Mom's Sweet Potato Casserole & Thankgiving Table Inspo
This post is sponsored by HomeGoods, as always all opinions are our own.
This will be the very first holiday season in our home that we’re able to entertain in our backyard (all last year it was a construction zone!) and we’re planning to take full advantage of it! Given the mild temperatures down here in South Louisiana, fall and winter can be one of the very best times for (small) outdoor entertaining, with brisk weather that isn’t terribly humid and a respite from pesky mosquitoes.
With Thanksgiving quickly approaching, HomeGoods is our first stop for seasonal décor because they constantly have new inventory coming in and you never really know what gems you’ll come across. So, we took a trip to our local store and picked out some items that we’ll keep in our fall and holiday décor rotation this year and for years to come.
We found:
tons of gorgeous tapered candlestick holders
beautiful casserole dishes galore
table runners in lots of different styles
faux floral arrangements for finishing touches and styling
table linens and tableware at a great value
Because we like to keep our tablescapes eclectic and not * too * overboard on a specific theme, we went with a not-so-traditional mudcloth table runner as our base. Classic black candle holders fitted with gorgeous ivory tapered candles bring a bit of elegance and charm, while the linens and faux greenery and organic fillers brought us into autumn territory. The beautiful tableware and gold-toned cutlery we picked out offered an added touch of class, as were the serving dishes and utensils.
To celebrate the holiday season, we made one of my favorite fall dishes: my mom’s sweet potato casserole. As a kid, I’d mischievously just scoop off the top for a helping of straight marshmallow and brown sugar and pecan goodness (and I’m not above doing that today), but the below recipe makes a deliciously decadent southern sweet potato casserole that is the perfect side dish for any holiday gathering.
We’re using fresh sweet potatoes that get mashed into a thick and creamy mixture, before pumping in fall flavors with baking spices and a brown sugar, pecan, and marshmallow topping that gets so toasty and sooo delicious. Find that recipe below and let us know if you give it a try!
When planning your Thanksgiving set up, head to your local HomeGoods to see what goodies you can find, and share them online with the hashtag #HomeGoodsFinds so we see them. :)
Mom’s Sweet Potato Casserole
takes 1 hour | serves 8-10 as a side
4 cups of mashed sweet potatoes (from about 5 large sweet potatoes)*
3/4 cup cane sugar
1/3 cup whole milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted + 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted (for topping)
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup roughly chopped pecans
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
salt to taste
Helpful hint! The easiest way to make the mashed sweet potatoes is to pierce each potato multiple times with a fork, microwave on high for 10-12 minutes until soft. Let cool to the touch, cut lengthwise in half and scoop the insides and discarding the skin. Mash with a potato masher before using in the recipe.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or a mixing bowl and beater), mix on low speed to combine the mashed sweet potatoes, cane sugar, whole milk, 1/2 cup melted butter, eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and a pinch of salt to taste. Once combined, beat on high until smooth and only sparse chunks of potato remain, about one minute. Pour into a casserole dish and set aside. In a small bowl combine the brown sugar, sea salt, 1/3 cup melted butter, chopped pecans, and a pinch of salt. Sprinkle mixture atop the sweet potatoes, followed by the marshmallows. Bake for half an hour. If the marshmallows haven’t quite turned golden brown, finish off with 1-2 minutes with the broiler on high. Remove from oven and serve immediately.
