I found this recipe in the Food Network Magazine and plan to make it for Thanksgiving. Although I haven’t made it yet, I don’t see how any recipe that uses bacon crumble can be bad.  Also seems like a perfect candidate to make a couple days before Thanksgiving, then warming in the oven before serving.

Sweet Potatoes:

• 3 lbs medium sweet potatoes
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 sprig rosemary, broken in half
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1/4 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• salt and pepper to taste

Crumble:

• 2 slices bacon, chopped into pieces
• 2/3 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
• salt to taste

Heat oven to 375. Prick the sweet potatoes, place on baking sheet and roast until soft, approx. 1 hour.  Let cool slightly. Warm butter and rosemary in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter starts to brown. Discard rosemary.  Scoop sweet potato flesh out of skins in to a food processor. Add infused butter, egg, cream, sugar, cinnamon, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and puree until smooth.  Grease an 8×8 baking dish and spread the potato mixture in.

For the crumble, cook bacon in medium skillet over medium heat until crisp, about 4 minutes.  REmove to a paper towel and reserve fat. Combine flour, pecans, sugar, butter, a pinch of salt and 2 tablespoons back fat in a bowl. Using your fingers, rub butter into flour mixture until coarse crumbs form.  Toss in bacon. Sprinkle crumble over sweet potato mixture.  Bake casserole until lightly browned and potatoes are hot, about 30 minutes.