NBC.com

As a former CEO, I can tell you that food is a central component of closing any big deal. Sure, there are other components I choose not to discuss on this blog, but one can never underestimate the power of food to win over a prospective mate, colleague, or criminal. It has helped me win you, my loyal readers, and for that I am thankful. I can't tell you how flattered I was to get requests for more recipes. Me! Ted Earley, who used to never appreciate the hard work and dedication that went into making a good meal. Now, if I'm not a culinary genius, at least I can fill a void, right?

I'm equally eager to post another recipe because I just had an... interesting dining experience in what was supposed to be a secluded and upscale restaurant. By upscale I mean they are booked out decades in advance, their prix fixe tasting menu costs a good two hundred dollars more than it should, and their meals are so complicated they require no fewer than five servers for a two-person party. Now, I am not averse to such places. I am, however, averse to the obnoxious party of six that sat next to me, drowning out any attempt I had at making conversation with my friend. To top it off, they threatened to withhold a server's tip if he did not give his phone number to a female member of their party.

That is why I am cooking at home now. It can be just as effective as a business tool, it's cheaper, and there are no obnoxious drunk people abusing the servers. Well, at least not early in the evening.

It was my experience in business that Southerners really knew how to entertain in their own homes. So that's why I'm serving up a recipe for Chess Pie today. Never heard of it? I'm not surprised. It's little known outside certain parts of the country, and I'm pretty sure every American cardiologist has banned it. But here it is, just for you. Try it this holiday season and see how many, um, deals you can close.

Chess Pie

1 stick butter
1-1/2 C sugar (use brown for a darker pie, white for a lighter one, or feel free to mix it up)
1 T white vinegar
1-1/2 T corn meal
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1-1/2 t vanilla
dash of salt
dash of nutmeg
Pie shell (That's right. Ted Earley has no use for the uncertainties of pie crust.)

Melt the butter and let it cool. Otherwise, you will end up with scrambled eggs, and, while I have nothing against scrambled eggs, they don't do much for a sweet tooth. While the butter is cooling, sift together the sugar and the corn meal. Add the butter and mix. Then add everything else and mix it all together into a mystery mess.

Pour the mystery mess into the unbaked pie shell (no need to use deep dish here). And once again, I've forgotten to preheat the oven.

If you're me, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Bake the pie for fifteen minutes at 425, wrapping the crust in foil if it's browning too quickly. Or burning your house down. Or something. After fifteen minutes, reduce heat to 300, then bake until almost set. This will take at least another thirty minutes, although I've had to leave it in for an hour before. No worries. It's worth it.