The holidays of November and December are my favorites of the holidays. I think it is partly due to the fact that we have more traditions built on Thanksgiving and Christmas than any other time of year. They are also fun to decorate for and I LOVE to do that!
One tradition we have for these holidays is pecan pie. When I was growing up there seemed to be pecan pie on the menu. For family reunion , either Aunt Amy or Aunt Opal would bring a pecan pie and while many kids don't like nuts, I always have -- especially pecans!
My mother also made pecan pie for the holidays and they were always good. Unfortunately, Mom was one of those "little of this and a bit of that" cooks so many recipes were never written down. I never had her pecan pie recipe so had to find one of my own. My friend, Betty who is from Kentucky provided the recipe I've used "forever". She contributed the recipe to a church cookbook when we lived in the Milwaukee area where she still lives. That was so long ago that the cook book was printed using a mimeograph - remember those?
Here is Betty's recipe for Kentucky Pecan Pie.
KENTUCKY PECAN PIE
1 Cup White corn syrup 1/4 cup melted butter
1 Cup brown sugar 3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla 1 heaping cup shelled pecan halves
1/2 teaspoon salt
Combine syrup, sugar, salt, butter, vanilla and mix well. Add eggs. Pour into 9:" unbaked pie shell. Sprinkle pecans over all. (You will notice I carefully place mine in radiating circles. Some people just mix chopped pecans into the syrup mixture - your preference.
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. When cool, top with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.
Though the original recipe says you can use margarine, I never, ever do. Butter and the brown sugar make a wonderful almost caramel taste which many people have commented on when I've served this pie.
This is what the pre-baked pie looks like.
And here it is again, all baked.
We have other traditions and I will be writing about those from time to time, as well.
What traditions do you have? Food related or otherwise? Which is your favorite tradition? Ooh, as I wrote that, I realized I couldn't pick a favorite! Maybe you will have trouble as well.
Do your traditions come from your own family traditions or did you create your own? We have some of both.
Hope you try this pecan pie. If you like pecan pie, I think you will LOVE this one.
xoxoXOXOxoxo
Lois
2 comments:
Pecan pie, one of my holiday favorites also. My Aunt Juanita is the one who always made this special dessert for our family gatherings.
I just returned from my mom's house in Alabama tonight, and I have two gallon-sized plastic bags filled with pecans from the pecan tree in her backyard. Seeing your pecan pie makes me want to make one this week-end. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Judith
I don't think I have had pecan pie since toralf became diabetic! It is the one food I haven't been able to adapt. We do raspberry pie for Thanksgiving now. Usually with grocery store frozen raspberries - they just don't grow well here in our yard. Between the hard pan soil and the deer they don't stand a chance but even with the storebought berries pie is a treat.
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