Ingredients

• 4  medium sweet potatoes or yams (about 2 pounds)
• 2  tablespoons butter or margarine
• 2  medium ripe pears, peeled, halved, cored, and chopped (about 2 cups)
• 1/4  teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1  egg
• 1  recipe Praline Topping

Directions

1. Peel and quarter sweet potatoes. Cook potatoes, covered, in a small amount of boiling lightly salted water for 25 to 35 minutes or until tender. Drain well.

2. Meanwhile, melt margarine or butter in a medium skillet. Add pears; cook, covered, over medium heat until very tender, stirring occasionally.

3. Combine potatoes, pear mixture, and cinnamon in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer on low speed. Cool slightly.

4. With electric mixer running on low speed, beat egg into cooled mixture. Using a decorating bag with a large star tip, pipe mixture into 12 rounds (about 1/3 cup each) onto a greased 15x10x1-inch baking pan, building up edges slightly. (Or, spoon into 12 rounds on baking pan, using back of a tablespoon to make a slight indentation in center of each.) Cover and chill overnight, if desired.

5. Before serving, drop a scant teaspoon of Praline Topping on each round. Bake in a 375 degree F oven about 15 minutes or until potatoes are light brown and heated through. Makes 12 servings.

Praline Topping: Stir together 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and 1 tablespoon half-and-half or light cream in a small mixing bowl. Stir in 1/3 cup broken pecans.

Make-Ahead Tip: Prepare rounds and freeze until firm. Transfer frozen potatoes to a freezer container; freeze for up to 1 month. To serve frozen rounds, place on a greased baking sheet. Drop a scant teaspoon of Praline Topping on each round. Bake in a 375 degree F. oven about 20 minutes or until potatoes are light brown and heated through.