Gingersnap Apple Crisp

Recipe taken from NewEngland.com
We had an old box of ginger cookies from Trader Joe's given to me by pain rep way back when, and they were getting stale, so I searched recipes that used ginger cookies and found this one. Just had to buy some butter and apples.

Recipe a bit modified because I didn't want to make as much, so used the 9x9 pan. So lower heat in oven and not as long. I used 50 min from recipe and burnt it.

Eric really liked it! I added ginger candy, and he said that having the ginger kicked it up a notch.

Ingredients:

-apples (used about 5 pink ladies), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (1/8 apple slices)

-gingersnap cookies (they were the small thin ones from trader joe's like 50 cookies)

-1/2 cup firm-packed light brown sugar

-1 tsp ground cinnamon

-1/2 tsp kosher salt

-butter (I used one whole stick) cut into small pieces

-3/4 cup rolled oats

-1/2 cup pecan or walnut halves (I used half/half)

-vanilla ice cream (ESSENTIAL)

-ginger candy - I added it outside the recipe

Directions

1. Arrange apples in an even layer in baking dish

2. Sprinkle in chopped ginger candy with the apples

3. Heat oven to 350 degrees (365 was too hot)

4. In food processor, pulse cookies, sugar, cinnamon, and salt until mixture has sandy texture

5. Add butter, oats, and nuts and pulse until nuts are size of small peas and mixture looks like wet sant

6. Spread mixture over apples and bake until topping golden brown and juices are bubbling (50 min too much --> try 40 min next time)

7. Let cool 20 min. Serve warm with ice cream.

Sticky Toffee Pudding

Took recipe from tastesbetterfromscratch.com

Lately, Eric and I have been inspired by things we ate from abroad. He has been making really good sikil pak that we ate in Mexico. Decided to give this one a go. We ate it at a nice British restaurant called Upstairs at the Grill in in Chester.  Weirdly enough, it was American-themed.

Ingredients:

-8 oz pitted medjool dates (225 g) - used a little more because it gets stuck in the blender

-1 cup boiling water (240 ml)

-1/3 cup butter, room temperature (75 g)

-2/3 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed (145 g)

-2 tsp vanilla extract (10 ml)

-2 large eggs, room temperature

-2 TBSP molasses (30 ml)

-1 + 2/3 cups all-purpose flour (200 g)

-1.5 tsp baking powder (6 g)

-1 tsp baking soda (5 g)

-1/4 tsp salt (1.5 g) - accidentally bought salted butter, so omitted

Toffee sauce:

-1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (120 ml)

-1/2 cup butter (115 g)

-3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (160 g)

-1 pinch salt (omitted due to the salted butter)

-2 tsp vanilla extract (10 ml)

-chopped walnuts (also used pecans)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees

2. Lightly grease 12 cup muffin tin or ramekins

3. Pour boiling water on top of dates. Set aside 5 min. (was a lot longer)

4. Prepare batter: cream butter + brown sugar. Then add one egg at a time, beating after each addition. Then add molasses and vanilla and mix.

5. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt, then stir into batter (used fine strainer)

6. Pulse date mixture in a food processor, then stir in baking soda. Pour date mixture into batter and gently fold to combine (don't over-mix)

7. Pour batter in pan. Bake for 18-20 min or until toothpick clean. Don't overbake or cake will be dry.

Notes:

Batter was enough for 12 muffins + a ramekin (equivalent to 2 muffins per Eric).

There was too much toffee sauce leftover.  May want to try to halve the recipe next time

I liked it a lot, but Eric was tired of eating it too many days in a row. Again, maybe try to halve the recipe?

Basque Cheesecake

Recipe from Aaron and hummingbirdhigh.com

So back in 2022, I had asked what Nat's favorite dessert was, and Aaron said cheesecake.  Looked like a complicated recipe, so I just bought from HEB, which wasn't that great. He texted me a recipe, and I never tried making - until this past Saturday for Nat's b-day. I searched a recipe to fit a 9 inch springform pan.  I'm not sure if Nat ever tried it, oh well.

Ingredients:

-4 cream cheese 8 oz boxes - ROOM TEMP (put in a ziploc bag in hot water for 15 min)

-1.5 cups granulated sugar (298 g)

-5 large eggs - ROOM TEMP (put in the hot water)

-1.5 cups heavy cream (340 g) - ROOM TEMP (forgot this room temp)

-1/4 cup all purpose flour (33 g)

-1 tsp kosher salt (note there are salt differences in weight)

-1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Use cooking spray or butter the 9-inch springform pan and line with 2 parchment papers making sure it sticks up 2 inches above the sides of the pan. I also used butter on the parchment paper on the inside, too (per the Allrecipes guy)

2. Beat cream cheese on medium until soft and creamy, 1-2 minutes. 

3. Add sugar and beat on low until light and fluffy, 1 minute.

4. Add vanilla

5. Add eggs ONE at a time - I used just a spatula to mix

6. Slowly pour cream down side of bowl and beat until combined, about 1 minute

7. Put flour and salt in sieve and add gradually, beat until combined on low for 30 seconds (used spatula)

8. Pour batter into pan and whack on counter to get bubbles out

9. Bake for 55 minutes until edges are set but center still wobbles

10. Cool at room temp for 2 hrs before putting in fridge

NOTES:

-I overcooked it because comments were saying how it never set, so I got scared and went too long, but 55 minutes or just when you see it turn brown on top would be good I think.

-I didn't beat the cream cheese before adding sugar - whoops

-I probably beat the mixture too long bc pouring cream too slowly - whoops. Maybe use spatula here

-I also beat too long pouring in flour/salt too long

-can be kept at room temp for 1 day, but stored in fridge up to 3 days

Cookies & Cream Pie (Oreo)

 Recipe taken from Sally's Baking Recipes

Made for Eric's b-day.  He really liked it.  Not sure my favorite, but pretty good.  More Oreo crumble on top.

Ingredients:

Crust:

-22 regular Oreo cookies

-5 tablespoons (71 g) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:

-1 cup cold heavy cream/heavy whipping cream

-8 oz full-fat brick cream cheese, softened to room temperature

-3/4 cup (90 g) confectioners' sugar

-1 tsp pure vanilla extract

-12 whole Oreos, chopped (about 1.5 cups or 135 g)

Homemade whipped cream

-1 cup cold heavy cream/heavy whipping cream

-2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees

2. Bake the crust (do 1st so that it can cool later).  

--In a food processor or blender, pulse 22 Oreos including the cream filling into a fine crumb.  

--Pour crumbs into large bowl 

--Add melted butter and stir to combine.    

--Pour into 9 inch pie dish and pat down sides and bottom to make compact.  

--Bake for 10 min.  

--Allow to cool as you prepare the filling

3. Make the filling:

--Whip cold heavy cream into stiff peaks on medium-high speed, about 4 min.  Set aside.

--Beat cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and creamy

--Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla extract and beat on medium-high speed

--Fold in whipped cream and chopped Oreos into cream cheese mixture until combined

4. Make whipped cream:

--Mix heavy cream, sugar, vanilla extract on medium-high speed until medium peaks form, about 3-4 min.

4. Spread filling into cooled crust

5. Spread whipped cream

6. Cover with plastic wrap and fridge for at least 6 hrs, up to 2 days.  Can freeze for at least 4 hrs.  I froze for first night and then took out and at and was fine.  Harder to cut crust when frozen.  Use knife to cut crust and chisel a little from the pie dish.

Mini Pecan Phyllo Tarts

Taken from Skinnytaste.

Pretty good, but much better warm.

Very simple to make!

Ingredients:

-1 Tbsp butter, melted

-1 large egg

-4 tsp brown sugar

-2 Tbsp honey

-1/4 tsp vanilla

-1/2 cup pecans chopped

-15 mini phyllo shells, Athens

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except pecans.  Mix well.

3. Stir in chopped pecans

4. Arrange mini shells on a baking sheet.  Fill with one heaping tsp of pecan mixture.

5. Bake for 10-15 min.  Cool before serving.

Cranberry Brie Bites

Recipe seen around Instagram, but used The Country Cook as base recipe.

It was nice to have something different to snack on.  I made NYE with Jasmine and Thomas there to eat some.  Eric even ate a few.  Didn't blow us away though. 

Made again for UFC night and very good.  Was very generous with the toppings and fit in the hole pretty good when you bake it.

Ingredients:
-all purpose flour for dusting on cutting board

-8 oz crescent dough sheet

-8 oz wheel of brie cheese

-1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce (not jellied)

-fresh rosemary sprigs

-chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 F

2. Spray mini muffin tin with cooking spray

3. Spread flour on cutting board and roll out crescent dough

4. Pinch seams and cut dough into 24 equal pieces and place in tin

5. Cut brie into small pieces and place into tin

6. Add spoonful of cranberry sauce, rosemary sprigs, and pecans

7. Bake until crescent dough is a light golden brown - about 15 min

Pumpkin Pie*

HAVE NOT MADE YET
Recipe taken from San Antonio magazine.

Was going to make for Thanksgiving, but our oven broke.

Ingredients for filling:

15 oz pumpkin solids

14 oz condensed milk

1/2 tsp iodized salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/8 tsp Chinese 5-spice

1 egg

Directions:

1. Whisk pumpkin, egg yolks, and egg with a mixer until smooth

2. Add condesned milk, cinnamon, ground ginger, salt, ground nutmeg, and Chinese 5-spike and mix until incoporated

3. Pour in filling (1 lb, 7 oz of filling) for a 9 inch pie pan.

4. Bake at 275 F for 46 min

Rabanadas*

*WARNING HAVE NOT MADE YET

Another delish.com recipe that I have to "save"

Ingredients

-3.5 cups milk

-1/4 cup granulated sugar

-2 tbsp. honey

-1 cinnamon stick

-lemon peel from half a lemon

-5 large eggs, beaten

-1  baguette, preferably day old, cut into 1" thick slices

-vegetable oil, for frying

-1 cup cinnamon sugar

Directions

1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat - milk, sugar, honey, cinnamon stick, and lemon peel together. 

2. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat and let simmer for 5 min or until sugar is dissolved.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly

3. Place beaten eggs into a shallow dish.  Working one at a time, dip sliced bread into milk, then into eggs, turning to coat well in each.

4. In a large skillet over medium heat, add enough oil to come 1/2" up the sides of the pan.

5. Working in batches, fry soaked bread until golden, 2-3 min per side

6.  Remove from pan and place n a paper towel lined cooling rack

7.  Toss in cinnamon sugar immediately

8.  Serve warm with extra honey, if desired

*breakfast

*dessert

Oreogasm Poke Cake

Taken from delish.com

FAILURE. Eric said it was good, but he isn't a fan of chocolate cake base.

I thought it tasted good, but it's so unhealthy that it's not worth it if Eric doesn't really like. Ended up throwing it all away save 2 pieces.

I used a chop stick to poke small holes, but use something bigger and estimate how you're going to cut the cake and do one big hole for each piece.

Ingredients:

-1 box chocolate cake mix, plus ingredients called for on box

-1.5 cup marshmallow crème - 2 bottles of the creme (each bottle 7 oz)

-1 tbsp water

1/2 cup finely ground Oreos

2 cups heavy cream

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp kosher salt

1 cup crushed Oreos, divided (used a lot more to cover entire cake)

-6 Oreos, halved (didn't use)

-chocolate fudge sauce for garnish (didn't use)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 and grease a 9 x 13 pan.  Prepare chocolate cake mix according to package directions and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25 min

2. Poke cake all over with the bottom of a wooden spoon.

3. In a small bowl, microwave marshmallow crème and water, then stir until smooth

4. Stir in ground Oreos, then pour all over cake, making sure to fill the poked holes

5. Make frosting

--In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat heavy cream, powdered sugar, and salt until medium peaks form

--Fold in 1/2 cup crushed Oreos

--Frost cake with the whipped cream

--Sprinkle with the rest of the crushed Oreos

--Top with halved Oreos and drizzle with chocolate sauce

*dessert

Magic Cookie Bar*

*WARNING - I HAVE NOT MADE YET

but I want to.  I screen-capped the recipe and I want to delete it off my phone haha.

Recipe taken from delish.com

Ingredients:

-18 (2 sleeves) graham crackers, crushed

-6 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

-1/4 cups sugar

-1 (14 oz) can of condensed milk

-1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, divided

-1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts), divided

-2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Grease 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray, then line with parchment paper up and over the sides with slight overhang.  Grease parchment again.

3. In a medium bowl, mix the graham crackers, butter, and sugar until mixture resembles wet sand.  Press graham cracker mixture into bottom of prepared baking dish

4. In even layer, drizzle condensed milk over the crust

5. Top with half the chocolate chips and half the nuts

6. Add the coconut

7. Top with remaining chips and nuts.

8.  Bake until chocolate melted and crust browned 25-30 min.  Let cool.

*dessert

Key Lime Pie

Taken from Once Upon a Chef.

It's funny how when I bake things like desserts, I usually don't modify.  Anyways, this was a hit.  Eric really liked it. I thought the filling wasn't lime-y enough, but on subsequent days, it tasted pretty good.  Also, I definitely need to take a lactaid beforehand.

Ingredients for the crust:

-12 graham crackers

-1/3 cup packed light brown sugar (I only had dark, so used dark)

-4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Ingredients for the filling:

-two 14 oz cans sweetened condensed milk

-1 cup plain Greek yogurt (2% or whole, but I only had fat free on hand)

-1 Tbsp grated lime zest (used heaping)

-3/4 cup fresh lime juice (could use slightly more) - almost a whole 2 lb bag

Ingredients for the topping:

-1 cup cold heavy cream

-2 Tbsp powdered sugar

-1 tsp grated lime zest (used a LOT more to cover whole pie)

-Thin lime slices (only did 1 in the middle for a good picture)

Directions for crust:

1. Zest and juice limes until you get about 3/4 cup of lime juice

2. Cuisinart graham crackers into fine crumbs

3. Preheat oven to 375 and set oven rack in middle position

4. In medium bowl, combined graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter.  Stir with fork first, and then hands if needed.

5. Use fingers, press crumbs firmly into bottom and sides of a pie pan.  Crust should be about 1/4 inch thick.  (Tip: do sides first)

6. Bake for 10 min, until just slightly browned (do 8-9 min as it was a little burnt).  Let cool.

Directions for filling:

7. Lower oven temperature to 350

8. In large bowl, whisk together sweetened condensed milk, yogurt, lime zest, and lime juice. 

9.  Pour the thick mixture into the warm graham cracker crust

10.  Bake for 15 min, until filling is almost set; it should wobble a bit.

11.  Let cool at room temperature for 30 min

12.  Chill in fridge for about 3 hrs

Directions for topping:

13. Using mixer, beat heavy cream until soft peaks form

14. Add sugar and beat until medium peaks form

15.  Top the pie with the whipped cream

16.  Decorate with lime zest and lime slices

Notes:

As mentioned before, can do with more lime juice.

Divided the pie into 8 slices and had for 4 nights - lasted until then.

Times in oven need to be a little less to not burn it.

*Dessert

Cinnamon Apple Crisp

Taken from Skinnytaste.com

Eric said he would have gotten apple pie if at his mom's for Thanksgiving.  

Overall, not sure if I would make again. Better if re-heated in the oven, but not as "crisp" as we would have liked.  I think I put too much honey - was the end of the bottle and had estimated - was a little too sweet.  Also, Eric felt that it was good, but only if paired with vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients (filling):

-6 medium apples (honey crisp or gala) peeled and sliced 1/4 inch thick

-1.5 ounces of raising, small box

-3/4 tsp ground cinnamon

-1 tsp fresh lemon juice (1/2 lemon)

-1 Tbsp cornstarch

-1/4 cup of honey

Ingredients (topping):

-1 cup quick oats (used rolled oats)

-3 Tbsp light brown sugar, not packed (used dark brown sugar)

-1 tsp cinnamon

-2.5 Tbsp butter, melted

Directions:

1. Heat oven 350 F

2. Combine apples, raisings, cinnamon, honey, and lemon juice in large bowl

3. Sprinkle with cornstarch.  Toss until fruit coated

4. Place fruit in an ungreased baking dish.  Cover with foil and bake 15 min (try 30 min).  Remove from oven

5. Mix the remaining topping ingredients.  Sprinkle over fruit

6. Bake about 60 min (try 30 min first) uncovered or until topping is golden brown and fruit is tender.

Note:

Basically, around 40 min, it looked burnt, so maybe cook longer covered for the apples and then less time uncovered with the topping?

*Dessert

Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse

Modified from kitchencents

I didn't have powdered sugar, so used granulated sugar and corn starch cuisinart-ed.

Also, could have used less sugar, maybe 1/4 cup next time. Would even try using the monk fruit next time.

Original recipe with 1/4 cup of cocoa powder, but I divided into cocoa powder and PB2.

Ingredients

-1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream

-2 Tbsp cocoa powder

-2 Tbsp PB2 powder

-1/2 cup powdered sugar (= 1/2 cup granulated sugar + 1 1/2 tsp corn starch)

-1/4 tsp vanilla extract (orig called for almond extract)

Directions:

1. Chill large mixing bowl

2. Cuisinart granulated sugar + corn starch (if you don't have powdered sugar) for 30 s or until fine

3. Add cocoa powder and PB2 powder and pulse a few times

4. Whip cream with mixer until frothy and slightly thickened

5. Add sugar mixture (mix manually before turning on mixer)

6. Mix until stiff peaks form

7. Can eat straight or I put a few dollops in the candy mold in the freezer

Eric liked it, but he also c/o milky after taste

EAT a lactaid beforehand!

*Dessert

Tiramisu

Made this for Eric's bday, and it was soooo good! Eric loved it.

Taken from NY Times website.  One time I actually used a recipe and did NOT modify haha.

Second time, I substituted oreo cookies and it turned out pretty good!

*EDIT - used the HEB coffee faux Oreos, and not enough of them (27 total cookies). Next time, unscrew the cookies to have more in a single layer. 

Ingredients

-4 large egg yolks

-1/2 cup (100 g) sugar, divided (50 g/50 g)

-3/4 cup heavy cream

-1 cup/227 g/ 8 oz mascarpone

-1 package of lady fingers

-1 3/4 cup coffee --> I just used Starbucks dark roast coffee (was about 1 1/2 cups)

-2 Tbsp cognac --> Used Grand Marnier (key ingredient in my opinion)

-cocoa powder (can use metal tea bag as "sifter")
-dark chocolate

Directions:
1. Take eggs and mascarpone out of fridge
2. Dust bottom of dish (9x9 ok) with cocoa powder --> set aside
3. Combine coffee & rum in shallow bowl --> set aside

4. Whip egg yolks + 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar until pale yellow and triple volume (slight ribbon should fall from beaters) in large bowl --> set aside
5. Whip cream + 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar until soft-medium peaks in medium bowl
6. Add mascarpone and whip until soft spreadable mixture with medium peaks (felt too stiff, but worked out anyways after next step of folding)
7. Fold mascarpone mixture to egg yolk mixture until well combined

8. Quickly dip ladyfingers into coffee mixture (like 1 second)
9. Placed 1/2 of package of lady fingers in dish, rounded side up (they get soggy so can squish towards the end more of the ladyfingers)
10. Spread half cream mixture onto ladyfingers
11. Repeat
12. Dust cocoa powder and chocolate shavings on top
13. Cover with saran wrap and put in fridge for at least 4 hours (tasted fine either 4 hrs or 24 hrs)

*Dessert

Coconut lime popsicles

These were pretty good. Taken from Onelovelylife.com

Ingredients (for 6 popsicles):
-2 cups of coconut milk (fill to 16 oz line)
-2 limes (used key limes)
-3 tbsp honey (estimates)
-lime zest if you have time

Directions:
Pour in the blender cup. I add the milk last to fill to the line.
And blend

And pour into molds.

*Dessert

Vanilla Cocoa Almond Milk Popsicles - Eric's series

Because I bought almond milk last week, I had been using in overnight oats, but Eric thought about making them into cocoa popsicles!
He referenced this recipe from nutritiouslife.com, but looked at some others to make his own.

Ingredients:
-1 cup almond milk, unsweetened
-1 tsp vanilla extract
-1 T honey (or to taste)
-1 tsp monkfruit sweetener (1 packet)
-1 T cocoa powder 
-other: he made another set with peanut butter - yuumm

Directions:
1. Blend all ingredients until smooth
2. Spoon into mold
3. Freeze

Eric did his own thing when making, but they were sooooo good.  Will definitely be a new dessert staple in the house.

*Dessert

Peanut butter banana muffins - Coronavirus Cooking Series

Getting my pre-workout bananas on Fridays and getting a little extra, so I tried a different banana recipe at Broma Bakery. A lot tastier than the pancakes, but this had more ingredients including honey.

Ingredients:
-3 large ripe bananas
-1/2 cup peanut butter
-4 TBSP honey
-2 eggs
-2 tsp vanilla extract
-1 1/4 cup oatmeal flour (cuisinart-ed rolled oats)
-1 TBSP baking powder
-1/2 tsp salt
-1 cup dark chocolate chips (used probably 1/2 cup)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven 425 degrees. Line muffin tin with 12 cups and spray with oil.
2. Mash bananas in a bowl. Add peanut butter, honey, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix.
3. Cuisinart-ed oatmeal. Add baking powder, salt.
4. Add in the oatmeal mix, and fold in with spatula.
5. Add in the chocolate chips. Don’t overmix.
6. Add into muffin cups.
7. Bake for 5 min at 425. Then turn down to 375 and bake for another 14 min.
8. Take out and cool for 10 min.

*Snacks

*Dessert

*Breakfast

Pecan Pie

I made Pecan Pie last Saturday because my husband didn't get to have any at a dinner the week before.  I have never made any kind of pie before much less a pecan pie.  I had to even buy the pie dish.
I looked at several recipes, but drew mainly from Chef John's recipe, and made some modifications.

Ingredients:
1 Pillsbury pre-made pie dough
1 bag of beans
1 bag of pecans
1/2 cup/1 stick salted butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp salt
3 eggs

Ingredient notes:
I didn't add flour, milk, or bourbon - mainly because other recipes didn't call for it, and I didn't feel like buying them. Other recipes called for half dark syrup/half light syrup or the addition of maple syrup, which I may consider in the future.

Directions (in past tense):
1. Preheated oven to 350 degrees
2. Rolled out the dough a little bit to fit the 9.5 inch pie dish. (Future note - don't need to spread it out over the edge of the dish.)
3. Placed parchment paper over pie dough in dish, then added the cheap beans on top.  Heated for 15 min with beans + 5 min without beans. I think I should have heated for even less time to get the barely golden look.
4. Toasted pecans for 7 min, and they were a little burnt in the back.
5. Mixed the white sugar, brown sugar, light corn syrup, vanilla extract, and salt in a bowl.  *Next time, do NOT do this.  Mix both sugars + salt in a bowl, and light corn syrup + vanilla extract in a different bowl.  Otherwise, it's a sticky mess.
6. Heated butter, constantly whisking to make "brown butter" (saw in another recipe) for several minutes in my silver saucepan.  Not sure if it ever turned brown or not.
7. Added the sugar mixture to the saucepan, which was difficult as it stuck to the bowl as I mentioned. I constantly whisked for several minutes even after it boiled, although I think I was supposed to whisk only up until it started boiling.
8. Cooled the mixture for 10 minutes.  Although I cooled for too long because when I slowly added to eggs, it was so thick that it would just clump up.  Will only cool for 5 minutes or less next time.  I ended up re-heating the mixture and adding the eggs to it.  There was a few scrambled egg floaters.
9. Spread the pecans into the pie crust, and then added the mixture over it.  Patted down with a spatula.
10. Baked for 40 minutes, which was way too long.  It was burnt, but tasted pretty good still.

Grade (for myself): B-

*Dessert