Cool Measuring Cup & Pecan Pie

First, I have some bad news, but good news, too. This weekend our oven died. It's very sad because my Christmas cookies didn't turn out and that was really frustrating. This means I won't be sharing with you my favorite Christmas cookie recipes because I'm too embarrassed to show you the pictures. We knew it was going to happen, but we were hoping it would make it through Christmas. It didn't. I think it might make it through a pie and rolls for Christmas dinner, but it looks like Christmas dinner will be done on the BBQ this year. We're waiting for the after Christmas sales to go shopping for a new range. The one I REALLY want is already been reduced $500!! Hopefully I'll be reviewing a new range soon!

Okay, now for the fun part.
This is one of my Christmas gifts from last year (sorry for the blurry picture, it didn't look like that on my camera). After watching Alton Brown use one on Food Network I decided I needed one. I hate measuring out syrups, peanut butter, shortening and other gooey stuff that never comes out of the measuring cup the way it's supposed to. I used to make a huge mess trying to get it all out of the measuring cup. Not anymore! This awesome gadget pushes the ingredients out for you. You can use it for both dry and wet ingredients. There are some that are made out of all plastic, but this stainless one is pretty nice, too. The only thing I don't like about my stainless one is there is a lip on the edge of the flat part and it's usually a pain to get stuff out of it, especially since it isn't dishwasher safe. I've figured out a way to get food out of it though. I just soak it for awhile (not very long, usually I put it in the sink and clean up the rest of the mess and then come back to it) and then take a toothpick and scrape the lip out and it's fine. I love this gadget!
Here is my famous (well, famous among my family anyway) pecan pie recipe. I love pecan pie but sometimes it's way too sweet and sometimes it's way too rich so I combined a bunch of recipes I had together and made my own version. Not too sweet, not too rich. You're going to think the syrup thing is weird, but trust me. Enjoy!

(This is an old photo before I got better at taking pictures of food. I didn't get a picture taken of them this year because they both went so fast.)

Hilary's Pecan Pie

3 eggs
1/2 cup pancake syrup
1/4 cup light Karo syrup

1/4 cup dark Karo syrup
(If you want it richer, use 1/2 cup dark)

2 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon salt

1 cup pecans

1 unbaked pie shell (I recomend a 10-inch regular or 9-inch deep)

Beat eggs slightly in a small bowl with mixer at medium speed. Beat in syrups, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt. Stir in pecans. Pur into pie shell. Bake at 350° for 55 to 65 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.