Tantalizing Thursday - Thanksgiving Pies Edition

Welcome to Tantalzing Thursday on Chief 187™ Chatter. All month long Thanksgiving has been the theme of this feature. A meal and day that is central to the holiday season and is, for the most part, celebrated by all Americans has become vitally important. Whether the entire meal is made from scratch, help is taken from the grocery store or prepared foods section, or eaten out at a restaurant; it is preferred and decadent to have pie to end the meal. At our table there are at least two choices and sometimes as many as four to obliterate your calorie count. Cool Whip is the topping of choice with Team 187, but whipped cream is, of course, the other alternative. There is NO SHAME in using frozen pies or store-bought ones as enjoying the day and time together is the only pre-requisite to a successful recipe on Thanksgiving. If you are looking to show off your culinary dessert skills and are confident you can mix a few ingredients and unwrap a prepared pie crust, then these recipes to follow will help you deliver your homemade pies as if you are a ROCK STAR!

Libby’s ®Famous Pumpkin Pie

Recipe from http://verybestbaking.com

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 large eggs
• 1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin
• 1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk
• 1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell
• Whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

This recipe is a mainstay for holiday meal enders. I make no less than four every holiday season. In an effort to save money and not skimp on taste I pick up store brand canned pumpkin and evaporated milk. Simple recipes yield satisfying impacts! In addition to this pie I also like to include my very favorite, Pecan Pie. This recipe is also simple but devastatingly and sinfully delicious!



Karo Classic Pecan Pie

Recipe from http://karosyrup.com

Ingredients:


• 1 cup Karo® Light OR Dark Corn Syrup
• 3 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 teaspoon Spice Islands® Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) pecans
• 1 (9-inch) unbaked or frozen** deep-dish pie crust



Directions:


1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Mix corn syrup, eggs, sugar, butter and vanilla using a spoon. Stir in pecans. Pour filling into pie crust.

3. Bake on center rack of oven for 60 to 70 minutes (see tips for doneness, below). Cool for 2 hours on wire rack before serving.

4. **To use prepared frozen pie crust: Place cookie sheet in oven and preheat oven as directed. Pour filling into frozen crust and bake on preheated cookie sheet.

5. RECIPE TIPS: Pie is done when center reaches 200°F. Tap center surface of pie lightly - it should spring back when done. For easy clean up, spray pie pan with cooking spray before placing pie crust in pan. If pie crust is overbrowning, cover edges with foil.

6. NUTRITION TIP: To reduce calories, substitute new Karo® Lite Syrup for the Karo® Light or Dark Corn Syrup.

7. High Altitude Adjustments: Reduce sugar to 2/3 cup and increase butter to 3 tablespoons. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F.

8. VARIATION: coarsely chopped walnuts may be substituted for pecans to make a walnut pie.



This recipe is decadent! If you do not want to splurge on pure vanilla extract then use the imitation. I highly recommend buying the largest pecans you can find and dry roasting in a 350 degree oven in a single layer on a cookie sheet for approximately 5-10 minutes. This results in a crunchy and satisfying pecan that enhances the finished product of the pie. Served warm with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, this is, hands down, my all-time favorite pie
of the season!!

Whatever desserts you put on your Thanksgiving table and whatever topping you choose, I wish you a sweet day!

Please join me tomorrow for a special edition Friday Music Blog with a farewell to Regis Philbin on Chief 187 ™Chatter.

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