This is an amazing sweet potato casserole recipe. I use it all the time.

I am going to give you some substitution notes right up front so that you can make this casserole fit your liking.

Substitution notes:

Lemon Juice: I have substituted 1 teaspoon lemon extract for the 1 tablespoon lemon juice with great success. I prefer the flavor now actually. Just make sure you use 1 TEASPOON.

Nuts: If you do not have pecans or wish not to use nuts, I have substituted equal parts oats for the pecans and everyone really loved it.

Sugar and Brown Sugar: I have reduced the brown sugar in the topping to 1/2 cup with no complaints. This works especially well if you use pecans because of their sweetness. I’m sure you could also reduce the sugar in the sweet potato portion but I have never experimented with this.

Sweet Potato Casserole with Coconut Pecan Topping

Ingredients: * 3 cups sweet potatoes, mashed * 1 cup granulated sugar * 1/4 cup butter * 3 eggs * 1/2 cup milk * 1/2 teaspoon vanilla * 1 tablespoon lemon juice * 1/2 teaspoon salt * 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon * 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg * 1 dash ground cloves

Topping: * 1 cup chopped pecans * 3/4 to 1 cup flaked coconut * 1 cup packed brown sugar * 1/2 cup flour * 1/4 cup butter

Preparation: Combine mashed sweet potatoes, granulated sugar, 1/4 cup butter eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves; blend well. Spoon sweet potato mixture into a buttered baking dish. Mix topping ingredients until crumbly; sprinkle over casserole. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.

Here's a family favorite. Boil two medium sweet potatoes until they are fork tender. Cool in an ice bath. Strip peelings off with your hands and mash potatoes in a bowl. Add a can of sweetened condensed milk, a half stick of real butter, a teaspoon each of nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice and salt to taste. Squeeze in the juice of a half lemon. When you are happy with the taste, beat in two eggs and a half cup of dark brown sugar. Pour into a greased baking dish and top with miniature marshmallows. Bake at 350 until firm. Top with miniature marshmallows and broil until they are melted and brown.

I found this recipe in Fine Cooking magazine years ago, but have changed it somewhat. It's not for the faint of heart where calories are concerned. Skip the stuffing on Thanksgiving if you make it!

Slice the sweet potatoes about 3/8th inch thick and butter a baking dish well. Arranged the slices across the bottom of the pan, flat. Once you have a layer down, sprinkle LIGHTLY with coarse salt. Add another layer, salt very lightly; repeat until the dish is nearly full. Mix heavy cream (at least a pint for anything larger than a one-quart dish), prepared horseradish (NOT horeseradish sauce), white pepper and black pepper to taste. This is incredibly individual, so I can't provide measurements. I like this dish to have some back-of-the-throat bite to counteract the sweetness of the rest of the meal. Add a dash of nutmeg (freshly ground, if possible) for balance. Pour this over the potatoes. It should fill the spaces between the slices completely. Top off with more cream as needed (half and half is fine, here).

Bake, covered, at 350F until the potatoes begin to soften, then uncover to finish.

I don't know if you would consider this a casserole or not but this is what I love to do with sweet potatoes.

you cut up, quarter, potatoes, and sweet potatoes, chop up some carrots, and onions and you mix it all together, then you cover it with olive oil and bake it like at 375 until the potatoes are tender.

Sometimes I will add mushrooms to it when its closer to being done.....

I do find that I often have to take it out and stir it once or twice during cooking so that it cooks evenly.

This is a great alternative for people who can't have mashed and are sensitive to butter and dairy in mashed potatoes.

Mooch