Never Too Late for Pecan Pie & Elf Donuts

(Note: To hear music to accompany your read, press play at the bottom of this post. You won't regret it!)

We managed to squeeze in lots of fun activities while Grammy was in town for Christmas--a trip into the city, train rides, crafting and lots of cooking. 

Our first item on the docket was pecan pie because it's a pan full of yummy-deliciousness that's certainly not just for Turkey Day.

The recipe is from my dad's old company's cookbook. You know the cookbooks--the ones where everyone submits their best kept secrets and you know every last recipe is going to be good. Not to mention that this particular cookbook was created in the deep South and it doesn't get any buttery-better than that.

Cooking is the perfect venue to teach the kids math (measuring, counting) and cause and effect and they have fun doing it.

Unfortunately, I didn't capture any photographs of the finished product; however, I did catch this cute moment of Mr. Potato play (thank you Robin!) and can also assure you that, after eating four pieces, I KNOW the pie was delish. (Recipe can be found at the end of this post.)

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I saw this fun idea on my BFF's blog and on The Unconfidential Cook and had to do it. The kids weren't quite old enough to understand The Elf Book so we decided that this year we would just introduce them to what an elf is and then next year we can let them experience the magic. Until then, a little magic of our own....

 Elves appreciate good toppings on their donuts so we brought out the sprinkles, cinnamon, sugar and confectioners sugar.

 Some of us preferred to do all of the taste testing.

While others of us preferred to eat leftover Christmas cookies.

 Our elf, appropriately named Elf, watched as we made him some special donuts.

 Kathleen melted the chocolate and then our little helpers assisted in the stirring...

 ....and tasting.

 We then decorated our donuts and put them in a special box just for Elf (a.k.a. one of Mommy's sparkly jewelry boxes.)

 Elf looked pretty darn happy.

 So happy, in fact, that he let the kids eat the rest of his donuts.

 Um, Um Good!

 As we closed the lid on that day, we went to bed bellies full of all kinds of Christmas goodness.

Southern Pecan Pie

Recipe by Pat Nicholson

3 beaten eggs

1 cup Karo syrup

2/3 cup sugar

1-9 inch Pie shell (we like to use graham cracker crust)

1 cup of chopped pecans (we typically use around 1 1/2 cups)

Optional ingredients: 1 tsp vanilla and 3 tbsp melted butter 

Beat eggs thoroughly with sugar and corn syrup. Pour into the pie shell. If using a frozen pie shell, bake 5 minutes prior to adding mixture. Bake pie 325 degrees for 45 minutes. Enjoy!