traditional pecan pie

When preparing a holiday feast for two, the most important decision to make is what kind of pie to bake. For me, hand’s down, my grandmother’s traditional pecan pie is the clear winner.

This year’s Thanksgiving dinner will be enjoyed with just the two of us. Though we’ve had some wonderful offerings to join friends around the Bay Area, we’ve opted for a delicious meal and a day of relaxing together. Traditional holiday menus tend to cater to large gatherings and though I’d love to have a spread of several salads, sides and desserts, I’ve opted for a reasonably condensed menu.

We scored a gorgeous, bone-in turkey breast from our local butcher which we will pair with fresh green beans, sweet potatoes and cranberry sauce. We traded in large casseroles for fresh produce reducing portion sizes as well as the cost of extravagant ingredients. It wouldn’t be the holidays without baking so I will finish off the meal with fresh baked bread and a pecan pie. When reducing the dessert selection to just one pie, my Mommom’s traditional pecan pie will always be the winner. I added some snowflakes with the extra pie dough to celebrate the late Thanksgiving feast and to welcome the fast approaching winter holidays.