Coconut - Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole

                          Hello my friends....Thanksgiving is about one week away and I'm already
                          in plan mode. Writing grocery lists and planning my menu. Do you plan?
                          Depending on my mood I like to switch things up...Some years I like the
                          marshmallow topping on my sweet potatoes and some years I like the
                          texture of this delicious and decadent sweet potatoes. You must try them.

                                                   Coconut - Pecan Sweet Potato Casserole

                                                   5 large sweet potatoes
                                                   1/3 teaspoon salt
                                                   3 tablespoon butter
                                                   1 teaspoon cinnamon
                                                   1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
                                                   1/2 cup brown sugar
                                                   1 tablespoon maple syrup
                                                   3 tablespoons half and half or heavy cream

                                                   Topping
                   
                                                   1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
                                                   1/4 cup butter softened
                                                   3/4 cup brown sugar
                                                   3 tablespoons all purpose flour
                                                   3/4 cups chopped pecans

             1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake sweet potatoes for about 40 minutes or until
             soft. Let cool and scoop out the filling and mash.

             2) In a large bowl mix salt, butter, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar,
             maple syrup and half and half into the sweet potatoes. Mix until well blended.

             3) Place in a 9 by 13 casserole dish. Mix the topping into a bowl and mix until
             it looks like course meal. Sprinkle over the sweet potatoes. Bake for 30 minutes.