Layered Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

Pecan pie…so Thanksgiving! This year my family is doing a low-key Thanksgiving because we have tickets to the Texas vs. TCU game in Austin. So instead of doing a fancy pecan pie from scratch, I opted for a pecan pie dessert. This has a yummy layer of chocolate pecan goodness in between to give a little bit of a surprise.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Layered Chocolate Pecan Pie Bars

Yields one 13″ x 9″ pan

Ingredients for the crust and chocolate layers:

• 2.5 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 cup granulated white sugar, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup (1.5 sticks) cold unsalted butter, diced
• 1 ounce Ghirardelli 60% Cacao Bittersweet Chocolate Chips
• 3/8 cup (or 1/4 cup & 2 tablespoons) shortening
• 1 cup pecans, chopped
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Ingredients for the pecan pie layer:

• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 4 large eggs, beaten
• 2 cups pecans, chopped
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F, and prepare the 13″ x 9″ pan with parchment paper and spray all over with nonstick spray.

In a food processor, place 2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup of white sugar, and the salt.  Pulse together until all is combined well. Next, add the cold pieces of butter, and pulse until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Dump the crust mixture in the prepared pan, and press firmly on the bottom.

Place the chocolate chips and the shortening in a microwave safe bowl. Place in the microwave at 50% power for 1-1.5 minutes. Stir together to get rid of most of the lumps. Add in 1/2 cup white sugar, pecans, 1/2 cup flour, eggs, and the vanilla. Mix until all is combined. Dump this chocolate mixture over the crust, and press firmly as a layer on top. Take a fork and stab the layer all over. Place in the oven for 15 minutes.

While the crust and chocolate layer are in the oven, work on the pecan pie top. In a small sauce pan over medium-high heat, place the brown sugar, white sugar, corn syrup, and butter. Stir occasionally, and bring the mixture to a boil. Once it hits boiling, turn off the heat and remove from the burner.

In a medium bowl, whisk the 4 eggs together. Add about 1 cup of the hot sugar mixture while continually whisking. (I don’t have photos of this because I unfortunately only have 2 hands.) Once well combined, add the remainder of the hot sugar mixture.

Dump in the pecans and vanilla extract. Stir until everything is well combined.

Pour the pecan pie mixture into the pan, and place in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes.

Remove from the oven, and allow the pan to completely cool before cutting.

Enjoy!!

“Harry: Repeat after me. Pepper.
Sally: Pepper.
Harry: Pepper.
Sally: Pepper.
Harry: Waiter, there is too much pepper on my paprikash.
Sally: Waiter, there is too much pepper on my paprikash.
Harry: But I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie.
Sally: But I would be proud to partake of your pecan pie.
Harry: Pecan piiiiie.
Sally: Pecan piiiiie.”
– When Harry Met Sally

Fancy Sweet Potato Casserole

Sweet potato casserole…yummers. This recipe is pretty much the regular one when it comes to sweet potatoes. Why mess with a perfectly good thing? Where this one gets fancy is the topping. It’s an oh-so-good oatmeal coconut pecan crumble.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Fancy Sweet Potato Casserole

Yields one 9″ x 13″ pan

Ingredients for the sweet potatoes:

• 3.5 cups (4-5 whole potatoes) of sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1.5 tablespoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk

Ingredients for the oatmeal coco-pecan topping:

• 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon cake flour
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup sweetened, flaked coconut
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) unsalted butter, softened
• 1.75 cups marshmallows

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325°F, and spray a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Place a large pot of water over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce to medium and cook the sweet potatoes until fork tender. Drain and then mash to the consistency you like.

Add sugars, eggs, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, butter, vanilla, and milk and mix well. (I usually premix this stuff in a bowl minus the butter while I’m waiting for the sweet potatoes to cook in the boiling water.)

Spread mixture evenly into the prepared pan.

For the topping, combine oats, flours, pecans, coconut, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a bowl. Mix to thoroughly combine. Add in softened butter, and with your hands, combine and clump it together.

Sprinkle the crumble on half of the sweet potatoes, and then add the marshmallows to the other half. (I like to make a little design with them. :D)

Place in preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until crumble is golden and marshmallows are gooey. Serve warm with the rest of your Thanksgiving feast!

Enjoy!!

“I’m a sweet eater. I love lemon pie and sweet potato pie.” – Claude Williams

Cheddar Green Bean Casserole

The Green Bean Casserole is one of those staple sides for Thanksgiving. This year, my mother in law asked me to alter some normal sides. I decided that cheddar would be a delish addition to this dish.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Cheddar Green Bean Casserole

Yields one 9″ x 13″ pan

Ingredients for the topping:

• 4 slices wheat sandwich bread, roughly torn
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper, freshly ground
• 3 cups (2/3 of a 6-ounce can) canned fried onions*
• 1.5 cups shredded cheddar cheese

Ingredients for the beans:

• 2 pounds fresh green beans, ends trimmed, and halved
• 1 recipe of Homemade Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup (can substitute 1 can from the grocery too)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 cups cheddar cheese, shredded
• 2 cups (2/3 of a 6-ounce can) canned fried onions*

*If you can find the canned fried onions “cheddar” flavor, use that. Unfortunately I had a really hard time finding it! 😦

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F, and spray a 9″ x 13″ baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

First, place a pot of water on the stove over high heat and bring to a boil. Salt the water.

Next work on the topping while you are waiting on the water to boil. Place the bread, butter, salt, and pepper in a food processor and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Transfer to a bowl and toss with the fried onions and cheddar cheese; set aside.

Once the pot of water is boiling, add green beans boil for 5-6 minutes. Remove and drain immediately and place in a bowl of ice water (to “shock” them…aka to stop the cooking).

Once they have cooled, drain the water from the bowl and set aside on paper towels to drain even more. (I usually just use a clean kitchen towel to drain them on as evidence in my photos. It’s more environmentally friendly! ;))

In a large bowl, add the beans, soup, milk, salt, black pepper, cheese, and onions. Stir until fully combined.

Transfer to the prepared baking dish. Sprinkle with topping.

Place in oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the bean mixture is hot and bubbling and the onions are golden brown.

Enjoy!!

“Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare. They are consumed in twelve minutes. Half-time takes twelve minutes. This is not coincidence.” – Erma Bombeck

Bourbon Citrus Cranberry Sauce

You don’t really think too much of cranberry sauce’s role in during Thanksgiving. This is my effort to jazz up the boring usual dish to make it a star side in the holiday spread.

With LOVE from Texas,
The Pint-Sized Mayo

Bourbon Citrus Cranberry Sauce

Yields about 3 cups

Ingredients:

• 12 ounces (about 3 cups) fresh cranberries (can substitute frozen too)
• 2 cups white granulated sugar
• 1 orange, zested
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 cup dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup bourbon (I used Wild Turkey)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and spray a 9″x13″ pan with non-stick spray.

Place the cranberries, sugar, orange zest, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and dried cranberries into the prepared pan. Toss to make sure everything is incorporated. Cover the dish tightly with foil and place in the oven.

Bake until the cranberries are tender and the sugar is completely dissolved for about 1 hour, stirring once halfway through the cooking process.

Remove the dish from the oven and add in the bourbon; stir. Let the cranberry sauce cool to room temperature and then place in the refrigerator.

Let the cranberry sauce chill and thicken for at least an hour in the fridge. (You can make this up to a week in advance.) When ready to serve, transfer the sauce to a bowl and serve with the turkey and all the Thanksgiving fixins!

Enjoy!!

“What we’re really talking about is a wonderful day set aside on the fourth Thursday of November when no one diets. I mean, why else would they call it Thanksgiving?” – Erma Bombeck