Shortcuts: Chocolate and whiskey, need she say more?

One of my first considerations when attempting a new recipe is how many of the ingredients do I have on hand. If it looks easy, and the ingredients are within reach, it's a go! This pie got my attention. It's made with chocolate chips, pecans and whisky!

Not having an empty pie shell handy, I spotted a prepared chocolate cookie crust in the pantry. Could I take a shortcut and bake it in the oven without burning it? I placed a call to the Keebler™ hotline. The operator informed me that a cookie crust would not burn when baked in an oven—not to exceed 375 F.

I reduced the amount of chocolate chips by one-quarter cup to make up for the chocolate crust. The resulting pie was more satisfying than the original. The gooey filling merged with the cookie crust along the outer edges creating a toffee-like sensation while the bottom crust stayed crisp. Decadent, rich, chocolaty and chewy—it's superb!

CHOCOLATE WHISKY- PECAN PIE

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

3 eggs or liquid equivalent

3/4 cup light corn syru

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons whisky or bourbo

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped peca

1/4 cup mini chocolate chi

1 (9-inch) prepared chocolate cookie crust

Whipped cream

Preheat oven to 375 F. Cream together sugar and butter; add eggs, corn syrup, salt, whisky and vanilla. Mix until blended. Spread pecan pieces and chocolate chips in bottom of pie crust. Pour filling over pecans and chips and bake pie on top of a cookie sheet for 45 minutes. Cool before serving. Top with whipped cream.

—adapted from Dr. BBQ's Barbecue Cookbook (Lampe, 2006)

Mary Ann Kauchak lives in Lake Ridge. Her third cookbook, "SHORTCUTS, TOO," is available at Salt & Pepper Books in Occoquan. She can be reached at .