German Chocolate Pecan Pie

So, here is my go to pie for Thanksgiving -- German Chocolate Pecan Pie.  HEAVENLY!!!  Pecan pie is so good by itself but the addition of chocolate and coconut really steps it up a notch or five. It is a Rachael Ray recipe that I have changed slightly.  The original recipe calls for 3/4 cup of chocolate chips and (I can't believe I'm writing this) it's a little too chocolatey.  I know, it's hard to believe that I think something could have too much chocolate but it's true.  I also usually just use 2 cups of pecans because that's the size bag I find in my grocery stores.  It makes the perfect amount of filling for the pie so I really don't think it's missing anything by having half a cup less of pecans.  This is a really easy recipe - my four year old helps with the filling.  I usually cheat and buy a pre-made shell so the whole thing takes about 45 minutes.  I do pre-bake the shell for about 10-12 minutes before filling it.  So, that's it - the recipe to the most amazing delicious pie ever.

Pre-made pie shell
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 cups pecan pieces
3/4 cup sweetened flake coconut
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and bake for pie shell 10- 12 minutes. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs. In a heavy, medium saucepan, whisk together the  butter and 1/2 teaspoon salt with the brown sugar and corn syrup over medium heat until melted and smooth. Whisk the sugar mixture into the beaten eggs. Stir in the nuts and coconut. Put the chocolate chips in the pie shell. Pour in the filling and bake until set, about 25 minutes. Let the pie cool completely before slicing.

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Pumpkin Pie from a pumpkin...who would of thought?

We went to a pumpkin patch this weekend and had a wonderful time there.  We have taken our daughter every year since she was a year old.  We always go, let her play, and end the day with picking out pumpkins - one for display and one tiny one for her room.  This year, we decided to buy a third pumpkin for a pumpkin pie.  Okay, really my husband came up with the idea, and I just went along with it. For pumpkin pies, you should buy a sweet pumpkin like the sugar (or sugar pie) pumpkin.

So, after much research online, I ended up combining a few recipes and here is what I came up with -


2 cups fresh pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
dash pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
4 eggs (lightly beaten)
1 cup honey
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

First, to roast the pumpkin, I cut it in half, scooped out the seeds and lightly oiled it.  I placed it on a baking sheet lined with foil and lightly oiled, cut side down and let it bake at 325 degrees for about 50 minutes.  Bake it until a it is tender when you put a fork in it. Next time, I think I will cut the pumpkin into several smaller pieces so that they cook a little faster and more evenly.

After it's done, let it cook slightly and then scoop out all the pumpkin flesh - and discard the shell.  Puree the pumpkin until smooth.  You can use a hand blender, regular blender or food processor.












Next, add the spices and salt then beat in the eggs, honey, milk and heavy whipping cream. Actually, my daughter did this part - she does love to help out in the kitchen.

  Pour into a  pie shell and bake 55 minutes, or until firm. Oh, and I totally cheated and used a pre-made pie shell.  For Thanksgiving, I'll go all out and make a homemade one but this is just a tester.

I also made chantilly cream (aka homemade whipped cream) to top the pie with - using a cup of heavy cream, 3/4 teaspoon of vanilla extract and a tablespoon of sugar.

Oh, and the great thing about roasting your own pumpkin is that you have plenty of leftovers and you can freeze them in one cup servings in plastic freezer bags like this -

AND, you can dry out your pumpkin seeds and roast them for a delicious snack