These pies are cute single serving size- perfect to pair with a scoop of icecream and finished with a drizzle of caramel sauce.

I really love Pecan Pie and am always looking for ways to incorporate dessert recipes on the grill. Chris Lilly, Pitmaster and Championship BBQ Cook for Kingsford Charcoal, has found a fun way to create a single serving, smoky pecan pie with this  recipe.

Pecans, caramel and filling are nestled in a half-moon pouch of dough and grilled directly over hot coals to form a crisp shell with a rich gooey center.

Makes: 8 pies

Prep time: 45 minutes

Cook time: 6 minutes

Dough

• 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup flour for rolling out dough
•  8 store bought caramels cut in half
• 1/2 cup pecan pieces
• 1/4 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon oil

Cut butter into 1/2 inch cubes and refrigerate. Measure the water and refrigerate. In a small mixing bowl add flour and salt and mix well. Add in the cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse bread crumbs. Slowly add water, mixing continuously, until a dough ball is formed. Seal the dough ball in GLAD® ClingWrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.

Sprinkle countertop or cutting board generously with flour. Remove dough from the refrigerator and place onto the floured prep area, roll out to a thickness of 1/8 inch. Cut the dough into 5- to 6-inch diameter circles. Removing extra dough from the prep area to reroll and make more pie shells. Immediately peal, lift and flip the dough circles making sure they don’t stick. Yield should be 8 pie shells.

Preheat the grill using Kingsford^® charcoal, until the internal temperature reaches 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

Place 2 caramel halves and 1 tablespoon of pecans onto the center of each dough circle.

Combine corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla extract and salt in a small saucepan over low heat. Mix until the ingredients are combined. Remove from the heat and stir in the egg once the mixture has cooled. Chill the filling for 15 minutes or until it has thickened slightly. Add 4 teaspoons of the cold filling mixture over the caramels and pecans onto the center of each dough circle.

Lightly moisten the edges of the dough with water. Fold the dough in half creating a half moon with peach filling. Gently press the pie edges together and crimp them with a fork.

Prep the charcoal grill grate by using a grill brush and to brush on a light coat of oil. Transfer the pies to the grill and cook over direct heat, uncovered, for 3 minutes on each side or until the dough turns a crispy golden brown. Remove from the grill and serve.

This recipe is equally tasty baked on the grill or in the oven. If you bake it in the oven, it leaves your house smelling of citrus!

Nothing says “holidays” like cranberries so here’s a great recipe to make for Thanksgiving or Christmas, or to use up your leftover cranberries! While this is a great dessert paired with ice cream, it is equally great as breakfast to create a festive mood on Turkey Day. Plus, who doesn’t love some orange liqueur?

While I made this recipe on the grill in a cast iron skillet, you can also use the oven, it is the same concept.

Ingredients:

• 1.5 cups of milk
• 4 eggs
• 1/4 cup triple sec
• 2 tblsp orange zest
• 1 cup cranberries
• 1/2 cup craisins
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 3/4 loaf challah or brioche bread, torn into small pieces

Mix all ingredients together and let sit for 20 minutes. Pour into a cast iron skillet (if using your grill) or a pie dish. Bake on indirect heat of the grill for 30 minutes until the bread pudding rises and gets golden on the edges. If using an oven, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and let bake for 30 minutes until the pudding has risen and turned golden brown.

Bake this on the grill and your family will think you are the grilling Goddess (perfect if it’s already heated up from cooking the main course). Make this in the oven and your house will smell like cranberry-orange goodness!

No campfire needed!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• shredded sweetened coconut- 8++oz.
• Dark chocolate – squares
• Ginger snaps- use these instead of graham crackers unless you prefer the latter
• Marshmallows- large size, 16 oz bag
• skewers- for roasting marshmallows

If the grill has cooled down after dinner, heat it back up- medium should be high enough for roasting the marshmallows.

In a piece of foil folded to create the shape of a small tray, lay a layer of coconut. They will start to brown and you can mix the shredded coconut around to cook evenly. When it browns, take the foil tray and move it over to indirect heat.

Meanwhile, for mass smore creation (for those not roasting their own marshmallows via skewer) put out another foil- tray (sheet of foil folded at the edges to create a “tray”).

awaiting chocoloate marshmallow-ey goodness!

Layer gingersnaps in a layer on the foil and top with marshmallows.
As the marshmallows start to roast, add a piece of dark chocolate and sandwich between another gingersnap!

Happy Smor-ing!

goo-ey goodness