Sweet Potato Cassarole

I found it! Growing up I never liked my mom's sweet potato cassarole. She dumped a can of pineapple chunks in with a can of yams then topped it with mini marshmallows and baked until the marshmallows were burned. Back around 1999 or 2000, the credit union I worked at had a holiday spread for the employees. One of my co-workers brought her family's sweet potato cassarole and I fell in love. The lady gave me the recipe and I have made it every year since receiving rave reviews and many requests for the recipe. So here it is:

Boil and mash potatoes then add:
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup butter

Topping:
1 cup pecans
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 stick butter
(I also add 1/2 coconut)

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

There is no quantity listed for the sweet potatoes, and I have used a couple pounds of raw potatoes I have peeled, diced and cooked myself, or used a large can of  yams and drained and rinsed before cooking. Then I bake in a square baking dish. Eyeball the potatoes and use what you would need in the square dish.