MOM'S SOUTHERN PECAN PIE                            

Gosh I can just taste a slice of my mom's pecan pie right now, right out of the oven.  Mom did not have much counter space to do, I thought, all the baking  she did for us, but, she managed  to do so some how.  I remember some friends of mine sending me some fresh unshelled pecans from Georgia.  My mom would sit for days shelling pecans and making sure they were whole and not broken.  The patience she had.   I would come by  and see the shelled "puck ons" (mom's pronunciation of pecans) and I would  anxiously anticipate what was to come.

1- 9-inch unbaked pie crust  (If you are too lazy or too in a hurry to make your pie crust)
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 t. salt
1 t. vanilla
1 heaping cup pecan halves

Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine corn syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, salt and vanilla; mix well. Pour filling into unbaked pie crust; sprinkle with pecan halves. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until center is set. Toothpick inserted in center will come out clean when pie is done. Remove from oven and cool.

PIE CRUST RECIPE         

2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup ( 2 sticks)  butter, chilled well (!!), and cut into small pieces or use some Crisco only about a 1/2 cup
½ cup ice water

 

Instructions:

•  combine flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl
•  add all of the butter
• using a fork mix the mixture until it  resembles coarse meal (not more than 15-20 sec!!); some pieces of butter should still be visible
•  stir in ¼ cup ice water
• the mixture should hold its shape when pinched together
  if necessary, add in another ¼ cup ice water (add a little water at a time you certainly don't want it sticky and you will have a mess, I am speaking from experience)
• divide the dough in half
  turn each half onto a large piece of plastic wrap
  pat the dough into flat disks and wrap tightly
  chill at least 1 hour, or overnight, before using
• when dough is ready flour an area and a rolling pin or if you are like my mom flour a drinking glass.  Roll dough out larger than your 9" pan.
• cut edges and prick bottom with a fork.  You can crimp the edges if you want or leave flat.