First, in a medium-sized skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Once melted, add the brown sugar. Allow the sugar to cook for several minutes so that it melts into the butter, stirring constantly. Once the mixture is fully combined, add the pecans and pumpkin spice seasoning. Stir to coat the pecans in the butter-sugar-spice seasoning evenly. Pour mixture onto wax paper to cool, leveling it out to a single layer. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 420 degrees. Slice the sweet potatoes in about 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices. They should be thick enough to hold the topping, but not too thick to dominate the flavor. Pour the olive oil on a large sheet pan, and arrange the sweet potato slices in a single layer, so that every slice is touching the pan. Bake for about 17-20 mins, or until the side facing the pan is golden brown and the top side is soft but not mushy. Remove from pan and allow them to cool on paper towels or a cooling rack. Sprinkle with sea salt.

Allow the sweet potato crostini to cool COMPLETELY before applying a thick layer of goat cheese to each crostini. Break up the cooled candied pecan topping and sprinkle on each piece of sweet potato. If you prefer a sweeter appetizer, use more of the nuts per piece; if you’d prefer a more tart appetizer, use fewer nuts. Garnish with chopped chives, and serve at room temperature.  Pair with a glass of Bonterra Zinfandel.