Dear Abby and Pecan Pie...the best ever!

I recently read this little post and just had to share...

Dear Abby: One of my sisters-in-law has a recipe for pancakes and puts in a secret ingredient. She got the recipe from a relative who asked that the mystery never be revealed.

The relative died recently, and I’d like to know what the ingredient is because those pancakes are out of this world! Would my sister-in-law be betraying his request by sharing the secret? She says she made a promise. What do you think?

—Craving the Cakes in Florida

Dear Craving: Obviously, you have raised this subject with your sister-in-law and she refused to share the complete recipe. From that, I can only conclude that she plans to take her knowledge of the secret to her grave . I think she’s acting selfishly because good food is meant to be enjoyed by as many people as possible.

You said it sister!!  Now on with the recipe sharing...

Dear Abby's Pecan Pie
I got this recipe from my mom's friend who clipped the original from the newspaper over 30 years ago!  I love recipe history!  Wish I loved doing family history just as much!

9-inch unbaked pie crust (new favorite pie crust recipe below)

1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups pecans coarsely chopped

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, combine corn syrup, sugar, butter, salt and vanilla; mix well.  Add slightly beaten eggs.   Pour into unbaked pie crust; sprinkle with chopped pecans.

3. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until center is set. (Toothpick inserted in center will come out clean when pie is done.) If the crust or pie appears to be getting too brown, cover with foil for the remaining baking time. Cool.

Perfectly Flaky Pie Crust
Adapted from Cook's Illustrated

*Makes one single 9 inch pie crust
 1 1/4 cup flour
1 Tb sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tb chilled shortening (I used butter flavored) cut into pieces
4 Tb chilled butter-cut into pieces
4-6 Tb ice cold water

*Instructions for using a food processor (I'm still waiting for this lovely appliance to grace my life):
Pulse the flour, salt and sugar with half the shortening until it's the texture of cornmeal. Add the remaining shortening or butter and pulse until it's the size of small peas. Add water using pulse to combine until dough forms into ball. Be careful not to over pulse!

* Instructions for the old fashion way (the reason you dread making pie)!
1.Stir the flour, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl.

2.Cut the chilled butter or shortening into the dry mixture using a pastry cutter or by pinching the fat into the mixture with your hands.

3. Add the chilled water one tablespoon at a time, mixing gently with a fork after each addition. You may not need to use all of the water.  Just add enough until there are no more loose crumbs.  Gently press the dough into a ball. Handle the dough as little as possible--overworking will make it tough.

Tammy stated to me that she HATES pecan pie...Oh really...