Originally from Dear Abby / Houston Post, via Mom

1c white Karo syrup
1c dark brown sugar
1/4t salt
1/4c melted butter
1t vanilla

Mix above together. I found that using an immersion blender got the consistency to a pleasantly creamy texture, but I was also using block-style brown sugar, instead of granulated. Regardless, it should be well mixed together and not lumpy.

Add:
3 eggs (slightly beaten)
1 heaping cup pecan halves
squeeze of lemon juice

Stir together.

Pour into an unbaked pieshell (9") and bake at 350F for about 45 minutes. The pie should be firm in the middle when it cools, but can be baked further if need be.

Pecan Bars

Alternatively, you can make a bar-like version of this:

¾ cup shortening (half butter, softened ( I use ¼ c. shortening and ½ c. butter)
¾ c. confectioner's sugar
1 ½ c. flour
Cream shortening and sugar together. Blend in flour. Press evenly over the bottom of an ungreased 13x9x2 baking pan. Bake at 350 for 12 to 15 minutes.

2 eggs
1 c. brown sugar, packed
2 T. flour
½ t. baking powder
½ t. salt
½ t. vanilla
1 c. chopped pecans.
Mix and spread over hot baked layer, and bake 20 minutes longer. Cool, and cut into bars, about 3x1 inch.