Welcome to our new series Blissful Days! We’re going to give you an excuse to pop open that bottle of champagne on a Tuesday night or indulge in dessert while on your “diet”. Today, we are going to celebrate Pecan Pie Day! This is a great first celebration since Judi makes a mean Pecan Pie and we are going to share the recipe with you!
We suggest pairing your slice(s) with a Port that has a sweet nutty flavor to it to enhance every single bite. What else would you suggest pairing your Pecan Pie with?
John’s Birthday Pecan Pie by Judi
Ingredients for Pie Crust (or use purchased pie shell)
- 1 cup **Pamela’s Gluten-Free Bread Mix or regular flour
- 1/8 tsp salt
- ½ cup cold butter, cut into Scrabble-tile size pieces
- 4-5 Tbsp icy cold water (I put a metal cup of water in freezer until top freezes over, then use the water immediately)
- Mix together the flour and salt.
- Cut the butter into the flour, until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add icy water one tablespoon at a time, mixing as little as possible, until a loose dough forms. Roll out on floured surface until the size of a 10” pie plate. Transfer dough to pie tin.
**If you bake/cook for someone with Celiac Disease or wheat, corn or soy allergies, please try Pamela’s Gluten-Free Bread Mix. Everyone greedily eats up anything made with this flour. If you have ever tried gluten-free flours, you can appreciate how thankful I was to discover Pamela’s —none of the strange taste, off texture, or non-complying measurements that often accompany gluten-free flours. I substitute Pamela’s Gluten-Free Bread Mix for equal amount of flour for all my flour needs, since members of my family have gluten, corn, and soy intolerances. Pamela’s Gluten-Free Baking Mix is excellent, but contains corn meal.
Ingredients for Pecan Pie Filling
- 4 large or extra large eggs
- 1 ¼ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 ½ cup pecans, chopped (we like coarsely chopped)
- 8-12 pecan halves, if desired
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Beat eggs well with mixer (or whisk like a tornado); add the brown sugar and whip until frothy and thick. Thoroughly mix in the maple syrup and vanilla extract.
- Pour mixture into the unbaked pie shell.
- Top with 8-12 pecan halves, if desired.
- Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes, until filling is set.
To make Chocolate Pecan Pie (not John’s piece of pie), I added 1 cup mini chocolate chips to the Pecan Pie Filling before pouring the mixture into the unbaked pie shell. I loveyed it!!! But, alas, I make pecan pie for John’s birthday, our wedding anniversary, Thanksgiving, and Christmas, where chocolate-free is preferred. I make a dynamite chocolate cream pie for Sarah and me, but that’s a different blog article. Enjoy!!!
Cheers,
Judi and Sarah
About the Author: Sarah's philosophy is that every occasion; a wedding, job promotion, Friday night after a tough week or even sitting at a Pai Gow table in Las Vegas should be celebrated with a glass of bubbly in hand. Her reviews will be casual, just like her. Descriptions will be basic and typically consist of a great place to drink said wine.
