Hold onto your tastebuds and throw away your calorie counters. Time for a knock you down, drag you out the door dessert. (This is my adaptation of Mississippi Mud.) The usual decadent warnings apply, so if you're eating sensibly for Thanksgiving, move onto another page without reading another tempting word.

     Still here? Okay, it's your waistline's funeral.

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 cup butter flavored shortning
4 eggs
1 1/2 cup flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup chopped fresh pecans
1 cup flake coconut
12 oz small marshmallows
2 chocolate graham cracker pie shells

ICING
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) melted butter
1 box powered sugar
1/3 cup cocoa
1/2 cup evaporated milk
2 tsp vanilla

topped with large (paper shell) whole fresh pecans
whipped cream

     Cream shortning and sugar, beat in eggs. Add flour, cocoa, salt, and vanilla, beat well. Stir in pecan bits and coconut. Bake at 350° for 35 minutes. Immediately pour hot mixture over marshmallows in pie shells. Mix ingredients for icing and whip to a smooth consistency as pies cool. Pour icing on top, marble with a knife. Whip cream and top, then top with whole pecans.
     Store the whipped cream chilled until ready to serve if serving is delayed. Allow pie to cool sufficiently before adding the whipped cream if serving immediately from the kitchen. Each pie should serve eight, but don't count on it.