Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes with Pecan Streusel

 Because I just made sweet potato casserole last week, I decided to change it up.  While the candied yams with marshmallows has it's place, I am always up for new.  And streusel, I mean come on!  I would put steusel on everything if I could.

These potatoes were incredibly delicious and may be showing up each year at my Thanksgiving table.  The streusel got all crunchy and the nuts get all toasty and um, YUM!!!   These were like dessert.  My 4 year old, who is my pickiest eater, went, "MMM!" with each bite.  A great addition to any meal!

TWICE BAKED SWEET POTATO WITH PECAN STREUSEL
Recipe adapted from laurenslatest.com

INGREDIENTS:

• 3 large sweet potatoes
• 3 TBSP packed brown sugar
• 3 TBSP butter
• pinch salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla

FOR THE STREUSEL-

• 3 TBSP flour
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans
• 2 TBSP butter
• 3 TBSP packed brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Prick sweet potatoes with a fork or knife and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until soft. Or you can microwave the sweet potatoes on high for 13-15 minutes.

Once sweet potatoes are cooked, slice in half and scoop out the centers into a bowl leaving a 1/4 inch border of sweet potato with the skin. Mix in brown sugar, butter, salt and cinnamon until smooth. Using a large tipped pastry bag, pipe filling back into sweet potato shells. {Or spoon it back in}  You will have one shell  (half a sweet potato skin) that is empty if you fill them nice and full, which I didn't because I didn't read the directions.   So, you will have 5 instead of 6.  Got it?  Note to self: read the directions!
In a small bowl, combine all ingredients except nuts for streusel and mix together until crumbly.  Add nuts and stir until incorporated.  Sprinkle the filled sweet potatoes with the streusel and bake 25-30 minutes. Serve warm.