Sweet Potato & Apple Gratin

Sweet Potato Layers:
2 Tbs margarine or butter
3 large Golden Delicious Apples (peeled, cored and cut into 1/4 slices)
1 jumbo onion
2 Tbs applejack brandy (or white wine)
6 medium sweet potatoes (2 1/2 pounds)
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg (maybe cinnamon too or allspice)
1 cup apple cider or apple juice

Pecan-crumb topping:
2 Tbs margarine or butter
3 slices firm white bread (cut into 1/4-inch pieces)
1/2 cup pecans, coarsely chopped

Prepare Sweet-potato layers: Grease shallow casserole. In skillet, melt butter. Add apples and onion and cook, stirring frequently, until tender and golden (25 min). Stir in wine and cook 1 more minute, remove from heat. Meanwhile peel and slice sweet potatoes. In a cup mix salt, pepper and nutmeg. Preheat oven to 400. Arrange 1/3 of sweet potatoes in pan over-lapping. Sprinkle with 1/3 of salt mixture. Repeat till all ingredients used. Pour cider over layers and bake covered for 1 hour. Meanwhile make pecan-crumb topping.

Topping: Melt margarine in skillet. Cook bread pieces and pecans until bread and pecans are lightly toasted (about 5 minutes). Put on top of casserole just before serving.

Source: Ann (a Secretary from Halliburton)