Why buy a pre-made pecan pie for $8.00 when you can buy two cups of pecans for $7.99?

Ok. So, I know that is a long title, but bear with me. To our Thanksgiving gathering I am taking English Pea salad & Pumpkin Pie. Well, not a real pumpkin pie, but a healthier version. I've never made this particular recipe, but chose it because it is a baked pumpkin pie. The other "light" versions of pumpkin pie I've tried were simple and chilled. This one is baked, so I'm hoping it tastes more authentic.

In all the preparation and buying ingredients Chris asked if I would make a pecan pie too. Now, pumpkin I can do, and a healthy pumpkin alternative, I can do. But, real pie scares me. Real pecan pie that is served after a real turkey and dressing meal really frightens me. I asked Chris if I could make something else, anything else: cookies, cheesecake brownies or lemon squares. I asked if I could buy a pecan pie next door at this authentic bakery that pumps the scent of pound cake right out the front door at all times. He said no. He said that buying a pie is not in the spirit of the holiday (I think he's been listening to me too much. Sounds like my own teachings.)

So, I found a few recipes online and fumbled around and emailed my mom three times. She told me the one that was most like her own and told me to go for it. (Oddly, this recipe from the Oct. 2007 Southern Living magazine is called Mom's Pecan Pie.) She told me the key is to be patient and let it set. Letting it set is the name of the game & she told me "this doesn't mean turn up the heat." She instructed me to put foil on the edges of the pie crust to protect it from burning and keep that pie a-cookin'. An hour if it takes that long. Or longer.

List in hand, I stopped at the grocery store on my way home yesterday evening. I couldn't just buy one pre-made frozen pie crust, they only come in sets of two. (I guess there will be more holiday baking between now and Dec. 25th.) I couldn't just buy one pie tin, they only come in packs of four for $4.99, and the way I see it, this late in the game I am not comparison shopping all over NYC. Pecans set me back $7.99. The other ingredients were reasonable and in stock.

Except for dark corn syrup & baking Splenda (marked at $8.99 a bag!!!). The Splenda is for the pumpkin pie, don't worry- the pecan pie will be 100% real.

At this point, I'm beginning to wonder if I will find either one of these items before nightfall. If I don't we will have a pecan pie made with LIGHT corn syrup & real sugar in the pumpkin pie. Cause I'm gonna make this work- one way or another. Even if it doesn't taste like Momma's.