Let's be honest, nothing is ever going to beat a good pumpkin pie for Thanksgiving dinner. But if you are looking to do something different, this is a good option.
Somewhere between a pumpkin pie and mashed sweet potatoes, it's elegant, a little quirky, and comes together extremely quickly if you are organized and address some elements a day or two before. The candied pecans, for instance, can be made up to a week in advance, the sweet potato two or three days in advance and the meringue up to 48 hours in advance.