SWEET POTATO SOUFFLE

**This recipe is for my American friends who are fixing to celebrate Thanksgiving.  We have already had Thanksgiving in Canada and so I guess my Canadian friends can serve this up at Christmas.  Yes, I realize this recipe is fattening and yes, I know it has a lot of sugar in it.  You won’t care once you taste it and it’s only for the holidays, so ENJOY!  

*3 cups mashed sweet potatoes

¾  cup sugar

½ t. salt

2 eggs, beaten

1/3 stick margarine or butter, melted

½ cup milk

2 t. vanilla

*To make mashed sweet potatoes:

Peel and slice sweet potatoes and place into enough water to slightly cover slices.  Bring to a boil and simmer until potatoes are very soft.  Drain off the majority of the water and mash with an electric mixer to combine and to get rid of lumps.  Then proceed with the recipe.  The number of sweet potatoes you will need to make 3 cups of mashed sweet potatoes will vary depending on the size of the potatoes.  Generally,  5 or 6 large sweet potatoes should work—although it’s better to have too much than not enough, so be generous.

**A note about choosing sweet potatoes:

I like to choose sweet potatoes that are more rose colored as opposed to more yellow.  I find that these have a better flavor.  Also in Canadian and American markets the term sweet potato and yam are used interchangeably—and no matter which term is featured on the signage—they are usually always sweet potatoes.  A true yam is not related to the sweet potato and is usually only found in international markets or at least in the international section of your market.  Google, “the difference between yams and sweet potatoes” to read more about it.

Instructions:

Mix all ingredients together and pour into a square pyrex baking dish that has been sprayed with PAM.  Place the baking dish on a baking sheet with sides to allow for any spills.  I double the recipe because I’m usually cooking for a crowd and I use a 9x13 pyrex dish. 

1^st Topping:

1 stick of butter or margarine

1 cup of packed brown sugar

1/3 cup flour

¼ cup milk

2 teaspoons vanilla

Optional:  1 cup finely chopped pecans or walnuts

Instructions:

Combine topping ingredients and add more brown sugar to thicken or more milk to thin.  The topping should be thin enough to pour.

Lightly pour a thin layer over the potato mixture and spread slightly with a knife but try not to let it sink into the potatoes.

Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes or until mixture is set and slightly puffy.  This has a custard-like consistency so it will still be jiggly but shouldn’t be runny.

2^nd Topping:

2-3 cups miniature marshmallows

Instructions:

When baking is finished carefully remove soufflé from oven and place on a heat-safe surface.  Sprinkle marshmallows over entire surface of the soufflé and return to the oven for about 5 minutes.  The marshmallows will puff up and ooze together and toast a bit.  Watch the soufflé while the marshmallows are in the oven to make sure they don’t stay in too long.  This stage can get really messy if you’re not watchful.  Take soufflé out and enjoy!