Ophelia's Pecan Pie

I received this recipe in 1976 from Ophelia Luepnitz, a co-worker at Micro Design in Hartford, Wisconsin.She was from the South and I fell in love with her pecan pie! Thirty-five years later, my family and I still love her pecan pie!

1/2 c. soft butter
1 cup white sugar
3 eggs, slightly beaten
3/4 c. dark corn syrup (Karo)
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla
1 1/2 - 2 cups pecan halves (reserve 1/2-1 cup pecan halves for top)
1 unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place pie shell in a 9 inch regular pie pan (don't use a deep dish). Chill pastry shell 1 hour. Cream butter, sugar. Stir in eggs, vanilla and salt. Add corn syrup and stir until well-mixed. Stir in around 1 cup roughly chopped pecans. Pour into pastry shell** and put pecan halves around the top to make a design -- about one to one and a half cups of pecans. Bake on lower rack for 40-45 minutes. Do not overcook -- middle should be around 190-200 degrees and a little wiggly in the center. Cool. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla bean ice cream.

**NOTE: I usually bake my pie crust slightly until it starts to rise, then poke with a fork and take out of the oven. The crust is much crispier this way. Bake about 7 minutes and weight down with pie weights.