Holiday Spiced Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

• 3 to 4 pounds red-fleshed sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons orange zest
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
• 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Bake the sweet potatoes: Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Pierce the sweet potatoes all over with the tines of a fork (this is to help release pressure as the potato cooks).
2. Put the potatoes on a foil-lined roasting pan or thick, rimmed baking sheet. Bake until the sweet potatoes are completely tender, about 50 minutes to an hour or more. Remove from oven and let sit until cool enough to touch.
3. Remove the cooked sweet potato flesh from the skins: Cut the sweet potatoes lengthwise and scoop out the insides into a large bowl.
4. Mix with brown sugar, butter, lemon juice, orange zest, spices: Stir in the brown sugar, butter, lemon juice, orange peel, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg, and salt.
5. Use an electric mixer (or by hand with strong arms) to beat the sweet potatoes until they are completely smooth.
6. Sprinkle with a little ground black pepper to taste. Then taste! (But don't eat them all, even though you will be tempted.)