There ain’t nothing that can fire up a tired brain and energize your body like a big mug full of coffee (preferably with chickory) and a nice sized piece of Pecan Pie. There’s been many an argument as to whether or not pecan you should use dark or light corn syrup for your pie. My family always preferred the light because it showcased the taste of the pecans better. The dark corn syrup seemed to overwhelm the subtle pecan flavor to my taste buds.

I’ll go ahead and admit now that I use frozen pie shells. I buy them and store them in the freezer on the same shelf where I store my pecans. So, without further adieu here’s my favorite pecan pie recipe (I’ll include the crust which is excellent but more work than the frozen ones:)

Filling:

4 eggs, eaten
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup light Karo syrup
1 cup pecan halves or pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla, (Penzy’s is the best!)

Beat eggs slightly. Add sugar and beat until the sugar dissolves. Add Karo syrup and vanilla flavoring while stirring. Add pecans and stir to mix well. Pour into an unbaked 9-inch pie (if you use frozen, let it thaw first)  shell and bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake for 45 minutes more or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Using the two different temperatures is what keeps that bottom crust flaky.

Pie Shell

1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon salt:
1/3 cup Crisco
3-4 teaspoons cold water (and I mean refrigerator cold)

Mix flour and salt together then cut in the Crisco with a pastry cutter or a couple of knives. Add water until all dough is moistened. Form into a ball and place on a lightly floured surface. Press dough flat by hand, shaping it into a circle. Continue the flattening of the dough using a rolling pin to create a circle about 12″ in diameter. Place dough into a 9-inch pie plate. Prick the bottom and side with a fork. Bake at 425 degrees for 10-12 minutes (or golden brown) and let cool before filling.