Simple Pecan Pie Recipe

Making Pecan Pie from scratch is A LOT EASIER than you might think.  For years now, I've avoided baking this pie.  Mainly because I've listened to distraught homecooks tell of their good intentions to make the infamous "Grandmother's Pie" only to be let down and left with an overly brown crust holding a runny filling.  No thanks, but that's not the kind of baking experience I need during the holidays.

I read and read and read Pecan Pie recipes until I was completely UNcertain which way to turn.  I didn't feel I could trust any recipe, until I went to my most trusted source for cooking.  I don't know why I didn't think to read there first, it's my happy place of learning and it has never steered me wrong.  I'm speaking of course of Cook's Illustrated.  I've read their magazine for YEARS.  Sure enough, they had the perfect pecan pie recipe.  So I followed their technique for baking the filling.

The outcome was a perfectly firm pecan pie!  I had no doubts or worries when I pulled it out of the oven.  It was very apparent by touching the top, hot out of the oven, there was success waiting to be sliced out.  The pecans shined so beautifully and the crust was light and flakey.  It look so perfect, it almost didn't look real at all.  My son even asked me, upon his inspection of my cooking, "is that real or did you make a fake pie?"  Coming from a nine year old, I took that to be a compliment.

HERE'S ALL IT TAKES
Serves 8

• 1 unbaked pie crust to fit a deep pie dish

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup light corn sirup
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups whole pecans (8 ounces)

Heat oven to 275ºF degrees.

Fill a medium saucepan with 1-inch of water and heat to below a simmer over medium-low heat.  Use a medium size, heat-proof bowl that will sit on the saucepan but not touch the water or bottom of the pan. If you actually own a double-boiler, well then of course, use it instead. ;D

With the bowl set on the pan, melt the butter.  Make sure the water below maintains below a simmer.  Remove bowl from pan; mix in sugar and salt with a wooden spoon until butter is absorbed; remove any clumps of brown sugar.  Beat in eggs, then corn sirup and vanilla.  Return bowl to hot water pan; stir until mixture is shiny and warm to the touch, about 130ºF degrees.  I used a thermometer to be absolutely sure. Remove from heat; stir in pecans.

Pour mixture into the pie shell.  BAKE 50 to 60 minutes, until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin when gently pressed.  Transfer pie to rack and cool completely for at least 4 hours.

The directions say, if you want to eat warm pie, you still have to allow the pie to cool completely.  Cut your slice and warm it in a 250ºF degree oven for about 20 minutes.  (Like that's gonna happen!)

COOK'S NOTE:
If you happen to use salted butter in this recipe, omit the 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Cranberry Pumpkin Muffins

These Cranberry Pumpkin muffins are moist and delicious.  There's no worries or guilt here, because I converted this recipe to be HEALTHY enough to eat for Breakfast!
And they still turned out yummy & addictive. YEAH!!!

HERE'S WHAT YOU'LL NEED

dry ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cups dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup old fashion oats
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/4 cup sweetened dried, cranberries
• 1/4 cup golden raisins

wet ingredients

• 1 1/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup healthy egg substitute or 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup all natural applesauce or canola oil
• 1/4 cup orange juice or water

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Grease and flour 12 count muffin pan.

FIRST! Baking tip for the dried cranberries & raisins.
Place the cranberries and raisins in a microwave safe bowl and cover with warm water.  Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute.  This is a speedy way to rehydrate the dried fruit. Drain off the water from the dried fruit.  The rehydrated fruit won't burn when it's exposed at the top of the baked item.

Now back to mixing it up.  In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients, including the pecans, rehydated cranberries and raisins.  Mix well.

In a small bowl, stir together all the wet ingredients.

Always adding the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, use a rubber spatula and fold the wet into the dry ingredients.  Do not over mix here.  Go slowly allowing the flour a chance to absorb the moisture. Make sure all the flour is moisten.

Use either a 2 inch scooper or a large spoon to fill the muffin pan.  I filled each muffin cup to the top.  These are dense muffins so you can sorta heap the batter.

BAKE for 18-20 minutes.

Store the muffins just like you would Banana Bread, on a plate wrapped with cellophane,  or in a resealable storage bag.  They will keep well out on the counter in cool temperatures for at least three days.  That's how long they lasted at my house.  I had the last one for breakfast this morning and it was better than the first day.

Simple Baked Ham

Baked hams are not just for special occasions. Of course, it seems we can always get them at a better price around the holidays.

I love a good sale, one that makes me want to stock up. Oooo, the word "Clearance" really makes me stop what I'm doing. Have you ever been in a Target and tried NOT to glance over or peruse their $1 corner? It's like the ultimate test of self control for shopping gladiators; to walk through the maze of adorable stocking stuffers, party favors, fashionable stationary, and not put one item in the cart! What does all this have to do with baked ham?

Well, I was thinking of roast chicken for Easter dinner. However, my grocer had the ham marked down so low I couldn't resist buying one of them. So, I baked a ham. A couple of days ago, I watched Micheal Chiarello bake a ham; scored it, used a spice rub and in the last 10 minutes of baking, drizzled honey all over the top. Mmmm, so I tried it.

Except I didn't have all the ingredients Chiarello used, I had nutmeg, dark brown sugar and honey.

SO HERE'S THE IDEA

• 8 pound ham
• 1 tablespoon or so, nutmeg
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• honey

Preheat the oven to 325F degrees. Spray roasting pan with a little high heat cooking spray. Remove ham from package and remove that plastic thingy that covers the bone. (I'm guessing the plastic thingy keeps the cut bone from rubbing a hole in the packaging.)

Laying the ham on the roasting rack cut side down. Score diagonal cuts in opposite directions, about 1 inch deep, across the ham to make the diamond pattern. Rub on spices and brown sugar to coat the entire ham and get inside the cuts you made. Cover ham lightly with an aluminum foil tent.

According to the cooking instructions on the ham package, bake 20 minutes per pound; for an 8-pound ham, 2 hours 40 minutes. If your oven has the function, set it to turn off in that time. For the last 10 minutes of baking, remove ham from oven, carefully remove foil tent, drizzle honey all over and inside the cuts. Return ham to oven uncovered.

Serve with good ol' mashed potatoes or Loaded Potato Potluck Favorite,  green salad and dinner rolls. Everyone will love it!