1. Combine the sweet potatoes with enough water to cover in a large pot. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Boil for 20 minutes; drain well. Cool until easily handled.

2. Preheat the oven to 375F.

3. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut into 1/2-inch slices. Arrange in two 2-quart round baking dishes.

4. Combine the brown sugar, cornstarch, grated orange zest and cinnamon in a large saucepan and mix well. Stir in the apricot nectar. Cook over medium heat, stirring continually, until thickened. Stir in the apricots. Pour over the sweet potatoes in the baking dishes.

5. Dot the potatoes with the butter and sprinkle with pecans. Place the two baking dishes in the oven and bake until the sauce is bubbly, about 25 minutes. Garnish with orange zest strips, if desired.

Tip: Smaller Batch
If you’re not serving a crowd, simply halve the amounts of the ingredients and bake the potatoes in one baking dish.