Pecan Pie

I like Thanksgiving but it was my mom’s favorite holiday. In her honor, I made the pecan pie. She was not much of a baker but this was one thing she loved to bake and eat. In July she had shelled about 10 cups of pecans to give me at Thanksgiving. I took them home after the funeral and have kept them in the freezer until today. Some things I think only moms can do such as mend anything and it not look like someone with a hook for a hand and/or missing a thumb did it (like my mending jobs) or shell pecans so they come out in complete halves. I looked at the bag of pecans this morning in amazement as usual that over half the bag is in perfect halves. I knew my mom would have been so proud of that fact too so I thought I would showcase the halves in my pie.

Pecan pies are best made a day or two ahead of time and freeze really really well so no harm in making it 4 days before showtime. I have a caramel apple cake in the oven too so the house pretty much smells ok.

Whole halves

Happy Pi Day!

So today is Pi day and in honor of this blessed event, I have made TWO pies –  A Tuscaloosa Tollhouse Pie (from Baked Cookbook I recently purchased). This pie is like a Chocolate Chip cookie and pie all in one and I give it 5 noms out of 5. Here’s the recipe:

1 pie crust – fitted into a 9” pie pan and frozen
1/2 cup AP flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 c. unsalted butter, softened and cubed
1 tbs. whiskey
3/4 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped
1 ¼ cups chocolate chips

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour and sugars together until combined. Set aside.

In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs on high speed until foamy, about 3 minutes. Remove the whisk attachment and add the paddle attachment. With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture. Turn the mixer to high and beat for 2 minutes. Scrape down the bowl and add the butter, beating on high until well-combined. Scrape down the bowl and add the whiskey, and beat the mixture on high for 1 minute.

Fold the nuts and 1 cup of chocolate chips into the filling. Scrape into the frozen pie shell and smooth into an even layer. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup chocolate chips on top. Bake for 40-50 minutes, covering the edges of the crust with foil if it gets too brown. The pie is done when it is puffed and golden brown, and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow to cool before slicing, but this pie is best served warm.

Cassiboy commented on the lightness of the Pie. I think it's due to beating these eggs half to death

For baking purposes only

Folding and folding

Ready for the oven. Smells really good even at this point

OMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOMNOM

A test drive

MAIN EVENT

The main event for today was apple pi(e) for the throwdown between Shelly of http://busyatworkathome.wordpress.com.This is being judged some confusing way and I hope I win, will post results later. Cassiboy and Party Foul were here for moral support as I prepared the pi(e). Mostly, they danced around the kitchen and made up songs that involved Pi. I’m guessing Cassiboy will post those at her blog, but I might be mistaken http://leomonkey.wordpress.com/

So my pie is called “Pi(e) Are Squared” – Get it? You have to see it, I guess. First of all, this pie tastes like the buttery goodness that it looks like in the closeup. I give it 5.314 noms out of 5 – Cassiboy and Party Foul seemed to enjoy as well because despite how hot the pie was they kept taking bites and kind of dancing around. (the real name is Grandma Opal’s Apple Pie and here’s the recipe from http://www.allrecipes.com:)

INGREDIENTS

• 1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 8 Granny Smith apples – peeled, cored and sliced

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Melt the butter in a saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add water, white sugar and brown sugar, and bring to a boil. Reduce temperature and let simmer.
2. Place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.
3. Bake 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes, until apples are soft

And photos….First of Shelly’s Cherry Pie

Mmmm cherry pie mmmm

Well, she did go to Tech....

Sweet Cherry Pi(e)

I call this one "Shelly with Pie"

And then my Apple pi(e) Are Squared:

Apples chopped and ready

Ready to go

Pi(e) R Squared. Get it? Get it???

I'm basically like Vanna White or some junk

Except hungrier

Look in the bottom left corner - that's a river of butter. A butter river runs thru it. hahahaha.