Southern Cooking for Company: More Than 200 Southern Hospitality Secrets and Show-Off Recipes

Sweet potato casserole has won plenty of hearts outside the South. Kristen Solomon, of Boulder, Colorado, and her daughter Sophia say their family prepares their dessert-like version most often for Thanksgiving. “We start making it about two weeks before Thanksgiving to ‘test it out’ again,” says Solomon, but it’s so delicious they have been known to make it other times, and also to eat it cold, straight from the refrigerator.

When you’re organizing a big Thanksgiving crowd, consider asking your guests to bring specific dishes, such as the relish tray, dressing, salad, green beans, broccoli with cheese sauce, creamed onions, and pumpkin pie. Some hosts provide recipes, while others let each cook pick. Either way, you won’t end up with two of some dishes and none of others.

To make the sweet potatoes place the potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Add the sugar, eggs, milk, and butter, and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until no lumps remain. Do not overbeat or the mixture will become soupy. Pour into the baking dish.

To make the topping, in a medium bowl combine the brown sugar, flour, coconut (if using), and butter. Mix well with a fork. Sprinkle evenly over the sweet potato mixture. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Serve hot or cold.