Never underestimate the power of a sweet potato pie

That's an oft-repeated mantra on Duck Dynasty. Miss Kay's sweet potato pie will make a grown man skip a good day of hunting to stay home and help his mamma. But alas, while you can find Miss Kay's recipe for banana pudding, jambalaya and quick biscuits on the Internet, you cannot find her sweet potato pie recipe.

Actually, I have been on a recipe quest ever since we sampled a slice of Pappadeoux's sweet potato and pecan pie with brandy sauce topping. The fact that Jase raves about his Mamma's pie just confirms that it is a worthwhile quest. And you can find many variations of the Pappadeoux recipe on the Internet. Too many. Most are too complicated, or too exotic. I'm looking for a basic, easy-to-make pie.

My first effort involved a pie that featured heavy cream and real maple syrup. It produced a good filling, but I was disappointed in the pecan topping. So I tried the simplest "Pappadeaux" pie I could find. Great pecan topping, but a so-so filling. You know where I'm going with this don't you? The only problem is that testing recipes produces pies. And pies must be eaten to properly assess the qualities and attributes of each of them. I really better find the perfect recipe soon while I can still fit in my Santa suit!

Let me just say that I'm serving Uncle Bob's best sweet potato and pecan pie at the Cousin's Christmas tomorrow. Show up if you want a slice.