Pie season approacheth. Can you tell I teach a lot of Shakespeare? Maybe not.
In my world, pie lives or dies by the crust. In other words, I don’t bother with pies that have mediocre crusts. That’s why this puppy has its own unique pecan shortbread crust. It’s so good.
Pecan pie isn’t something I discovered until my college days, but I’ve made up for plenty of lost time. And I’ve added chocolate to the mix, which is never a problem. At least, not for me. But you can leave it out if you like. Cue my sad face.
I need some tofu help, y’all. Whenever we go out, I really love eating tofu. It’s tasty with the right sauces and prepared well. But mine is not that good. See, I don’t like covering my tofu in sugary sauce, and that’s often the best way to make it. And I also don’t deep fry anything, ever. So can you guys share some of your tofu wisdom with me? I need something quick and easy.
Dinner is a challenge, not gonna lie. Every week, I come up with a dinner plan for each night based on everyone’s preferences. My son is a lost cause, since he eats pretty much two things in life. I work around Kenny’s gluten-free thing, my own aversion to beans, and the fact that we follow a kosher diet, which has a very long list of restrictions.
Truth be told, I’m tired of planning dinner, and I’m only ten years into life as someone who has to cook every night for other people. A small part of me misses the days when I was single and dinner could be a brownie, or half a bag of chips, or nothing. Sometimes I just napped through dinner and watched TV until bed.
How many of you really love planning dinner? When it comes to baking dessert, I’ll do it anytime. But dinner isn’t as much of a creative process, and therefore, it’s a chore. Plus, there are always kids needing help with homework or just jockeying for attention while dinner has to magically be made.
So, back to tofu. Any ideas? It’s gotta be vegetarian, not hard, no beans. Help me out here!
One thing I don’t need any help with is pie. One of the first pies I ever baked was a pecan pie because they’re so easy. Just mix and pour. No problem!
To spice things up a bit, this pecan shortbread crust is the base, and you will need a pastry blender or willing hands to make the texture of the crust crumbly before pressing it into the pie pan. But really, that’s the hardest part, and it’s not that bad.
I dumped a lot of chocolate chips in here, thus creating the melty goodness, and photographed this pie right out of the oven, since pecan pie is good warm. But if you want it to set up more, the chips float to the top along with the pecans while the bottom layer of pie is that sticky, gooey filling. However you like to eat the pie, do it that way. I chilled this after the photo shoot because I actually like my pie cold. Don’t mock.
Some cooking is a chore, but not all of it. Tofu and dinner planning might not be my bag, but I’ll make a pie any day. Who’s with me?
Ingredients
Crust
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, cold
3/4 cup finely chopped pecans
Filling
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup light corn syrup
3 eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chopped pecans
3/4 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Grease a 10-inch pie plate with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, mix flour and the brown sugar until combined. Cut in the butter and, using a pastry blender or your fingers, mix until crumbly. Stir in the pecans and press the mixture into the pie plate. Bake for 10-15 minutes until set.
- While the crust is baking, make the pecan pie filling. In a bowl, mix the first five ingredients until well combined. Fold in the pecans and chocolate chips.
- Pour the filling into the crust. Bake for 35-45 minutes until the center is set and no longer jiggly.
- Serve warm if desired, or cool. Cut into wedges.
3.1
http://justaboutbaked.com/chocolate-pecan-pie/
You see, I think the crust is just the thing that has to be there to hold it together, but I would happily skip it. For me, it’s all about the filling and wow what a filling this is. Pecans AND chocolate? Yes please!
Dannii @ Hungry Healthy Happy recently posted…Comment on Vanilla Chia Oats with Maple Pears by Dannii
I’m really into crust, Dannii. If done right, it’s a force unto itself!
I kind of have a love/hate relationship with planning dinner. During the week, I usually don’t like it, but on the weekends, I love using my slow cooker or doing something a little more involved. Now onto this pie, sounds delicious! This is definitely a holiday staple and so perfect for pie season!
Gayle @ Pumpkin ‘N Spice recently posted…Vanilla Sugar Cookie Bars
Slow cookers are big in my family, but yep, I pretty much hate planning dinner. Going out to dinner, though…now that’s fun!
Yikes, your dinner restrictions make me want to eat more pie, LOL!! I do try to sit down for an hour on the weekend (usually while my hubby is watching some sports game) and make a menu with grocery list. If I have dinners written down, and planned, it makes my week less stressful. Plus you can only eat so much soup and sandwiches before the family revolts.
Aimee @ ShugarySweets recently posted…Monster Cookie Cheese Ball
I do that weekend list too, Aimee! But I complain endlessly while doing it, which my family must love. And as the week goes on, I feel less motivation to actually make the meal. Like tonight is meatball soup, and I just want to throw in the towel already. 🙂
I’m not going to be much help on the tofu, I’m afraid – but I absolutely ADORE your chocolate take on pecan pie. Now I just have to convince my Southern husband that it is not sacrilege to mess with the classic approach to his favorite pie! 🙂
Kate @ Framed Cooks recently posted…Steak with Parmesan Butter
Your Southern husband can get down with it, Kate. After all, he lives in the North now, right? So anything is possible!
Planning dinner is the worst. I’m like you, I see no fun in it. I’ll happily plan my baking ideas for the next 3 months though. Why do we need dinner anyways? Oh yeah, because we certainly can’t live on pie. However, I will take a slice of this chocolate pecan pie after every meal.
Exactly. I do all my best eating during the day anyway! Dinner is silly. 🙂
LOVE this Mir! I made mini chocolate pecan pies last year and they were one of my most favorite recipes of the season! This looks amazing my friend!
Trish – Mom On Timeout recently posted…Apple Walnut Strudel
They’re crazy addictive, aren’t they, Trish? I keep chipping away at this one. Hard to resist!
TOFU WISDOM COMING RIGHT AT YA: Press it for 10 minutes, cube it into smaller pieces, and then bake at 350-400 (depending on your oven) on a parchment paper lined tray for 15 minutes. Pull out the tray, flip the tofu, and stick it back in for another 15. Let it cool and then use it in stirfry OR (even better) stick it in the freezer, where it’ll toughen up and having a better texture!
This pie looks awesome- pie season is kinda the best 🙂
Medha @ Whisk & Shout recently posted…Vegan White Pizza with Spinach & Basil!
Okay, so that is helpful. I’ve done through the baking part, but then we eat and it’s tasteless. So I just have to mix it up with other stuff. More steps, but tastier. Thanks, Medha!
oh my god yes, I am such bad at planning anything..in fact I was just writing about it in a blog post, lol.. Deciding dinner is so freakin tough, urgh! I will be happy to eat this pecan pie for dinner every night though, looks so delicious!
Manali @ CookWithManali recently posted…Cinnamon Churros
Pie is the best kind of dinner, Manali. Like quiche, or even actual pie. I’ll do it!
Using extra-firm tofu, I make tofu cubes in the oven (like Medha describes, the pressing out the excess water is key) or skip the oven and stir fry with just a bit of olive oil until its crispy. Then add any veggies you have around and some gluten free soy sauce. You can also put the tofu cubes in creamy spinach kind of like Indian Palak Paneer. My son loves the crunchy tofu cubes in macaroni and cheese (easy to do in a gluten free version). I also thinly slice the tofu brick and use it instead of pasta in “lasagna”. Our version is layers of zucchini, cheese, tomato sauce, and tofu slices. All of these things happen spur of the moment because I have gotten horrible at planning ahead.
We also have a household of eating challenges…allergies, gluten free, vegetarian. My nut allergy keeps me from eating your beautiful pecan pie, but I can admire it from afar!
Wendy recently posted…3-2-1 Pumpkin Spice Chai Latte Cake
I LOVE the lasagna idea, Wendy! That is going on the list for next week. Brilliant! And you can totally empathize with the house full of eating restrictions. Thankfully nuts are okay for us, but almost everything else is a goner!
I just can’t plan our meals , as much as I want to… It is so hard! This pie looks fantastic ! Love the chocolate inside!
mira recently posted…Phyllo {Filo} Swirls With Eggs And Feta
Thanks, Mira! I have to plan them because nobody else can. But I really hate it!
Okay first thing first, Tofu. I love it and Medha has the right idea. Follow her lead and you should be just fine. I’m with you on the whole, no sugary sweet sauce pairing with it. No bueno. As for dinner planning, yeahhhh.. thats no bueno either! During the week we mostly just eat soup, breakfast, popcorn, something from the slow cooker or whatever I made for the blog. During the weekend though, I love to bust out all the stops. Chateaubriand and Killing Live lobsters are my favs. But Hubs says i’m a fancy B. lol. Meh, as long as he is fed he should be entitled to an opinion if you ask me! 😉 I don’t have kids though, soooo I can’t imagine how difficult it is to throw them into the mix! I feel for ya girlfriend! Anyways, PIE! I am WITH you, Mir! The CRUST is everything! I loooove your pecan shortbread crust! YESSS. Pecan pie is my grandmothers specialty, but she hasn’t been well enough to make on in a couple years. I will have to make yours and surprise her with it! I know she will love the addition of chocolate (I’m the only wack in the family with the cursed allergy)! Pie perfection, chicka! Pinned! Xo
Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary recently posted…Comment on Bahn Mi Totchos {with Cilantro-Lime Aioli} by Ben Maclain | Havocinthekitchen
Thanks for the tips. Chateaubriand is my bag, girl! I want some! Now. Please. And you know, I was thinking of you when I wrote that you can totally leave the chocolate out of this guy. It’ll still be good!
I think this pie is definitely worthy of a few Shakespearean sonnets. It’s downright lovely. Pecan has always had a soft spot in my heart.
Amanda recently posted…Easy Wheat Bread
Mine too, Amanda! It tastes so dang good, doesn’t it?