Pecan Pie with a little something special

For me the two pies that should be served at Thanksgiving are Pumpkin and Pecan. Over the years I've tried variations on both; sometimes even combining the two. A couple years ago I did them in mini muffin tins for a big group which were great as you can have a little of each and they are easy to serve. This one I baked for my Mom's Early Thanksgiving at her house with some lovely fresh pecans she ordered from San Saba River Pecan Company, I adapted their recipe.

Pecan Pie

1 unbaked 9 inch pie shell (you can make your own, but Trader Joe's has a good one, or even the Pilsbury one)

4 tablespoons butter at room temp.

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon bourbon (that's the something special - can be left out, just add another teaspoon vanilla)

2/3 cup sugar

3 eggs beaten

1 cup pecan pieces, & 3/4 cup pretty pecan halves for the top

1 cup light corn syrup

1/8 teaspoon salt

Cream butter with sugar and add the vanilla and bourbon. Add eggs and beat well. Stir in 1st cup of pecan pieces, syrup and salt. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 min. Reduce heat to 325 and remove pie from oven and place the remaining whole pieces in a pretty pattern on the top pressing down slightly. The outer crust will be brown now, so you might want to put one of those pie crust protectors on it, or foil around the edges so it doesn't burn. Bake for another 25 min. or until it is not jiggly in the middle. If you do it in mini muffin tins place one pecan on top for decoration and just bake once for about 10 min. at about 400, just watch them.

Note: in those little ones I added a few chocolate chips to each muffin, it is great if you are a chocoholic! You could add a cup of chips to the whole pie too.