Pecan Pie

to me the holidays are all about tradition.  it’s about getting together with my family and enjoying a nice meal.  it’s also about recounting those old stories from our childhoods. for me that means my parents telling a story about how i wanted more pretzels.  and if i knew you all a bit better i would finish telling the story.  otherwise it’s way too embarressing. 

in the end it’s all worth it because i get to enjoy a nice slice of my mom’s pecan pie…

Pecan Pie
Filling
4 eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup sugar
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup pecans, chopped

Topping
½ cup brown sugar
3 tablespoon honey
3 tablespoon butter
1½ cups pecan halves

prepared pie crust

Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a pie dish with non stick cooking spray and lay in prepared pie crust.

Mix together all filling ingredients and pour into crust. Bake for 40 minutes.

In a sauce pan heat topping ingredients until melted and combined. Top pie with mixture and bake for another 10 minutes.

tips

• when you take the pie out of the oven after the first 40 minutes, it will be puffed up.  but don’t be alarmed…this is normal.  just push down slightly to make room for the topping.
• if you run out of brown sugar use a mixture of white sugar and molasses.
• save yourself some money and just buy a big bag of pecan havles.  smash 1 cup of nuts in a food storage bag with a heavy skillet to get chopped pecans.

Apple Pie

a few years ago when i decided i wanted to learn how to cook, i started by going over my aunt’s house for lessons.  she taught me how to cook lebanese dishes and how to really measure.  we don’t use measuring cups…we just guestimate.  and everytime i went over i would bring an apple pie.  it was the only thing i knew how to make and my uncle was a big fan.  so with all the apples i picked i promised him that i would make him an apple pie.   this recipe couldn’t be easier.

Apple Pie
6 golden delicious apples, cored, peeled and sliced
1 cup sugar
1/4 c flour
1 tbs cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 package of refrigerated pie crust
nonstick cooking spray
aluminum foil

preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  spray a 9-inch pie pan with nonstick cooking spray and then lay 1 pie crust against the bottom and sides of the pan.  in a very large bowl combine the apples, 3/4 tbs cinnamon, 1 c and 2 tbs sugar, and salt and then pour into the pie pan.  cover with the other crust and press the bottom crust over the top to make a seal.  spray the pie with nonstick cooking spray and then sprinkle the remaining cinnamon and sugar over the pie.  cover the edges of the pie with aluminum foil and cook for 25 minutes.  then remove the foil and bake for another 15 minutes.  let cool then serve.

tips:

• you spray the pie with nonstick cooking spray to make it brown.  you could also brush it with egg wash.  an egg wash is when you whisk an egg with a tablespoon of water.  the protein from the egg allows the crust to brown.  the same is true from the spray.  essentially the spray is a fat and those fats also brown the crust.
• if you don’t cover the edges of your pie the edges will brown before the rest of the pie is done.
• salt in a sweet dish…is that a typo?  no it’s not.  you add salt to sweet dishes to enhance the flavors.  it won’t taste salty, it will just taste better.
• email me at avavmail@gmail.com with any other questions you have.