Any time I see a pecan pie, I think of my grandmother, Annie Mae Callaway. Granny was a great cook, and she loved to bake. She always made lots of pecan pies at Christmas, often baking 20 or more at a time. She created an annual tradition of giving two pies to her extended family members while also blessing many friends with the gift of a homemade pie. Even though Granny had two deep freezers full of pecans, I don’t think she ever had to buy any nuts. A lady down the street had a pecan grove and told my grandparents that if they would come and pick the pecans, they could have half of them. My uncle also had a pecan tree to help fill in the gaps. When Granny moved into assisted living, she was upset when the holidays arrived and she didn’t have a freshly baked pecan pie to bring to our family Christmas party. My uncle surprised her with one of the pecan pies he had kept in his freezer, and it made her so happy that we could still enjoy it together. Granny passed away in 2020, and we’ve tried to keep the tradition going. She would be thrilled to know that more people will soon be able to enjoy a slice of her delicious pecan pie.
by Sandy Howard
Ingredients
• 5 eggs
• 1 cup sugar
• 6 tablespoons melted butter
• 1½ cups white Karo corn syrup
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 cups chopped pecans
• 2 unbaked pie shells (store bought)
“Granny was a great cook, and she loved to bake. She always made lots of pecan pies at Christmas, often baking 20 or more at a time.”
Sandy Howard
Directions
Beat eggs and sugar together until well blended. Add butter, Karo syrup, salt, vanilla extract and chopped pecans. Mix thoroughly. Divide mixture equally into two unbaked pie
shells. Bake at 300 degrees for about 90 minutes. Allow pies
to cool before slicing.
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