I made the Sweet Potato and Pineapple Casserole for my Thanksgiving potluck at work this week. It’s definitely different than any sweet potato dish I’ve ever had! This casserole puts the ‘sweet’ in sweet potato and might make more sense on the dessert table than as a side dish. I can see why it was a good introduction to a new vegetable for the recipe creator’s kids.

A preparation trick I used to save time was grating the sweet potatoes in my food processor. I washed them well and peeled off the outer skin with a vegetable peeler. I made a cut lengthwise to make sure they would fit down the chute on the lid. It’s so quick and easy (not to mention safer) to use a food processor with a grating attachment compared to other methods I’ve tried. I had two large sweet potatoes grated in 30 seconds flat!

The verdict: The casserole is good…just very different from the candied or marshmallow-topped dish you’re used to. It was a little on the sweet side for me so I would recommend cutting back on the sugar. I think ¼ – ½ cup would be just fine. Next time, I’ll try boiling or baking the sweet potatoes, peeling and mashing them, combining with the remaining ingredients, and then baking as directed for a spin on the texture.

Becca Ary blogs at BettyBecca.com about cooking tips for newbies in the kitchen, store-bought remixes to take processed foods out of her family’s diet, and two adorable dachshunds.