Pecan Pie

Jim loves pecan pie but I don’t love it, so on Thanksgiving I usually just buy him one from any grocery store bakery.  This year I couldn’t find one, so I decided to try making one myself.   I used a recipe I found on Allrecipes, and made a few modifications based on comments from other users.

Pie crust:

1 1/4 cup flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 butter, chilled

3 Tbsp ice water

Whisk the floor and salt together, then add the chilled butter, cutting well with a pastry cutter for as long as you can stand to do it.  Add the water 1 Tbsp at a time, mixing it with a fork until you can form it into a ball.  Roll it out with wax paper on top, then line a 9” pie pan.

Pie filling:

1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly

2 eggs

1 cup light brown sugar

2 Tbsp flour

1 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups pecans 

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (optional)

Blend the eggs well until they are foamy, then add the melted (but not hot) butter and mix it in.  Add the brown sugar and mix well.  Add the vanilla and milk and mix well.

Chop all but a handful or so of the pecans and mix those in with the chocolate chips (optional).

Pour the mixture into the shell.  Cover the edges of the pie crust with foil.  Bake at 350 for 10 minutes, then add the handful of pecans to the top, and turn the temperature down to 300 and cook for another 40 minutes or so. Remove the foil around the edge for the last 5-10 minutes.

Don’t forget the vanilla ice cream!

Creamy Maple Syrup

 

I love breakfast food.  But lately, I have been a little sick of breakfast, and I realized why.  It's because I am bored with the syrup!  I found this recipe for Creamy Maple Syrup, and suddenly, my waffles were exciting again!

Creamy Maple Syrup

slightly adapted from: abountifulkitchen.com

1 c. heavy cream

1/2 c. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. maple flavoring

dash of salt

1/2 tsp. vanilla

In a saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream and brown sugar to a boil.  Let it boil for one minute and then remove it from the heat and stir in the maple flavoring, salt and vanilla.  Serve it over your favorite (again) breakfast food.

Overnight Oatmeal

I guess it is time to jump on the Overnight Oats bandwagon.  I saw a recipe for this one day, and the next day, the Internet was feeding me recipe after recipe of overnight oatmeal.  I've read many of the recipes, and they are all very similar, so I'm putting this on here as the base that I have been using, but you can change it up and add any fruit/nuts/nut butter/flavoring/yogurt that you think would be delicious, and it probably will be!  I eat mine cold, with granola and fruit on it, and it has been a delicious, hearty, quick meal in the morning for me.

Overnight Oatmeal
by: www.abountifulkitchen.com

1/2 c. plus 2 Tbsp. almond milk
1/3 c. old fashioned oats
1 1/2 tsp. chia seeds
1 1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla

Pour all the ingredients into a jar, shake it up really well, and place it in your fridge overnight or for 8 hours.  The next morning, give it another shake to stir it up again and then pour it into a bowl.  Top with granola, fresh fruit or coconut.

Pumpkin White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

This was my pick for my Thanksgiving pie this year (The kids and I go over our pie wishes each year and try to make at least a few of them.  I love Thanksgiving pies!!)  It was my first time making a cheesecake and using my springform pan that I've had for 16 years, so that was exciting!  I followed the recipe exactly and it turned out great!  The pumpkin flavor was light, the cheesecake flavor was mild and the white chocolate and graham cracker crust both added a yummy sweetness.  Making it was a little time consuming, but it wasn't difficult, and it was SO delicious!  I would definitely make it again!

Pumpkin White Chocolate Mousse Cheesecake

by: melskitchencafe.com

Crust:

2 c. graham cracker crumbs (about 14 rectangle crackers)

2 Tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 c. salted butter, melted

Cheesecake:

3 packages softened cream cheese (I used Philadelphia brand because I wanted it to set up right and had read on her blog that more expensive brands work better)

1 1/2 c. sour cream

3 Tbsp. cornstarch

1 1/2 c. sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

pinch of cloves

1 tsp. vanilla

1 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree (or 2 c. homemade puree, which is what I used)

White Chocolate Mousse Topping:

1 c. heavy whipping cream

1/4 tsp. vanilla

2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

pinch nutmeg

4 oz. softened cream cheese

4 oz. white chocolate, melted (I had also read on her comments that a nicer brand of white chocolate work best-I used Lindt)

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  For your crust, stir together the graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and melted butter and press it into the bottom and slightly up the sides of a 9 or 10 inch springform pan.  Line a baking sheet with foil and set the springform pan on it while baking, for 8 minutes, until the crust is lightly golden.  Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely.  Reduce the oven to 350 degrees.

For the cheesecake, whip together the softened cream cheese and sour cream and then add the cornstarch, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves and mix it until it is combined.  Stir in the vanilla and pumpkin puree.  Pour the batter onto your crust and spread it evenly.  Bake it on the foil lined baking sheet for 45-60 minutes, until the edges are set and the center jiggles slightly.  Be aware, a 9 inch pan will be more full and will take longer to bake.  Remove it from the oven and let it cool completely. 

For the white chocolate mousse topping, beat the cream and vanilla until soft peaks form.  Add the powdered sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and mix it until slightly stiffer peaks begin to form.  In a separate bowl, beat the cream cheese until it is fluffy.  Add in the white chocolate and mix it until it is smooth and creamy.  Gently fold together the white chocolate and cream mixtures until the mousse is nice and creamy (fold gently and carefully so you don't deflate the cream).  Spread the topping over the cooled cheesecake and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours.  Serve and enjoy!