The Guest blogger of the day is that almost geeky girl from your class who you always knew would ace the test. What you dont know, is that rarely can a book be accurately judged by its cover. Fearless, honest and totally nutty (explains her choice of recipe), Naveena is someone who bravely crossed the Pacific with no clue what life had in store for her. She is a double master's in Marketing Research, lives in Los Angeles and yeah all those big budget money spinning hollywood blockbusters we spend our money on, are made with inputs through her research.
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Hi, This is Naveena, from somewhat sunny California. I don't claim to be a serious blogger like my most talented friends but I like writing and I like Ambica - so here I am.
I am writing to you on the eve of the most anticipated American holiday - Thanksgiving. The origins of this holiday are noble - they celebrate how the Native Americans (ahem the OTHER Indians) helped the first setttlers learn how to survive in this country. What happened after is a matter of much debate but the Americans have turned Thanksgiving into a celebration of family, food, football (the OTHER football) and slumber.
I remember my first Thanksgiving. One of my American friends invited me over to her house and I heard all about the traditional food and how much everyone looks forward to it. In subsequent years, I have learned that each family has their own traditions and everyone claims that theirs is better. One year, my friend was appalled that her in-laws only served sweet potatoes and not mashed potatoes. Another Thanksgiving, I was subjected to a green, slimy, jelllo "salad" that the family I spent the day with swore by. Another time, my friends almost came to fist fights over whether crescent rolls or dinner rolls were better.
And then there is the matter of pies. When it comes to Thanksgiving, it's like a war of the pies. Be it apple, pumpkin, cherry, or pecan pie, someone always believes that the day isn't complete if not for that particular dessert.
In my mind, the war has been won and the clear victor has emerged. If my taste buds could have their druthers, we'd dive right into the pecan pie and never look back. I love nuts (explains some of my friendships) and the combination of the pecans with the gooey, sugary goodness that binds it all together is something that I absolutely love.
When I first made pecan pie, I realized why the adage "as easy as pie" came into being. Once you make your crust (I use "Paula's perfect Pie Crust" recipe from Paula Deen), there couldn't be anything easier. I am sharing with you my recipe. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Pecan Pie
- 1 whole Unbaked 9-inch Pie Crust
- 1 cup White Sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1/2 cup Light Corn Syrup
- 1/2 cup Dark Corn Syrup
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup Melted Butter
- 3 whole Eggs Beaten
- 1 1/2 cup (heaping) Pecan Halves
Instructions
First, whip up your pie crust using Paula's recipe.
Next, mix sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, eggs, and vanilla together in a bowl.
Pour pecans in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell.
Pour syrup mixture over the top. Bake pie at 375º F for 30 minutes. Then continue baking at 350º F for 20 minutes. Shake the pie before you pull it out, it shouldn't be jiggly.
A few Notes
1) One time, I ran out of white corn syrup and just decided to substitute with the dark that I had lying around. It turned out so much better that I changed the recipe. You can just use light corn syrup if you can't find dark
2) It's important to NOT whisk the eggs too much. They create air bubbles in the pie.
3) If you can't find pecans, use walnuts
Niceeeee
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