Try a Midwestern favorite with Virginia flavor that adults and kids will both love!
Try out our light, fluffy sweet potato soufflé recipe. It comes from Midwestern roots, passed down from Aunt Susie, and is now a CharlottesvilleFamily favorite. Kids can help arrange pecans or add a half-pan marshmallow topping, making it a fun family tradition all year long.
A Family Recipe with Midwestern Roots and a Charlottesville Twist
This recipe came from my sister-in-law, known in the family as Aunt Susie. She grew up in the Midwest, where comfort foods are simple, satisfying, and served with pride. I learned to make it in my first kitchen, long before I had a dining table big enough for guests. Now, decades later, it’s the one side dish my kids always ask for, especially at holidays. This sweet potato casserole is a perfect make-ahead dish for setting a cozy table when the Blue Ridge hills turn gold.
Aunt Susie’s version was pure Midwestern hospitality: real butter, farm-fresh sweet potatoes, and just enough sweetness to feel like a treat. Over time, I lightened the texture and added the “half-and-half” topping—pecans on one side, marshmallows on the other—because every family has divided preferences, and this way everyone’s happy…