trail mix pecan pie

Late summer and fall is prime time for hiking. The cooler weather, the foliage, the crisp smell of an autumn morning? Total perfection. Since all good hikes require good trail mix, I'd been amassing a stash and decided to mix it together with pecans for a pie. The results were so tasty and tangy that I made it twice.

The best part about this kind of recipe is that it can be tailored to your tastes. The pictures were with a graham cracker crust, but I ended up preferring the classic pastry shell. My family preferred the trail mix made with lots of peanut butter and chocolate chips and raisins, but I loved the Sahale pomegranate pistachio blend mixed in with some sunflower seeds. With this pie, the world is seriously your oyster.

TRAIL MIX PECAN PIE:

Serves: 9 people

Time: 1 hour 15 minutes, plus 2 hours for cooling

Ingredients:

• 1 (9-inch) unbaked or frozen deep-dish or graham cracker pie crust

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup (4 oz) coarsely chopped pecans

• 1/2 cups (2 oz) of your favorite trail mix

• 1/2 cup corn syrup, light or dark

• 1/2 cup maple syrup

• 3 eggs

• 2 tablespoons butter, melted

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Mix the corn syrup, maple syrup., eggs, sugar, butter, and vanilla using a spoon or a rubber spatula. Stir in pecans and trail mix and pour the mixture into pie crust.

3. Bake on center rack of oven for 60 to 70 minutes. If using a prepared frozen pie crust, place a cookie sheet in the oven and while preheating it. Then pour the filling into frozen crust and bake on the preheated sheet.

4. Let cool on a wire rack for at least 2 hours before serving.