Chocolate Pecan Pie!

Well, it's a lazy, rainy day here in Baltimore!  LJ and I are having a lazy day with the balcony door ajar just enjoying being inside for a bit.  I decided to go ahead and make a chocolate pecan pie because I had all the ingredients and we haven't made one in a while.  I can't wait to dig into it once it cools!  I found it in a wonderful book my grandmother gave me over the off-season, (thanks, Maw-Maw!).  My mom makes a delicious pecan pie, in fact it's the only one I'll eat.  I have to say, though, with the addition of chocolate,  this one rivals it!  Here's the recipe in case you're ever in the mood for a good ol' southern dessert with a chocolate twist.  It doesn't disappoint!  You can also bake it in individual pie shells if you'd like - the baking time is about the same, maybe a few minutes less.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

• 3 eggs lightly beaten
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 2 one ounce squares of UNsweetened chocolate, melted
• 2TBSP butter or margarine
• 1 cup pecan halves
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• pinch of salt
• unbaked 9 inch pastry shell

Combine first five ingredients in a medium mixing bowl; mix well.  Stir in pecans, vanilla and salt.  Pour mixture into pastry shell.  Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 and continue baking 30 minutes.  Yield:  one 9 inch pie, (or about eight mini pie shells).