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Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Thanksgiving menu: Simplified sides -- Praline topped sweet potato souffle

Simplified sides

I have a handful of side dishes for holiday meals that can either be frozen to heat and serve on the big day, or completely cooked in the microwave in 15 minutes or less.

This one is a family favorite that you can prepare a week or two in advance and freeze. Then the day before serving, thaw overnight, and bake just before meal time. Or, you can prepare it all to bake that same day.

Praline-topped sweet potato souffle

6 medium sweet potatoes, cooked, peeled and quartered
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1 egg
6 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, 1/4 tsp. cloves, 1/4 tsp. nutmeg)
1/4 teaspoon salt

for topping, combine:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup butter, melted


  • In a food processor or with electric mixer, whip until fluffy, all ingredients except topping.
  • Transfer to a greased, freezer-safe casserole dish. Sprinkle topping over yams. Cover and freeze.
  • To bake, thaw overnight in the refrigerator. 
  • Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees F, for 25 to 30 minutes (until puffed and lightly browned).

7 comments:

  1. That sounds delicious--I have to give that a try!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Candied yams are the big thing around here. My grandmama always cooked them in a big cast iron frying pan. Hubby and I love them and the kiddos won't touch them.

    Do you ever do make ahead mashed potatoes to keep warm in the crockpot?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hi Shara,
      no I've never tried that. Is that how you do your mashed potatoes? I usually have the kids make the mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving day.
      But in the past, when I've wanted a mashed potato-like dish, made easy, I've made potato puffs for the freezer. When I need them, I just get out how ever many I want and pop them into a hot oven. Their taste and texture is excellent!

      Delete
    2. I have made mashed potatoes ahead of time and kept them in the crock pot on Thanksgiving Day. They work okay, but either they get watery or they can dry out. What works better is Make Ahead Mashed Potatoes. Just Google it. There are a lot of recipes out there. Basically it's mashed potatoes with cream cheese and sour cream added. You can freeze them or keep them them in the fridge a couple of days. Then you reheat them in the oven when you are ready to eat them. Even without gravy, they are a hit with everyone. They work just as well with low fat sour cream and cream cheese.

      Delete
    3. I add a little sour cream or cream cheese just as live and learn suggests. I just let the crockpot handle the heating instead of the oven and stir them before serving.

      I make them and put them in a lined crockpot -- usually aluminum foil because I'm too cheap to buy liners...lol. Then I freeze them. The shape is pretty much right for the crockpot and I empty them into it to let them heat.

      I also freeze them in freezer bags in family sized amounts this way when I find a great price on potatoes. I heat them up in the microwave or in the oven for a quick side dish.

      Delete
    4. Hi live and learn and Shara,
      this does sound like an easy way to do potatoes. There is always so much going on trying to get everything to the table at the same time, and to have the potatoes all taken care of sure would make things easy. Thanks for all your info!

      Delete

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