Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole

I'm not sure what took me so long to make this.

It's a simple recipe, one my mom made for holidays and such.  A few minutes of prep and then it cooks in the oven.  It bakes for 45 minutes or so (depending on the thickness of your slices and the number of layers), but overcooking will do it no harm.

Finished product... as pretty as I can make it.

My kinda recipe... one that appreciates neglect.

My kids, who prefer their sweet potatoes mashed or in the form of fries, love this recipe.  It might be the visible cinnamon.  There is a little sweetener, but not much,  I like tart apples, but with sweeter ones, the brown sugar might not be needed at all.  Also, I prefer to leave the skin on both the apples and sweet potatoes for bonus vitamins and fiber.  Peeling them would make the finished recipe prettier.

Measurements here are by weight, since both apples and sweet potatoes vary widely in size.  The recipe scales up and down nicely to feed four or forty.  As you can see from my photos, I've used a round, 2QT Corningware pan with a lid, as well as a shallow au gratin pan (covered with foil for baking).  The pan needs to be oven safe; after that, it's all about size and aesthetics.

Sweet Potato and Apple Casserole
1lb sweet potato
1lb apples (I prefer Nittany, Fuji and Granny Smith for this, but anything will work)
2 Tbsp butter, separated
2 Tbsp brown sugar (can use maple syrup, or omit if apples are sweet)
1 Tbsp cinnamon, separated

1.  Heat the over to 350 degrees.  Grease the plan with 1/2 Tbsp of butter; set aside.

2.  Wash the sweet potatoes and apples.  Scrub well if you will be keeping the skin on; otherwise, peel them now.

3.  Cut the sweet potatoes and apples into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Shape and exact measurement are unimportant unless you want a pretty final dish.

4.  Place a layer of sweet potatoes in the dish, covered with a layer of apples and half the cinnamon.  Cover with another layer of sweet potatoes and another layer of apples.

Not my neatest attempt, but it was still delicious.

5.  Sprinkle remaining cinnamon on top of the final layer of apples.  Dot with butter and brown sugar, cover, and place in the oven for 45 minutes.

Ready to go in the oven- cover, bake, then eat.

6.  When done, both apples and sweet potatoes will be soft and easily pierced with a fork, and the kitchen will smell like fall.