Orange Glazed Sweet Potatoes With Pecans

Here is a great holiday side dish! Of course it can be made and enjoyed any time. My mom makes this. I prefer to mash the potatoes somewhat coursely or lumpy rather than as smoothly as typical mashed potatoes.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Serves: 12

Ingredients

• 6  large sweet potatoes
• 6  tablespoons brown sugar, packed
• 2  eggs, beaten
• 1⁄4 cup  orange juice
• 2  tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 1  teaspoon real vanilla extract
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt

• Topping

• 3  tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1⁄2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 3⁄4 cup  chopped pecans
• 9  pecan halves (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375. Bake potatoes until very tender -- about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Let cool, and reduce oven heat to 350.
2. Scoop potatoes out of peels and mash until desired texture. Stir in remaining ingredients and place in casserole dish (9 X 9).
3. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over potatoes. Bake until done at 350 -- about 1/2 hours.
4. Optional: stud with 9 pecan halves at even intervals before returning to oven, just to make it look pretty.