Sweet Potato Casserole

So, I'm starting to test out recipes for thanksgiving...I've had a lot of failures, so this is the first one that I'm actually putting on the blog.  My husband ate it!!! If anyone one know my husband, they know that he is very picky, especially with vegetables.  He just doesn't eat them, except for corn and raw baby carrots.  So, for him to eat 2 helpings of this casserole (and mind you its gluten free, dairy free, and soy free) means that this is definitely a success!  Now, if I could just get my kids to try, I know they would love it, I mean its like eating dessert for dinner, you can't beat that! (You know it's good, when I forget to take a picture before we down half of it!) :)

Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet Potato Mixture
4 cups sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed*
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 T rice milk or coconut milk, if needed

Top Crust
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1/3 Cup Tapioca Starch
1 Cup Chopped Pecans
1/2 Cup Palm Oil Shortening

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375F
2. Coat a medium sized casserol dish with canola or olive oil.
3. Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla in a large mixing bowl.  Whip by hand, if liquid is needed add some rice or coconut milk.
4. Pour mixture into baking dish. (tip: if you are doing this for thanksgiving, you can make the sweet potato part ahead of time, then stick it in the fridge until you're ready to bake it).
5. Topping: Combine brown sugar, tapioca starch, and pecans in a bowl.  Cut in shortening.
6. Sprinkle the topping mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
7. Bake for 30 minutes.