Expectations Vs. Reality

Ah Thanksgiving!... A magical holiday whose only purpose is to bring loving families together to share a meal and give thanks for all the blessings in their lives!

But let's be honest with ourselves.  Because every year in our heads we picture Thanksgiving looking like this:

Just look at all those shiny happy faces!

But the reality turns out to be  little more like this:

Yep, that's about right.  Except in our family there are more dogs...  and half of the people at the table are three sheets to the wind by noon.


I can usually be found in the backyard pacing, or in a closet curled up in the fetal position muttering to myself.

It's a splendid, splendid time. And, yet, I wouldn't trade my family's Thanksgiving hootenanny for anything in the world. It may be chaotic, stressful, and borderline maddening but it's ours.

And, now,  a recipe from my dysfunctional Thanksgiving table to yours!

Every year I make my dad a pecan pie for Thanksgiving.  This has become my favorite recipe.  It's a little unusual in that, unlike most pecan pie recipes, it contains no corn syrup.  The filling is amazing... every bite is like a mouthful of caramel. Yum!

Image blatantly stolen from user SaveRoom4Pie on Allrecipes.com.

My Pecan Pie - slightly (very slightly... okay mostly I just added some salt) adapted from this recipe.

Ingredients:

1 unbaked 8 or 9 inch pie crust
1 c. light brown sugar
1/4 c. granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled slightly
2 eggs
1 T. all purpose flour
1 T. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 healthy pinch of kosher salt
1 c. chopped pecans (or 2 cups if you don't want to garnish with pecan halves)
3/4 c. pecan halves for top of pie

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Beat two eggs until light and foamy. Stir in melted butter. Stir in both sugars and flour; mix well. Add the milk, vanilla, salt and nuts.
Pour into unbaked pie shell. At this point I suggest arranging some pecan halves on top of the pie.  This pecan pie bakes a little differently than most pecan pies, the result of which is that it tastes amazing, but it is lacking in the pecan-studded, traditional pecan pie appearance department. Without extra pecan halves for decoration, or at least adding extra chopped pecans to the filling mixture, you end up with an underwhelming looking pecan pie.  It will taste amazing, but look kind of 'meh'.
Bake in 400 degree oven for 10 minutes, reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and continue baking an additional 30 to 40 minutes.
Allow to cool and then apply directly to face.