We had Home Ec in junior high in my day…which was back in the 1960’s.  No such thing as a “middle school”.  Our junior high consisted of grades 7-9 but the year I was in 8th grade was the last year for the 9th grade to be included.  A new wing was built onto the high school so the 9th grade moved into the senior high with the rest of the “big” kids. But I digress.

Anyway, Home Ec was a real class where we learned how to read a recipe and follow the directions.  We made the BEST fudge, baked bread, cinnamon rolls and cookies, made a cake from scratch, and baked a pie crust filled with pudding.  I’m sure we learned how to do other things in that 9-week class but those are what I remember.

In 8th grade we had the opportunity to make a fruit pie or a pecan pie.  We had to supply our own mini 4-inch pie pan as we got to take this baked mini pie home with us.  I wanted a peach pie but my parents wanted a pecan pie, which cost an extra ten-cents!  So I made the pecan pie.  For them. I wanted no part of that deal.  Pecan pie was gross.  Or so I thought.

Dad loved it.  I don’t remember what Mom’s take was on it.  She might not have gotten a bite of it.  But Dad raved about it.

And I never made another one.

Until now.

I baked my first full-sized pecan pie today.

And Mr. Aitch loved it.