Pecan Orange Sweet Potato Casserole

Are you ready to start cooking for Thanksgiving? We're looking forward to all those special holiday dishes! For years, we made that traditional candied sweet potato casserole with the miniature marshmallows on top. The kids loved it. But now that we're all grown up, this velvety casserole with a bit of spice and a caramel-ly pecan topping is much more satisfying. It may sound odd to add a dash of cayenne, but wait until you taste the magic that it adds to these sweet potatoes.

Check back here for more Thanksgiving recipes, and at the end of the week, some recipes to use up all those yummy turkey leftovers.

Ingredients

4 cups sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/2 cup orange juice
1/2 cup milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp grated orange rind

For the topping:

2/3 cup brown sugar
1 cup Pecans, finely chopped
1/3 cup Flour
6 tbsp butter

Directions

Simmer the sweet potatoes in a saucepan of water, or microwave them in water until they are fork-tender. Drain them thoroughly and mash them in a large bowl (we like them a little lumpy). Stir in all the rest of the ingredients. Pour it into an 8-inch square baking pan.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix together the topping ingredients with a fork until it is crumbly and well combined. Sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake in a 400-degree oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.