Caramel Pecan Pie with my Mother-In-Law's Pie Crust Recipe - Church PotLuck Dessert

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I have been doing business with Oh Nuts for a few years now.  ALWAYS the best quality (Take a look at the pecans in the photo above, HUGE, arriving well packaged in excellent condition).  I am especially drawn to their pecans and walnuts.  Not only tasty, but make beautiful accent garnishes.  They make the food look just as good as they taste!

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So, according to blogger rules, the nuts were free, the recipe is mine, the photos are mine and the review of Oh Nuts is mine, all mine (short version... Inexpensive, superior quality, fast and well packaged shipping... Click HERE to take a look)!

As to the pie....  WOW... This is fantastic!  Nutty pecans throughout, a sweet caramel custard isde and roasted crunchy pecans on top... An pretty.

I happen to LOVE a pecan pie.  This is now my very favorite.  That caramel sauce mixed into the sugary egg custard sends this over the top.  A perfect pie to take to any family gathering, to contribute to a PotLuck or to serve up at a Holiday Meal... THIS IS THE BOMB!

First up... My Mother-In-Law's NEVER EVER FAIL, ALWAYS PERFECT Pie Crust...

My Mother-in-Law's Lard/Shortening Crust recipe

Ingredients

• Makes 2 pie crust, or one to freeze for later and one to cut into 6 tart size
• 3 Cups AP Flour
• 1 Cup Lard (COLD from Refrigerator) ... Can substitute Shortening
• 1 Pinch Salt
• 1/4 Cup Water
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 tsp White Vinegar

Cooking Directions

1. Mix Flour, Lard and Salt until crumbly
2. Add water, egg and vinegar and mix until just combined. DO NOT OVER MIX as this will make the crust dense and tough, not flaky.
3. Divide into two equal parts, refrigerate for an hour, roll out and use as you will!!!... Easiest to roll out between two sheets of Saran Wrap

OK... Here's what I did...

Caramel Pecan Pie

Ingredients

• 30 Caramels Wrappers removed
• 4 TBS Butter, diced
• 1/4 Cup Whole Milk
• 3 Large Eggs, Room Temperature
• 1/2 Cup White Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1 "My Mother-In-Law's Crust (can use a frozen shell if you like)
• 1-1/2 Cups Chopped Pecans PLUS Extra Whole Pecans To decorate the top

Cooking Directions

1. In a Heavy bottomed sauce pan, heat milk and butter on low heat. Add the Caramels and stir until everything is melted into a caramel sauce.
2. In a stand mixer, whisk together the eggs, Sugars and Vanilla until smooth. While the whisk attachment is running, Gradually add the caramel mixture... Very slowly at first to prevent the eggs from curdling.
3. When everything is mixed well, add the chopped pecans.
4. Pour into the pie shell,
5. Bake for 40-50 minutes until the center has set
6. Allow to cool... Can be served warm with ice cream, or cold from refrigerator with whipped cream... ENJOY!

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This recipe has been added to my growing list of "52 Church PotLuck Dishes"!

A list of something NEW worthy of being shown off at a neighborhood BYODish (Bring Your Own Dish) Party, a Family special occasion dinner, Any Big Holiday Gathering or of course that glorious day when you bring a dish to share with your Church family...

Ages ago, literally almost a half century ago I was listening to our pastor talking about a PotLuck Dinner. It happened to be scheduled around a church work day when we were expected to weed, polish and do general cleaning and maintenance around the church (you know, back in the day when there were no no-wax floors and church pews smelled of Old English furniture polish). I am of course paraphrasing, but as I recall the pastor said,

"A potluck, like a church requires work. At a potluck everyone is expected to contribute.. At a church no one should come empty handed and no one should leave unfed".

I will confess that in my youth I brought more store bought plastic spoons and forks than I ever brought covered dishes and crock pots of fresh made love and caring delights. But now that I have become a hobbyist cook, I occasionally am reminded of those days and people from my youth. I reminded and I do wish that I could drop a dish of some new creation on those old tables at my fondly remembered Liberty Baptist Church.  Tables covered with newspapers and loaded with God's bounty prepared with love and caring... Enjoy

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