See below), room temperature (TOTAL, begin with 2 14oz cans of coconut milk)

• Frosting:
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 8 cups powdered sugar
• 2/3 cup reduced coconut milk (see above), room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened flaked coconut, (optional, for garnish)

DIRECTIONS

1. For reduced coconut milk: Bring 2 cans (14 ounces each) coconut milk to boil in large deep saucepan over medium heat (coconut milk will boil up high in pan). Boil until reduced to 1 2/3 cups, stirring occasionally, 30-45 minutes. Transfer to small bowl. Cover; chill (coconut milk will settle slightly and thicken as it cools). DO THIS AHEAD, allowing to chill overnight: Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled, allowing to come to room temperature when ready for use.
2. For cupcakes: Position rack in center of oven; preheat to 350°F. Line eighteen muffin tins with paper liners. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until smooth. Add sugar; beat on medium-high speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add vanilla. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating and scraping sides well after each addition. Add half of flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Do not overblend. Add 1 cup reduced coconut milk; mix just until blended. Add remaining flour mixture; mix on low speed just until blended. Divide batter among muffin cups. Bake cupcakes until tops spring back when gently touched, about 20 minutes. Transfer cupcakes in pans to rack; cool 10 minutes. Carefully remove cupcakes from pans and cool completely on rack.
3. For Frosting: Cream butter on high for 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar, reduced coconut milk, and vanilla extract. Beat gradually at first, until combined. Beat on high for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until smooth and creamy.
4. Frost cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle with coconut if desired, for garnish. (They will have plenty of coconut flavor without the garnish!)
5. Do not refrigerate. As with all my cupcake recipes, the flavors are best at room temperature! 

Everything turned out a lot easier than I expected, given the fact that non-cake mix cupcakes are new to me.  I do have a couple of helpful hints to go along with this bit of yumminess.  The batter ended up thicker than I expected.  Make sure you really do use a deep pot to reduce the coconut milk.  If not the pot isn't big enough the coconut milk will boil over.  And if you forget to change out the foil on your burner before you use it again the boil-over will catch fire.  I may or may not have learned that from personal experience.  Twice.  

The only change I made to the recipe was very minor.  While the frosting is superb, I don't use a lot of it.  I just cut the frosting recipe in half and it gave me the perfect amount.  Two thumbs up!  Thanks to Kelly for the great recipe!  Now I just have to get rid of it all before we start the diet I need to get on.