Tasty Tuesdays: Old Fashioned Pecan Pie

Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

When I was out in Arizona on vacation a couple of weeks ago, my brother and I made a pecan pie for our Dad.  Pecan Pie is his favorite, so I try to make it for him every once and a while!

I searched Pinterest for recipes and found this one to pin.  The recipe is originally from the November 2009 issue of Gourmet, and was blogged on Last Call For Corn.

World's Cutest Brother did most of the pie making.  He pretty much made the pie crust himself with directions from me.

Using the pastry blender to cut in the butter:



Grating the orange zest:

{ He's a lefty just like me! }

Our pie pastry all ready for filling:

Working on the filling:



The pecans, all ready for the filling:

This photo taken by World's Cutest Brother.  Look how messy the counter was!  I see a Starbucks cup, a banana, two glasses...

Ingredients:

- Pie pastry { This is my go-to recipe, from Smitten Kitchen }

- 1 stick unsalted butter (1/2 cup)

- 1-1/4 cups packed light brown sugar

- 3/4 cup light corn syrup

- 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

- 1 teaspoon grated orange zest

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 3 large eggs

- 2 cups pecan halves (1 cup chopped)

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350°F.  Place a baking sheet on the middle rack.

2.  Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 12-inch round and fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim edge, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang under and lightly press against rim of pie plate, then crimp decoratively. Lightly prick bottom all over with a fork. Chill until firm, at least 30 minutes (or freeze 10 minutes).

3.  Meanwhile, melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add brown sugar, whisking until smooth. Remove from heat and whisk in corn syrup, vanilla, zest, and salt. Lightly beat eggs in a medium bowl, then whisk in corn syrup mixture.

4.  Put pecans (both halves & chopped) in pie shell and pour corn syrup mixture evenly over them. Bake on hot baking sheet until filling is set, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool completely.

Here's our finished pie.  It definitely would be prettier if we had fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream on top!

What did you cook this week?

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1.  Add a link to the post you are linking up back to this post.

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2.  Add the Tasty Tuesdays button to the post you are linking up.  You will find the button on my side bar.  Thanks!

{ I have a giveaway going on right now from Modern Fabric Studio - Please visit this post if you would like to win a gift certificate! }



Modern Fabric Studios Giveaway!

I have a wonderful giveaway for you today.  Amanda, from Modern Fabric Studio, is offering one 33 Shades of Green reader a $25 gift certificate to her shop.  If you like to sew and craft, you know that you can never have too much fabric, right?

Modern Fabric Studio offers lots of great prints at very reasonable prices.  Here are a few of my favorites:

{ Bali Gates in Grass by Amy Butler }

{ Dancing Paisley in Limestone by Amy Butler }

{ Wrought in Lemon by Tina Givens }

{ Peacock Feathers in Turquoise by Amy Butler }

{ Bloom in Citrus by Valori Wells }

Amanda has also graciously offered all readers a 10% discount off your purchase.  Just use promo code "33shadesofgreen".

To Enter Giveaway:
Leave a comment telling me what you would sew or make with your new fabric if you won.  Please make sure to leave your email address if you do not have it linked to your Google profile so that I will be able to contact you if you are the winner!

Additional Entries:
1. Like Modern Fabric Studio on Facebook. 
2.  Like 33 Shades of Green on Facebook
3.  Tweet about the giveaway.  { You can find 33 Shades of Green on Twitter right here }
4.  Sign up for the Modern Fabric Studio Newsletter on their website.

Please leave an separate comment for each additional entry you complete.  If you completed each of the additional entries, you would leave five separate comments.

A winner will be selected by random on Sunday, April 1, 2012.

Hope you had a wonderful weekend!

Tasty Tuesdays 62

Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

I was planning on sharing the recipe for a delicious pecan pie that I made last week while on vacation in Arizona.  But, it's Monday night and I just don't think I have it in me to get a post up!  I got back on Sunday evening and the three hour time change sure is a lot to get used to.  Getting up for work this morning was rough!

Back next week with the recipe!

What did you cook this week?

Party Rules:

1.  Add a link in the post you are linking up back to this post

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Tasty Tuesdays: Classic Fudge Walnut Brownies

Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

Apparently, I have a sweet tooth lately - desserts for Tasty Tuesdays two weeks in a row!  This is a great recipe for brownies.  I think these were probably the most chocolaty brownies I have ever had.  The recipe comes from the September 2011 issue of Cooking Light and can be seen right here.



Ingredients:

- 3/4 all-purpose flour

- 1 cup granulated sugar

- 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar

- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 1 cup bittersweet chocolate chunks, divided

- 1/3 cup fat-free milk

- 6 tablespoons butter, melted

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts, divided

- Cooking spray

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2.  Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl. Combine 1/2 cup chocolate and milk in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave at HIGH 1 minute, stirring after 30 seconds. Stir in butter, vanilla, and eggs. Add milk mixture, 1/2 cup chocolate, and 1/4 cup nuts to flour mixture; stir to combine.

3.  Pour the batter into a 9-inch square metal baking pan coated with cooking spray; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup nuts. Bake at 350° for 19 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool in the pan on a rack. Cut into squares and serve.

{ The recipe calls for a metal 9" baking pan, but I only had an 8" one, so I used a glass baking dish instead. }

The brownies definitely tasted great, but they were so moist and chewy that I had a hard time cutting nice squares.

The chocolate won me over though.



What did you cook this week?

Party Rules:

1.  Add a link in the post you are linking up back to this post.

OR

2.  Add the Tasty Tuesday button to the post you are linking up.  You will find the button and code on my sidebar.

Sunshine, Here I Come!

I am on my way to Arizona today for vacation.  I don't have any big plans while I'm out there, other then spending a lot of time in this:



I'm going to catch up on all my magazines, read a few books, and spend time with a few of my favorite people.



Tasty Tuesdays will be up and ready for you to link up on Tuesday morning.  Have a great week!

Tasty Tuesdays: Coconut Thumbprint Cookies with Salted Caramel

Welcome to Tasty Tuesdays!

First, let me say that it is taking all the will-power I have as I sit here writing this post to not get up and grab one of these cookies.  They are delicious!  It was my Mom's birthday this week, and instead of a cake or pie, she got these.  I think it was a good choice.

{ the recipe comes from the February 2012 issue of Martha Stewart Living }

Ingredients:

- 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature

- 1 cup sugar

- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

- Table salt

- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten

- 12 ounces sweetened flaked coconut

- 44 small soft caramel candies (12 ounces), such as Kraft

- 6 tablespoons heavy cream

- Large, flaky sea salt

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat together butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, then beat in vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add flour and 1/2 teaspoon table salt, and beat to combine. Press dough together in plastic wrap, then roll into 1 1/4-inch balls. Dip each ball in beaten egg, and roll in coconut. Place balls on parchment-lined (or use silpat mats, like I do) baking sheets, and press an indentation into each with your thumb. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove sheets from oven, and re-press indentations. Bake cookies until golden, 9 to 10 minutes more. Let cool on wire racks. Repeat with remaining dough.

2.  Place caramels and heavy cream in a small saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring constantly, until the caramels are melted and mixture is smooth, 4 to 6 minutes. Spoon into indentations in cookies, and sprinkle with sea salt. Rewarm caramel if it hardens before all cookies are filled.

If you are looking for a new cookie to try, I can't recommend these enough.  In fact, I'm off to snack on one right now!

Party Rules:

1.  Include a link in the post you are linking up back to this post

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2.  Add the Tasty Tuesday button to the post you are linking up.