A Tale of Two Pies

Yesterday was Thanksgiving. It was a long day. Mostly a good day. I didn't have to drive to some insane relatives house or spend it with people who make me want to kill them. I got to spend it with my honey and my kitty.

In years past, prior to moving to Reno we'd have to go to TWO Thanksgivings. This was because both our families insisted we HAD to go see them, you know guilt by family.

So that's what we did. Bitterly EVERY FUCKING YEAR.

The morning/Early Afternoon was at my side and the late afternoon/evening was at his side of the family. Two States, Two weird meals, lots of driving and little enjoyment. We'd get home and have just enough time to feed the cat and fall into bed.

Go watch Ze Frank's "Thanksgiving" video blog post to see how it pretty much was. How I guess it is for a lot of people. Pure stupid hell.

Lot's of pointless chatter to fill up the time before we could get the hell out of there. Listening to who died, which pets died. Stories of pets his sister used to have. Some assholes rantings against people who are different. My getting into it with him and being called all sorts of names for daring to think people of different origins could get along. Silly Me. I'm just a dumb girl who doesn't know any better.

And that was the easy part of the day. o.0

The next day, Friday, My Honey would go to work and I'd have the day off. So I'd make us a smaller actual yummy tasting thanksgiving meal for when he got home.

Christmas was an exact repeat of this. (well I didn't bother to make a christmas meal) Only spread over two crazy days, more time spent with each family.

We'd get home exhausted Christmas night and open the gifts we gave each other in bed. Too tired to care. Too depressed to give a damn.

All we wanted was a holiday that was quiet and peaceful. Just the two of us enjoying one another and no family drama.

So we did what any sane couple we do. We moved two thousand miles away from it all. (well there were many reasons for this, but this just rawks!)

The last few years have been really cool. Just the two of us. Doing whatever we want. We fix the stuff we like, the way we like it. We watch movies, hang out, cuddle, play games, knit, cuddle some more and make sure the kitty has plenty of attention.

The day was marred by a particularly frustrating phone call. Blah. But at least it was just a phone call!!!!!!!!!

Still while on the call that very nearly had me ripping my hair out I failed to add a few KEY ingredients to the pumpkin pie. The one made from Harvey. Bob, the last remaining pumpkin still has a chance at being a yummy treat though.

The ingredients I forgot to add you ask? SUGAR AND AN EGG. Basically the stuff that makes a pumpkin stick together/custard up and taste good.

Unsweetened pumpkin pie does NOT taste good. Also the egg helps it set so much. I cooked the pie an extra hour to get it to stop being liquidy. Ick.

I remembered the two lost ingredients as I was taking the pie out of the oven. The honey came running when he heard me say OHHHH FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!

It was heart breaking. The honey was trying to be a good sport about it. Said he'd love it anyway. Likely more since it had no sugar. (He's anti sugar for the most part... until you get chocolate near him. *L*) For years I've been making pies with raw sugar and/or honey to please him. I was going to make it with normal white sugar this year, just to try it. Alas no sugar was used at all.

After it cooled he wanted to taste it. One bite was enough to make it clear this was a truly inedible pie. He's so sweet for trying though. *L* I wouldn't even take a tiny bite. Hell no!

Here it is. The pie of the damned.

Thankfully I had all the stuff to make a Pecan Pie. So I made one of those.

Well sorta... what's better than a pecan pie? Not much, unless you have some semi sweet chocolate with which to make it a DERBY PIE! :D

So I made a yummy Derby Pie. It's basically a pecan pie with chocolate in it if you hadn't guessed yet. :P

This pie MORE than made up for the wasted death of Harvey. Plus everything else I'd made turned out super faboo. Though I was still edgy and kinda bummed out from the phone call. *sigh*

Here's the yummy Derby Pie.

Chocolate Pecan Pie aka Derby Pie

3 eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

You'll need a 9" pie crust. Either homemade or store bought. I used a frozen store bought as I don't have proper counter space to roll a crust out onto. I used Marie Callenders since that has proven to bake up fine each time. It's yummy without tasting fakey. Homemade is better if you can swing it though.

Preheat Oven to 450 degrees F. Mix all ingredients and pour into unbaked pie crust. Bake 10 minutes and reduce heat to 350 degrees F and back another 35 to 40 minutes. After it's cooled off enjoy! :D

We put a spoon of cool whip on ours. If you wanna make real whipped cream that's even better. :D

Not only was the pecan pie yummy, but so was all the other stuff we made. I brined a turkey for the first time. It was good. But then again no different from any other turkey I've made. I make a good turkey. ;) There was also sausage stuffing. I call it stuffing even though I don't stuff it into anything. Mashed Potatoes & Gravy. Mainly because we still have a HUGE bag of potatoes here. A can of whole berry cranberry sauce. The honey also wanted corn bread, even though we had a bread item with the stuffing already, but he's sweet so I went ahead and made it anyway. Normally I'd make Green Bean Casserole. But the honey doesn't like green beans and I didn't feel like having 80 million leftovers. I'll make it for dinner sometime. I've mastered the one can green bean casserole. *L*

We ate salads every day this week since we didn't really have much veggie lined up for yesterday. Do potatoes still count as a vegetable? *L* Well there was a LOT of celery and onion in the stuffing. Yum just the way I like it. :D

It was carb and protein day. Heh.

Now just because the honey and I like to be alone doesn't mean there isn't room in the holidays for others. A certain someone knows she always has a place with us if she so desires. We'd be thrilled, but we also know about wanting to take it calm, so no pressure. I'd also welcome other sane friends and my brother and his wife as well. They are friends as well as family, so they don't count towards my no family on holidays policy. *L*

I didn't get much knitting done and the knitting I did will need to be frogged. Started a new hat.I messed it up somehow. I think I knit the wrong way after I got started. Dunno. Looks weird. I also knit on the red scarf some more. But mostly I just snuggled with the honey and had a calm evening.

Next year I will make the pie early like I meant to. I'll also cook the sausage in advance for the stuffing and peel the potatoes. If you stick them in water they don't brown on ya.

It was a good day all in all. Plus it's the start of a long weekend. I still have a few more uncomfortable phone calls to deal with, but hey that's why wine was invented right. *L*

I think we're going to go bowling or for a walk in the woods a little later and then just hang out, knit and read, just play around at home and have fun together. *smile* It'll be nice. For this I am thankful.

Speaking of thankful, I'm thankful for lots. Everyday. I have a good life. A wonderful honey, special kitty and an extraordinary best friend. I have people who understand me, get me and still decide to stick around. I have more than the basics, which many people don't have, roof, heating, food, clean water, power, security. Plus things that are nice extras like leisure time to enjoy life... and lots of yarn. I told my honey I was thankful for all of my yarn. Good thing he thinks I'm cute. *L*

I really appreciate all the treasures and wonderful happenings in my life. Since I started knitting the treasures I've come across and gotten to know have increased by many.

So my treasures, go have a great Friday and avoid the crazy people at the shopping centers!! ;)

Comments

[Susan]

Sounds like a truly wonderful day. I love you being thankful for yarn. Last night I was making some yarn cakes and thinking how very lucky I was to have them...even when one of them jumped off the ball winder. I kept telling myself that as I untangled it. *G*

[Devorah]

Gotta tell you that I would almost kill to have a holiday like yours. There is a very good reason why my Thanksgiving post was just a photo montage. *g* I love my kids and hubbie and each of my family members in turn but put them all together ...

[Cookie]

Pumkins need sugar. Even the sweet ones. *L*

I am so glad that your day was mostly good. Ya'll suffered thru too many bads to not have good ones now.

♥

[Dave Daniels]

I couldn't agree with you more about having the same type of holiday: family-free. You have to endure it as a child. As an adult, you shouldn't be required (read: GUILTED) into having to share them with family any longer. You're an adult with a honey and kitty, so do as you please. I, too, moved thousands of miles to get away from it all. Now, I am less than 15 miles away. But I live in the BIG SCAREY CITY. [Insert sounds of screaming here.] No car to drive out, and they'll NEVER come in, so it works for us. Plus, I htink I've made it pretty clear that I prefer to keep our closeness a phone call away. They finally get it. "Look, I love ya, but I'll just send you a card."
And Ze. BEAUTIFUL blue eyes. is he yours? Do you get to look into those deep blue pools often? He has a great sense of humor. I hope he's yours, he's a keeper. If he's not yours, can I have him? If not, does he have a brother?
Ok, I've gone on long enough and caused enough trouble for one evening. I have leftover turkey to get reheated.

[Barbp]

Sounds like you two had a perfect Thanksgiving.

MFB was actually home this one, usually the team is on the road for Thanksgiving. We celebrated by doing home improvements - we're odd that way. Me painting the bedroom, he by refinishing the cast iron bathtub. Wishing you phone calls with less stress than what you're predicting, knowing families I'm sure you'll still have stress but maybe not as much - yeah I know rose colored spectacles. :-)

[Ann]

Your post made me smile. It sounds like a perfectly wonderful day to me.

:o)

Ann

[soupandsong]

I love your adventures in pie-making! I'm more of a pie-eater than a pie baker. I looove the chocolate-pecan combo though!