Dish -- or What I Brought to Thanksgiving Dinner...

This was my year off from hosting the dinner for the Likkel/Vanderwall side, and I got off SO easy when I was asked to bring Sweet Potatoes to the Honcoop family dinner! And I must note here, that with all the grown-up grandkids, none of us has to bring more than one thing to dinner, and we still have an abundance! Another reason to like grown-up kids...

Actually, I think I always bring Sweet Potatoes to Honcoop Thanksgiving...I feel so proud! I'm considered the Sweet Potato Expert in the clan.

I decided I should try to do a "show & tell" recipe on my blog for once, so here we go!

I usually purchase about 6-7 lbs. of  sweet potatoes, and bake them the day before Thanksgiving. This time I baked them @ 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours...though some of the potatoes needed a half hour more. It doesn't really matter what temperature, or a specific amount of time...You just need to bake them until they are pinchable, but not too soft.

I hope I'm not getting too technical for you...

They look kinda wrinkly when they are done.

But pinching -- that's the ultimate indicator of done-ness.

Then I peel them and chunk them up...

while having coffee and muffins.

Don't forget the coffee and muffins step...

It's essential.

Since I'm in a chunking mood, I chunk up a stick of butter and throw it in...

not literally, mind you, 'cause I'm not a good shot.

But if you are, go ahead!

Then it's time for the brown sugar...a highly subjective ingredient...

Which means, I'm not really ever sure how much to put in.

In this case, I put in about 1 cup -- but it wasn't packed, so keep that in mind.

Then, I mixed it all up, and put it in the casserole.

And then, I got mixed up on the time I should put them in the oven to be ready for dinner...so I put them in too late... (usually 375 for 1 1/2 hours if they've been in the fridge) and then had to increase the temperature to 400 because I only had 1hr. 15 min!

When it was time to leave for Mom H's house, I was feeling a little panicked -- but, whew!, the butter was bubbling nicely around the edges of the dish, and the brown sugar was caramelized, and they tasted great!

I carefully placed big puffy marshmallows over the top, put the lid on, and quickly wrapped the dish for transport...

And never took a picture...

And then in the madness that is greeting of the family gathered, I forgot to toast the marshmallows to completion -- so they were melted albino marshmallows, instead of the usual golden.

So now you see why I don't have a cooking show, or a regular recipe feature on my blog.

Details, details...the devil is in them alright...

Fortunately, this had no effect on the popularity of the sweet potatoes,

 and this was all that came home with us.

Just enough for lunch!

Goodbye -- I'm hungry...