Baked Sweet Potatoes with Apricots and Bourbon

In a small bowl, pour bourbon over dried apricots.

Scrub and rinse sweet potatoes, pierce with a fork several times and place directly on oven rack. Bake at 350 degrees F until potatoes are soft when pierced (anywhere from 60 to 90 minutes depending on size). Let stand until cool, peel them and place them in a large mixing bowl.

Add brown sugar, butter and vanilla and mash with a potato masher until mixture is only slightly chunky. Stir in apricots and bourbon.

Spoon into a shallow baking dish and spread level. Bake uncovered until hot in the center, about 30 minutes. Serve warm.