Two (pecan) pies for the price of one

Right now, I'm listening to Arlo Guthrie's "Alice's Restaurant Massacree" on KINK FM, my Thanksgiving noon-time tradition since I don't know, The Dawn of Time as I Seen It. My family used to listen to it on 102.5 KACY while we drove to my grandparents' house in Ark City, KS. Listening to "Alice's Restaurant" as I get around for Thanksgiving is a better tradition, I think, than watching that sissy Macy's parade. To me, there's nothing in the world like sitting around, listening to the radio with people you enjoy.

Though this is the first year that I've been away from my family for Thanksgivin', I'm still surrounded by blessings, new friends,a job in radio (they still make those!), lovely kitties, Arlo Guthrie, and a new ceramic-top stove. Could a gal ask for more?

I'm taking a pecan pie to our neighbors' family today, and using the rest of the pie crust I made on a mini fall pie of pears, cranberries, and pecans. The mini-pie tasted great, but the pictures didn't come out well. C'est la vie. Have a happy and safe Thanksgiving all.

Pretty Pecan Pie (and mini Fall Pear Pie)
serves 6

Crust

• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (2 1/4 cups)
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 2/3 cup chilled butter, sliced thin
• about 1/4 cup cold water

Filling

• 3 slightly beaten eggs (4 eggs)
• 3/4 cup corn syrup
• 1/4 cup honey or agave nectar (1/2 cup honey)
• 2/3 cup dememera or turbinado sugar (1 cup sugar)
• 1/3 cup melted butter (1/2 cup butter)
• 1 heaping tsp. vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves (2 cups pecans)
• (1 comice pear)
• (1/4 cup dried cranberries)

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Next, prepare the crust. Cut the butter into small cubes and mix the butter, flour, and salt in a small bowl. Using a pastry cutter, mash the butter into the flours until the pieces are pea-sized. Sprinkle a spoonful of cold water over the dough, then toss everything gently with a fork. Repeat this process, one spoonful of water at a time, until the dough is moistened. The less you handle this dough, the flakier it will be. Divide the dough in half, and form each half into a ball.

Flatten each ball on a lightly floured surface, and roll the dough from the center to the edges into a 12" diameter circle. To transfer dough to the pie plate, roll it gently around the rolling pin, and dust the dough occasionally with flour. Prick the bottom crust with the tines of a fork, and trim the excess dough. Set the pie plate aside and drape the second crust over a small ceramic dish. Now, on to the filling!

If you're preparing a pecan pie, use only the first set of recipe measurements. If you're making both, use the measurements in parenthesis.

If you're just preparing a pecan pie, use the first set of recipe measurements and combine the ingredients (minus pecans) in a large bowl. (If you're making both, reserve 1 cup of the filling liquid + pecans for the tart.) Make sure everything is well blended -- the sugar dissolved, the butter melted, the eggs evenly stirred. Stir in the pecans and pour the filling into your prepared crust. Line the crust edges with aluminum foil or use Sam's Paper Bag Trick, then set the pie on a cookie sheet in the center of the oven.

For the mini-pie, slice 1/2 of a ripe pear into thin, wafery slices. Place a layer of these slices in the ceramic dish, pour half the pecan filling on the pears, then repeat. Pour the filling into the crust and close up the crust, crimping down the edges with the tines of a fork. Cut a few holes in the top for steam and bake along with the pecan pie. (I drizzled a little leftover filling over the other pear half and baked it, too.)

About 30 minutes into baking, remove the tin foil from the pie edges, then cook the pies 30 minutes more until the fillings are set. Let them cool, put on some Arlo Guthrie records, and enjoy.

You can get anything you want at Alice's Restaurant....