I prefer the demo to the album edit, but they're both really good. Before I ever heard the album version, I came across this one playing on KEXP. I knew Grimes had polished up Realiti, so I thought maybe this was it. Well, it's not. It's Natalie Prass. I think it's killer though. To add to her street cred, Natalie grew up in Va Beach, which is the last place I lived in VA.
Now on to why I'm really here...
My mother gave us a book for Xmas called "Dream It. List It. Do It!" with Lia Steakley. It's based off a social networking website (43Things.com) that no longer exists. People would go and list between 21 and 43 goals they would like to accomplish from simple to difficult to bizarre. The theory is that limiting your life to 43 goals forces you to make choices, but making more than 20 goals gives you enough variety to keep you moving. It sounded interesting, so I figured why not; I'm making a list!
I'll only name a few of my 43 even though I'm sure you can guess what at least one of them is. Yep! You're right...it's write! I made it a goal to write at least one uninterrupted hour daily. I also decided to make a goal of writing a "This I Believe" essay so I could tackle two goals at once. Hey...I'm all about multitasking.
A few other goals are:
Build a house with hidden rooms and secret passageways
Do something fun with my daughter every day
Have a cooking competition with friends
Perform music for one uninterrupted hour daily
And the most difficult...yes, even more difficult than building a house with secret passageways:
Live each day as if it were my last, but learn each day as if I'll live forever
Which brings me to this recipe. Pecan pie is my absolute favorite pie on this planet. If it's gonna be my last day, I want something delicious to eat. If I'm gonna live forever, it needs not be complete garbage. I found out I'm allergic to eggs, so for me, eggs are garbage. I feel great since I quit eating them! I'm so thankful I came across an egg-free recipe so I could have a slice of my favorite pie this holiday season!
Pecan Pie sans eggs:
1/2 C unbleached cane sugar
1 C dark corn syrup
4 T ghee
2 T ground flax meal
1 T all-purpose flour
6 to 7 T hot water
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 pinch sea salt
2 C broken pecans (broken into small pieces)
Whole pecan halves for the top of the pie
1 9" uncooked pie shell
* Combine sugar and corn syrup in a saucepan over medium heat for 5 minutes.
* Melt ghee into mixture.
* Set aside to cool
* Preheat oven to 400 degrees
* While oven is preheating, in a small bowl combine flax, flour, and water. Allow it to sit for about 10 minutes to get gummy. This is your egg substitute.
*Once sugar/corn syrup mix is cool, whisk in flax mix egg substitute, sea salt, and vanilla.
* Fill pie shell with broken pecans.
* Pour syrup mixture over pecans until it's just below the rim.
* Arrange pecan halves on top starting around the outside and working inward in a circle.
* Place on a cookie sheet and place in the oven on the next to lowest possible rack setting. You can put foil over the cookie sheet before placing the pie on it for extra protection and easier cleanup if you'd like.
* Reduce oven to 350 degrees and bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until pecans are nicely toasted but not burnt.
I was very happy with this pie. It was even better that I could have just one piece and walk away satisfied. It's no secret that I've eaten half a pecan pie in one sitting on more than one occasion, which is why I only make it once a year. That didn't happen this year, and it wasn't because it didn't taste good. I think the flax gives it more body so you feel full.
