Everyone has their happy place. Mine happens to be anywhere there’s food.  I’ve been told that you can tell how happy I am by the amount of food I have on my face. It’s true.

For better or worse (perhaps worse in the messiness category), I don’t just enjoy eating food, I enjoy making it. More specifically, baking it. It is my fervent belief that there are very few problems in the world that can’t be at least improved by pastry. It’s like the Oracle said in the first Matrix movie, “Have a cookie. By the time you finish eating it, everything will be as right as rain.” I agree completely, except that my baked good of choice isn’t cookies, it’s pie.

So it stands to reason that, when my friends and I heard there was a movie about pie, we rushed out to see it.  Waitress is by all accounts, an amazing movie. It’s fun, it’s funny, it’s honest, and it’s one of those rare movies where the main character dosn’t end up with someone and I’m surprisingly okay with it.  There is sweet, delicious man candy in the form of Nathan Fillion, and the supporting cast includes the hilarious Cheryl Hines, so you know this movie cannot go wrong.

And then, of course, there’s the pie.  The movie centers around Jenna, a “pie genius” who isn’t content to make amazing versions of classics like apple or pecan.  Jenna invents pies like “Kick in the Pants” pie (cinnamon spice custard) or “I can’t have no affair because it’s wrong and I don’t want Earl to kill me” pie (vanilla custard with banana, hold the banana).

The one thing a viewing of this movie requires is forethought. You will want to have pie for during/after your viewing of this movie.  Much screen time is spent looking at shots of decadent pies being invented.  You will get hungry.  The first time I saw the movie, we spent the hour after we left the movie theater unsuccessfully wandering the streets in search of pie.  Four years later, as an adult, I did things the right way, and we had a girls’ night viewing of the movie complete with multiple varieties of quiche and pie.

If you’re looking for the perfect pie to serve for your own viewing, I will present you with the most foolproof pie recipe I know.  While the recipe titles it “Millionaire’s Pie,” I have given it many Jenna-style pie titles over the years, from “You guys, I’m so sorry I quit the crew team, please forgive me” pie to “I know you say you hate pie but I swear this is the pie that will change your mind” pie to “Having dessert for dinner with completely fix my terrible day” pie.  Even if you are not baking-inclined, I promise it is nearly impossible to mess this recipe up.  My secret:  store bought pie dough.  I always get compliments on it and then have to reveal that it is Kroeger brand, or whatever (I cannot even be bothered to splurge on Pillsbury).  Also, if you have nut and/or coconut allergies, feel free to leave them out, your results will still be delicious!

“Insert clever and hilarious name here” Pie

Pastry for 9-inch single-crust pie

3 eggs

1 cup light-colored corn syrup

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup semisweet chocolate pieces

1 cup flaked coconut

1 cup walnut or pecan pieces

1.Prepare the pastry; transfer to a 9-inch pie plate. Ease the pastry into the pie plate. Trim to ½ inch beyond the edge of plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp edge. (Do no prick the crust.)

2. For filing: In a medium bowl, combine eggs, corn syrup, granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, vanilla and salt.

3. Layer the semisweet chocolate, coconut and pecans in piecrust. Pour egg mixture over all, spreading evenly. To prevent overbrowning, cover the edge of the pastry shell with some foil.

4. Bake in 350° oven for 30 minutes. Remove foil; bake for 20 to 25 minutes more or until filling appears set when you shake pie gently. Cool on a wire rack. Cover; store in refrigerator within 2 hours. If you like, serve with whipped cream and toasted coconut. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

This recipe is, dare I say it, easy as pie.

Image via The Epoch Times