Julie Reames | CoServ

Staffers judged this sweet potato casserole (fragrant with spices and finished with a crunchy pecan topping) to be the best they’d tasted. No wonder it has a permanent place on Reames’ holiday table. “It wouldn’t be Thanksgiving without this dish,” she says.

Sweet Potatoes
2–3 medium sweet potatoes (2 1/2–3 pounds)
1 cup evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch salt, or more as desired topping
Topping
1 cup crushed cornflakes
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter, melted

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Sweet potatoes: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. While the water heats, peel the sweet potatoes and slice them into 1½-inch cubes. Add the sweet potatoes and 1 teaspoon salt to the boiling water, reduce heat to a lively simmer and cook until the sweet potatoes are tender when pierced with a knife, about 7–9 minutes. Drain and mash potatoes.

3. Combine the mashed sweet potatoes, evaporated milk, sugar, butter, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and salt; mix well. Use a spatula to transfer the mixture to a 9-by-12-inch baking dish. Bake about 15 minutes.

4. Topping: While the potatoes are baking, combine the cornflakes, brown sugar, pecans and butter in a small bowl and mix well.

5. Remove sweet potatoes from oven, lower the heat to 400 degrees and add the topping. Bake about 15 minutes more, until the topping is golden brown.

Serves 8–10.

Cook’s Tip

To balance the sweet flavors in this casserole, generously season the sweet potatoes with kosher salt when you mash them.