Happy Thanksgiving 2010!

Thanksgiving is wonderful day to pause and reflect on the many blessings that we have and realize we have.  It is also a day to reflect and give thanks on the many blessings that we take for granted, which include the many freedoms we take for granted each day, and the many gifts we have that come to us in a variety of packages.

The difficult challenge is to stretch our comfort zone to return our thanks and share our blessings with others in our all too busy lifestyle.  Thanksgiving is a great time to take time and analyze how we can spend time giving to others in our daily lives and to those in our local communities and global communities.

Keisha made a pecan pie for our Thanksgiving dinner, and it was great. Following are the recipes she used. This pie crust is now our favorite!

Best Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1  c. all-purpose flour

7  Tbs. cold salted butter

¼ c. ice water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Sift flour into mixing bowl.
3. Using large holes of a hand grater, grate butter into bowl with flour.
4. Lightly blend butter and flour with your fingertips until texture is like coarse cornmeal; be careful not to overwork dough.
5. Add ice water and blend until thoroughly incorporated.
6. For dough into ball, and place on floured surface; roll out dough to ⅛-inch thick, adding flour as necessary.
7. Place 8½-inch pie pan face down on dough, and cut dough to fit, leaving a border of about 1 inch.
8. Line pie pan with dough, trim edges, and refrigerate until ready to use.

Yields: One 8½-inch pastry shell.

Pecan Pie

Ingredients:

3    eggs

1    c. white sugar

1    c. dark corn syrup

2    Tbs. melted butter

1½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

⅛   tsp. salt

½   c. darkly roasted pecans, ground

1    c. med. pecan pieces

¾   c. pecan halves

1    unbaked 8½-in. pie shell

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Prepare pie shell; set aside.
3. In electric mixer, add eggs and beat on high speed until frothy, about 1 minute.
4. Add sugar, corn syrup, butter, vanilla, salt, and ground roasted pecans; beat on medium speed until well blended.
5. Stir in pecan pieces; pour filling into prepared pie shell.
6. Spread pecan halves on top filling, and press lightly.
7. Bake for 40 minutes; reduce heat to 325 degrees F., and bake until filling is brown on top and crust is light golden brown, 35 to 40 minutes.
8. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature for 1 hour before serving.

Yields: One 8½-inch pie.