Pumpkin Pecan Streusel Pie

There is something magical about the kitchen aroma of a pumpkin pie baking!

This is a kicked up version of pumpkin pie which has caught my attention. Love pressing pecans in the pie crust and the streusel topping sounds delicious.

The recipe comes from Southern Living, where the recipes are always awesome :)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1/2 (14.1-oz.) package refrigerated pie crust 
• 3 tablespoons finely chopped toasted pecans 
• Wax paper
• Vegetable cooking spray
• 1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin 
• 1 1/4 cups half-and-half
• 1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 teaspoon table salt

Garnish: toasted pecan halves




Preparation


Preheat oven to 350°. 


Pecan Pie Crust How-to

On surface dusted with powdered sugar; unroll pie crust and sprinkle with chopped pecans.

Press pecans into crust by gently rolling pie crust and pecans with a sheet of wax paper over pie crust and pecans.  

Fit pie crust in a lightly greased pie plate, pecan side up. Fold the edges under and crimp.

Whisk together pumpkin and next 6 ingredients in a large bowl until smooth and combined. Pour into prepared pie crust.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Shield edges with aluminum foil after 20 minutes to prevent excessive browning. 

Carefully top pie with Pecan Streusel Topping. 

Reduce oven temperature to 325°, and bake 25 minutes. Prevent excessive browning by covering pie with aluminum foil after 5 to 10 minutes. 

Cool completely on a wire rack (about 2 hours).




Pecan Streusel Topping

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves and pieces 
• 1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup butter, melted 
• 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Preparation

In a medium bowl, stir pecan halves and pieces, brown sugar, flour, melted butter, melted, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined.




Recipe and Photo Source:

Pam Lolley, Southern Living, NOVEMBER 2015

Source link

Photo: Helen Norman; Styling: Heather Chadduck Hillegas

Are you ready for Thanksgiving?

Once again, the holidays have crept up on us!  It seems as though we just experienced the ball come down on New Years Eve.  If you are like us, you are not ready for Thanksgiving!

This year, The Captain and I will be hosting our own Thanksgiving festivities.  We are actually very excited to cook all of our favorite dishes, along with some new ones.

Join us in researching the possibilities for new ideas and recipes for this holiday season.  The following list is a work in progress that I will continue adding links throughout the season.

Please refresh page if you are returning, so the new links will show up!

Happy planning!

Thanksgiving Central from the Food Network

PBS Food Thanksgiving Page

Thanksgiving Recipes from Taste of Home

Thanksgiving:  Unstuffed from The Cooking Channel

Best Thanksgiving Recipes from Campbell Soups

How to Cook a Turkey

Freeze Your Feast ~ Ultimate Make-Ahead Thanksgiving Tips


23 Side Dishes for Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving Pies and Desserts from The Cooking Channel

Harvest Pies

Pumpkin Pie Recipes from Southern Living

Thanksgiving Centerpieces from Home and Garden Television

Thanksgiving Ideas from Home and Garden Television

My other Thanksgiving posts

Chicken Fried Steak from The Pioneer Woman

Comfort food at it's best!

Chicken Fried Steak with mashed potatoes and gravy is one of my favorite meals.  This recipe comes from The Pioneer Woman!

One of my rules in making this meal . . . don't forget the biscuits!

Ingredients

Chicken Fried Steak:

• 1 1/2 cups whole milk
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons seasoned salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 pounds cube steak (tenderized round steak that's been extra tenderized)
• Kosher salt
• 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon butter

Gravy:

• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 3 to 4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Mashed potatoes, for serving

Directions:

For the steak: 

Set up an assembly line of dishes. Mix the milk with the eggs in one; the flour mixed with the seasoned salt, 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper, paprika and cayenne in another; and the meat in a third. Then have one clean plate at the end for the breaded meat.

Work with one piece of meat at a time. Sprinkle both sides with kosher salt and black pepper, then place it in the flour mixture. Turn to coat. Place the meat into the milk/egg mixture, coat both sides. 

Place it back in the flour and coat both sides (dry mixture/wet mixture/dry mixture). 

Place the breaded meat on the clean plate, then repeat with the remaining meat.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the butter. Drop in a few sprinkles of flour to make sure it's sufficiently hot. When the butter sizzles immediately, you know it's ready. (It should not brown right away, if it does, the fire is too hot.) 

Cook the meat, 3 pieces at a time, until the edges start to look golden brown, about 2 minutes each side. Remove the meat to a paper towel-lined plate and keep them warm by covering lightly with another plate or a sheet of foil. Repeat until all the meat is cooked.

After all the meat is fried, pour off the grease into a heatproof bowl. Without cleaning the skillet, return it to the stove over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 cup of the grease back to the skillet and allow it to heat up.


For the gravy: 

When the grease is hot, sprinkle the flour evenly over the grease. Using a whisk, mix the flour with the grease, creating a golden-brown paste. Add more flour if it looks overly greasy; add a little more grease if it becomes too pasty/clumpy. 

Keep cooking until the roux reaches a deep golden brown color.

Pour in the milk, whisking constantly. Add the seasoned salt and black pepper to taste and cook, whisking, until the gravy is smooth and thick, 5 to 10 minutes. Be prepared to add more milk if it becomes overly thick. Be sure to taste to make sure gravy is sufficiently seasoned.

Serve the meat next to a big side of mashed potatoes. Pour gravy over the whole shebang!



2011 Ree Drummond, All Rights Reserved

Source:  The Pioneer Woman 

Garlic Butter Bread Sticks

Would you believe these delicious looking bread sticks are made with puff pastry?

Puff pastry is an easy convenience food that we use often to make desserts and savory treats.

Ingredients

• 1 sheet thawed puff pastry (leave out on the counter for 30-40 minutes)
• 3 tbsp Italian garlic butter (or other compound butter)
• 3-5 pinches shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Lay out thawed puff pastry sheet on parchment lined baking sheet
3. Cut into ½ inch strips using a pastry cutter or pizza wheel 
4. Brush melted butter over all the strips
5. Separate & twist each piece; place back on parchment
6. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese
7. Bake 10-12 minutes
8. Allow to cool before moving from baking sheet

This recipe and photo comes from Gina from Kleinworth & Co. 

You can connect with Gina via

Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Instagram & Pinterest. 

Thank you for creating these awesome bread sticks Gina, your creativity is amazing!