Roasted Butter Pecan Sweet Potatoes

Preheat your oven to 425°F (215°C). Prepare an 8×8 baking dish by spraying with non-stick cooking spray or buttering it.

Roast sweet potatoes by piercing each sweet potato with a fork 5 times on each side. Place on a baking sheet and roast at 425°F (215°C) for 30-40 minutes or until you can easily pierce the skin with a fork or paring knife. Toast pecans (5-10 minutes at 425°F) and winter squash (30-40 minutes at 425°F) in this stage too, if using winter squash.

Cool sweet potatoes and winter squash slightly before peeling. Skin should easily peel off. For squash, scoop out the flesh with a spoon. Slightly mash sweet potato and squash pulp and add to a large mixing bowl.

Add in the sugar, melted butter, milk, and salt. Mash until well combined. Puree using an immersion blender (or a standard blender or food processor in batches).

Spread mixture into the greased baking dish. Set aside as you make the topping.

Reduce oven temp to 375°F (190°C).

For the topping, combine well the cooled, toasted pecans, salt, brown sugar and softened butter.

Top the pureed mixture with the pecan mixture and bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18-20 minutes to warm through and bake the top. Serve hot.

If there are any leftovers, see my recipe for a Pecan Sweet Potato Pie.