Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Pecan Streusel

Years ago, I concluded that I am just not "that blogger".  You know the one.  They're prepared.  They cook Thanksgiving dinner a few months early, so that they can share all sorts of tasty recipe ideas for a month or two preceeding the big day.  And its not just Thanksgiving, it's any holiday or major event.  Nope, I'm not her.

That doesn't mean that I don't want to be that blogger, because I totally do.  I just don't seem to have enough hours in my day (or dollars in my wallet).  So, while I may have share a few ideas preceeding a big foodie holiday, I wind up with the bulk of things that I have to share after the fact.  I photograph them as they sit on the holiday table.

But really, aren't sweet potatoes, stuffing, turkey, pie, rolls, and gravy good on more than just one day!?  Yes they are.  So, I'm going to go ahead and show you a side dish that would be an amazing addition not only to your Thanksgiving table, but also to your dinner table any time during the fall or winter.  Plus, it's not like you can't save it now in anticipation of next year.

I've never been a huge fan of the "typical" sweet potato casserole; the kind with the marshmallows on top.  While I love the look and the nostalgia of it, it's just too sweet for me.  I usually take a bite or two and that's it.  So the sweet potato that makes its way to my (Thanksgiving) table is usually simply baked, or mashed with Yukon Golds.  But this year was a little different.  These whipped sweet potatoes are still on the sweeter side, especially with the streusel topping, but there is something a bit unexpected about them.  They are combined with banana!  The banana adds a complexity that will keep everybody at the table trying to "lay their finger" on the "secret" ingredient.

So, whip up a batch {gratuitous pun} of these for your next get together, and see if anybody guesses that banana is the thing that takes this side dish over the edge.

Whipped Sweet Potatoes and Bananas with Pecan Streusel

by Heather Schmitt-Gonzalez

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 60 minutes, divided

Keywords: bake side vegetarian soy-free bananas pecans sweet potatoes Thanksgiving American fall winter

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

for the base

• 28 ounces (3 medium) sweet potatoes
• 2 medium bananas
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2 tablespoons honey
• sea salt

for the streusel

• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup pecans, chopped (fine or rough)
• sea salt
• 2 ounces unsalted butter, at room temperature

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375° F. Wash the sweet potatoes, and prick them all over with a fork. Set on a sheet tray that has been lined with foil or parchment. Slide into oven and bake for 40 minutes. Add the unpeeled bananas to the tray and continue to roast until the potatoes are soft and bananas are soft and dark brown, ~15 minutes longer. Remove from oven, but leave the oven on.

Once the sweet potatoes have cooled enough to handle, rub the peels off of them. Place them into a large bowl; peel the bananas and add the same bowl. Add butter, honey, and a couple good pinches of sea salt. Using a hand-mixer, whip until everything is smooth and fluffy.

Butter a shallow baking dish (about 1 to 1-1/2 quarts), dump in the mixture, and smooth the top.

Place brown sugar, flour, pecans, and a couple pinches of sea salt into a small bowl and toss to combine. Add the butter in small chunks, and then "cut" it in using your fingers until the mixture is well combined; it should be moist and clumped together.

Break and crumble it up over the top of the sweet potato mixture. Slide into oven and bake until the crumble topping is golden brown, 20 minutes.

-slightly adapted from Tyler Florence via Food Network Magazine November 2013