Lemon Pecan Pie...

The mister has been in rare form lately, has himself a little pep in his giddy-up, all because of NCAA basketball.  I don't know when his complete obsession for college basketball took hold exactly, he's always enjoyed watching the games and there are certain teams he has always followed, but in the last ten years he has become a rabid fan to the point of mania.  If Tennessee is playing on Monday then he'll wear an orange sweater to work.  If Duke is playing on Thursday he'll pull out the blue sweater. You get the idea...so why does this bother me?!??!  Well...IF I didn't get his orange sweater laundered and back into his dresser, then he can't wear it and then, in his words, "This could cost them the game!!!" Yes, that's right, he thinks what HE wears affects the outcome of the game.  He is not only obsessed but superstitious .  It's maddening.  For me.  I am looking forward to the end of March, the end of the madness, where we will have a few months without football and college basketball...and possibly some sun, which would definitely improve my mood!

You know what else would improve my mood?  Another slice of this pie.  We all love pecan pie, it's a tradition during the holidays and I always make two of three pecan pies between November and December.  But this pie, it's had me rethinking tradition.  This is Tricia Yearwood's Lemon Pecan Pie recipe and one day during December I heard her talking about it on TV...my first thought was OH NO!!!  You can't mess with pecan pie! But Tricia has always put lemon zest and lemon juice in her pecan pie...and after making her recipe I will always put it in my pie, too.

The lemon brightens up this pie, it gives it just a little spark.  It's refreshing and light and here's the really great thing about it...it doesn't use corn syrup like the pecan pies we've all made for years!  Give this one a try today, it's the perfect dessert for a cold, rainy January day.

Lemon Pecan Pie - From Tricia Yearwood via Food Network

1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar 

2 large eggs 

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted 

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 

2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest plus 3 tablespoons juice 

2 tablespoons milk 

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 

1 cup chopped pecans plus 1 cup pecan halves 

One store-bought 9-inch deep-dish pie shell, unbaked 

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  In a large bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, granulated sugar and eggs until incorporated.  Stir in the butter, vanilla, lemon zest and juice, milk, flour and 1 cup chopped pecans.  Bake until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set but still a little loose in the center (it will set as it cools, about 55 minutes.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

I've made this pie three times now and have shared it with friends, including one foodie friend who at first couldn't figure out what it was that made this pie different.  But when her taste buds finally flew into action all she could say was Mmmmmmmmm.