PICCADILLY'S CAFETERIA PECAN DELIGHT

Steps:

• 1. In a preheated oven at 350 dF and place 1/3 C pecans and the Ritz crackers in for 5 minutes. You want to lightly toast the nuts and crackers. Watch carefully so you don't burn them. The crackers and nuts should be a light golden in color. Remove from oven when golden and place on paper towel until cool.
• 2. Add vanilla and cream of tarter to egg whites and beat until stiff. Slowly add sugar and continue to beat egg whites until very stiff peaks form and sugar is dissolved. Fold in the cooled 1/3 C pecans and Ritz crackers.
• 3. Place in a 10-inch pie plate that has been lightly sprayed with the non-stick baking spray. Spread the meringue to the sides and cover the bottom of pan. The meringue will be about a 1-to-1 1/8-inch thick layer (shell) in the pie pan.
• 4. Hollow out a little hole in the middle of the bottom of the meringue approximately the size of half a dime, (this will help with a even baking of the shell).
• 5. Place in a preheated oven at 275 for 1 hour. Check shell, the meringue should not scorch, it will turn light tan in color.
• 6. Then turn the oven off and let shell dry in the oven for another hour. Remove shell and cool.
• 7. When the shell is cooled, place the whipped cream or cool whip topping in the shell. Sprinkle with the 1/4 C. broken pecans. Place in refrigerator to completely chill before serving. P.S. I like to flavor my whipped cream and even when I use cool whip....sometimes adding in some cinnamon-sugar, vanilla, butter-rum extract or burnt sugar flavoring. Don't just make theirs, make it your own.
• 8. NOTE: If you have any meringue left over make little nest like shells, bake the same as large shell (don't burn them) and fill them with any leftover pudding you may have on hand or some drained fruits.
• 9. TIP: Meringue's will whip fluffier and be fuller when prepared at low humidity.