Yes it is my job to crack the nuts. When I was a kid my father would sit in his chair, and crack pecans. My Dad is no longer with us but I do think of him often. Things sure have changed since those days. When my Dad came home, he put on brown pajama pants, his t-shirt, and sat in his chair. He had a remote control, me. We had 3 VHF channels, plus 1 UHF channel, 4,7,13, and 21. The antenna was on a tall pole, I had to go outside and turn by hand. Rain or shine, even in the snow, I had to go outside and around the other side of the trailer, to turn it.
There are a few things about my father I'll never forget. He loved Banana Cream Pies. My mother had to make 2 of them when she made them. One pie was just for him, the 4 of us shared the other one. I have asked my mother to make one now, and she will not do it. I do know she made them quite often back then. At Thanksgiving, and Christmas it was Pecan Pies. My brother liked pumpkin, but I'm like my father. It's the Pecan Pie for me, and I crack the nuts now.
Something else about my father, he never complained about the grocery bill. We didn't have a lot, but we had food, and cloths on our backs. I know I heard stories about walking to school, up hill both ways. My dad was hard on us, and I got the business end of a belt, often. I was the oldest and was to know better. Any way I survived, just like a lot of us. I do think that today, there are many who could stand a trip to the wood shed. Some of them are running this country.
Today we get pie crust already made in an aluminum pie pan, and just have to make the filling. You can buy a Pecan Pie already made, but if you need more than one, make it. You can't have to many pies. First of all we will blend 3/4 of a cup of brown sugar with a tablespoon of butter. After that is smooth, add a cup of either dark or lite corn syrup, 3 eggs, and a dash of salt. Now, put in 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, and mix well. With your wooden spoon stir in 1 cup of chopped pecans.
Pre-heat the oven to 450 degrees. Pour mixture into pie pan of crust, and place in oven for 10 minutes. Then turn oven down to 350 until pie is set, about 35 minutes. Glad you made it, then go ahead and make another one. Now to use some more of the pecans, lets make a Sweet Potato Souffle. Everybody is going to love you this year.
With either 1 can of sweet potatoes, 3 cups of sweet potatoes after cooked. 1 cup of sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup of milk, and 1/3 cup butter. 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla, mix all of these together with your mixer, till smooth. Pour ingredients into a casserole dish. Now for the Topping; 1 cup of brown sugar, 1/3 cup flour, and 1/3 cup of butter. Mix in 1 cup of pecans until crumbly and sprinkle on top. Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees, then bake 25-30 minutes. With all the baking for Thanksgiving, you may not have to worry about pre-heating the oven. The pies and such, and then the turkey. The oven might not get cooled off for awhile.
As always please share this and all of my stories with your friends. If you would, please click the ads, leave comments, and join in as a follower. Happy Thanksgiving, if you are away from home invite friends over to share in food with you. God Bless.
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