No crust, no-fuss brownie pie this Thanksgiving

I hope you and your family had a happy and delicious Thanksgiving.  Thanksgiving kind of snuck up on us this year, following the heels of Sandy.  We didn't really have much time to think about it and partly as a result, it was relatively low-key, less stressful, but no less joyful.  We have a lot to be thankful for and I'm very grateful for that!

Our version of Thanksgiving is always eclectic.  Besides the requisite turkey and gravy, the sides take off on all different tangents.  We have anything from noodles to seafood and vegetables on the table.  Mom does most of the work (as usual) but I've been in charge of the turkey in recent years.  Now, I like to cook (not just bake) but generally, I lean towards the 30-minute, 5-ingredient or less, and/or one-pot variety type of everyday cooking.  I have to admit I haven't relished my job as turkey maker and at the end of last year's Thanksgiving, I vowed to buy a prepared turkey next year. 

So don't laugh (or cringe) when I tell you that we did, indeed, buy a pre-cooked turkey this year.  Hurricane Sandy made the decision final and I have to tell you, it felt so good to bypass the whole turkey shopping, cleaning, stuffing, cooking, gravy-making process.  The kids really enjoy the turkey but it's definitely the accompaniments that I look forward to eating at Thanksgiving.

I extended the same easy/low-key mantra towards dessert.  I made Ina Garten's brownie pie; no crust-no fuss for this easy Thanksgiving!  The recipe even calls for simple chocolate chips - and plenty of it, at over 3 cups or more than a pound's worth!  If you look at the recipe, it's actually called a brownie tart with instructions to bake it in a tart pan.  Ina makes a brownie pie on her show though and I find the pie version far more appealing here, not only because it was for Thanksgiving, but because it just seems more befitting the casual American brownie.

Bake the batter directly in a glass pie plate and it's a dessert that's easy to transport and just generally low-maintenance.  To dress it up a little, drizzle some chocolate ganache randomly over the top but you could even skip this step.

Come dessert time, we sliced into our rustic brownie pie and enjoyed it with grateful hearts.  I loved its simplicity, which was particularly welcomed this year.  As importantly, it was yummy - I mean, it's a brownie, afterall!  The top is crusty and crunchy while the center is fudgy and studded with chunks of chocolate chips.  I omitted nuts given the audience (most of the kids prefer it without) but otherwise, I highly recommend adding nuts.  Some walnuts would provide extra crunch and some earthy flavor to balance the sweetness. 

Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, it's time for Christmas!  I love this time of year because, despite the busyness, I love the general feel of celebration, kindness, and giving that fills the air.  Plus, Christmastime means lots of cookies, hot chocolate, and an array of other treats so I say...bring it on!