The Lush Chef

Libations used: 1 Tbs bourbon
Libations left over: Pour yourself a glass of bourbon while that pie is baking
I've never been a pumpkin pie fan at Thanksgiving and the Lush Chef's mother is the same.  I've just never liked the texture, even though I love other pumpkin-flavored dishes and desserts.  The pie that I really crave during Thanksgiving is my mom's Honey Crunch Pecan Pie, which include a little bit of bourbon in the filling.  I love having a slice that's heated up in the oven for a bit—that filling just tastes like warm bourbon, pecan, honey happiness.  It's ridiculously rich, so I can only handle a small piece, but I always make sure to save room in my tummy for it.

This Oklahoma recipe won a national pie contest and comes from some little Crisco pamphlet that mom picked up at the grocery store years ago.  The woman who developed the recipe picked her own pecans off her tree and sourced honey from her beehive.  If you can do that, I applaud you, and you're a way cooler person than I am (can I come over and pick pecans with you?).

Honey Crunch Pecan Pie...with Bourbon - serves 8-10
Crust Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour or pastry flour (note- when using pastry flour, use slightly less shortening)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3-4 Tbs ice cold water

Filling Ingredients:

• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2 Tbs salted butter, melted
• 1 Tbs bourbon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Topping Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 3 Tbs salted butter, melted
• 3 Tbs honey
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves

Heat oven to 350.

To make the 10 inch crust:
- Cut small pieces of shortening into the flour and salt, and use a fork or food processor to combine until mixture resembles small peas.
- Sprinkle in water 1 Tbs at a time and and continue combining with the mixture until all the flour is moistened and the pastry almost cleans the side of the bowl.
- Gather the pastry into a ball.
- Shape into a flattened round with a lightly floured, cloth-covered rolling pin.
- Roll out 2 inches beyond your inverted pie plate.
- Fold the pastry into fourths, place into pie plate and unfold.
- Make sure to press the pastry firmly into the bottom and sides, and shape the edges.

To make the filling:
- Combine eggs, brown sugar, sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, bourbon, vanilla and chopped pecans.
- Mix well and spoon into your unbaked pie shell.

To make the topping:
- Combine brown sugar, butter and honey in a medium saucepan.
- Cook for about 2 minutes, or until the sugar dissolves.
- Add the pecans and stir until they're coated.
- Spoon evenly over the pie.
- Cover the edge of the crust with foil or a pie crust cover.
- Bake 10-20 minutes or until topping is bubbly and golden brown.
- Let pie cool and garnish with whipped cream, if desired.