Pecan Pie:

This recipe is for Heather, and in memory of my mother who adored nuts.

Mothers day card with rustic roses on wooden board borrowed from the Internet

 Pastry:

84-98g butter                                                                                                                                              196g plain flour (1/4 of which can be wholemeal)                                                                                      salt                                                                                                                                                                       1 tablespoon sugar                                                                                                                                            I egg

1. To make the pastry, place the flour, butter and sugar in the bowl of a food processor, and process until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the egg and process until the mixture just begins to come together.

Turn the pastry onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly until smooth. Shape into a disc and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest.

Pecan filling:

3 eggs, lightly whisked                                                                                                                            185ml (3/4 cup) maple syrup                                                                                                                     100g (1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar)                                                                                                50g butter, melted                                                                                                                                       195g (1 1/2 cups) pecans

2. Preheat oven to 200*C

3. Roll half of the pastry into a round and line a heavy based pan. Allow pastry to rest in fridge for a further 30 minutes, if you have time. (I don’t usually manage this and it is still OK).

4. Cover pastry with baking paper and fill with rice or dried beans.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove paper and rice or beans and bake for a further 8 minutes, or until golden. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temp to 160*C.

6. Meanwhile to make the pecan filling, whisk the eggs, maple syrup, sugar and butter in a medium bowl. Stir in pecans.

7. Pour mixture evenly into warm pastry case. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes** or until just set in centre. Place pie on wire rack and set aside for 40 minutes or until completely cool. **( mine took an hour!)

*This can be made into 10 small pies using 2cm-deep, (8cm base measurement) fluted tart tins with removable bases and a 15cm diameter cutter.

 

 

 

 

Love: change this law

If I ruled the world and had the power to change one law of nature it would be that everyone should be loved and be able to express love.

Yesterday, being Mother’s Day brought back memories of my Mother. I was lucky to have a kind and considerate mother. Love was not a subject mentioned, but she showed her love through her actions. Cooking, gardening, ironing, sewing clothes, all the things that we took for granted.

My Grandfather was against her becoming a nurse. Girls were not encouraged to go out into the world and seek a career. His eldest worked in his firm. Brenda, being second, stretched the limits. She managed to convince the country doctor to persuaded her father that she’d make a good nurse.

The Second World War came and Brenda, having completed her training, became an army nurse. This took her off to the Middle East, widening her horizons further. When she returned to Tasmania, she chose to marry my father. This put an end to her career. Married women were not allowed to work, though, this was soon to change.

Our tradition on Mother’s Day was to go to church wearing a white flower. Giving Mum breakfast in bed was what we endeavoured to achieve, though looking back it wasn’t appreciated! Crumbs in the bed….  She liked to be up and about. No gifts or cards were given.

It is strange how the whole Mother’s Day thing has blossomed and become a commercial event. I haven’t encouraged gift giving. I felt really happy to receive a phone call from each of my three children yesterday.

My eldest daughter told me of her six year old making and giving her a card. On it is said, ‘Happy Mother’s Day Mum, I love you because you make love.’ His father nearly fell off his chair! Fran understood what he meant, and we felt that was the most beautiful affirmation.

As I haven’t a white Nerine, like the ones we wore, this is a red one from our garden.

http://dailypost.wordpress.com/dp_prompt/if-i-ruled-the-world/