Paula Deen's Bourbon Pecan Pie

For the southern potluck, I finally decided to put my pie-making skills to the test after getting some instruction from my mom in the fall. I made Mom's pie crust, and filled it with this recipe from Paula Deen. The pie turned out great! Thanks to Granny for the pecans.

1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup dark corn syrup
3 large eggs, beaten
1 1/2 to 2 cups pecan halves (I toasted these in the oven as well)
2 tablespoons good-quality bourbon
1 (9-inch) deep-dish pie shell, unbaked

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a medium bowl, stir together the sugar and melted butter. Add the corn syrup, eggs, pecans, and bourbon, and stir until all ingredients are combined. Pour mixture into an unbaked pie shell, and place on a heavy-duty cookie sheet. (Some comments said the pie didn't set in the allotted time, so I warmed the filling in the microwave to give it a head start before pouring. Didn't have any issues.) Bake for 10 minutes. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F, and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until pie is set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

Pecans and filling mixture

I didn't roll the pie dough thin enough to flute the edges. Whitney tried to save it by getting creative with the pastry wheel...

All done and perfectly set!