“Momma said there’ll be days like this.   There’ll be days like this my momma said.” (Shirelles)

Failure.  Total failure.

I honestly try to keep Lanabird upbeat, positive, and enjoyable, but….  Today it is not going to happen.

While pouring over the recent Phyllis Hoffman’s Celebrate Magazine, the recipe for Salted Caramel Pecan Pie seemed to be calling my name.  The picture showed what appeared to be a thick rich creamy filling topped with heavenly pecans (The state nut of Texas – I might add.)

Here is how it happened.  There had even been a special trip to nearby Kroger for light corn syrup called for in the recipe since none could be found in my cupboard.

Then I commenced to make the caramel sauce.  I thought I carefully followed the directions.  The recipe said to cook the sugar and water mixture for nine minutes on medium heat until it was a deep amber color.  Okay.

Nine minutes later I still had clear sugar water.

 

In the meantime, semi-styled pictures were taken of the needed ingredients for the pie.

14 minutes and I still had clear sugar water.  At this point I turn the heat up from 5 to 6

19 minutes and I still had clear sugar water – but by now most of the water had evaporated.

At this very moment, I took my eyes off the saucepan to answer a question, AND the evaporated sugar water burned.  Yes, the “caramel” became hard as a rock, and stunk up the kitchen.  No lie.  It was in a twinkling of an eye. (Thus, no pictures in the panic.)

What happened next confounds me.  Have I lost my ever-lovin’ mind?  I could smell the burnt sugar.  I could see the burnt sugar.  But…  For some reason, I decided to go ahead and add the heavy cream anyway.  What was I thinking?  Could the cream possibly unburn the sugar?  I don’t think so.  I wasted by precious heavy cream.  Yes, the hard as rock burnt sugar liquified in the cream, but the caramel still tasted BURNT.   Ever-Lovin’ threw it away before I could get a picture.

Hand on the forehead with the big L for loser.

What to do?

I did not think I wanted to try that caramel recipe again, but all of the ingredients for a pecan pie were prepared, and I wanted a caramel pecan pie.  ( I had decided not to make it a Salted Caramel Pecan Pie, just because.)

What about the caramel dip that I bought from SAM’S the other day?  I wondered if it would work.

I added some cream to it, and then used it for the caramel sauce in the recipe.

I had no idea if this would work.  There might be too many preservatives, or maybe this would be an easy shortcut.

I followed the recipe for the filling.  It was easy – Melt butter, stir in brown sugar, caramel sauce, light corn syrup, vanilla extract, and eggs.  Place pecans (I like chopped pecans – easier to eat) in pie shell, pour filling over pecans and bake.

I made the pecan pie using the caramel dip, but it is just okay.  Not too sweet (which I like), but it has a pasty aftertaste.  Not blog worthy.

So, I have nothing to share.

Failure.  Total failure.

“Momma said there’ll be days like this.  There’ll be days like this my momma said.”

Blessings to you and yours,

I didn’t need pecan pie anyway.