Sweet Potato Casserole

Right about now Grandma would have been busy pulling out her recipe books and planning her Thanksgiving menu. The weekend would be spent organizing coupons and local grocery deals, then going to the various stores early Saturday to buy the ingredients before everything was picked over. Shopping was a little different then because once a store was out of something the chances of getting it restocked were slim, so the early birds got the goods! Grandma would also order her turkey on Saturday morning so it would be ready by Wednesday (and perfectly prepared by Thursday afternoon!).

Her menu typically consisted of the tried and true traditional dishes with variations every year. From year to year she might change up her salad, side dishes and dessert, but her turkey was always amazing with no need to change anything. As she got older, Grandma settled on the family favorites and kept things familiar for those last few years she hosted our family day.

One of Grandma's favorites was this Sweet Potato Casserole. The source is unknown, but the result is nothing short of miraculous. It's different than the standard marshmallow or brown sugar laden variety, but oh so good! You will NOT regret incorporating this into your menu and you can bet your family will request it next year (or even for Christmas!).

Sweet Potato Casserole

2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled/cored/sliced

3 (15 oz) cans of yams or sweet potatoes, drained thoroughly and patted dry with paper towels

1 stick butter, melted

1/3 cup corn syrup

1/3 cup plus 2 Tbsp brown sugar, firmly packed

2 Tbsp Madeira

½ to 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or combination of cinnamon/nutmeg)

Dash of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (rack in center of oven).  Grease a 10-inch round deep pie pan or deep gratin dish. Combine sweet potatoes (or yams), 6 tablespoons of the melted butter, corn syrup, brown sugar, Madeira, pumpkin pie spice and salt in the work bowl and puree until smooth. Scrape down sides when necessary. Spread half of this mixture in prepared dish.  Arrange half of the apple slices over the sweet potatoes overlapping evenly. Brush with melted butter. Spread second layer of sweet potatoes with apple slices on top. Brush top with melted butter. Bake until apples are tender and mixture is well heated through, about 30-40 minutes.