Burns’ 8th Annual Holiday Recipe… What will it be this year?

Well, another year is coming to an end. And what a year it has been in the lives of our families, communities and nation.

Once again, for the 8th season, I am sharing a family recipe with my friends… and all of those who have mattered to me over the past year.

This year, I’ve been thinking over, since Thanksgiving, the old dog-eared index cards with the hand writings of recipes from my mom, aunts, grandmothers and others. For some reason it’s been a challenge to pick the dish I want to share as 2008 comes to a close.

In past years I’ve shared family dishes such as corn chowder, coconut cake, potato candy and hoe cakes.

This year: Mississippi Mud Pie

This is a rich, thick pie… much like the muddy banks of the River itself. But, the pie taste mighty fine.

It’s so good it will make a puppy pull a freight train…
a bird dog climb a sweet gum tree…
a beagle wallow down 3 acres of kudzu.

Yeah, it’s good.

Many of my family recipes are so old no one really knows who first started them. Many go back through my family to the early days of our Democracy. That doesn’t seem true of the Mississippi Mud Pie.

In fact, it’s largely believed this pie was created by home cooks after World War II as millions of GI’s returned home from war. Schooling and new homes were possible through the GI Bill.

The great American middle class stood tall.

American automakers prospered, suburbs sprouted up everywhere and our nation’s vision for the future was limitless. And because of its simple ingredients easily found at the supermarket and no need for any special cooking tools the Mississippi Mud Pie was there, in kitchens and on dinner tables across the South.

So, make this pie, enjoy its richness and let’s lift up our nation in the new-year, creating a place where our vision for the future is limitless in potential.

I wish you are a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I thank you for your friendship and support. God is good!

Making a Mississippi Mud Pie:

Use a chocolate or vanilla wafer crust, or graham cracker works, to make this pie.

Ingredients:

1/4 lb. butter (1 stick)
2 (1 oz. each) squares unsweetened chocolate
3 eggs
3 tablespoons white corn syrup
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
9 inch graham cracker, chocolate or vanilla wafer pie shell

Preparation:

In a saucepan, heat butter and chocolate, stir often, until melted and well blended. Beat eggs; stir in the corn syrup, sugar and vanilla. Add the chocolate mixture to egg and sugar mixture, stirring well. Preheat oven to 350°. Pour filling into pie shell. Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until top is slightly crunchy and filling is set (toothpick test).

Serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or dollop of whipped cream.

Enjoy!!