mini pecan tarts

it’s been a while, i know. months and months. well, i'm sort of back, at least for one post. it's the happiest most wonderful time of the year again! and i love it. and i’ve been baking like crazy (but too lazy to post them here). well... here’s one i'll share because i actually have a photo for it. this has become one of my favorite holiday treat and will for sure be a regular come this time of the year. it is so good and that's probably because i’m a pecan pie fan.

so if you're up to some baking this weekend, feel free to make these. you never know, these may become one of your favorites too, if not already! enjoy and happy baking! :)

mini pecan tarts
recipe adapted from better homes & garden

ingredients:

cream cheese pastry:

• 1/2 (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 3 oz cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

pecan filling:

• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp corn syrup
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• pinch of salt
• 2/3 cup coarsely chopped pecans

directions:

1. preheat oven to 325 degrees F. for pastry, in a mixing bowl beat the 1/2 cup butter and cream cheese until combined. stir in the flour. press a rounded teaspoon of pastry evenly into the bottom and up the sides of 24 ungreased 1 3/4-inch muffin cups.
2. for pecan filling, in a bowl beat egg, brown sugar, corn syrup, and the 1 tablespoon melted butter until combined. stir in pecans. spoon about 1 heaping teaspoon of filling into each pastry-lined muffin cup. bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until pastry is golden and filling is puffed. cool slightly in pan. carefully transfer to a wire rack and let cool.

makes 24 cookies.

the best banana bread muffins you'll ever eat

happy valentine's day! :)

and hehehehe... that's some title eh? yes, the BEST banana bread muffins you'll ever eat (and make... according to m and me). seriously. it's loaded with tons of bananas, chocolate chips, and hints of vanilla and cinnamon flavor. oh, and to top it off, you've got a crispy cinnamon-pecan-cookie-like topping. O. M. G. i know! these guys disappeared like that. it was that good.

last weekend we finally had some rain in like forever! as you all know, we northern california folks have been enjoying quite the unseasonably warm winter (with high 60's and low 70's and no rain in sight at all!) until this past weekend. yup, it sure rain. and what's the best way to stay cozy and warm when it's awful and wet outside? well, none other than baking to warm up the house. and the bonus is the delicious smell throughout and goodies that you can actually eat! i think i ate like 5,000 calories this weekend from all the baked goods. must be my body telling me to fatten up for this stormy cold weather.

okay, so let's cut to it. below's the recipe should you want to make some. seriously, so good. i literally inhaled one right after a minute or two of it coming out of the oven. i told m it would make for a yummy dessert with a little ice cream next to it. the cold/hot combo would be perfect. m had one soon after it cooled off and said i could sell these. that's quite the compliment being that he's such a tough critic when it comes to me and my baked goodies.

alright, go bake some for your lovebugs today (or this weekend or whenever) and let me know what you think! enjoy and happy eating. :)


these banana bread muffins are amazing. it's loaded with tons of banana, chocolate chips and a cooke topping... so good you cannot just eat one.


instead of your typical banana bread loaf, why not make muffins? this recipe is super versatile, quick and easy to make, you can leave out the chocolate chips or cookie topping if you like. or throw in some nuts and you've got a crunchy muffin. yum!

banana bread muffins with chocolate chips & cinnamon-pecan cookie topping

for the banana bread muffins:

• 4 brown medium-size bananas
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1-1/2 cup chocolate chips (any kind, i used dark and semi sweet)

for the cookie topping:

• 1/4 cup ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup pecans, broken
• 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, room temperature
• 1 cup all-purpose flour

directions:
preheat oven to 350°F. line cupcake muffin tins with paper cups.

for the cookie topping: in a medium-size bowl, mix together the cinnamon and sugar until fully incorporated. reserve a tablespoon or two and set them aside. then add in the pecans to the cinnamon sugar mixture and toss until they're coated. now add in the softened butter and mix until all the ingredients are blended together. lastly, add in the flour and mix until dough forms. set cookie dough aside (preferably in the fridge while you make the muffin batter).

for the muffins: in a good size bowl, mix everything but the chocolate chips together until combined. then throw in the chocolate chips and fold until fully incorporated. spoon out the mixture into the paper cups, about 2/3 full. top it off with the cookie batter and sprinkle some of the cinnamon sugar on top. note: you may want to use a fork and kind of break the chilled dough a little bit so that it resembles crumbs, etc. otherwise, just put in bits on top of the muffin and that will do just fine too. if you run out of the cinnamon sugar, you can always make more by combining 1 part cinnamon to 2 parts sugar (or equal parts if you like).

bake muffins for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when you insert it into the muffin. let the muffins cool a little bit before taking them out of the tin and cooling on a wire rack. eat shortly after while still warm because they taste delicious or you can wait until they are completely cool. it'll still taste just as good. of course, i prefer it warm. ok, enjoy! :)

makes about 16-18 standard size muffins (you know, the regular cupcake kind).

12 days of christmas baking - day 10: eggnog cinnamon-nut bread

i couldn't help it but crave some kind of cakey bread. so this afternoon i decided that i would make some. with some eggnog in the fridge i wanted to experiment a little bit and decided on an eggnog bread. well, the end result wasn't exactly what i was hoping. you couldn't quite taste the eggnog once the bread is baked. so to even add a tiny hint of the eggnog, i drizzled it with a little eggnog glaze (unpictured, unfortunately). that did the trick a bit. the bread itself is very good, with or without the eggnog glaze.

below's the recipe should you want to try it. i love baked cakey breads. they are so good toasted with a little spread of butter. mmmm... yum! :)


the eggnog in this recipe doesn't really come out a whole lot so you can always drizzle it with an eggnog glaze. that's what i did after i took these photos, to bring out the eggnog flavor a little more.


the cinnamon and nut in this recipe gives you the nicest aroma when the bread is baking in the oven. smells so yummy and it really is yummy!


all sliced and ready to eat!

eggnog cinnamon-nut bread
recipe adapted from better homes & garden

ingredients:

• 1-1/3 cups sugar, divided
• 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 2/3 cup eggnog
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

eggnog glaze (optional):

• 1-2 tablespoons eggnog
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour the bottoms and 1/2 inch up the sides of three 5 3/4x3x2-inch loaf pans or a 9x5x3-inch loaf pan; set aside. In a small bowl, stir together 1/3 cup of the sugar, the nuts, and cinnamon; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the remaining 1 cup sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture. In a medium bowl, combine egg, eggnog, milk, and oil. Add egg mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until moistened (batter should be lumpy).
3. Spoon half of the batter into the prepared pans. Sprinkle with half of the nut mixture. Top with the remaining batter and the remaining nut mixture. Using a narrow metal spatula or table knife, cut down through batter and pull up in a circular motion to marble.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes for 5 3/4-inch pans (55 to 60 minutes for 9-inch pan) or until a toothpick inserted near centers comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans; cool completely on racks.
5. If you want to add the eggnog glaze, mix the two ingredients together and drizzle it on top (use less eggnog if you want a thicker glaze). Then wrap and store overnight before slicing. Or if you're like me and can't wait, then just wait until the glaze set before slicing. Enjoy! :)

makes one loaf, about 12-14 servings depending on how you slice it.

check out last year's day 10 recipe: chocolate chip cookies with nutella & sea salt

12 days of christmas baking - day 9: peppermint toffee butter crunch

happy day 9! here's day 9's recipe. i've been quite busy with some holiday festivities, so this one requires no baking. it's super easy to make and takes very little time (minus the chilling). again, nothing fancy, but your good ol' toffee. seriously, you cannot go wrong with toffee. to add a little festive feel to it, i decided that along with the crunched almonds on top, why not add some crushed peppermint candy? it gives you a nice pepperminty taste to the chocolate and toffee. and for sure, you cannot go wrong with even more added crunch.

toffees are one of my favorite things to make this time of the year. and this recipe is super easy to make. i've made it many holiday seasons in the past and again this year. give it a shot and you never know, you may just have found a new favorite yourself. enjoy! :)


you can never go wrong with toffee during this time of the year. to add a little festive feel to it, top it off with any topping of your choice.


this toffee recipe is so easy to make and they make great holiday gifts.

peppermint toffee butter crunch
recipe from better homes & garden

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds or pecans, toasted
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 tablespoon light-colored corn syrup
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate pieces
• 1/2 cup finely chopped almonds or pecans, toasted
• crushed peppermint candies (optional)

directions:

1. Line a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with foil, extending foil over edges of pan. Sprinkle the 1/2 cup coarsely chopped nuts in pan. Set pan aside.
2. Butter sides of a heavy 2-quart saucepan. In saucepan melt butter. Add sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture boils. Clip a candy thermometer to side of pan. Reduce heat to medium; continue boiling at a moderate, steady rate, stirring frequently, till thermometer registers 290 degree F, soft-crack stage (about 15 minutes). Watch carefully after 280 degree F to prevent scorching. Remove saucepan from heat; remove thermometer. Pour candy into the prepared pan.
3. Let candy stand about 5 minutes or till firm; sprinkle with chocolate. Let stand 1 to 2 minutes. When chocolate has softened, spread over candy. Sprinkle with the 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts and crushed peppermint candies or any other topping (if you desire). Chill until firm. When candy is firm, use foil to lift it out of pan; break into pieces. Store tightly covered.

makes about 1-1/2 pounds (48 servings).

check out last year's day 9 recipe: chocolate-almond saltine toffee

12 days of christmas baking - day 8: cranberry apple walnut cake

i had been wanting to make this cranberry apple walnut cake since i tasted it for the first time a couple of months ago. one of my coworkers made this cake and brought it in for our company potluck. it was so good, i had to ask him for the recipe. i knew i would make it around this time of year and sure enough, i got around to baking it.

so, how was the recipe? ummm… the one he made tasted delicious. this one however, i think it was just okay. i've only had one tiny slice so far, so i don't know yet. but i can say it sounds like a great recipe and if it turns out right, it would be delicious! plus, i'm not sure if it was just me or what it is. but when i was making the batter, it was very cookie-batter-like and no cake-like at all. it was too dry. like there wasn't enough liquid ingredients in this. i looked at the person's photos and looked at mine and my batter did not look like hers. long story short, i improvised and added a couple tablespoons of water to my batter to make it more sticky or so that it would resemble a cake batter. that may have saved the cake, because it didn't come out too bad. now, if you're going to make this recipe, just be aware of that.

below's the recipe if you'd like to try it. i say go ahead, why not. cranberries, apples and walnuts are great combos for these kinds of cake. plus, it fits right in with the holiday season. so be merry and bake away! :)


i made these and gave them out as mini gifts.


another apple cranberry cake to add to the mix. these guys are great as bars too!

cranberry apple walnut cake
recipe from the bad girl's kitchen

ingredients:

• 1-3/4 cups light brown sugar OR 1 cup honey plus 2 tablespoons orange juice concentrate
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 cups sliced cooking apples (i used granny smith)
• 1/2 cup walnut pieces
• 1/2 cup fresh, whole raw cranberries

directions:

1. preheat oven to 350°F and grease a 9x13 pan very well, set aside.
2. in a medium bowl, sift together the flour and dry ingredients, also set that aside.
3. then cream together oil and sugar. add eggs and vanilla and beat well.
4. once that's incorporated, add in the dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly combined. then stir in apples, cranberries and nuts.
5. bake for 45-50 minutes. let it cool, then cut into squares or whatever serving size you like and enjoy!

makes one 9x13 pan size cake. enjoy! :)

check out last year's day 8 recipe: salted caramel chocolate pecan bars

12 days of christmas baking - day 4: apple cake with buttery caramel sauce

okay, here's day 4. again, very late in posting up these holiday recipes this year. i will try very hard this week to post up more recipes as christmas is literally right around the corner. and now that m is back from his 3-week hiatus (actually, more like 2-1/2 weeks because we did meet up with him last week in nyc), i can get in the christmas spirit like i do every year and bake away. you know, things just aren't the same when the usual people aren't around.

alright, enough said. below's the recipe for day 4's christmas baking. it's an apple cake with buttery caramel sauce. i have been in love with simple cakes these last several months so it's no surprise that i also love this recipe. i like how the little chunks of apple gives you a different texture when eating the cake. and that gooey buttery caramel sauce gives you a nice extra sweetness since the cake itself isn't super sweet.

so go ahead and bake yourself a cake today! enjoy and happy baking and eating! :)


i think if you prefer the cake without the buttery caramel sauce, you can definitely omit it. but i personally wouldn't because i love caramel sauce.


this apple cake is perfect for this time of year. i love the added apple chunks and pecans. and the caramel sauce on top gives you that extra bit of sweetness. delish!

apple cake with buttery caramel sauce
recipe from better homes & garden

ingredients:

• 2 cups  all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon  baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon  salt
• 1/2 teaspoon  ground nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon  ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon  baking soda
• 1/2 cup  butter, softened
• 2 cups  sugar
• 2 eggs
• 6 cups  coarsely chopped unpeeled cooking apples (about 5 to 6 medium apples)
• 1 cup  chopped walnuts (i used pecans instead)
• 1 recipe Buttery Caramel Sauce (recipe below)

directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set pan aside. In a medium bowl stir together the flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and baking soda; set aside.
2. In a very large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Gradually add sugar, about 1/4 cup at a time, beating on medium speed until well combined. Scrape sides of bowl; beat for 2 minutes more. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture to butter mixture, beating on low speed just until combined. Fold in apples and walnuts. (Batter will be thick.) Spread batter in prepared baking pan.
3. Bake in the preheated oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack for 45 minutes. Serve warm with Buttery Caramel Sauce. Makes 16 servings.

Notes: Cool cake; cover cake pan with foil and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw covered cake in the refrigerator overnight. Reheat cake, covered, in a 325 degrees F oven about 30 minutes or until warm. Sauce can be covered and refrigerated for up to 1 week. Reheat in a saucepan over medium heat.

buttery caramel sauce

ingredients:

• 1/3 cup  butter
• 1/3 cup  granulated sugar
• 1/3 cup  packed brown sugar
• 1/3 cup  whipping cream
• 1/2 teaspoon  vanilla

directions
In a small saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Stir in sugars and cream. Bring to boiling, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla. Serve warm. Makes about 1-1/4 cups.

check out last year's day 4 recipe: cranberry apple crumb bars

12 days of christmas baking - day 3: sticky pecan upside-down baby cakes

hello there! here's day 3. again, not so great this year with posting up the new recipes, but i do have to say, i really really love today's recipe. it's super easy to make and the sticky pecan addition is to die for. it's sweet and crunchy and gives you just the right amount of sugar to your (cup)cake ratio.

so, what are you waiting for? go right ahead and make yourself some of this delicious sticky pecan upside-down baby cakes. i literally turned them into baby cakes and used mini cupcake pans to bake these (if you do this, cut down the baking time and only bake them for 15-17 mins). it made a whole bunch, and was perfect as mini one-bite goodies. the mini size would be perfect to make for holiday parties (again, because it makes a bunch) or as is in the jumbo muffin size and give out as gifts this holiday season. whichever you choose, you'll be delighted to find that the outcome will be just as delicious. although i do recommend making a little more (1.5x or 2x the amount) of the pecan topping because you may have more batter to pecan mixture. either that or i wasn't very good at distributing my ingredients because towards the end i found that i had more batter than nuts and those last few weren't so crunchy or sweet tasting.


these sticky pecan upside-down baby cakes look so scrumptious and are the perfect little bite-size treats at any (holiday) party or as gifts.

sticky pecan upside-down baby cakes
recipe from better homes and garden

Ingredients:

• Nonstick spray for baking
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/3 cup honey
• 1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans
• 1 teaspoon finely shredded orange peel
• 2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup cooking oil
• 1 8 ounce carton dairy sour cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• Orange peel curls (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat twelve 3-1/2-inch (jumbo) muffin cups with nonstick spray for baking; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter, and honey. Cook and stir over medium heat about 2 minutes or until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in pecans and the finely shredded orange peel; set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine eggs and granulated sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on medium to high speed about 3 minutes or until mixture is thick and lemon-colored. Add oil, sour cream, and vanilla; beat until combined. Gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed until smooth.
5. Place 2 tablespoons of the pecan mixture in the bottom of each muffin cup. Spoon a heaping 1/3 cup of the batter into each cup. Place muffin pans on a foil-lined large baking sheet.
6. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean. Cool in muffin pans on wire racks for 5 minutes. Using a sharp knife or narrow metal spatula, loosen edges of cakes from sides of muffin cups. Invert cakes onto wire racks. Spoon any pecan mixture remaining in the muffin cups onto cakes. Serve warm or cool. If desired, garnish with orange peel curls.

Makes 12 cakes. Or A LOT of mini cupcakes... like about 6 dozens?!

Note: If you're making mini cupcakes, cut down the baking time by 8-10 minutes (and use about 1 tablespoon of batter, maybe a little less – just to 2/3 or 3/4 full). To store, cooled cakes in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 2 days. To reheat: Place cakes on a foil-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely with foil. Bake in a 350 degrees F oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until warm.

check out last year's day 3 recipe: madeleine cookies

sour cream coffee cake with cinnamon streusel topping

a few weeks back we had tacos for dinner. along with the many ingredients in making a yummy taco was sour cream. we had some sour cream leftover sitting in the fridge from the taco dinner and garbage night was fast approaching. so instead of throwing it out, i decided to make the most out of the leftover sour cream. so, what do we have here? you guessed it. nothing more delicious for breakfast than that sour cream coffeecake. i did a quick google search and landed on king arthur flour's website for this very tasty coffee cake. it's so tasty, they called it their "favorite sour cream coffee cake."

the end result? a very tender cake that was the perfect accompaniment to my morning starbucks iced coffee the next morning after i baked it. actually, i had another slice later that same day as an afternoon snack. delicious, all around and for sure a new favorite. i love how the cake is filled and topped with this yummy cinnamon-y streusel. the nuts in the streusel gave it a nice crunch and another dimension to the cake. i didn't have walnuts around so i substituted pecans instead and it was just as good. overall, a very excellent coffee cake. i brought about 3/4 of the cake into work and it was a hit.

now, if you're interested in making this cake, i say why not. it is so good and is perfect for breakfast, afternoon tea or whenever, just because. i know i will for sure be making this coffee cake again and possibly modifying it to see what else this recipe can do. enjoy and happy baking! :)


i never thought i'd be a sucker for breakfast sweets, but since i started baking, i love anything sweet for breakfast. this coffee cake is a perfect treat with my morning coffee.


close-up of the cake. see that layer of cinnamon streusel? yummy!


i must bake this coffee cake for breakfast again. especially with fall here already, it would go perfect with that pumpkin spice latte. oh, that just sounds so good right now.

sour cream coffee cake
recipe from king arthur flour

cake

• 1/2 cup (4 ounces) butter
• 1 cup (7 ounces) sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups (8 1/2 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream or yogurt*

*feel free to use low-fat (NOT nonfat) sour cream or yogurt; if using yogurt, try vanilla or another complementary flavor, if desired.



 topping

• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces) sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 1/2 cup (8 ounces) chopped walnuts, optional

directions
cream together the butter or margarine, sugar, and eggs. in a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. add the flour mixture to the butter mixture alternately with the sour cream or yogurt, stirring after each addition.

grease and flour a regular-sized (9 1/2-inch) tube pan or bundt-style pan, or a 9 x 9-inch pan. spread half the batter in the pan, and sprinkle with half the topping mixture. repeat with remaining batter and topping.



bake the coffeecake in a preheated 350°F oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the cake tests done. cool it for 10 to 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan. (if you've baked it in a 9 x 9-inch pan, just serve it right from the pan.) place the cake right-side-up (topping up) on a plate to serve.

makes 12 generous servings. enjoy and happy eating! :)

old-fashioned pecan pie

i absolutely love the holiday season and this pie here is one of those reasons as to why. i never thought i'd be a pie lover, but somehow over the years i've acquired the taste for these sweet treats. now, savory pie? ummm... let's not go there, because i'm nowhere near any of that (at least not yet). i've yet to try the ever so popular chicken pot pie or while in england, their famous pork pies. yeah, it's just not for me.

okay, now let's get back on track to sweet pies. yes, this pecan pie recipe is so good. i've tried many pecan pie recipes in the past and i think this one is my favorite by far. it has just the right amount of sugar/sweetness. it's not terribly sweet and for sure, nothing short of not enough sugar. it is sweet, but not one of those sugar overload kind of sweet. i think i prefer the dark corn syrup over the white as well. for some reason, it just makes a better looking pie. plus, the recipe is so easy and simple, i feel like i can really do it in my sleep. i love how it calls for vanilla extract, but i've made it many times in the past and omitted it by mistake and it still came out okay.

below's the recipe for this delicious holiday pie should you want to make it. yes, i know the big holiday rush is over, but who's to say you still can't make one? why not have a pecan pie to ring in the new year. every new year's eve we make a yule log to ring in the new year. that's because there's too much going on before and during christmas time that we figure we'll save one sweet treat til after christmas. it's definitely something sweet to look forward to. if i get a chance to take pics, i'll be sure to post the recipe for that sometime next week. for now, enjoy the recipe below! :)


this pecan pie recipe makes the perfect pie, every time! it is my favorite pie recipe by far.

old-fashioned pecan pie
recipe from good housekeeping

ingredients:

for pie filling:
3/4 cup(s) dark corn syrup
1/2 cup(s) dark brown sugar
3 tablespoon(s) butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1 pinch(s) salt
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cup(s) pecan halves, toasted
1 9-inch baked pie shell (recipe below)

directions:

1. Prepare 9-Inch Baked Pie Shell as recipe directs. Cool pie shell on wire rack at least 10 minutes. Reset oven control to 350 degrees.
2. In large bowl, with wire whisk, mix corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla, salt, and eggs until blended. With spoon, stir in pecans.
3. Pour filling into pie shell. Bake 43 to 45 minutes or until filling is set around edge but center jiggles slightly. Cool on wire rack at least 3 hours for easier slicing. Refrigerate leftovers up to 1 week.

9-inch baked pie shell
recipe from good housekeeping

ingredients:
1 1/3 cup(s) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon(s) salt
5 tablespoon(s) cold butter or margarine, cut up
3 tablespoon(s) vegetable shortening
5 tablespoon(s) ice water

directions:

1. In food processor with knife blade attached, blend flour and salt. Add butter and shortening, and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle in ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing after each addition, until large moist crumbs just begin to form.
2. Shape dough into disk; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes or overnight. (If chilled overnight, let dough stand 30 minutes at room temperature before rolling.)
3. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll dough into 12-inch round. Ease dough round into 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Gently press dough against bottom and up sides of plate without stretching. Trim dough edge, leaving 1-inch overhang. Fold overhang under; pinch to form stand-up edge, then make decorative edge. Freeze pie shell 15 minutes.
4. Line pie shell with foil or parchment, and fill with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until beginning to set. Remove foil with weights, and bake 13 to 15 minutes longer or until golden. If shell puffs up during baking, gently press it down with back of spoon. Cool on wire rack until ready to fill.
5. To make Deep-Dish Baked Pie Shell: Prepare 9-Inch Baked Pie Shell as above, but increase all-purpose flour to 1 1/2 cups and vegetable shortening to 1/4 cup. Ease dough into 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie plate.