Have yourself a merry jar of pie filling?

Oh joy of preholiday baking joys!  The King Arthur Flour mail order drool fest came in my mailbox today.  My mom and I spent some time paging through it together, playing "I want this" with the different baking pans and flavorings.  Sure, a lot of the ready made cakes and cookies are over priced, but it's always fun to look.  A few more pages in, and we hit the lazy from scratch cook jackpot - pecan pie filling in a jar.

Yes, this jar costs more than the gas and ingredients you would need to make your own pecan pie, but this isn't all that bugs me about this product.  Ladies, pecan pie filliing is simple, heck, I usually don't even measure some of the ingredients, just mix and bake.  But by King Arthur selling this product, they are telling their shoppers that no, you don't have the ability to make this yourself, and because this product sells we.are.believing.them. 

Are you serious?  A company that markets how many different types of breadmakers and specialty flours wants to try to belittle my baking confidence?  Doesn't add up - I apparently have the pastry fortitude to make my own whole grain breads from scratch using Italian bread pans, yet cannot put pecan pie filling together (But I do have the ability to bake it myself.  I feel better now.)

I have more respect for people who patronize a good local bakery and buy a pie than try to pass this dessert off as homemade.  Honesty, especially with baked goods, is always the best policy.  At least person A isn't sitting on the fence of store bought and made it myself.  No shades of gray in pie!

 Just say no to ready made over priced processed products.  Get out the brown sugar and eggs and make your own pie filling.  This isn't rocket science, this is classic Americana being sold to you in a jar, shipping and handling not included.  Really want to stick it to the proverbial man?  How about sticking this on your dining table and then your mouth this holiday season?

Classic Pecan Pie

Enough pie crust dough to line the bottom of your favorite pie pan

1 C brown sugar (dark is best, or add in 1 Tbsp molasses to light brown)

2 eggs

2 oz melted butter, unsalted

1 tsp salt

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 C pecans

Mix all, pour the filling into the unbaked pie shell.  Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes or until top is set and amber brown.  Cool at room temperature and serve with whipped cream, ice cream, egg nog, you get the idea.

See?  Was that really that hard, King Arthur?