Last Minute Dynamite Turkey Day Recipe: "Lucy's Pecan Pie"

Gobble, gobble from the vegetarian over here at Gimlet Eye!  Y'all know that I won't share complex recipes with you as adventurous culinary endeavors are not in my wheelhouse.  That being said, I try to hook you up with a couple of rave worthy showstoppers every now and then.  Hopefully this "Thanksgiving edition" will not disappoint!

I share with you my delightful pecan pie recipe taken from the best cookbook series of all time, "River Road Recipes" aka "River Roads."  Do you know about River Roads?  I hope you do....

In my opinion, River Roads and River Roads II, the original cookbooks published by the Baton Rouge  Junior League, are the seminal cookin' books for Louisiana recipes.  Often called "The Textbook of Louisiana Cooking," I use the series for all of my standards, including red beans and rice and roux (as does every mama and grandmama in the South!)

The River Roads series is actually the best selling community-based cookbook of all time.  Who knew?  It is delightfully kitschy in some ways as it was originally published in 1959.  I particularly enjoy the "Men Who Cook" section, in a tongue-in-cheek way, of course. 

Anyway, back on to my favorite recipe in the River Roads series.  Located in River Roads II, "Lucy's Pecan Pie" is literally the best pecan pie that "people" have ever tasted.  I say "people" because I actually don't eat pecan pie, but the ongoing rave reviews reinforces the fact that it is, indeed, the best!  In fact, my law firm even won a charity cooking competition with our mini versions of "Lucy's." 

The real reason that it is a winner in my book, however, is because it is EASY. 

Lucy's Pecan Pie

3 eggs

1 cup Karo syrup

1 cup light brown sugar

2.5 cups of sliced pecans

1 teaspoon of vanilla

1 pre-prepared frozen pie crust (I know, blasphemy!)

Using a wire whisk, mix the eggs and brown sugar together in a bowl.  Add the Karo syrup and pecans.  Gently mix.  Add the vanilla.  Pour the mixture into your pie crust.  Bake at 300 degrees for one hour and forty-five minutes.  Cool.  Serve. 

I know, ridiculously simple, right?  I am telling you, it is a crowd pleaser!!  Try it...you'll like it.

If you are interested in ordering your own fresh copies of River Roads, you can buy it directly from the Baton Rouge Junior League.  It can also be found on amazon.  (I highly recommend trying to find a vintage copy, though, replete with someone's granny's notations and dog ears!)

Happy Thanksgiving to you, Gimlet Nation!  I am so abundantly thankful for so much, including each and every one of my gentle readers. 

Cheers,

JSH

P.S.  In my research for this post, I discovered that River Roads even has a Facebook page.  Pretty nifty!