1 pie crust  •  4 T unsalted butter  •  1 C brown sugar, packed  
1 1/2 C pecans, toasted and 3/4 roughly chopped  •  3 eggs, beaten
1/2 C dark corn syrup  •  1 T bourbon flavoring or 3 T bourbon
1 tsp salt

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite times of year, it brings friends and families together, thoughts of blessing and gratitude for the things you have and the people you love and an array of yummy food to the table. This year my husband and I are hosting Thanksgiving dinner at our home, of course I am really excited and no, I am not making all the food – even though the thought did cross my mind. I love to get the family involved in the preparation of dinner because each person has a dish specialty which makes the meal more authentic and unique. This year I am making the turkey, a sweet and savory sausage stuffing, garlic roasted green beans with almonds,  and this Bourbon Pecan Pie! It’s the traditional pecan pie with a twist, add a hint of the rich oak flavor bourbon brings to this dessert. Beautiful golden brown colors, crunchy pecans, creamy filling, flaky butter crust, oh, and a dollop of homemade whipping cream on top, even your guests who don’t care much for nuts will be coming back for seconds.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prep the dough and place into pie dish, crimp edges and set aside. In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in pecans., brown sugar, corn syrup eggs, bourbon and salt. Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Bake for 45 minutes or until the middle is set. Cool completely and serve with homemade whipping cream.
Recipe from Rachel Rays, Everyday with Rachel Ray magazine, November 2011

Serves 8-10

Flaky Pie Crust

2 1/2 C flour  •  1 tsp salt  •  6 T shortening
1 stick unsalted butter, cold and cubed  • ice water

In a large bowl, toss together the flour and salt. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut in the butter and shortening until most of it is the size of peas. Drizzle ½ cup ice water on top and sir together with a fork. Stir in more ice water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough is slightly moist but not wet. (Test by pinching some of the dough; if it doesn’t hold together, add more water.) Gather the dough into a ball, then divide in half, forming each piece into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 3 days. Let the chilled dough sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes before rolling out. On a lightly floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll out each disk of dough, as needed, into a 12-to 13-inch round, working from the center out and away from you, dusting lightly with flour and rotating the dough as needed to keep the circle even. You can also freeze the left over dough and use within three months.
Recipe from Rachel Rays, Everyday with Rachel Ray magazine, November 2011

notes: When making the crust, the less you handle the dough the more flaky the crust will be. As you gather the dough into a ball only pack it enough to get it to stay together and then roll it out on a floured surface.

… wishing you and your family a blessed Thanksgiving holiday. Also, thank you for your interest and support in following my blog, I am grateful.