Give Thanks

Give thanks for pie crust that's a snap to put together and gives your rolling pin a pause. Mini pretzels, pecans (or walnuts), a bit of brown sugar and melted butter do the heavy lifting in this press-in crust. All the worries associated with making the perfect pie crust don't apply here. Ideally you want to align this shell with a stove top filling; my choice is butterscotch but dark chocolate is also a top contender. 

I realize not everyone feels dessert is an integral conclusion to their nightly meal, but some of us do. And for the lead up to the big pie day, you might not want to be fussing with any more pie shells than are strictly necessary. This one does appreciate 8-10 minutes in the oven at 325 degrees to hold itself together although in a pinch, you can simply freeze it solid before filling. And the oven time affords you a brief opportunity to tidy up/clean out your fridge because you know refrigerator real estate (and freezer, too, for that matter) is of critical importance in the next two weeks. Don't say I didn't warn you.