No Place Like Home for the Holidays

I hadn't realized how long it's been since I have posted here. It surprises me, because I do so love to experiment in the kitchen and share the results - both successful and hilariously bad - with other food lovers.

Since Thanksgiving has just passed, I have many new recipes to share and will begin doing so more frequently. The first one must be - as promised to my family member Andrea - the magnificent pie we all enjoyed at the end of yesterday's meal. And so, without further ado, here is a dessert to tickle your tastebuds and test your will power:

Chocolate Bourbon Pecan Pie

1 uncooked 9" pie shell

4 eggs

3 T melted butter

1/3 C sugar

2/3 C brown sugar

1/3 C dark corn syrup

3 T maple syrup

1 oz. bourbon (1/8 C)

1 tsp vanilla

1 C pecan halves

2/3 C chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 400*F. Beat the eggs. Pour in the melted butter and continue to beat until well blended. Add the granulated sugar and incorporate into a smooth mixture. Add the brown sugar and blend until all the lumps disappear. Stir in the corn syrup, maple syrup, bourbon and vanilla.

Set this mixture aside for a moment while you line the uncooked pie shell with the chocolate chips. Pour in the filling mixture. Place the pecan halves neatly to cover the top of the mixture.

Place the pie in the oven, close the door, and immediately lower the temperature to 275*F. Cooking time is at least an hour. When the filling has set at the center, the pie is done.

I let the eggs beat for quite a while; I think this added to the smoothness of the filling. Feel free to add more pecans, if you wish; I wanted to fill up all the space on top of the filling. I was also very liberal with the bourbon.