Monday, November 23, 2015

Thanksgiving Week & 4 Weeks Before Christmas - Pecan Pie & Holiday Check List

It's Thanksgiving Week!  Turkey, green bean casserole, pecan pie, family, Black Friday, shopping.  Those would all be words I'd use to describe this week.  It's a busy week, but a fun one too!  Each Monday during the 2015 Holiday Season I'm sharing a holiday recipe and my weekly check list.

I thought this week it'd be appropriate for me to share my family's  Pecan Pie recipe.  How much more Thanksgiving can you get than Pecan Pie?  Well, maybe turkey, but Pecan Pie is definitely the top dessert.  In fact, I took an unscientific poll on my Corn, Beans, Pigs and Kids Facebook Page and my readers agreed.  Thanksgiving is the universal excuse to indulge in this rich, calorie-filled pie.  Now I've both made and tried different variation of the Pecan Pie - chocolate, whiskey, etc., but nothing beats the original with a lard crust!

The Traditional Thanksgiving Pecan Pie Recipe

Pecan Pie

9" Crust:
1/3 cup Lard
1 cup Flour
1/4 tsp Salt
2-3 T Cold Water

Filling: 
1 cup Corn Syrup
3 Eggs
1 cup Sugar
2 Tbsp Butter, melted
1 tsp Vanilla
1/8 tsp Salt
1 cup Pecans, chopped

Start by making your crust.  Cut the lard with the flour and salt until you get pea-sized dough.  Add 1 Tbsp of cold water at a time until the dough sticks together and you can form a ball with it.  Put the ball of pie dough in plastic wrap and flatten it.  Let it cool down in the refrigerator.

After it has cooled, roll the dough out large enough to fit your pie plate.  I love using my Tupperware Pie Mat to roll my dough on because it gives me an outline of a 9" pie crust on it.  Be sure to sprinkle both the mat and your rolling pin with flour, as well as the top of the dough to prevent sticking.  If your crust is too dry, keep a cup of cold water next to you as your roll out the dough so you can sprinkle water in trouble spots that are starting to crack.

Pie Making Supplies + Pecan Pie Recipe
Some of my staple pie making supplies
Pie Ring Shields, Lard, Wooden Rolling Pin, Tupperware Pie Mat
After you get the crust rolled out and laid into your pie plate, make a simple edge design with the top of your crust.  Usually I do the "dent" method using my thumb and bent index finger of my left hand, and dent the dough between the bent index finger of my right hand.  But you can also use a cute little cookie cutter like I did in the above picture to decorate the top of the crust.  I used a little leaf cutter; I thought it was a festive touch!

Next it is time to make the filling.  Mix all the ingredients together besides the pecans.  Once it is all incorporated, stir in the pecans and pour into your unbaked pie crust.

Bake your pie at 400 degrees Farenheit for 15 minutes and then reduce the heat to 350 degrees for an additional 30-35 minutes.  Use a pie ring shield on top of your pie so the top of your crust doesn't burn, or put aluminum foil around the edge of the pie.  The pie is done when the filling looks solid.  Give your pie a little shake in the oven and if the center of the filling moves around a lot in needs some more time.

I hope you enjoy my Pecan Pie recipe as much as my family does!  Now this week isn't all about pie, but really, would that be that bad.  Besides making and prepping food for Thanksgiving this week, I'm also needing to finish making my shopping list for Black Friday and finalize our Christmas travel plans.  Be sure too see my complete check list for Thanksgiving Week and 4 Weeks Before Christmas.

Holiday Check List for Thanksgiving Week and 4 Weeks Before Christmas

And if you missed last week's Check List and Horchata Pumpkin Waffles Recipe, you better catch up on those items too.

Horchata Pumpkin Waffles Recipe and Weekly Holiday Check List

What is your favorite dessert for Thanksgiving?  Are you a pecan pie fan too?  Remember to Comment for a Cause!

8 comments:

  1. I do love me a good slice of pecan pie. :)

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    Replies
    1. Put a little vanilla ice cream on top - delicious!

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  2. That pie is beautiful! My great-grandma made lard crusts and my mom says they were THE BEST. Have a great Thanksgiving!

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  3. Great tips! I made a really good pecan pie this year along with my Piecaken. :-)

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  4. I haven't made Pecan Pie in years, since my hubby became a juvenile (type 1) diabetic early in our marriage. I miss it! Piday Party

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    Replies
    1. You'll have to make one for a party so you can have a slice ;)

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  5. Oh heck yea, gimme that lard pie crust!

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