Category: Works for Me Wednesday

Since Emily posted her super-awesome Buckeye recipe (which I am totally gonna make this year, I swear!) last week, I thought I’d post one of my new favorite recipes. It’s for Sweet Potato Casserole and it flippin’ tastes like candy it’s so good! It’s like the Buckeye (or crack cocaine) of vegetable dishes! The recipe belongs to my sister-in-law Elizabeth, I give her all the credit and kudos. She brought me some right after Sophie was born and it was an EXCELLENT birth recovery tool! I about cried when it was gone. Not that I was hormonal or anything…anyways…She has been making it for family get-togethers for awhile now and this year I finally had to have the recipe, since I was traveling for Thanksgiving and wouldn’t get to eat hers! I made it for Thanksgiving in Virginia and it was a big hit. So here is the hallowed recipe. My only caveat is that you need a good, sharp knife to cut those sweet taters. Those babies are HARD!

Ingredients:
1.5 lbs sweet potatoes
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 beaten egg
3 tbsp butter, cubed
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup pecan pieces
pecan halves for decoration

Scrub and peel sweet potatoes. Cut off and discard woody portions and ends. Cut potatoes into cubes. Cook, covered in a small amount of boiling water for 25-35 minutes until tender. Drain. Combine hot sweet potatoes, 1/2 cup sugar, milk, egg, 3tbsp butter, and vanilla. With a wooden spoon, stir to break up potatoes, but not completely mash. Pour mixture into greased 2 qt. square baking dish. Combine brown sugar and flour. Cut in 2 tbsp butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbles. Stir in pecan pieces. Sprinkle mixture over potatoes. Bake uncovered in 350 degree oven about 25 minutes or until heated through.

Sorry I didn’t post this before Thanksgiving, but consider it an early Christmas present! You are going to want to make this – it is amazing! And if I could do it (since I am functionally retarded) anyone can!

For more great Wednesday epiphanies, check out Rocks in My Dryer.

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Almost exactly a year ago, I asked our lovely readers to help me out with my dinner issues (small issues like cooking it, for example), and as always, you came to my rescue. You had great ideas… but dinner is something I still struggle with. I don’t get home until 5:45 each night, and so time is of the essence.

Anyway, when I posted the plea for help last year, our in-real-life friend Krista left a comment saying that she finds shopping at Trader Joe’s really helpful. I stuck that in the back of my mind and always meant to go there, but never got around to it… until about three weeks ago. And now I am hooked!

They have a great selection of frozen food, dairy, wine and beer. And really, what more do you need? Oh, fresh produce, you say? Yes, they have that too. Bread, pasta, salsa, vitamins – they have it all. And none of it has any preservatives or high fructose corn syrup.

The only problem I have is that I like to plan my shopping trips ahead by looking online and getting an idea of what to buy, but as far as I can tell, the Trader Joe’s website doesn’t list their products (not very helpful, Trader Joe people!). So if you’re a TJ fan, help the rest of us out by leaving a comment with some of your faves (mine include salsa-flavored tortilla chips, mini tacos and Two Buck Chuck). Thanks!

Easy weeknight dinners – that works for me! For more WFMW tips, head over to Rocks in My Dryer!

(P.S. Don’t forget to enter our fabulous Itzy Ritzy giveaway!)