Cheddar Cheese and Sausage Breakfast Casserole

"It's easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life. Once in awhile, remember to relax and let things fall in place" was one of those quotes of the day recently popping up in my FB and Twitter feeds. Only a very good friend, the kind of friend who is a constant presence in your life, would use that post as the perfect opportunity to let me know this was a quote I needed to pay attention to (she wasn't leaving anything to chance and she knows me well). The concept of 'relaxing' is one I understand but one some might say has not consistently been successfully applied in my life (this would be the unanimous perspective of my friends). I would frame it a little differently. My version would be my pendulum just swings a little further to the high energy side of life.

The holidays can be incredibly 'stressful', however, if there was ever a food to make you look and feel 'relaxed' it would be a breakfast casserole. Easily put together (usually the day/night before) and baked while everyone is opening presents or sleeping in a little late the day after a holiday, a breakfast casserole might be one of the simplest things to make, But don't let its' simplicity fool you. These savory bread pudding-like dishes have layers and layers of flavor. If that wasn't enough, it is also the quintessentially perfect must-have, go-to dish when having guests stay over or to bring over to a friend or neighbor. With directions simply saying 'bake for 45-50 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven' you will be delivering a casserole that says 'sit back, relax and enjoy'. If you are looking to simplify your life just a bit (I guess I should jump on that bandwagon someday soon) make a breakfast casserole. Make this Cheddar Cheese and Sausage Breakfast Casserole.

This Cheddar Cheese and Sausage Breakfast Casserole has it all. Eggs, bread, sharp cheddar cheese and pork sausage. Did I mention yet this is quite a hearty dish? Guaranteed to satisfy the most ravenous members of your family. In other words, it should keep everyone out of the kitchen except when they come in to steal a few more bites. This is a blessing, especially if you also have to make the Christmas dinner.

If you can't find a bulk breakfast pork sausage in the meat section of your grocery store, try looking for it (in a one pound package) in the refrigerated section near the bacon. In a large frying pan, crumble the sausage, cooking until lightly browned and no pink remains. If the pork sausage exudes a great deal of fat, drain on a paper towel (and if it does, remember not to buy that pork sausage the next time).

This recipe calls for the use of whole milk (don't even think about substituting 1%, 2% or skim) for a reason. The fat content in the whole milk not only helps to bind the ingredients, but it also acts as a tenderizer, creating a much richer mouthful of deliciousness. The use of a lower fat milk could contribute to a breakfast casserole becoming tough. So remember, more is sometimes better.

Now to the cheese. Use a sharp cheddar. A two year old cheddar if you can find one. Even better a white, two year old cheddar. Growing up in the midwest, I thought cheddars were always yellow. While living on the east coast, most of the cheddars were white. And almost all of the cheddars made in Vermont are white. If you can find the two year aged Cheddar made by Grafton Village Cheese Company, buy it. You will not be sorry. This breakfast casserole calls for 1 1/2 cups of cheese. A four ounce piece of cheese yields one cup of grated cheese. You have probably already figured out that for this casserole you will need a six ounce piece of cheese.

The original recipe called for 8 slices of white bread cubed. However, I would more than strongly recommend you use 8 slices of frozen thick sliced Texas Toast with garlic instead. I must admit, the idea of changing out the white bread bread with the Texas Toast isn't mine. It was the recommendation, a rather great recommendation, of a friend's husband (thank you Dan!). In a buttered casserole dish, the cubes of frozen Texas Toast are layered first, followed by the sausage and then the cheese. The milk/egg mixture is poured evenly over the entire casserole. It may look like there is not enough liquid, but not to worry, there is.

Allowing the Cheddar Cheese and Sausage Breakfast Casserole to sit overnight in the refrigerator results in a custard-like, bread pudding like texture to the casserole. Assembling it the night before not only makes for a more 'relaxing' start to your morning, but it makes for an even more scrumptious dish.

The Cheddar Cheese and Sausage Breakfast Casserole is baked in a preheated 350 degree (F) oven for 45-50 minutes or until it is puffy, lightly browned and the center is set. The aroma created by this casserole is incredible. If anyone wasn't hungry when they wake up in the morning, they will be. Heck you might even wake them up! Note: This casserole easily feeds 8 to 10 people. But if you don't have that many people in your house, it reheats well in the microwave later in the day or even the next day. 

Imagine yourself waking up on Christmas or some cold winter weekend morning and being able to enjoy this effortless, oh-so delicious breakfast casserole. There is only one downside to this dish, particularly for those who are described by their friends as needing work on 'relaxing just a bit'. It's deciding what to do with found discretionary time. Hmmm, I wonder if doing nothing would feel relaxing. Guess I will just have to test that hypothesis out.

Recipe
Cheddar Cheese and Sausage Breakfast Casserole (inspired by a 1990 Bon Appetit recipe)

Ingredients
8 slices of frozen thick cut Texas Toast with garlic, cut into cubes
1 pound (mild to medium) bulk pork country sausage, crumbled, cooked and cooled
6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) grated sharp cheddar cheese, grated (recommend Grafton Village 2 year aged cheddar or other high quality 2 year old sharp cheddar)
10 large eggs
2 cups whole milk (do not use low or non-fat)
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Directions
1. Butter a 9"x13" rectangular or oval casserole dish. Set aside.
2. Mix together milk, eggs, dry mustard, salt and pepper. Set aside.
3. Layer bread cubes in bottom of pan.
4. Top bread with sausage and cheese.
5. Pour egg/milk mixture over bread/sausage/cheese. Cover and refrigerate.
6. Take casserole out of the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before baking. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
7. Bake casserole until lightly browned, puffed and center is set (approximately 45-50 minutes). Serve immediately.

"No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted" (a quote by Aesop). On my recent trip to New Orleans, I spend some time in Lucullus, an incredible culinary antique store. It is one of those shops where the size of the store is deceiving in the sense that you will find yourself spending as much time browsing in it as you might in a store ten or twenty times its's size. Each time you walk around the store your eye sees something different, making you wonder how you could have missed so many right in plain view things. I wasn't going there to browse, I was going for the singular purpose of coming home with a treasure. Although the choices seemed endless, my recent obsession with pewter at least gave me a focus. But having a focus doesn't always mean the choices aren't endless. After looking at some pewter spoons and platters I ultimately decided on a platter with great markings. As I was leaving the store, I wondered if I should have gotten at least one spoon. In retrospect, I think I may have been wondering out loud.

The package containing the pewter platter arrived this past week. Upon taking the platter out of the box, I noticed there was something else wrapped and taped to it. It was a spoon. While my thoughts and feelings can often be somewhat transparent, I don't expect others, particularly strangers, to pick up let alone to act on them. Being the recipient of an unexpected kindness not only brings a sense of pure joy, but unspoken responsibility to pass it on, to pay it forward. I only hope that in the days, weeks or months ahead I can bring just some of that same sense of heartfelt joy I felt to a friend, to a stranger. As I look at that pewter spoon I will forever be reminded to never underestimate the power of a kind word, a kind deed. Especially the unexpected ones.

Wendy's Mashed Potatoes

In the spirit of the believing in the season of miracles, I thought I would share a recipe you might see as more than a bit of a departure from those I have shared in the past, almost two years. (Yes, in just a couple of weeks the blog will be celebrating its' second birthday! Woot woot!) At times I have gone on and on (endlessly probably) about the importance of using the freshest ingredients you can find and sermonizing how much fresh matters. And I really do try my best to live by that belief. But then every now and then there are those 'exceptions to the rule' moments which breaking the rule is the right thing to do. Wendy's Mashed Potatoes falls into that 'its okay to break the rule' category. These potatoes are the creamiest, tastiest, richest, whitest, most delicious 'mashed' potatoes you may ever eat. Surprisingly they are not made with fresh potatoes. Okay, brace yourself with what I am about to say next. This recipe uses instant potatoes as one of the ingredients (gasp). Yes, those instant potatoes that come in the box.

We have been having these potatoes at either Thanksgiving dinners for years now. Depending on the main course, Wendy's Mashed Potatoes generally make an encore appearance on the Christmas dinner table. However, there was one Christmas where beef tenderloin was the main course although we did not have Wendy's Mashed Potatoes. Not because the potatoes wouldn't have been a great side to go with the beef or not because anyone had grown tired of them. No, something else happened. In that year the casserole dish containing the 'hot out of the oven' best mashed potato casserole ever slid off the counter and came crashing to the ground on the slate floor in my kitchen. Potatoes and chards of glass covered the floor (not exactly the white Christmas everyone had dreamt of). Yet in a moment of complete irrationality I initially thought the casserole could be salvaged as there was no potato back-up plan to go with the beef tenderloin and red wine mushroom gravy/sauce I had slaved over making. But one look at the incredulous 'she isn't serious' looks on the faces of my family brought me to my senses. We all survived the dinner without Wendy's Mashed Potatoes that year. And now I make them in a cast iron baking dish.

The key to making this mashed potato casserole as creamy as possible is to ensure the cream cheese is at room temperature. Depending on how cool or warm your house/kitchen is, this might mean taking the cream cheese out of the refrigerator at least four to five hours before you are assembling the dish. If your cream cheese isn't soft and creamy, your casserole may end up having some 'lumps' in in. Not the kind of lumps you want. The softened, room temperature cream cheese is first mixed until smooth and creamy. Once it gets to that consistency the sour cream, dried minced onion and garlic salt are mixed in until well-blended and smooth. It is important this mixture be made and set aside waiting while the instant mashed potatoes are being prepared.

Following the package directions, you will make enough instant mashed potatoes to serve 12. Immediately the cream cheese/sour cream mixture is added to the 'cooked' potatoes and stirred until the well blended and creamy. The mixture is poured into a buttered 9"x12" inch casserole and baked in a preheated 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes. However, this mashed potato casserole is one that can and probably should be made the day before your dinner. Your life will made much easier on the day of your holiday meal when you can simply take the prepared casserole out of the refrigerator and bake in the oven.

For those of you who feel making a recipe without all 'fresh' ingredients is an act of personal treason, I am willing to bet no one at your dinner table, not even the self professed foodies, will guess this mashed potato casserole was made with instant potatoes (unless of course your guests watch you making it or you let it slip). I can almost guarantee, your 'secret' will be not discovered as long as you believe in miracles. Once you taste Wendy's Mashed Potatoes you might find yourself wondering why anyone would want to make mashed potatoes 'the old-fashioned' way ever again.

Note: You might be wondering why such an incredibly delicious dish would only have two photos to go with the recipe. I am going to blame my overly ambitious Thanksgiving menu and the lack of 'good' light for the limited number of photos with this posting. What you are seeing is the unbaked version of Wendy's Mashed Potatoes. When baked the top of the potatoes are lightly browned.

Recipe
Wendy's Mashed Potatoes
Serves at least 8

Ingredients
18 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
8 ounces sour cream
1 teaspoon dried minced onion
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
Instant Mashed Potatoes, prepared for 12 servings according to package directions (recommend Hungry Jack Instant Potatoes)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F). Butter a 9"x 12" baking pan and set aside.
2. In a standing mixer, beat the cream cheese at medium-high speed until really smooth and creamy.
3. Mix in sour cream, minced onion and garlic salt until well blended. Set aside.
4. Prepare instant mashed potatoes (for 12 servings) according to package directions.
5. Blend the cream cheese/sour cream mixture into the potatoes until smooth.
6. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until potatoes are cooked through and top is lightly browned. Serve immediately.

Note: Can be prepared the night before. Covered, refrigerate, remove from from refrigerator at least 45 minutes before baking. Baking time might need to be increased by 5 to 10 minutes if refrigerated.

Images of art captured at the New Orleans Museum of Art.

Almond Pecan Buttercrunch Toffee

It is quite possible you are on candy and cookie overload right about now. Incorporating one new recipe into your holiday baking routine, making one more batch of anything, or discovering that someone has been into those tins of cookies you thought you had cleverly hidden from sight might be enough to push you over or at least to the edge. After sending off boxes of goodies to friends back east earlier this week (who else went to the Post Office on the busiest shipping day of the year?), I am getting the 'second wind' I was hoping for. My supply of caramels, peppermint bark, white chocolate pistachio shortbread cookies, Irish shortbread, and chocolate covered nuts has dwindled significantly over the past couple of weeks. Looking at the supply of unsalted butter in my refrigerator would cause one to think I was preparing for a worldwide butter shortage or baking for a significant portion of the free world.

Before making the Almond Pecan Buttercrunch Toffee I decided to look through a few cookbooks as well as some do a web search just in case I wanted to make some tweaks to the recipe someone had given me years ago. In the process of this quasi-research, I came across recipes called toffee, buttercrunch, and some even called buttercrunch toffee. This simple endeavor was now becoming more complicated. Allegedly traditional English Toffee is made from brown sugar while buttercrunch is made with granulated sugar. In addition to the sugar distinction, traditional English Toffee is generally only coated in chocolate. Whereas, buttercrunch is coated with chocolate and a variety of different topping (nuts being the most common). With the words toffee and buttercrunch being used so interchangeably some have resorted to calling this confection buttercrunch toffee. Seeing as the recipe I had is a little bit toffee a little bit buttercrunch, I thought I too would jump on the buttercrunch toffee bandwagon when renaming this recipe.

The more I read, the more patterns amongst the recipes there seemed to be. Most had a one cup of butter to one cup of sugar ratio. While most cooked the toffee until it reached a temperature of 300 degrees (F) on a candy thermometer, the recommended temperatures ranged from 285 degrees (F) to 315 degrees (F). In comparing ingredients, some recipes listed water some didn't; some listed vanilla, some didn't; some had salt, some didn't; some used corn syrup, some didn't; some used only one kind of nut, some used more than one. You get the picture. In the end, I decided to add both vanilla and kosher salt to the recipe I had; toast the pecans before chopping them; cook the mixture until it reached 305 degrees (F); use only two tablespoons of corn syrup; and sprinkle a little sea salt on the melted chocolate before sprinkling on the chopped pecans.

The time expended on all of this 'toffee research' turned out to be time well spent. All of the changes made to my toffee recipe turned out to be ones for the best. Equally important to adjusting and altering some of the ingredients, I found some of the toffee making techniques shared by Valerie Gordon in her cookbook Sweet to be valuable, useful information.

My original recipe called for slivered almonds, but I used sliced raw almonds instead. For a more rustic or Almond Roca-ish look to the toffee I would probably chop up raw whole almonds in the food processor. Either way it is 'raw unsalted ' almonds you want for this toffee.

Whenever bringing something to a relatively high temperature, your pan matters, your pan really, really matters.  Use a copper pan, heavy stainless steel pan (All-Clad works well) or a cast-iron one (like Le Creuset). If you are still putting together your wish list for the holidays or have time to add to or modify it, wish for a 3 quart copper pan (trust me you will be using this pan for more than just making toffee or caramels).

The questions asked most often when making toffee are 'how often do you stir it and what kitchen tool should one use?'. Until the mixture reaches 250 degrees (F), you will stir it occasionally. Between 250 and 290 degrees (F) you will stir a little more frequently, and from 290 degrees (F) to 305 degrees (F) you stir constantly (to prevent burning). And your best stirring tools? Either a wooden spoon or heatproof silicone spatula.

When the mixture reaches 305 degrees (F), remove from the heat and immediately stir in the vanilla and almonds before pouring into a parchment paper lined 12"x18" inch baking/jellyroll pan (one with sides). After smoothing the toffee with an offset spatula, allow it to sit for one minute before first lightly sprinkling with sea salt followed by the chopped milk chocolate.

Allow the chocolate to rest on the toffee for at least two minutes before spreading evenly over the toffee. While the chocolate is still 'wet' sprinkle with the toasted, chopped pecans. The toffee should rest for at least 20 minutes before the pan is placed in the refrigerator.

After one hour, remove the buttercrunch toffee from the refrigerator and break into pieces.

Unless you are planning to serve the Almond Pecan Buttercrunch Toffee immediately, store in a sealed air-tight container. I would also suggest you hide it if you are planning to serve it at a gathering or for Christmas or risk having it disappear.

This is seriously delicious buttery, nutty toffee. You are going to be making it all winter.

I am thinking this might be the last 'holiday confection' post before Christmas. But then again, I may get a 'third' wind and will surprise you (and myself) with another 'visions of sugar plums' post. However, there is a recipe for Creamy Potato Casserole I want you to have before Christmas (its one I didn't get posted before Thanksgiving, but its also one with very few photographs), so that will be up next. Time for me to start getting closer to the edge, again.

Recipe
Almond Pecan Buttercrunch Toffee (technique inspired by Valerie Gordon's recipe in her cookbook Sweet)

Ingredients
1 pound (16 ounces) unsalted butter
2 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 Tablespoons light corn syrup
1 Tablespoon and 1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups raw sliced or chopped almonds
1 cup pecans, roasted, finely chopped
12-14 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
Sea salt for finishing

Directions
1. Line a 12"x18" baking pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. Put butter in a heavy 3 quart copper or heavy stainless steel saucepan and set over medium-low heat. When butter is half melted, gradually add sugar, stirring with either a wooden or heatproof silicone spatula. Continue stirring until mixture takes on a thick creamy texture.
3. Attach thermometer to side of pan, increase heat to medium-high, stirring toffee mixture occasionally until it reaches 250 degrees (F). 
4. When it reaches 250 degrees (F), stir slightly more frequently. At 290 degrees (F) stir constantly to prevent any burning. Continue cooking and stirring until mixture reaches 305 (F) degrees.
5. Remove from heat, quickly stirring in vanilla and almonds. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan. Using an offset spatula, smooth mixture (it should fill the entire pan).
6. Let sit at least 1 minute before lightly sprinkling with sea salt, followed by sprinkling with the chopped milk chocolate.
7. Allow the chocolate to set at least 2 minutes before spreading with an offset spatula.
8. Sprinkle chopped roasted pecans over chocolate. Tap pan on counter to set pecans.
9. Allow to cool at least 20 minutes. Place in refrigerator for 1 hour. 
10. Remove from refrigerator, break into pieces.
11. Store in a sealed, air-tight container.

"Art attracts us only by what it reveals of our most secret self." (Jean-Luc Godard) Two of the images from the New Orleans Museum of Art taken in December, 2014 that caught my eye.

Peppermint Bark

There are moments when the adage 'less is more' is one I can see myself fully embracing. Often these moments are short-lived, however, the older I get or the more I overextend myself, the longer they seem to linger. The fact that these moments are even occurring at all is nothing short of a miracle. You know, those kind of miracles you might wish and hope for, all the while remaining guardedly optimistic they will actually occur. Then you watch "Miracle on the 34th Street" for the millionth time and no matter how old you are, you can't help but believe miracles really do, really can happen. All you have to do is just believe, to just have faith.

Taking advantage of believing there is something to be said for simplicity, I decided to finally make Peppermint Bark, one with only two layers of chocolate (remember I am trying to stay in the less is more moment for as long as possible). 

As I was making the bark I began to wonder why I had never made it before. I could not come up with any rational reason why Peppermint Bark wasn't one of those annually made confections. However, now having made it, there will never ever again be another holiday where Peppermint Bark is not packaged up for gifts or not appearing on the cookie/candy platter at gatherings.

Recently I had taken a cooking class in New Orleans, learning and watching how both pralines and bread pudding were made. Of the many takeaways from this class there are some things where exactness is critical and other things where almost anything goes. Peppermint Bark falls more into 'where anything goes' category. How much chocolate you use or which peppermint candies you use is more about preference. My preferences are semi-sweet and white chocolates and crushed (red) candy canes, but Peppermint Bark can be made with only one kind of chocolate or with crushed starlight mints. How much peppermint extract is used in the chocolate (I put it in the semi-sweet chocolate) isn't an exact science, however, there is such a thing as 'too much' when using this intensely flavored extract. After looking at a variety of recipes, I decided to use a 1/2 teaspoon of extract to one pound of chocolate ratio. Note: The melted semi-sweet chocolate seized a little when I added the extract, however, I kept stirring until the chocolate returned to its's smooth consistency.

When I was buying candy canes for the Peppermint Bark I went back and forth on deciding whether to use either red or green ones or to use both red and green candy canes. Obviously I had too much time on my hands that day to have spent time standing in the grocery store aisle debating the merits of red and green candy canes. Use whatever color or colors make you happy. Just crush your peppermint candy before you begin melting the chocolates.

After melting a pound of semi-sweet chocolate flavored with 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract, I spread it out on a piece of parchment paper and allowed it to set before melting the white chocolate. I used 1 1/4 pounds of white chocolate for no other reason than to give the crushed candy canes a deeper surface to set in.

Once the white chocolate is poured over the cooled, set semi-sweet chocolate, you need to work quickly to spread it. While still 'wet' generously sprinkle with the crushed candies.

The Peppermint Bark sets up relatively quickly. You can speed up the process by placing it in the refrigerator or in a very cool place (the back patio table is my favorite winter outdoor chilling place).

Using either a knife or other sharp tool (I used a dough scraper), cut the Peppermint Bark into any size or any shape. It be cut in random or perfect sizes/shapes. As momentarily difficult as it was to make the red or green candy decision, I knew I wanted this Peppermint Bark to be cut haphazardly (there is much beauty in imperfection). Note: If you cut your pieces too small you risk having the semi-sweet chocolate layer separate from the white chocolate layer. 

The pieces of Peppermint Bark can be stored in a sealed tin at room temperature until ready to serve or packaged up in cellophane bags tied with ribbon or string for gifts. It may be rather bold, but I dare say I think this Peppermint Bark may be better than the bark sold at one of my favorite 'shall remain nameless' stores. 

Recipe
Peppermint Bark

Ingredients
1 pound semi-sweet chocolate, melted (use the best semi-sweet chocolate you can find, do not use the chocolate chips you buy to make cookies)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 1/4 pounds white chocolate, melted (use the best white chocolate you can find, do not use the chocolate chips you buy to make cookies)
10-12 candy canes, crushed

Directions
1. Line a large baking sheet or cutting board with parchment paper.
2. Melt semi-sweet chocolate in the microwave or over simmering water. When melted, stir in peppermint extract. Note: Mixture may initially seize up, but stir vigorously to return chocolate to smooth consistency.
3. Pour chocolate onto parchment paper and smooth into a 14"x16" rectangle. Allow to cool.
4. Melt white chocolate in the microwave or over simmering water. Pour over semi-sweet chocolate. Working quickly spread white chocolate with an off-set spatula, completely covering the semi-sweet chocolate.
5. Immediately sprinkle the crushed candy canes on the 'wet' white chocolate. Allow to cool completely.
6. When chocolate has cooled and is set, cut bark up into pieces. Note: Use a sharp knife or sharp dough scraper to cut the bark.
7. Wrap in cellophane bags tied tightly with a ribbon/string or store in an airtight container.

"We wander for distraction. We travel for fulfillment." New Orleans is a city I have visited many times over the past ten years. But no matter how many times I have been somewhere, life experiences and interests have me seeing it through a different lens. A place becomes simultaneously both familiar and new.  When taking a short trip to a city one is familiar with, it is easy to get lulled into going to the same places you have been before. But on this recent trip with a friend, I wanted the experience of both the familiar and unfamiliar. Eating dinner at Bayona, having freshly shucked oysters at Acme Oyster House, and having beignets at Cafe du Monde were on the 'must do' familiar list. Going to a Gospel concert at St. Louis Cathedral was also on this list, only the concert scheduled during our stay turned out to be a French/Belgian folk/jazz concert featuring Helen Gillet, an incredibly talented cellist, singer and composer who grew up in both Europe and the US. It has now been several days since the concert, but the hauntingly beautiful music is still resonating in my head, in my soul. 

Instead of seeing parts of the Garden District from only the vantage point of the trolley, on this trip we walked up and down several streets to experience its' beauty and grandeur up close. Before heading over to the shops on Magazine street we spent most of our time on Prytania Street, one of the most beautiful streets I have ever walked. In keeping with a theme of trying to capture as much of the culture New Orleans has to offer, we went to the New Orleans Museum of Art, a place I had been before, however, we spent the majority our time there walking through the unfamiliar to me, magnificent Sydney and Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden on a glorious weather day. With a backdrop of live oaks hanging with Spanish Moss along with the Pine and Magnolia trees, I could have spent the entire day in that sculpture garden. Next time. 

Sweet Potato Casserole

The last few days have been a whirlwind of traveling with barely any time to sit, relax and catch my breath. As much as I would like a short reprieve from what seems like a constant state of motion, the rather loud voice in my head 'you need to get moving on the 'absolutely have to get done over the course of next few weeks' long list of things' won't allow it. And whether or not it's just me, there is something a little anti-climatic about receiving a box of homemade Christmas cookies and confections after the holidays. In spite of knowing everything will all get done (it always does) I still can't help but feel a little stressed out as there seems to be more things on the 'to do' list than there are hours in the day to get them done. Overextending myself is a way of life.

In the spirit of 'better late than never' and getting at least one thing checked off of my to-do list, I am following up on the promise of sharing the recipes for a few more of my favorite casseroles. The ones often first appearing on the Thanksgiving dinner table yet also known to make a repeat appearance on either Christmas or New Year's Day. But don't for a minute let me mislead you into thinking that any casserole, particularly, this Sweet Potato Casserole can or should be served only several days a year or only on holidays.

In addition to being incredibly delicious, sweet potatoes are one of those vegetables having multiple health benefits.  Isn't it good to know that a casserole topped with mini-marshmallows might actually be better for you than you think? And what makes this casserole more flavorful and even more beautiful is the use of sweet potatoes having a deep orange or red color. Red Garnet or Hernandez varieties are usually available at most grocery stores or markets. But if you cannot find them, any sweet potato will work in this recipe.

Four pounds of sweet potatoes are baked in a preheated 400 degree oven for 75-90 minutes or until soft. Once cooled enough to handle, the sweet potato flesh is scooped out into a medium sized bowl.

You can use a food mill to puree the sweet potatoes, however, I have found mashing them with a fork works well. Personally I like this casserole to have a little texture to it. Once you have mashed the sweet potatoes to a relatively smooth consistency, the evaporated milk, granulated sugar, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, eggs, vanilla and melted butter are mixed in until fully incorporated.

The mixture is then poured into either a buttered oval casserole dish or 9"x12" baking dish.

Most sweet potato casseroles have a topping made of pecans, however, this one is topped with chopped roasted salted cashews transforming the humble root vegetable into something slightly more decadent. You could double the cashew topping and omit the mini-marshmallows if you are not a big fan of those white pillowy bites of goodness.

The entire casserole can be assembled a day ahead, covered, and refrigerated. I generally take the pre-asssembled, chilled casserole out of the refrigerator about an hour before baking and increase the baking time by approximately 15-20 minutes.

Because it was rather hectic here on Thanksgiving Day I wasn't able to capture a photo of what the Sweet Potato Casserole looked like when it finished baking. Just let me say that the browned mini-marshmallows and cashew topping make this a visually hard to resist dish.

Recipe
Sweet Potato Casserole (inspired by the Sweet Potato Casserole recipe shared in Saveur)
Updated November 25, 2020

Ingredients
4 pounds sweet potatoes, about 8-9 (recommend using Red Garnet or Hernandez sweet potatoes)
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup light brown sugar
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla 
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon Kosher salt

2 Tablespoons honey
2 large eggs, lightly beaten

3/4 cup roasted salted cashews
1/2 cup light brown sugar
3 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups mini-marshmallows

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Place sweet potatoes on baking sheet, bake until soft (approximately 75 to 90 minutes). Remove from oven and cool for approximately 30 minutes. 
3. Reduce oven to 350 degrees.
4. Scoop sweet potato flesh into a medium sized bowl. Mash with a fork to a smooth consistency.
5. Whisk in evaporated milk, granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, allspice, cinnamon, salt, honey, and eggs.
6. Transfer mixture to lightly buttered oval baking casserole.
7. In a food processor, pulse together the cashews, brown sugar and flour until coarsely ground.
8. Sprinkle cashew mixture over the center of the casserole.
9. Sprinkle mini-marshmallows around perimeter of casserole.
10. Bake until marshmallows are golden brown and casserole is heated through, approximately 30 to 35 minutes.

Note: (1) Kosher salt and honey were the ingredients added to the sweet potato. (2) Casserole can be prepared a day ahead. Remove from the refrigerator at least an hour before baking. Baking time might need to increase to 40-45 minutes.

Luculles, the most beautiful culinary antique store in the French Quarter (New Orleans).