Thanksgiving

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare crust. Spray a 9-inch pie pan or a tart pan with vegetable cooking spray. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; continue heating once butter melts. The butter will start to bubble, then foam, and a golden brown patch should appear after 3 to 4 minutes; swirl the pan to mix. When butter looks pale gold, with browned bitsat the bottom, remove from heat. Watch carefully butter can burn quickly after it starts to brown.

2. In a large bowl, sift together flour and confectioners' sugar. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the browned butter to use in the pecan filling. Add remaining butter to the flour, along with 1 tsp. of the bourbon or vanilla. Mix on medium with an electric mixer until it's uniformly crumbly. Pour crumbs into prepared pan and press along bottom and sides. Prick bottom 10 to 12 times with a fork. Bake until slightly firm but not browned, 9 to 10 minutes.

3. While crust cooks, prepare the pecan filling. Place 1 cup of the pecans in the bowl of a food processor with 1/4 cup of the brown sugar. Process until nuts are finely chopped, about 30 seconds. Separate 1 of the eggs; reserve the yolk and add the white, along with 1 egg, corn syrup, reserved 2 Tbsp. browned butter, and 1 tsp. of the bourbon or vanilla. Process until well mixed and paste-like. Add remaining 1/2 cup pecans and pulse just to mix. Pour into partially baked pie crust.

4. Prepare sweet potato layer. In the bowl used for the crust, combine sweet potatoes with remaining 1/4 cup brown sugar, remaining 1 egg, reserved yolk, cinnamon, cloves, and remaining 1 tsp. bourbon or vanilla. Use an electric mixer on medium speed to mix until smooth and thoroughly combined. Add cream and mix until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour sweet potato mixture over thenut mixture. Bake until set, about 35 to 40 minutes. The center should no longer appear liquid, and a knife tip inserted on the sides should come out clean.

5. If desired, decorate surface with pecan halves. Serve warm, or cool on a rack to room temperature, about 1 hour, then refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours or overnight. Serve chilled, topped with whipped cream if desired.

Source: Hannaford fresh Magazine, November - December 2010