Gourmet Meals For Less

It won't solve world peace but it sure makes the day better...Southern Pecan Pie!

 

 

 

Conversation had standing in the middle of Kroger. 

 

Me:  "Dearest, what would you like me to make you for dessert on this glorious Saturday?" (Well, it's how I hear myself in my head anyway.  I'm sure he hears something totally different...grin)

Hubs: "Um...I dunno."

Me: "Something delicious and chocolaty?"

Hubs: "Um."

Me: "Cupcakes? I've seen some great ones online."

Hubs: "Can you make just a plain ol' cupcake, not a fancy schmancy one?"

Me: "Nope."

Hubs: "Ok, no cupcakes then."

Me: "Ok....? Any other ideas?"

Hubs: "Um...."

Me: "Ok?  Cookies? Brownies? A Cake?"

Hubs: "Um..."silence

Me: Sigh.."Well?"

Hubs: "I feel pressured now and can't think."

Me: (Now here's what I am tempted to say..."Good Lord, I am not asking him to solve the peace in the Middle East crisis, just think of a darn dessert for me to make"..what I actually, or at least some variation of, say is) "My dearest, this conversation is taking way to long standing in the aisle at the grocery store on a Saturday morning....and besides you're missing your football games."

Hubs: "Crap!  We gotta go. How about a pecan pie?!"

Me: "Bingo!  And I can blog about it!"

 

Mamaw and my daughter, one of the last pictures we have of her. We miss her
very much...and no I don't know why they are holding a flashlight..;o)

 

My husband's Mamaw, Bessie Stokes, was the most southern woman I ever knew.  Her pecan pie was legendary..at least in Yazoo City, Mississippi....can you get more southern than a city named Yazoo City?!?  You should hear reporters try to pronounce it on T.V. it's a riot. (By the way..a little sidenote, Yazoo City was wear "My Dog Skip' is set in.  Great movie!)  Mamaw's pecan pie is a true Southern Pecan Pie,  simple, pecany (is that a word?), and oh so good!  I was bound and determined that I would learn the secret to this southern delight, to honor her. 

Learning to make her pecan pie was the pinnacle of my culinary experiences so far.  I truely believe pecan pie filling runs through my husband's veins, so learning to make his grandmother's pecan pie was crucial to the success of our marriage. Pecan pie is really pretty easy to make, and is such a great fall pie, perfect for Thanksgiving.

I will confess though, I haven't quite dared to master the homemade pie crust.  I know, I know, call me chicken and I'll cluck for ya.  Though, I think I might be ready to venture into this un-chartered territory here soon.  I keep reminding myself it's only flour, butter, etc.  It's not the end of the world if I mess it up.  But in the meantime, Pillsbury has not let me down thus far, so I'll keep using the pre-made pie dough for now.

 

{Print Recipe}

Bessie Stoke's Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
3/4 cup white Karo syrup (store brand is fine...and cheaper.)
1 cup pecans, well cleaned
2 eggs, well beaten
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 Tbs. butter, softened
1 roll of refrigerated pie dough (located in the refrigerated section near cookies dough)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°. Follow the directions on pie dough package for using one pie crust.  Place pie crust in pie plate and pinch edge.  Dust bottom of pie crust with flour.  This will help the pie crust hold up to the wet ingredients and not get soggy on the bottom.

 

 

In a medium size size mixing bowl beat eggs and then add in sugar, Karo, butter, vanilla and pecans.  Mix well.

 

Pour into prepared pie crust.

 
 

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 325°and bake for an additional 20 minutes.  Center of pie should be set but edges might still move slightly when shaken.  This is ok as pie will continue to set as it cools.  Do not overcook! 

 

Serve with vanilla ice cream or homemade whipping cream...or if you are like my husband eat it plain right out of the oven, "just like God intended pecan pie to be eaten!"  I am so thankful to be able to make this special treat in honor of Mamaw.  She loved me like one of her own from the first day I stepped into her home.  She wasn't my Mamaw-in-law..she was just my Mamaw.

  
Enjoy!

 

This post is linked up to:

 

 I'm excited to be featured today over at Kim's great site:

  Quit Eating Out 

for Saturday Swap

 where I have a guest contribution this weekend.

Come join us over there where you can see my featured recipe, comment on it and link your favorite recipe up to Saturday Swap!  See ya over there!

 

When life hands you lemons what will you do with them?

So what do you do when you feel like life handed you a bowl of these....

 

Do you have those weeks?  This week I felt like I was handed a big ole' bag of them.  And I had I had a few choices to make. I could let it ruin my days and steal my joy.  But my favorite book in the world

 

tells me this...

 

Moreover [let us also be full of joy now!] let us exult and triumph in our troubles and rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that pressure (lemons) and affliction (lemons) and hardship (lemons) produce patient and unswerving endurance.
Romans 5:3

and this...

...For this day is holy... to our Lord. And be not grieved (lemons) and depressed (lemons), for the joy of the Lord is your strength and stronghold. Nehemiah 8:10

See, the joy in my life is not defined by my level of happiness, or contentment, or my circumstances.  Nor, is it defined by the things or people around me.  It is not defined by who I am but WHOSE I am (I borrowed that from a friend..smile)!  Joy is not a feeling!  Joy is a part of me "being in Christ". I can be unhappy with my circumstances and still be filled with Joy!  It is so good to remember that during lemon filled days, weeks and maybe in your case months and years.  God wants you to take those "lemons" and ...no not make lemonade (you thought I was going to say that didn't you?? grin) but He wants you to lay them at the cross and leave the "lemons" with Him!  But I think he'd understand if you want to take a few back to make oh say a Lemon Blackberry Pie

 

 

which is what I did.  And you know what spending a little time with my Savior and a little time doing something I love, baking for my family, made those "lemons" seem not quite so sour.  In fact, they tasted pretty darn good when mixed with a little sugar, blackberries and some...joy.

{Print this Recipe}

Lemon Blackberry Pie-adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients:

1 package refrigerated pie shell
3 eggs
2 egg whites
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup zested lemon peel
3/4 cup fresh lemon juicE
1/4 cup melted butter
1 cup fresh blackberries

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400°.  Follow package directions for pie shell, which should include allowing package to set on counter for approximately 20 minutes.  Place pie shell in pie plate, crimping edges. Prick bottom of pie shell several times with fork and dust lightly with flour.  Line pastry with double thickness of tinfoil.  Bake for 8 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes, until pastry is golden.  Cool on wire rack and reduce oven to 350°.

In a large bowl combine eggs, egg whites, sugar and lemon juice.  Beat with electric mixer on medium to high speed until think and lemon colored.  Stir in the melted butter and the zested lemon peel.  Place blackberries on bottom of baked pie shell.  Pour lemon mixture over blackberries.  Bake approximately 30 minutes or until lemon mixture is set.  Cool on wire rack.

Enjoy! 

P.S. If you are struggling to find Joy in your life I want to recommend a great book by John Piper:
When I Don't Desire God:How to Fight for Joy 

 

Leftover corned beef?...make a pie! Reuben Pie that is!

So....I have a confession.

That I can make now that St. Patrick's Day is over and my recipe for glazed corned beef has been posted.  I actually made TWO corned beef briskets and almost ruined the first one.

See, in the past I have made my corned beef on a day where I have been home and so always cooked it in the slow cooker on high for 4-5 hours, like as described in my recipe.  But, I had wanted to make the corned beef on Tuesday and save it for St. Patty's day, so that I could have pictures to show you.  I knew I would be gone most of the day on Tuesday, so I put it in on low, for a longer time...um, not so great. 

It was tough and almost seemed boiled.  I was shocked, how could I blog about my wonderful corned beef when it looked and felt like shoe leather, how could I serve this to my family who has such high expectations for their corned beef dinner each year...I felt like a corned beef failure. 

The frugal side of me couldn't dare think of throwing it away, so I wrapped it up, stuck it in the fridge to worry about later.  Wednesday, I was able to cook another one, the way I have always done and as you can see from the pictures it turned out beautifully....but that first pitiful lump of meat was staring at me every time I opened the fridge door.  I had to do something with it....

Yesterday morning, I decided to tackle this corned beef dilemma.

I noticed that when I baked the corned beef during the last step of my recipe, that it became even more tender than straight from the slow cooker.  I decided to slow roast the brisket with a 1/2 cup of beef broth I had leftover from another recipe, covered it and let it cook at 250° for an hour.  Guess what...it came out perfect! 

Corned beef salvaged, now what to do with it.

I knew I had seen a recipe for Ruben Pie in one of my cookbooks, or so I thought, but for the life of me could not find it again.  I figured since I knew what was on a Ruben and I knew the basics of what should go in a savory pie, that I could give this a whirl on my own. 

Let's just say it was a winner. 

 

My girl gave it "5 thumbs up", now if that isn't an endorsement I don't know what is.  This is a perfect way to to turn the corned beef and potatoes you might have left over, into another meal.  Or be daring and buy TWO corned beefs while they are such a good price and save one, to cook this dish.  I will be trying out one more corned beef recipe with the other half of my "spare" corned beef and will post that as well.

President's Day Cherry Pie....

 
  

I cannot tell a lie…I baked a cherry pie.  Okay so even though some say that the whole George Washington Cherry Tree Incident is just a legend; it still seemed appropriate to bake a cherry pie today in honor of President’s Day.  I will be the first to admit that I do not make homemade pie crusts, even though I keep telling myself someday I will try.  But, I do like to make pies.  All kinds of pies: Pumpkin, Pecan, Kentucky Derby, Sweet Potato Custard to name just a few.  Cherry on the other hand, I have never attempted until now.  It seems to have been a hit, since half of it was gone an hour after I made it.  It had just the right combination of sweet and tart from using both the pie filling and the plain cherries.

Following is my version of a “semi-homemade” cherry pie.