My husband and I have a favorite diner we usually go to on the weekends.  If there was ever a place that’s sit-com material—-this is the one.  Central Casting would have a field day with the  bee-hive beauties and down-home characters who work there…….and , also with the everyday wack-a-doodles, softball teams, and interns from all the near-by hospitals frequenting the place. (Could it be, that it takes one ,to know one???)

Anyway, back to the point——-then on to THE WHITE HOUSE. 

There is a sign, permanently embedded, over the register.  It says “PIE SOLVES EVERYTHING“.  I agree.

So, in the interest of saving our nation from the bitter pill it is currently attempting to digest, I bow to the sign at The Market Diner, Dallas, TX, by offering….drum roll, puh-leeze…the pecan pie recipe from……THE WHITE HOUSE. 

No kidding.  This pie, in itself, is an institution.  It was the handiwork of Zephr Wright, the long-time chef for Lady Bird Johnson, who knew more than a thing or two about pie.  This very recipe was “ripped from the headlines” and sent through generations of family and friends before bringing it to you—it came from The Dallas Morning News, a decade or two, ago.  Supposedly,  it is still in The White House Cookbook, today.   Serve warm, with ice cream.  Burp.

THE WHITE HOUSE—-PECAN PIE

1/2 C.    Butter (one stick)

1 C.         Sugar

1 C.         Dark corn syrup

1/2 t.     Salt

1 1/2 t.   Vanilla

3              Eggs

2C.        Coarsely chopped pecans

One Fluted, unbaked pastry shell (pie crust) in a 9 inch pie pan

Allow butter to come to room temperature, softened but not melted.  Add sugar, corn syrup, salt and vanilla. Beat with a hand mixer until thoroughly blended. Add eggs, one at a time and continue blending until each is incorporated and the mixture is smooth.  Fold in pecans.  Pour into pastry shell.  Bake in a 350 oven, approximately 50 minutes but start checking pie at 40 minutes to be sure it is not getting too dark on the edges.  Note:  Be sure to place pie one rack BELOW the center rack.  Cook until the top is toasted and the center is set. (It won’t jiggle when shaken slightly.)

Peggy’s personal note:   If you don’t want to make your own pie crust—check out Marie Calendar’s Frozen Pie Crust.  You can usually find them where you will find frozen rolls and bread.  They make a very close-to-home crust.

ENJOY.