Honey walnut pie

This pie was my husband's birthday dessert pick for this year. I had been wanting to try a honey walnut pie based off of my maple pecan pie for a while now, so this was the perfect reason to give it a try. I modified the recipe just slightly and it turned out super yummy. If you are lucky enough to have access to (and the patience for) collecting and preparing black walnuts, they are in season right now. I cheated and bought walnuts from the store, but I did use local honey. The pie turned out really delicious - similar to a pecan pie, but with a different flavor. It's really sweet from the honey, so a little piece goes a long way. This pie would be a very nice addition to your Thanksgiving table this year, or for any fall meal.

I've been posting less frequently lately - it's been a somewhat difficult few months for me. It's not something I want to go into details about, but it's been both physically and emotionally challenging so I haven't been cooking as much lately as I would like. I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things soon. 

Honey walnut pie
1 single pie crust recipe (my two favorites: olive oil and lard)
1-1/4 cups walnut halves
1/2 cup roughly chopped walnuts
3 large eggs
1/2 cup granulated sugar, preferably unbleached cane sugar
1 cup runny honey
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and bake just until fragrant and lightly toasted. Remove, set aside, and bump up the oven to 400 degrees.

Fit the pie crust to a 9-inch pie pan.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Then whisk in the sugar until dissolved. Stir in the honey, butter, vanilla, and salt until combined. Then stir in the walnuts.

Pour into the unbaked pie shell. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and continue baking until the pie puffs slightly, the walnuts are golden, and the pie is set, about 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate until serving time if not eating that day.

What was I cooking one year ago?: tomato, bacon, and jalapeno skillet pie 
Two years ago?: tomato jam 
Three?: Thai basil chicken 
4?: peaches and cream tart