Pecan pies are very popular in the South, but nuts are expensive. Some families in the South have pecan trees, but may do not have nuts. Southern cooks are very creative though, so Pinto Bean Pie offers a similar flavor to the traditional Southern pecan pie but at a much lower cost.
Although Bean Pie may sound like a strange concept, it really does taste delicious. It would be difficult to identify pinto beans (or simply "pintos" as they are often called in the South) as being the secret ingredient. Many Southern cooks just serve the pie and do not mention that it is a bean instead of a nut pie.
This recipe can be made with home cooked pinto beans. Put on a pot and have cornbread and beans for dinner and use the leftover pintos for the pie. Or, it is also fine to use canned pinto beans.
Pinto Bean Pie Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 stick or ½ cup butter (softened)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup Karo syrup (dark makes a prettier pie)
- 1 cup cooked pinto beans (drained off liquid and chop fine)
- 4 lightly beaten eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla flavoring
- 1 unbaked pie shell (homemade or store bought)
Directions:
- Cream together the softened butter and sugar in a medium mixing bowl.
- Add Karo syrup and mix well.
- Add pinto beans, eggs, vanilla and mix again.
- Pour mixture into unbaked pie crust.
- Bake at 375 degrees F for approximately an hour or until pie is set.
- If the edges of the crust are getting too dark, add a pie shield or take aluminum foil and make strips and then carefully fold over just the edges of the crust.
Other Favorite Southern Desserts:
Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake - This is a super easy dessert to make, and it looks beautiful. Strawberry Punch Bowl Cake is always a hit at family and community gatherings.
Southern Sweet Potato Pie - It does not more Southern than sweet potato pie. There are many variations. This recipe is especially good and includes honey as a sweetener.
Super Easy Peach Cobbler - The South is known for delicious peaches, and it is very easy to mix up a homemade peach cobber.
Southern Pig Pickin' Cake - This cake is popular at Southern pig pickin's, but it is an easy and yummy cake for any occasion.
Homemade Banana Pudding - Anyone who loves banana pudding will be blown away by this old recipe that includes a made from scratch pudding instead of instant pudding.
Cyndi Allison - Southern born and fed, Cyndi Allison is a college lecturer and newspaper advisor as well as being a freelance writer. She writes on ...
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