Tag Archives: pecans

The pie to end all pies

Coconut Derby Pie

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 Oh, how my Nana loved Thanksgiving. For her, it was quite the affair and each year she would out do her self from the previous year. Of course, there were the ever evolving cheese balls to snack on, one year she sent formal invitations to us all but the year of all years was a doozie!

See Nana loved a good casserole and there would easily be a half dozen different varieties at the Thanksgiving table. As usual, I bounced into her kitchen to see what assortment of casseroles were in the line up. She whispered quietly to me…”Darrrrling…I do believe I lost a straight pin in one of these casseroles”. So everyone gathered around a lovely table, ready with plates full of those casseroles, when Nana graciously informed her guest to keep an eye on their plates for that missing straight pin. That may have been the most scrutinized Thanksgiving meal ever eaten.

So in lieu of sharing a casserole for your Thanksgiving table, I’m giving you the pie of all pies (straight pin not included). The first time I ever tasted this pie, it was delivered hot to my door in a pie box, yes a pie box, by a dear friend and she kindly shared the recipe. The only other person I have shared this recipe with is my sister. She routinely brings it to Thanksgiving claiming all the glory of this pie. So it will be just between us if you do the same thing. Like I said, it’s the pie to end all pies. Enjoy!

Coconut Derby Pie
The pie of all pies. Chocolate chips, pecans and coconut.
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Ingredients
  1. 1 stick margarine, melted ( yes margarine)
  2. 1 cup sugar
  3. 2 eggs
  4. 1 tsp vanilla extract
  5. 1/2 cup all purpose flour
  6. 1 cup chocolate chips
  7. 1 cup pecan pieces
  8. 1 cup coconut
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350
  2. Melt margarine in a large bowl
  3. Add sugar, flour, eggs and vanilla then combine until smooth
  4. Stir in chocolate chips, pecans and coconut
  5. Pour into a pie crust and place on a cookie sheet
  6. Bake for 40-45 until pie is golden brown and the center is set
Notes
  1. I almost always use a frozen pre-made pie crust for this recipe. I let the pie crust thaw a bit while I am getting the filling ready.
  2. Since two pie crusts come in a package, you can easily double the recipe.
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Thanks for reading and sharing. It’s been fun getting lolleighcooks back up to speed and I look forward to sharing stories and recipes with y’all. We’re still a bit under construction with the site but I just couldn’t resist a Thanksgiving post!

Pecans or pecans?

Pork Tenderlion Medallions with Mustard Sauce & Pecans

When I was in college I volunteered myself to cook for a dinner party my Nana was hosting. Looking back, I was pretty confident to cook an entire meal for my Nana and her friends. These were the same ladies whose recipes appeared in one of my beloved cookbooks, Gazebo Gala. The recipes were deep in southern traditions, full of butter and of course delicious.

My menu was as follows:

Pecan Crusted Chicken Breast with a Dijion Sauce, Broiled Stuffed Tomatoes, Asparagus and Chocolate Tarts.

Once I had sauteed the chicken and it was ready for the oven – we realized the oven was stuck on broil! My dinner was literally going to go down in flames. I calmly sat on the stoop to smoke a cigarette ( this was college!) and came up with a game plan. I  decided to rotate the chicken, tomatoes and rolls under the broiler until I got them finished. It worked and the dinner party went off with out a hitch.

The chicken recipe called for 10 tablespoons of butter and 2 tablespoons of safflower oil. Not only that but the chicken was entirely coated in pecans! To say the least it was a very decadent dish.

I came up with this healthier version a few years later. You could use chicken but I prefer using pork tenderloin.

Recipe:

1 lb pork tenderloin, visible fat trimmed, sliced into 1 inch pieces

salt and pepper

canola oil spray

2 tbsp low sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup light sour cream

2 tsp dijion mustard

2 tbsp pecan pieces, toasted

chopped parsley for garnish

Pound pork into 1/4 inch medallions, season both sides with salt and pepper.

Coat pan with canola oil spray and over medium heat cook medallions about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and keep warm.

Turn heat to low and add chicken broth to deglaze pan, scraping the bottom to get up all the bits of flavor. The add sour cream, mustard and salt and pepper. Stir until a smooth consistency being careful not to boil sauce.

Serve pork medallions with mustard sauce and topped with a few toasted pecans pieces and chopped parsley.

Notes:

I use light sour cream for this dish – be careful not to get too hot or the sour cream will seperate.

I usually serve the medallions with whipped sweet potaotes and sauteed spinach. Tonight I was in a hurry so I heated up a package of  quinoa & whole grain brown rice.