The secret I've found about moving.

I've moved a lot in my life. Michigan to Texas to Nevada to Alaska to California to Maine and then back to Texas and now back to Maine and then to Virginia. It's hard to leave. It always feels like I just finally appreciate where I am and then within a year, we're gone. But I do love arriving. New grocery stores and new places to walk and new people to meet. I have always had a bit of wanderlust in me. I have discovered something pretty great in all of my travels. Even if you know how to make only a few things in the kitchen, you seem like a genius if you move somewhere new. We signed up to bring dessert to the church luncheon on Sunday. And since I have a freezer full of pecans -- thanks to my very generous mother -- I thought why not make pecan pie. I know for a fact that a lot of people up here have never even had pecan pie. And so even though mine might only be passable in the south, it's at least unique here. I've similarly dazzled people here with my queso -- crock pot + Velveeta + Ro-tel canned tomatoes. I did the same thing in Texas when I made Malted Grapenuts Ice Cream (thanks to my good friend's recipe in Alaska). Maybe I'll try my hand at Ambrosia Salad next. I'm not sure you can beat the cloyingly sweet combination of Marachino cherries, mini marshmallows, and Mandarin oranges. 

Deep Dish "PEE-can" Pie

Ingredients:

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup dark brown sugar
1 t pure vanilla extract
Pinch of salt
3 eggs lightly beaten
3 T melted butter (cooled)
3 cups toasted pecans. (These can be halves or pieces or both)
Pie dough for a single crust pie. (Either buy this or use a half recipe of the pate brisee that I listed in the apple pie recipe.

1. Combine the corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla, and salt. Add lightly beaten eggs and half of the pecans.
2. Pour mixture into unbaked pie shell. Then add remaining pecans, pressing down slightly to sink them into the pie base. (This makes certain that you have lots of delicious pecan goodness on the top of the pie.
3. Place pie pan on a cookie sheet and bake in a 350 degree oven for approximately 50 minutes. Check periodically and cover with foil if the edges of the crust or the pecans become too dark. Tap center surface of pie lightly - it should spring back when done.
4. Cool for at least an hour.
5. Serve plain or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

(Posted Jan 9th, 2024)