Cooking with Missy: Pumpkin Pie with Pecan topping

With the holidays getting closer and me seeing more and more delicious things come out at the bakery I have to improvise and make them at home or pay out through the nose shopping. I'd rather spend the money on gifts and use my time to make the food and it also gives me a chance to test out recipes for Thanksgiving and see if they make the cut for the family meal.

This pie will retail at close to $15 for a whole pie or $3.50 a slice at places like Cracker Barrel. So why not stay in and have a fun day with the kids cooking?

I had most the ingredients sitting in my cupboard so I didn't have to pick up any extra stuff from the grocery store this trip but I think you could do most of this for under $5 at Aldi's. It may cost a little more through some of the upscale grocery stores like Krogers or Publix, but also the spices and sugar will last through other recipes.

Pecan topped pumpkin pie

ingredients

1 recipe Deep-Dish Pie Pastry
1-1/4 cups coarsely chopped pecans, walnuts, or hazelnuts
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 15-ounce can pumpkin
1-1/2 cups half-and-half or light cream or one 12-ounce can evaporated milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare Deep-Dish Pie Pastry. Mix pecans and brown sugar in small bowl; place 3/4 cup pecan mixture in bottom of pie shell. Reserve remaining pecan mixture for topping. Combine pumpkin, half-and-half, granulated sugar, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, and salt in large bowl; mix well. Pour into prepared pie shell.
2.Bake for 50 minutes or until just set in center. Add butter to remaining pecan mixture; stir until moistened. Sprinkle pie filling with pecan mixture; bake for 10 minutes more or until topping bubbles around edges. Cool on wire rack.
3.Makes 8 slices
4.Deep-Dish Pie Pastry: In a medium bowl stir together 1-1/2 cups flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in 6 tablespoons shortening until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon cold water over part of the flour mixture; gently toss with fork. Push moistened dough to the side of bowl. Repeat, using 1 tablespoon water at a time until all the flour mixture is moistened (about 5 to 6 tablespoons cold water). Form into a ball. On lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 13-inch circle. Ease pastry into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Trim and crimp edge, as desired. Set aside.

Pictures to follow later. :)

This recipe was borrowed from Better Homes and Gardens.

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/food/recipes/pecan-topped-pumpkin-pie-538239/