Perfect Pecan Pie Recipe (Super Secret Foolproof Tip)

Making pecan pie can be a persnickity job. It always takes longer than the recipe states for the filling to set. And it so aggravating when the nuts and crust burn before the filling sets!

Well, no more persnickity pecan pie! I am about to share with you the super secret foolproof tip for perfect pecan pie.

Warm the filling in a saucepan before pouring into the crust!

This allows less baking time because the filling is already hot when it goes into the oven. So no more burnt nuts/crust!

Isn't that absolutely amazing?! 

*While tossed bouquets and accolades to my brilliance are always welcome, I must confess that I discovered this tip in a magazine years ago.

Lesa's Current Favorite Pecan Pie Recipe

ingredients

one refrigerated pie crust (dust both sides with flour like the box says to do for a high sugar pie, fit into 9 inch piepan, fold edges under and crimp. )

3 large eggs

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 firmly packed light brown sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1 stick of butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

enough coarsely chopped pecans or pecan halves to generously cover pie

Steps

1. preheat oven to 350

2. whisk together eggs and next six ingredients in a saucepan over low to medium heat until butter is melted and all ingredients are well blended (don't have to stir constantly but keep an eye on it)

**Beginning cooks: Don't scramble the eggs! Incorporate the eggs before the mixture gets too warm to avoid curdles

3. pour into prepared piecrust

4. sprinkle pecans on filling

5. bake for 35-45 minutes till filling is set. If it jiggles like jello, it is not set yet. 

Easy as pie!

 I so wish I had known the super secret tip back in my teen years. That Dear Abby Pecan Pie recipe used to give me fits!



Try this super but not so secret anymore tip with your favorite pecan pie recipe or with my recipe above. 

Let me know how it turns out.

Happy Pie Making! 

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Strawberry Chiffon Pie (No Bake)

August heat got you beat?

Too hot to cook?  

Then make this light refreshing and super easy no-bake pie!

Ingredients

2 cups fresh strawberries cut up

1/4 cup sugar

1 envelope of unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup cold water

   

1/2 cup of honey

1 cup sour cream

1 store-bought chocolate or oreo crumb crust for nine inch pie

Steps

1.  Place strawberries in small bowl; sprinkle with 1/4 cup sugar; mash strawberries with potato masher; set aside

2.  Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in small saucepan; let stand five minutes

3.  Stir honey into gelatin and warm over low heat until gelatin and honey dissolve.

4.  Remove from heat; stir in sour cream; refrigerate 10-15 minutes till mixture begins to thicken.

5.  Beat mixture with electric mixer at medium speed until light.

6.  Stir in strawberries until well combined,

7.  Pour into prepared crust. Cover and refrigerate at least two hours.

Lesa Says

 

 If you don't care for the flavor of honey, feel free to use all sugar. For less calories, use light sour cream.  If you have no fresh strawberries, use frozen--  thawed, of course.  

Dress up your slice of pie with a drizzle of strawberry sauce, sprinkling of chocolate shavings and/or fresh berries.

To me, this is fruity panna cotta in a crust but my little one calls it 'Strawberry Smoothie Pie'.  No matter what you call it, this pie will cool you off in a most delicious way!   

Enjoy!

Linking to:

Tempt My Tummy Tuesday

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Chinese-Style Chicken Veggie Noodle Soup

Here is another one of my yummy fast at lightning soups.

This is a lighter soup and just perfect for a chilly spring day.  If you are battling a miserable spring cold, the spicy chicken broth will soothe and comfort.

Here is what you will need:

Plus, minced garlic.  

In a soup pot,  saute 1-2 minced garlic cloves and 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger in a bit of olive oil or oil of choice over med high heat until fragrant (30 sec to a minute).

Add two cans of chicken broth bring to simmer.

Add:

3 tablespoons of soy sauce

2 tablespoons of rice vinegar

hot chile sauce to taste

Use more or less soy sauce/rice vinegar to suit your taste.

Add bag of frozen sugar snap stir fry mix.

Add water if needed.

Cook till heated through.

Add salt if needed.

In a separate pot, cook noodles of choice; drain.

Add noodles to bowl and top with hot soup.

Top with cooked shrimp or diced cooked chicken if desired. .

Plain veggie with wheat noodles.  Linguini noodles may be substituted for Chinese wheat noodles

This soup is very adjustable. Many times I add two bags of veggies and increase the water rather than increase the broth so it isn't so chickeny.

Of course, I double the seasoning if I add lots of water.

Sometime, I have added diced chicken to the pot along with the veggies. Tasty, but it is more versatile as plain veggie-- each person can add or not add meat to their bowl as they choose.



with cooked shrimp and rice noodles



Enjoy!

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How to Make Olive Garden's Zuppa Toscana

Winter has been hanging on tooth and nail this week so thought I would share one of my favorite soup recipes.

 Zuppa Toscana from Olive Garden. 

Have you ever ordered it?  Creamy with potatoes, Italian sausage,  kale and a bit of spice but not heavy.  Perfect for a chilly early spring day.

Here is what you will need...

Steps:

Brown and crumble sausage; drain.

While sausage is browning:

Chop onion

Mince 1-2 cloves of garlic

peel and slice potatoes (1/4 in slice); If you have new potatoes leave the peel on

Wash kale; strip leaves from stem and chop

Saute onion  in a bit of olive oil or butter until tender; add garlic

add sausage

add two cans of chicken stock

add water to suit

add salt to taste

optional: add 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes or to taste.  If you use a spicy sausage, omit the flakes.

add potatoes and bring to a boil then lower to simmer

 cook until tender-- 7-10 minutes. keep checking. you don't want the potatoes to fall apart. sliced potatoes cook fast.

add the kale

add 2 cups of cream more or less-- more is better!

Top with parmesan cheese and/or fresh crispy fried bacon pieces!

Yum! Now that is larapin!

If you are familiar with zuppa toscana at Olive Garden, you might wonder why mine has lots more kale than theirs.  Olive Garden is so stingy with the kale.  I love kale so load mine up.  That is what is great about making it at home-- you can make it to suit your taste. 

Mine is vastly superior to Olive Garden's and yours will be too!

Enjoy!

If you have any questions, just ask.

About the sausage

Back in the 30s, a community of Italian immigrants settled in SE Oklahoma to work the coal mines.

Families opened businesses, bakeries and restaurants.  Some brewed choc beer. 

The Lovera family opened Lovera's Market and became famous for making cheeses and sausages.   The family still operates out of  the original store. It is a blast from the past! 

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How to Make New Orlean's Style Pralines

The pralines at the New Orleans School of Cooking are the best! Paper thin and crisp-- they melt in your mouth. The butter, brown sugar and pecan goodness is divine! Crazy making! Addictive!Swoon worthy! !

We don't get to New Orleans very often so I started making their recipe years ago and it has never failed.   Very easy to prepare so make some for your sweetheart for a Valentine's treat-- you will get lots of hugs and kisses, I promise!

what it looks like at the beginning

1 1/2 cups sugar

3/4 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 stick butter

1 1/2 cup pecans

Combine all ingredients in a pot and cook on medium heat-- doesn't need constant stirring but keep an eye on it.  




 Bring to 238-240 degrees- soft ball stage. Use a candy thermometer.

 When it starts to look a bit foamy and more opaque it is time to start checking the temperature-- it will still take a few more minutes to get it to 238-240. 

Remove from heat give it about 10 quick stirs for cooling/thickening purposes-- then spoon out onto buttered wax paper, foil or baking mat.

It will still appear too thin but that is perfect-- spoon out quickly because as it thickens it gets harder to spoon out and  the pralines won't look as pretty.

Tip: a thick bottomed pot or pressure cooker pot is great for candy making.

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Rustic Italian Soup

Rustic Italian Soup is quick and easy to prepare and so delicious. This one helped ward off the cold of the blizzard last week.

Here is what you need:

 Brown and crumble Italian sausauge in a skillet; drain.

Prep:  chop onion and carrots, mince 1-2 cloves of garlic, quarter zucchini and slice

In a soup pot, combine 28oz can of diced tomatoes,  sausauge, 1/2 to 1 cup of wine, onions, garlic, carrots, two cans of cannellini beans drained, 1 to 2 teaspoons of basil, salt and pepper to taste, and enough water for soup.

Bring to boil then lower heat and simmer for 25 minutes; add zucchini and simmer 10 minutes or until tender.

If desired: add a bit of prepared rotini pasta to your bowl before topping with hot steamy soup.  Fresh spinach leaves are another tasty addition to add to individual bowls or to the whole pot.

Top with parmesan cheese.  Delicious alone or serve with toasty slices of Italian bread.

Yum! That's plumb larapin!

 The water froze last week and we had no running water for three days-- hence the styrofoam bowl! Nothing like camping out in your own house!

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Lesa's Rustic Taco Soup

What is the perfect soup for a cold winter night? Rustic taco soup, of course!  

Too tired to make soup? No worries-- this soup is so quick and easy that you will have energy to spare.

This is what you need plus one pound of ground beef and toppings of choice.

Brown beef in a skillet then drain.
Place drained beef in a soup pot and add:
1 14oz can of diced tomatoes
1 can of Rotel any flavor (I like lime/cilantro)
1 packet of regular taco seasoning mix
1 packet of ranch dressing mix
1 can of ranch style beans undrained
1 can of black beans drained
1 can of cannellini beans drained
1 can of kidney beans drained
1 or 2 cans of hominy drained (I like 2 to balance out all the beans) 
1 bottle of beer
enough water for soupiness

All drained beans/hominy are optional-- use and/or double your favorites. Green beans or sweet corn work as well. This was my first time using kidney beans-- tasty. I'm thinking of trying green limas next time-- to add color and I love limas.

Now that's one plumb larapin bowl of soup!

Delicious topped with cilantro and a squeeze of lime or shredded colby/jack or a dollop of sour cream or all of the above!

Serve with tortilla chips, tortillas or cornbread.

Enjoy!

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Strawberry Lemonade! Mellow Yellow Monday, Ruby Tuesday, Rednesday

Would you care for a cool refreshing glass of Strawberry Lemonade?

It's the perfect remedy for a hot summer day!

RECIPE

• First make a simple syrup: Place 1 1/2 cup of water and 1 1/2 cup of sugar (and strips of zest from one lemon, if desired) in saucepan. Bring to a boil then simmer for two minutes. Remove from heat.
  
  
• Hull 1 pint of strawberries then puree the berries with 1/4 cup of sugar in a blender or food processor. Strain the puree though strainer or collander lined with coffee filters into a large pitcher.
  
  
• Squeeze juice from 4-6 lemons (depending on your taste) and add to pitcher.
  
  
• Stir in simple syrup minus zest.
  
  
• Add cold water to taste; Stir-- taste-- add sugar or water if needed. Chill or serve immediately over ice.

Enjoy!

Remember lemonade is subjective: Adjust the amounts of sugar, strawberries, lemons and water to suit your taste.

Please visit the hosts of these fabulous worldwide photo memes to see more:
Mellow Yellow Monday
Ruby Tuesday
Rednesday

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Ruby Tuesday Photo: Pea Pesto Crostini with Tomato

My family loves pesto... so sad over the winter when we have no basil growing in the garden. When I saw this recipe on one of Giada's foodtv shows, I knew I had to try it.

Recipe

In a food processor, pulse:

one 10-ounce package of frozen peas, defrosted

one garlic clove (I roasted my garlic first)

1/2 cup grated parmesan (I used a bit more)

one teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup olive oil (or as much needed for correct consistency

Crostini: Brush 1/2 inch slices of ciabatta bread or baguette with olive oil and grill till toasty.

Spread desired amount of pesto on the crostini and top with tomato slices.

This pesto is sweet and the texture reminds me more of hummus than basil pesto.

So simple to prepare, a beautiful presentation and fabulously delicious.

Thank you for another winner, Giada!

Click here to check out all the other photos in this week's global photo meme Ruby Tuesday.

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Chocolate Dipped Cranberry Cookies

Pretty enough for a tea party!

Yum! These cookies are tasty! Sweet with little zings of cranberry goodness.

Found the recipe in the Oklahoma Farmer and Rancher newspaper. The cookie dough is just a basic shortning type dough with 2 cups of chopped fresh cranberries (frz should work too) mixed in. I used a food processor for a finer chop. I did try with a knife first but it was too difficult. Cranberries went flying everywhere!

After the baked cookies cool, dip them in your favorite melted chocolate and coat with chopped nuts. I added a dab of butter to the chocolate and I pressed the nuts in so they would stick better.

Since this was the experimental first batch, I left half plain. We took the less messy plain ones to eat on a roadtrip; Talon and I couldn't stop eating them.

We (even Talon) actually prefer them plain since too much chocolate overwhelms the delicate taste of the cookies---- but we gobbled the chocolate ones too.

Next time, for speed and convenience, I plan to add finely chopped nuts to the dough and maybe a small amount of mini chocolate chips. I'll save the chocolate dipping business for a special occasion.

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Fried Okra!

Can't get enough okra! Roasting is my usual cooking method but sometimes I just gotta fry up a big mess of okra.

Over the years, I've tried all combinations of coatings in search of the best. One summer, a Southern Living recipe called for dipping in buttermilk then dredging in seasoned cornmeal. Tasty but a very hard thick crust with a slight tang.

I really prefer a thin light crisp crust on okra. This summer I settled on my favorite! First, I dipped the okra in egg white then dropped it in a ziploc bag of seasoned flour to coat. Panfried as usual.

Don't think I'll stray from this version! It is scrumdiddly!

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Fancy Fried Egg Sandwich!

Fried Egg Sandwich with Bacon, Gorgonzola and Spinach on Ciabatta!

If you enjoy fried egg sandwiches and wilted spinach salad, you will want to try this sandwich!

Ingredients:

thick sliced bacon

ciabatta rolls (I used a loaf and cut it)

gorgonzola

spinach (or your favorite green)

olive oil

red wine vinegar

salt

pepper

butter

eggs (2 per sandwich)

1. Fry the bacon till crisp. Drain on paper towels.

2. Slice open the rolls or bread. Sprinkle gorgonzola on the bottom slice for each sandwich. Place tops and bottoms on a baking sheet. Toast in the oven till the cheese is melty.

3. Drain bacon grease from skillet and add 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil. Optional:leave a bit of bacon grease in for traditional wilted spinach salad flavor. Not as healthy but so delicious! Place spinach in hot oil and toss quickly till slightly wilted. Remove skillet from heat. Sprinkle spinach with red wine vinegar, salt and pepper and toss to coat.

4. Heat butter in another skillet and fry eggs till done to suit your taste. (flip eggs half way through) Season with salt and pepper.

5. Place the eggs on the gorgonzola slice of bread followed by bacon and wilted spinach. Close the sandwich and dig in!

Plumb Larapin!

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Sesame-Crusted Salmon!

Toasted sesame seeds add an amazing dimension to any food, salmon included.

For the fish: combine 1 egg white and 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to make a paste; brush the skinless side of the salmon with the paste then dip into sesame seeds to coat and saute in oil until golden (5 min); turn and cook the other side until done (3-5 min).

For the sauce:

Combine in a small bowl:

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons dry sherry or wine

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh ginger

1/2 teaspoon sugar

1 clove garlic, minced

In another small bowl:

Combine: 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 3 tablespoons of water

After the fish is cooked, pour oil from pan. Add the soy sauce mixture and simmer 2-3 minutes, stirring. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and cook, stirring, until slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.

Such a quick and easy entree. Serve with salad tossed in your favorite asian vinaigrette, asian coleslaw or even roasted veggies.

Simply Delicious!

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Strawberry Cake

Typically, I don't buy flavored cake mixes because of the artificial taste. However, mixes were on sale--cheap--- so I bought a few.

I jazzed this one up with strawberry preserves and pink glaze. Turned out pretty and didn't taste too artificial.

I did want the preserves to end up in the middle of the cake-- maybe using a bit less next time will keep it from sinking to the bottom of the pan.

I think I will buy lemon curd and do something similar with the lemon cake mix. Oh, and lemon flavored glaze--- that ought to be yummy!

If you know any good ways to improve store bought cake mixes, please share. I have several more boxes!

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Berry Desserts!

Upside Down Berry Cake! Unusual but tasty. The recipe called for a bit of cornmeal and fresh basil in the batter. Sounds odd but the flavors were addictive! I'm going to make it again! This winter when I have no fresh basil I am going to experiment with a flour only version--- Of course, I won't have fresh berries either--- maybe frozen will work.

Quick Blueberry Cobbler!

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Quick Fruit Tarts...

This snack is so fast and delicious! Just spread Nutella on a graham cracker and top with fruit! Easy as pie-- well, much easier than pie!

It is reminscent of two of my favorite treats: the wonderful chocolate dipped fresh pineapple and strawberries Morrow's offered on saturday morning at the mall and pie.

Pineapple is my ultimate topping because we don't get good fresh pineapples very often in Oklahoma. Strawberry is my next favorite topping. Blueberries and cherries are good toppings but not as spectacular as the other two. Talon prefers his topless or maybe with banana. The whole point was to get him to eat more fruit but I'm the one eating more fruit!

Did I mention the best part? It is low-cal! Yes, I repeat: Low-cal!!
One graham cracker sheet has about 65 calories. A thin layer of nutella (approx. 2 teaspoons) has about 65 calories and the fruit calories are minimal. Amazing since it tastes so rich and decadent! I typically eat one but splurging on two certainly won't break the bank!

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Pan Bagnat Update...

You may remember that Jim requested a deli meat version of a pan bagnat. On this one, I layered ham, sandwich pepperoni, garden peppers (cubanelles, anaheims, poblanos), chives, cucumbers, olives and tomatoes. I whipped up the same dijon vinaigrette as before.

This pan bagnat is delicious too and I'll definitely prepare it again-- maybe varying the veggies and meat.

As yummy as this one is, I still prefer the traditional tuna pan bagnat. Jim won't commit either way yet.

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Summer Tradition...

FRESH SALSA!!!

One of the culinary highlights of summer at our house is fresh tomato salsa. Scrumptious for chip dipping! Also, the perfect topping for black bean tostadas, breakfast burritos, quesadillas, tacos, fajitas or wraps. Sometimes we even eat it as gazpacho-- which is really what it actually is, after all.

Fresh tomatoes, peppers, garlic, onion, lime, cilantro, and salt--- What could be better...

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Vive La Pan Bagnat!

Pan Bagnat (pahn bahn-YAHT) is our new favorite sandwich! This sandwich originates in Nice where it is offered every day for lunch in the bakeries and markets. It is a salade nicoise on bread so basically a French tuna sandwich. Not just any tuna sandwich, mind you, but the most amazingly delicious tuna sandwich in the world!

(DeLynne, did you eat pan bagnats on any of your travels to France? Did they use fresh grilled tuna? You know you are my 'go to' expert on all things gallic.)

Pan bagnats are so easy and fun to make. The process is very hands on so Talon loves to help.
First, we whisk up plenty of dijon vinaigrette. Then, prep all the ingredients for layering. Talon loves whisking, slicing eggs with the egg slicer, and of course, nibbling on his favorite ingredients.
The next step is digging out a well in both halves of our loaf of bread. Talon thinks that is great fun! Then we layer, pour on the vinaigrette, slap on the top, wrap tightly in foil and press.

We don't get to eat it till the next day but, boy, is it worth the wait! If you like sandwiches that have olive oil soaked yummily into the bread, a pan bagnat will make you plumb crazy! Yes, Torrey, I am thinking of you!

If you want to make a pan bagnat, here are the items you need for layering: canned tuna in olive oil, bell peppers sliced into rings, a sweet onion sliced into rings (we just use chives out of the garden), 2 boiled eggs sliced, black olives chopped, and a few capers. After you make a fairly deep well in both halves of your loaf, layer the above ingredients in the bottom half in the order listed.

We chose not to include tomatoes since we don't like them with tuna. If you do, by all means add them. Tomatoes would go on after the olives.

For the vinaigrette: Whisk together 3 tablespoons of red wine vinegar, 1 1/2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard, 1 1/2 teaspoons of kosher salt and 3/4 teaspoon of black pepper. Gradually add 9 tablespoons of olive oil until an emulsion forms.

Don't forget to press and wrap it very tightly after pouring vinaigrette over all the layers. I found that it also helps to drizzle a little vinaigrette onto the well of the top half of bread before placing it on the sandwich.

My research indicates that the sandwich can stand 2 hours at room temperature before serving. My opinion is that it is safer to refrigerate it until you want to serve it. Like I said, we eat it the next day so the vinaigrette has had plenty of time to work its magic!

This sandwich has us hooked! I found a recipe that calls for fennel root and garbanzos that I want to try. Jim has requested an italian version with salami ect that I am going to work up with plenty of summer tomatoes.

Here is something I found odd: Salad nicoise always has green beans but I never found a pan bagnat recipe that included them. I love roasted green beans on a sandwich so I will definitely try adding them to my tuna pan bagnat this summer!

A pan bagnat provides both a spectacular presentation and a taste sensation!

Bon appetite!

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