In the world of fostering education with the South and southern cooking, Thanksgiving is like the worldwide conference that leaves you with more knowledge than you can possibly absorb.  At the same time you’re gaining said knowledge, you’re feasting on all the swag that comes as the results of all the success.

Though the roots of Thanksgiving are decidedly northern (U.S. History pop quiz: where was the first Thanksgiving held? AND NO GOOGLE/WIKIPEDIA), the South quickly transformed some of the staple foods into more delicious and therefore more unhealthy versions.  After all, southern cooking has its roots in simple farm foods, not unlike those pilgrims and native Americans.

So with that, I present a recipe I stumbled upon today that was reprinted by The Amateur Gourmet – in the comments section, no less:

Sweet Potato Casserole
from The Gift of Southern Cooking

Ingredients:
5 pounds small sweet potatoes (about 10 potatoes)
8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 3/4 tsps salt
3/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup light-brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 tsps vanilla extract
3 cups milk, heated
1 Tbs unsalted butter, softened

Topping:
1 cup light-brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground Ceylon cinnamon
1/2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
8 Tbs (1 stick) unsalted butter, chilled
1 cup chopped pecans

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Wash the sweet potatoes and put them on a foil- or parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake in the preheated oven for 1-1/2 hours, until they are very tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool briefly, then peel. Put the peeled sweet potatoes into the large bowl of an electric mixer fitted with beaters or a whip attachment. Mix the hot sweet potatoes on low speed to begin mashing them. Add the butter, and mix until it is absorbed. Add the salt, nutmeg, honey, and both sugars, and mix until they are thoroughly blended. Add the lightly beaten eggs and vanilla, and beat on medium speed for two minutes. Reduce mixer speed to low, and slowly add the heated milk. When the milk is incorporated, taste carefully for seasoning, and add more salt or nutmeg as needed. Thoroughly butter a 9-by-13-by-2-inch baking dish with the softened butter, and pour the sweet-potato mixture into it.

Raise the oven temperature to 375.

Make the topping: put the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into a mixing bowl and mix well. Use your fingers to work the chilled butter into the mixture until it resembles oatmeal with some pea-size pieces of butter in it. Stir in the pecan pieces, and mix well. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the top of the sweet potatoes, and bake in the 375 oven for 30 – 45 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and crisp and the sweet potatoes are set but still slightly loose in the. Serve hot. Like yo mama.