Aletta’s Southern Pecan Pie
(just like Jake’s mama’s)
1 stick butter, melted
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
½ teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla
Dash salt
1 cup chopped pecans (plus a few whole pecans for the top)
1 unbaked piecrust (recipe below)
Brown butter in saucepan over low heat until golden brown, being careful not to burn. Let cool. Place remaining ingredients in mixing bowl in order listed and combine well. Blend in browned butter and pour into unbaked piecrust. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 325 degrees and continue baking for 35 to 40 minutes.
Aletta’s Old-Fashioned Pie Crusts
(makes two large crusts)
I’ve been using this wonderful piecrust for years. It freezes well (instructions on freezing below), so even if I need only one piecrust at the moment, I always use this recipe and freeze the second one for later.
1½ cups shortening
3 cups flour
1 egg
5 tablespoons ice water
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
In large bowl, using a pastry cutter (or two knives will do the job), gradually work shortening into flour for 3 to 4 minutes until mixture resembles coarse meal. In small bowl, whip egg; add to flour/shortening mixture. Add ice water, vinegar, and salt. Stir gently until blended well.
Divide dough into two balls and place each into large sealable plastic bag. Using a rolling pin, slightly flatten each to about ½-inch thickness to make rolling easier later. Seal bags and place in freezer until needed. (If you’re using the crusts immediately, it’s still a good idea to let them chill in the freezer for 15 to 20 minutes. They’ll be much easier to work with.)
To prepare crust, remove dough from freezer and allow to thaw for 15 minutes (if frozen). On well-floured surface, roll out dough, starting at center and working outward. Sprinkle flour over dough if it seems too moist. If dough starts to stick to countertop, use a metal spatula to gently scrape it up, then flip it over and continue rolling until ½ inch larger in diameter than your pie plate.
Using a spatula, carefully transfer dough to pie pan. (I sometimes fold my well-floured dough in half and then “unfold” it into the pie plate. Or you can lop it over your rolling pin.) Gently press dough against sides of pan, then crimp edge.
Andrew’s Favorite Pumpkin Bread
3 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup vegetable oil
4 large eggs
1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
3 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)
Mix all ingredients in large mixing bowl. Pour into three greased standard-size loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. This no-fail recipe is wonderful on a cold winter’s eve, especially when shared with someone you love.
Scrumptious Southern Shortbread
¾ cup butter at room temp (1½ sticks)
½ cup powdered sugar
¼ teaspoon vanilla
1½ cups flour (sifted)
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spray small (8- or 9-inch) cast iron skillet very lightly with nonstick cooking spray. Cream butter until light and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, then vanilla. Next, work in the flour. You can use an electric mixer, or you can get into the 1860s way of doing things and knead the dough on an unfloured surface until smooth.
Press dough into skillet and bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes, then flip pan over onto wooden cutting board. Cut shortbread into pieces while still warm; it will set up as it cools. Or serve warm. Yields 10 to 12 servings. And it really does. This recipe is rich and delicious!
Tempy’s Old-Fashioned Butter Cookies
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
2 large egg yolks (no whites)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups flour
¼ teaspoon salt
Pecan halves
Combine butter, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla in mixing bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often, until well combined. Add flour and salt; beat at low speed, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. Shape dough into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets. Flatten balls to ¼ inch with bottom of glass dipped in sugar. Place pecan half in center of each cookie. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheets; remove to cooling rack.
VARIATIONS:
• Use a decorative cookie stamp instead of the bottom of a glass.
• To make old-fashioned crescent cookies, use almond extract instead of vanilla and crushed almonds instead of pecans. Delicious!
• This recipe also makes scrumptious thumbprint cookies. Add your favorite buttercream frosting on top and voilà! Another wonderful holiday cookie along with great memories when you involve the kids.
Aletta’s Chocolate Cream Pie
2⅓ cups milk, separated
1 cup sugar
4 tablespoons flour
Dash salt
3 tablespoons cocoa
3 egg yolks, well beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon butter
1 baked 9-inch pie shell
Heat 2 cups milk to almost boiling, being careful not to burn. Mix sugar, flour, salt, and cocoa; stir dry mixture into ⅓ cup cold milk until well moistened. Add beaten egg yolks. Then add entire mixture to hot milk and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Add vanilla and butter. Cool slightly before pouring into baked pie shell. Cover with basic meringue (recipe follows) and brown in oven.
Basic Meringue
3 egg whites
Dash salt
¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons sugar
Beat egg whites, salt, and cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Gradually add sugar; beat after each tablespoon until sugar is partially dissolved. Scoop onto pie, making sure to seal the edges. Bake at 325 degrees for 5 to 10 minutes, watching closely so as not to overbrown. Enjoy!
Carrie McGavock’s Chow-Chow
Carrie McGavock’s recipe for this cherished vegetable relish appeared in the Tennessee Model Household Guide. She noted, “Will keep for years.”
2 pecks green cucumbers
½ peck green tomatoes
1 pint green peppers
½ peck onions
1 ounce celery seed
1 ounce white mustard seed
1 ounce turmeric
1 ounce whole cloves
3 tablespoons ground mustard
Grated horseradish and black pepper to taste
2 pounds brown sugar
Slice or chop vegetables fine, salt well, and hang in thin cloth to drip in eve. Next morning scald in weak vinegar, then squeeze, dry, and add strong vinegar.
Now what on earth is a peck, you might ask? I asked the same thing. A peck is one-fourth of a bushel. Does that help? No, it didn’t help me much either. In dry measure, a peck is 8 quarts. So when Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, exactly how many peppers did Peter Piper pick? That depends on the type of pepper, of course, but the answer would be somewhere between 10 and 14 pounds. So this recipe is definitely intended to be canned—unless you’re making chow-chow for a very large crowd! Or, say, a hog killing or Women’s Relief Christmas auction!
Thanks to the staff at Carnton for giving permission to share this family recipe.
Christmas Simmering Spices
3 (4-inch) cinnamon sticks
3 bay leaves
¼ cup whole cloves
1 lemon, halved
1 orange, halved
1 quart water
Combine all ingredients in teakettle or 2-quart saucepan. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer as long as desired. Check often and add more water as needed. Mixture may be cooled and stored in refrigerator for several days and then reheated. Simmering spices have long been used to help lend homes that warm and cozy feeling come the holidays. Just like Tempy’s kitchen!