two become one

It's a sad truth that marriages don't always work out, but this particular union is a happy one.

Hands down, the two most popular pies during Thanksgiving are pumpkin and pecan, at least in my experience. Wouldn't it be marvelous if we could somehow combine the two? Well, as it turns out, we most definitely can, and we can do it well.

With this pie, you get the aromatic spices and wonderful creaminess of a pumpkin pie and the sweet and sticky crunch of a pecan pie. If you pay attention to my preferences (and why wouldn't you?!), it should come as no surprise that I liked the top of the pie much more than the bottom. However, when eaten at the same time, the pecan portion makes the pumpkin part infinitely more palatable to me.

It's a very nice balance of flavors and textures, a match made in Thanksgiving heaven! Here are some more ideas in case you missed it, and not one but two pretty solid giveaways!

Pleasantly Paired Pumpkin and Pecan Pie
Adapted slightly from this recipe
Makes 6-8 servings
Ingredients:
Pumpkin layer:

• 1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Pecan layer:

• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup pecan pieces

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
To make the pumpkin layer, combine the pumpkin, sugar, egg, and spices in medium bowl; stir well and spread over the bottom of your pie shell.
To make the pecan layer, combine the corn syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, and vanilla extract in same bowl; stir in the pecans and spoon evenly over the pumpkin layer.
Bake for 50-60 minutes or until only slightly jiggly and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and serving (with whipped or ice cream, obviously).