Sweet Potato Casserole

This is by far the best sweet potato casserole I have ever tasted.

Ever.

The topping is sweet and crunchy.  The creamy insides have just the right spices to shout "Autumn" at you as you shovel bite after bite into your mouth.  Ahh...it was sweet potato casserole at its best.

And with Thanksgiving only THREE WEEKS away, I thought I'd share it with you all so you could enjoy it just like I know I will be.

I got the idea for this from Angela and I have decided that I just can not for the life of me follow a recipe to the T.  It's beyond me.  So here's my rendition.  Non-vegan but very easily made vegan if you want.

Sweet Potato Casserole

• 4 large sweet potatoes cooked and mashed (I always leave my skins on due to the nutrient factor, but you could peel the potatoes before cooking, too)
• 1 T unsweetened applesauce
• 1 t vanilla extract
• 1/4 c packed brown sugar
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/2 t nutmeg
• 1 t cinnamon

Topping

• 1/4 c chilled butter
• 1/2 c packed brown sugar
• 1/3 c flour

-- Once your potatoes are cooked (either boil them or cut them and put the in the microwave until soft) and mashed, preheat your oven to 350 and grease a 2 QT baking dish
-- Add the apple sauce, vanilla, brown sugar, salt and spices tot he potatoes and mash until they are all combined and the potatoes are even creamier than when you started.  Transfer to the baking dish.
--In a small bowl, combine the sugar and flour and with a pastry cutter, cut in the chilled butter until it looks like coarse crumbs.
-- Sprinkle evenly over the mashed orange goodness and pop it in the oven for about 50 minutes.  It should be golden brown on the top.

Once you bite into this, you'll think you're having dessert for dinner.  Ahh, you'll want to just take your fork and eat only the crust (although the mashed potato part of the casserole is just as good).  Or am I the only one who reacts this way?