Kichler Circle -- Sweet Potato Casserole Family Recipe

Many people know I am from the Woerner Family, but what many do not know is that my mother is also from a farming family – the Kichler Family. The Kichlers are primarily known as sweet potato farmers from Elberta, AL.  Growing up in a sweet potato family, you learn not only how to grow and harvest the crop, but how to grade and cook the crop also. No surprise that one of the Kichlers’ generational recipes is a Sweet Potato Casserole and we will name this one – from Kichler Circle.

The Alabama sweet potato harvest occurs around August, and I would either still be on summer vacation or go to the barn on the weekends to help out.  My job with sweet potatoes was probably the easiest…I got to grade them. The reason I say mine was the easiest is because, although I was in an un-air-conditioned barn, I did have a shade from the hot sun and a barn fan blowing on me. We sat on our wooden barstools and I would try to position myself right next to the washer for an even cooler mist effect. As you grade the potatoes, you separate the imperfect or “damaged” ones that go to the canner and the regular size and jumbo ones that go to the grocery stores.

I remember those days all too well and appreciate all the effort that goes into growing such a vitamin-rich vegetable… especially for a sweet dessert. Now, there are two funny things about this recipe. First, I was always told most of the vitamins and nutrients were in the peel yet my recipe does not include the peel. Second, I was also told that if you fed too many sweet potatoes to your baby/toddler, they were going to turn orange – literally! Enjoy…