into the wild blue yonder

Our niece, Hilary, left for the Air Force today! Since she will be missing Halloween, Thanksgiving, her birthday, Christmas, and New Years at home, her dad decided to invite the family over and celebrate all of them...in one day! We had a Thanksgiving meal, birthday cake, and then we topped the day off with some sparkling juice! There were Halloween and Christmas decorations throughout the house. I think Hilary had a great time. I don't think she minded the presents all at once either :-)

 

Hilary posted this picture on Facebook on her way to basic training and I stole it :-) I'm sure Hilary would appreciate everyone's prayers! This will be a long time away from home and I hear basic training is ... not so basic, if  you know what I mean.

 

 

 At our Halloween/Thanksgiving/Birthday/Christmas/New Years celebration I brought sweet potato casserole. I had never made this version of it, and I thought it turned out pretty yummy!

 

 

 Here's the recipe!

 

4 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup milk

1/2 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

 

Bake sweet potatoes at 400° for about 1 hour or until tender. Let cool to touch; peel and mash sweet potatoes.
Beat mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, and next 5 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into a greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish.
Combine cornflakes cereal and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle diagonally over casserole in rows 2 inches apart.
Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle alternate rows with marshmallows; bake 10 additional minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

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1/2 cup butter, softened

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups cornflakes cereal, crushed

1/4 cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 tablespoon butter, melted

1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

1. Bake sweet potatoes at 400° for about 1 hour or until tender. Let cool to touch; peel and mash sweet potatoes.
2. Beat mashed sweet potatoes, sugar, and next 5 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spoon potato mixture into a greased 11- x 7-inch baking dish.
3. Combine cornflakes cereal and next 3 ingredients in a small bowl. Sprinkle diagonally over casserole in rows 2 inches apart.
4. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Remove from oven; let stand 10 minutes. Sprinkle alternate rows with marshmallows; bake 10 additional minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.