Family Favorite Pecan Pie Recipe

 

Pecan pie has been one of my families fall favorite desserts. This pie is made with pecans that are mixed into a rich caramel colored filling. This filling is made from eggs sugar, butter, molasses and corn syrup. The pecans and filling is poured into a pie crust.  Then baked to perfection.

 

I used to make pecan pie during the fall season.  Here in Missouri there was an abundant of you pick it pecan orchards and I grew up eating pecan pies during the fall season. So it was only natural that I made the pie when I was older for my family. But instead of using corn syrup I bake my pie with maple syrup. 

The traditional recipe calls for corn syrup. The corn syrup additive was a way to keep the pie from drying out, and it also holds the filling and prevents crystallization during the baking.  But I found that organic maple syrup does the same thing.  Plus, the maple syrup adds sweetness and the dark color to the pie. 

Know that pecan pie is a high calorie high fat dessert.  So if you are going to bake this pie then serve up the slices and plan to take a walk afterwards. A single slice of pecan pie contains 400 calories with 20 grams of fat.  I guess that is why they refer to pecan pie as comfort food. 

So if you are like me and prefer to not make a pecan pie with corn syrup then bake the pie with maple syrup instead.  You will find that it tastes delicious.  I promise you will not miss that corn syrup.  

I found the recipe online here > Bake by Nature  No Corn Syrup pecan pie recipe

 

Grow Pansies in The Fall

 Pansies will add color and interest to your fall season garden.  When most of the flowers die back due to the change of weather the cold hardy pansy will thrive.

 

Pansies are great container plants for your patio, or porches.  The pansies will grow well in rich soil that is well drained.   Miracle-gro makes a potting mix that is perfect for container gardens. 

 

Plant pansies so that they are nine inches apart as this will allow the pansies room to spread.   After planting set your container gardens in an area where the pansies will get six hours of sun per day.

 

Water newly planted pansies well or until the water drains from the holes at the bottom of the container.

Check your pansy containers daily to see if they need water.  Stick your finger into the top soil about an inch into the soil and If the soil is dry to the touch , then  water the plants in the morning.

 

If the weather is warm during the fall months recheck your pansies in the early afternoon as you may have to water them again.  Do a deep watering once a week especially if no rain is in forecast.  

Water pansy container gardens in the morning rather than at night or late afternoon.  Morning allows the soil to dry out before the end of the day.  At night the soil does not dry out which may cause root rot and wet soil may attract insects.

Feed your fall and early winter pansies with water soluble fertilizer every two weeks.  I use Miracle-gro bloom booster and am satisfied with it as you can use it on both annual and perennial flowers. 

Pansies will thrive when the average temperature is 40 degrees at night with a high of 60 degrees during the day.  

When your temperature dips below 25 degrees then move the pansies to your garage, basement or grow as a houseplant in a room that is cool and has southern exposure window or use a grow light.  Pansies that are left outdoors will go dormant as the weather is too cold for them.  

Bring your pansies back outdoors in early spring when temperature is an average of 40 at night and 60 during the day.

Grow Lettuce in Autumn

 Autumn is the season when most of your crops are being harvested, however, it is also the time when you grow lettuce.   Lettuce is a fast-growing vegetable that your family will enjoy during the Autumn season.  

Plant lettuce seeds in a sunny location and in soil that you have prepared by removing the weeds and turning the soil over with a shovel or tiller.   

Water the soil well and cover it with straw.  Wait a week before checking to see if the soil has cooled down.  If this method worked your soil should have cooled to the right temperature for planting lettuce.  

Sow the seeds in rows that are two feet apart.   The seeds should be planted into the soil that is a half inch deep. Water well then keep the lettuce bed watered so that the soil is moist but not wet. 

Water lettuce daily until the seeds germinate in about two weeks. Then water as needed, If days are hot then water daily, to prevent soil from drying out.  The lack of water on a hot day will cause leaves to wilt.  Otherwise, water lettuce weekly.  

Good to Know

Should there be an early frost take steps to protect your lettuce with row covers. 

Enjoy lettuce salads within a month of planting. 

How to Grow Fall Blooming Goldenrod

 Plant Goldenrod in the spring and enjoy flowers in the fall.  Goldenrod is a bright yellow wildflower that is one of the first flowers to bloom in the fall.  

This yellow flower grows on stems that are three to six feet tall and it will bloom at the end of summer through fall until the weather turns cold.   I did not plant it in my yard, the previous homeowners grew it in masses and it now grows amongst my white asters and purple coneflowers in my back garden.

Butterflies and hummingbirds are attracted to the goldenrod flower as it is rich in nectar. Along with being a good source of food it also provides shelter for wildlife.  Many people think of goldenrod as an invasive weed.  I value this flower because of the nectar it provides to butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.

You can grow goldenrod from seed or you can buy a nursery-grown plant and transplant it to your garden after spring frost has passed.  Goldenrod is easy to grow from seed but you do have to keep the seeds in cold storage (refrigerator) for 60 days before planting.  Or you can sow the seeds in early spring or fall so that the seeds will be exposed to the cold.

Plant the seeds outdoors in an area where the flowers will get sun.  This plant is not fussy about the soil as it will grow in poor to average soil.  My soil is rocky and the goldenrod is a healthy plant.

Plant the seeds outdoors in an area where the flowers will get sun.  This plant is not fussy about the soil as it will grow in poor to average soil. Seedlings should emerge in two weeks as long as the temperature is a warm 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Keep the garden bed where the goldenrod is planted watered so that the soil is moist but not wet until the plant is established. 

Images on this post are by pixabay.com