Maple Smashed Sweet Potato Bake with Spiced Pecan Streusel

To make sweet potatoes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9-by- 13-inch baking dish; set aside.

In a large pot of water, bring sweet potatoes to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer 25 to 30 minutes until tender. Drain well.

Transfer potatoes to a mixer and add butter and salt. Mix until butter is melted. In succession, add milk, syrup and beaten eggs, beating potatoes between additions and scraping down sides of bowl.

Mix potatoes until smooth.

Transfer potato mixture to reserved baking dish and smooth the top. To make the topping: In a small bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, flour, pecans, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt well, then sprinkle evenly over potatoes.

Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes, until potatoes are hot through and streusel is toasted and crunchy.