Italian Pork with Mashed Sweet Potatoes

Combine fennel seeds, oregano, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Trim fat from meat. Sprinkle the fennel seed mixture evenly over the meat; rub in with your fingers. If necessary, cut the meat to fit into a 3 1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker (see Tip). Set aside.

Place sweet potatoes in the cooker. Add the meat. Pour broth over mixture in the cooker.

Cover and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours or on High for 4 to 5 hours.

Remove the meat from the cooker, reserving cooking juices. Slice the meat. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the sweet potatoes to a medium bowl. Use a potato masher to mash the sweet potatoes, adding enough of the cooking juices, if necessary, to moisten. Serve the meat with the mashed sweet potatoes.