Carter's Homestead Sweet Potato Casserole

http://homesteadbloggersnetwork.com/7-days-thanksgiving/ 

Before I get started, I want everyone to repeat after me. Butter is your friend. Ready? Okay everyone "Butter is your friend". Now that we have that out of the way.

Ingredients:
3 Large Sweet Potatoes
1 Cup Butter
1 Package of Graham Crackers (you can also use 2 cups Graham Cracker Curmbs)
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar Packed
3/4 Cup White Sugar
1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
2 Cups Pecans

Bake 3 Large sweet potatoes about 2 hours or until you can puncture with a fork.
Note: This can be done ahead of time and potatoes can be stored in the fridge for a couple of days.
Let cool at least enough to handle then peel potatoes. The skins will come right off and these skins are great for the compost pile.

Place peeled sweet potatoes in a mixing bowl. Add brown sugar, white sugar, vanilla extract, and 1/2 cup butter melted. Mix well.

If you are using Graham Crackers crush them to a medium course consistency. If using Graham Cracker crumbs pour 2 cups in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup melted butter mix well. After mixed press into bottom of casserole bowl.

Spoon sweet potato mixture into casserole bowl, on top of Graham Cracker crust. Once all mixture is spooned in, smooth the mixture.

Take pecans and layer the top with them as pictured below.

Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes.

That is it. To add some variety you can put marshmallows on top before you bake so the marshmallows will be a little crisp. Mini marshmallows work best. If you want a crunchy topping you can add 1 1/2 cups of oatmeal mixed with another 1/2 cup melted butter under the pecans. 

I hope you enjoy, and Happy Thanksgiving.

Keep It Rural.

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The Worlds Easiest Fudge (Gregg's Treats #2)

My daughter is loving me writing about all of my sweets.

This is quite possibly the easiest sweet ever. Is it healthy, no, but it is very good. I have been making this fudge for over 15 years and everyone loves it.
My wife is a little upset at me for sharing my treats with all of you, but she is being supportive.
As the title indicates this is the easiest fudge in the world. So here is how it is done.
2 packages of cream drops
1 3/4 cups crunchy peanut butter

Put ingredients in a microwavable bowl. Microwave on high for 3 minutes and mix.

That is all there is to it. Qucik, cheap, and easy.

I hope you enjoy these easy sweets. If you do comment on the post so I can prove to my wife that people actually appreciate these posts. I have at least two more to come.

Current News:

Right now The Rural Economist has a giveaway going to celebrate our first year anniversary. We are giving away copies of two eBooks. The Urban Chicken and The Gardening Notebook this giveaway ends November 11th 2013. The author of the Gardening Notebook has offered a 30% discount for our readers. If you purchase that book use the discount code "RURAL" at check out. Discount is good through November 13th 2013www.thegardeningnotebook.com

I am excited to announce that The Homestead Bloggers Network will be hosting the seven days of Thanksgiving the whole week before Thanksgiving. Each day a different course will be featured. I am proud to announce that The Rural Economist will have recipes on at least 3 of the days.

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Quick, Easy, and Cheap Treats (Gregg's Treats)

Growing up my dad was the primary sweet maker. That might have been because he was the primary sweet eater. He made nearly all of the sweets that were consumed while I was growing up. I watched him make all kinds of wonderful things, I also saw him make a few disasters, but that is part of experimenting with food.

Dad taught me a few basic principles that apply to more than just making treats. (1) Simple is always better. (2) Use existing products when at all possible. (3) Always be willing to change things up. I have added a few rules that only apply to treats (1) Chocolate is good (2) Peanut Butter is Good and (3) Anything that helps me skip a step is Good.

Don't get me wrong Rice Kripsy treats are good and all, but my version is much better. Only three ingredients and about six minutes will give you a really yummy treat for the whole family. (If you or anyone in your family has peanut allergies you know you cannot have these treats. Sorry)

Ingredients:

2 bags marshmallows

Jar peanut butter

Frosted Flakes

That is it. Sorry I don't measure anything unless I am following someone else's recipe. Take 1 1/2 bags of marshmallows and put them in a microwavable bowl and about 1 1/2 cups of peanut butter (Like I said I do not measure I just dump peanut butter in there till it looks right. You will figure it out after a try or two.) Microwave on high for 3 1/2 minutes. You will notice the marshmallows expanding as they melt so don't let them overflow the bowl or you will have a sticky mess. 

Once you take the marshmallow and peanut butter out of the microwave start mixing in the frosted flakes. I normally use about 1/2 a box. Again I don't measure. What you are looking for is a good firm consistency that is still light enough for you to stir. You will notice that it will get stringy, this is a good thing. I like a nice light brown color. After I have everything mixed up well I take a wooden spoon and pack the treats down into the pan or bowl. I sprinkle a layer of frosted flakes on top and pat them down with the wooden spoon as well. Let cool and eat. That is it.

These treats can be made on the stove top as well. It is best if you have a double boiler, but can be made with direct heat, you just have to be very careful to keep the marshmallows from scorching.

These treats are very customize able as well. I have added chocolate chips several times and I have even made these treats with chocolate cereal. Just be creative. I will be posting two more recipes for simple treats in the very near future. I hope you enjoy.

Life should not be all serious. Some times a treat is all that is needed to make a day better. I hope you like these. You can follow this blog by clicking the Join This Site button which is on this page. You can join in the conversation, see the free ebooks that I have found and just generally stay connected with The Rural Economist by following on Facebook by clicking HERE

Keep It Rural