Why are there marshmallows on sweet potato casserole?

According to an article from Saveur Magazine documented by the Library of Congress, the first recipe of mashed sweet potatoes with marshmallows dates to 1917, when “marketers of Angelus Marshmallows hired Janet McKenzie Hill, founder of the Boston Cooking School Magazine, to develop recipes for a booklet designed to

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People also ask, are canned yams and sweet potatoes the same?

No, yams and sweet potatoes are not the same. Yams have rough, dark brown skin that is often compared to tree bark, and their flesh is dry and starchy like a regular potato. … The popular canned yams that you see around the holidays are technically sweet potatoes.

Keeping this in consideration, can I substitute canned yams for sweet potatoes? The short answer is no, you can’t always substitute yams for sweet potatoes. That’s because yams and sweet potatoes are different vegetables with totally different origins, even though they often get lumped together in the same category in the United States.

Similarly one may ask, do marshmallows belong on sweet potatoes?

Yes, we’re talking about the infamous sweet potato casserole, an arbitrary tradition that, over time, has deceptively positioned itself as an American classic, akin to apple pie. … Here’s an air-tight case for why marshmallows don’t belong anywhere near a sweet potato.

Do sweet potatoes take longer to cook than potatoes?

Boil whole for 30-50 minutes. This largely depends on the size of the potato. Smaller ones will be done faster, larger potatoes may take a bit longer. Boil sweet potatoes that are cut into 1-inch cubes for 12-15 minutes.

How do I know if my sweet potato casserole is done?

Sprinkle the topping evenly over the sweet potato mixture, then pop it into the oven and let it bake for 40 to 45 minutes. You will know it’s done when the topping is lightly browned and the center of your casserole is set and firm.

How do I make my sweet potato mash thicker?

To thicken mashed potatoes, you can add a thickening agent like cornstarch, flour, powdered milk, or tapioca. Add one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. You can also add heat, more potatoes, or even strain the mashed potatoes in order to reach your desired consistency.

How do you firm up sweet potato casserole?

A great sweet potato casserole needs an element of crunch to elevate the filling, otherwise it will get lost among the other dishes on the Thanksgiving table. Chopped toasted almonds, pecans, or pumpkinseeds are a great addition, as well as an oat streusel.

How do you get the strings out of sweet potatoes?

To prevent the strings after boiling or baking sweet potatoes is to first cut both ends off. After the stringy ends have been cut off, place potato on a cutting board or cutting surface and use the knife to cut the entire thing horizontally slicing the entire potato into pieces.

How do you thicken sweet potato casserole?

Mash the potatoes up with a potato masher to break up any large pieces. Mix the sweet potato mixture thoroughly until creamy. Mix in the brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg and butter. Add in the flour to thicken if needed and mix well.

Is it healthier to bake or boil sweet potatoes?

Boiling may actually retain most of the antioxidant power of sweet potatoes, compared to roasting and steaming. … Baking can also cause an 80% drop in vitamin A levels, twice as much as boiling. Therefore, from a nutritional standpoint, boiling rather than baking should be recommended for cooking sweet potato.

Is sweet potato pie a black thing?

It became an African cuisine tradition brought to the United States by slaves, who made it using sweet potatoes and yams, a plant native to Africa, instead of pumpkin. Ever since, sweet potato pie has been a must-have dish at many African-American family gatherings, especially Thanksgiving.

Should I put eggs in my sweet potato casserole?

Forget the Egg

The egg is the all-important binder in a sweet potato casserole: it enriches and stiffens the mixture without making it heavy. Make sure to cool the mash slightly before adding the egg so it doesn’t scramble, and to stir well so there are no streaks of cooked egg white in the finished dish.

Should you soak sweet potatoes before cooking?

Yes, you should soak sweet potatoes before baking. Soaking sliced sweet potatoes before baking will release surface starches. Releasing surface starches helps to crisp the potatoes on the outside, resulting in a deliciously crispy potato.

What is healthier a yam or sweet potato?

Sweet potatoes are more nutritious than yams. Sweet potatoes and yams are both healthy foods, and they look similar. Sweet potatoes, however, have higher concentrations of most nutrients and more fiber.

What is the difference between sweet potato pie and sweet potato casserole?

The difference is that sweet potato casserole can either have a toasted marshmallow top or a crunchy brown sugar/nut top and is made with brown sugar in the casserole. Sweet potato pie is made with white sugar, has nothing on top, but can be served with whipped topping.

Which end of the sweet potato goes in the water?

Place the sweet potato in a container of water. Keep the top 1/3 of the potato exposed by placing toothpicks into the sides. The pointed end should be down in the water. In a few weeks a vine with several stems will begin to sprout.

Who invented the sweet potato casserole?

So, an early 20th-century marshmallow corporation is behind the invention of a dish that many of us think of as timeless and essential for Thanksgiving. Hill’s booklet contained “the first documented appearance of mashed sweet potatoes baked with a marshmallow topping.” And what could be more American than that?

Why did my sweet potato pie crack?

Those cracks you see in your pie are the result of overcooked eggs, eggs that have tightened up so much, in an uneven way, that they’ve created fissures in the filling. Usually you’ll notice cracks around the edge of the pie first, which makes sense; the edges cook more quickly than the interior.

Why do black people eat sweet potatoes?

The use of sweet potatoes in Southern and African-American cuisine traces back to West African influences. The sweet potato, which is native to the Americas, was likely used by African slaves as an alternative to the yam found in their homeland.

Why do we eat sweet potatoes on Thanksgiving?

Sweet potatoes have been popular in the American South since colonial times, when slaves who worked in plantation fields and kitchens mistook them for the yams they knew in their homelands. …

Why is my sweet potato mash watery?

The problem with overcooked potatoes is that they absorb a ton of water. When you go to mash them, they’ll be soupy and sad. One way to fix them is by placing them in a pot over low heat and gently cooking them. The excess water will turn into steam, and your mash will dry out.

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