There is no 24-hour period when people eat more. Thanksgiving is the very day inventors of the elastic waistband had in mind. Ever since 1621, when that first pilgrim unfastened the top button of his pants and took that first post-turkey nap on his pilgrim sofa, we’ve been celebrating the earth’s bounty by gorging ourselves mercilessly.
Oh, sure, we start out the day modestly enough with a bowl of cereal or some toast, trying to save room for dinner. The minute we enter our mother’s and grandmother’s homes, however, the jig is up. We swallow everything we see: buns and beans and turkey and stuffing and fruit salad and corn casserole and potatoes and gravy and cranberries. We talk and laugh and gossip about those relatives who aren’t present. The kids, jacked up on sugar and the buzz that comes only from united cousins, run too fast and scream too loud. Uncle Joe dribbles gravy on his shirt. Grandma fails to notice the butter smudge across her glasses.
And then, something truly amazing happens. Dessert. Really, it’s the cookies and pies and ambrosia salad with their gobs of whipped topping, that signify the true gluttonous beauty of Thankspudding. It’s only after chowing the last bit of crust that we fathom the meaning of the word “plenty.” That’s why it’s important the desserts we serve live up to this exalted role. One can’t miss with either sweet potato pie or pecan pie. Or both.
The following sweet potato pie recipe is truly scrumptious, and a little out of the ordinary. Sweet potatoes, by the way, are very healthy — a wonderful source of vitamin A, potassium and calcium. When choosing potatoes for your pie, pick those with the darkest skins (the grocery store will probably have them labeled yams, but don’t be fooled, those are sweet potatoes too). The darker the skins, the sweeter the potato. The first time I baked this pie, I made the crust too thick. Aim for about a quarter inch (don’t feel compelled to use all of the coconut and butter mixture). Also, I pressed it too high in the pan —over the lip — and the edges burned a little. If this sounds too complicated, just make a single pie crust according to the recipe I provided in a previous column, or buy a frozen one at the grocery store. The pecan pie recipe is practically foolproof. And, believe me, it’s fantastic.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Recipes and suggestion can be sent to vogel@whidbey.net.
Sweet Potato Pie
2 1/2-cups flaked sweetened coconut
1/3-cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups mashed cooked sweet potatoes
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2-cup sour cream
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2-teaspoon ground ginger
1/2-teaspoon ground cardamom
Place rack at the center of the oven and preheat to 300 degrees.
Stir the coconut and butter together in a mixing bowl. Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake just until light golden, 15 minutes. Remove the crust from the oven and raise the heat to 350 degrees.
Puree the remaining ingredients in a food processor, or with a hand mixer, until smooth. Scrape the pureed potato mixture into the prepared crust. Bake until the top is dry and a knife inserted in the filling comes out clean, 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.
Pecan Pie
1 cup chopped pecans
1 rolled 9-inch pie shell
1/2-cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1/2-cup sugar
3 large eggs
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2-teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Place rack at the center of the oven and preheat to 450 degrees.
Arrange the pecans over the bottom of the pie shell. With an electric mixer on high speed, beat the butter and sugar for 1 minute, until it’s light. Add the eggs one at a time and mix well. Add the corn syrup, vanilla, and salt and mix well.
Pour the filling over the pecans. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30 to 35 minutes, until the pie is set. Cool to room temperature before serving.
