No Bake Lemon Icebox Pie

 

 

  What do you do when you need to come up with a dessert, such as a fabulous light and fluffy pie, but you have neither the time nor the know how? What do you do? You take ALL the shortcuts and you make this recipe, THAT'S what you do! It only takes a few store bought ingredients, and it comes together in minutes. And it's SO delicious!!! You'll be amazed at how big of a pay off you get despite all the shortcuts. 

 Yes, of course, you could make your own crust by crushing the graham crackers, adding sugar, and melted butter and then pressing it into a pie plate... and you could make your own lemon curd or pie filling... and your own fresh sweetened whipped cream....

 But sometimes you just don't have time for all of that! This recipe solves that problem. I promise you I wouldn't recommend something unless it's worth it. And btw, even though we're taking a few shortcuts, this still counts as a homemade. There. I said it. 

 So if you're short on time, or if you're not a baker at all, try this recipe and everyone will love you for it. ENJOY!

 

 

 

1 ready-made 10" graham cracker pie crust

1 8oz pkg cream cheese, softened

1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk 

1 22oz can lemon pie filling 

1/2 cup lemon juice

Zest from one lemon

1 8oz container Cool Whip, thawed

 

 

  Using an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, condensed milk, lemon juice, and zest. Using a rubber spatula, fold in l/2 of the lemon pie filling by hand. Now do the same with half of the Cool Whip.

 Pour the filling into the ready made pie crust, smoothing over the top. Refrigerate for an hour or two. Remove from the fridge and spread the other half of the pie filling over the cream filling. Decorate the top with remaining Cool Whip. Garnish with a fresh lemon slice, if desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Even better, make it the night before so it'll set up in the fridge overnight. 

 

But for the quickest method, forget the extra chilling time. Just pour the cream mixture into the crust, smooth over the top, then carefully spread the remaining pie filling on top. You could even get fancy and give it a little swirl. Now decorate the top with the remaining Cool Whip. You'll have more of a mousse texture instead of a slice of pie, but it's delicious now matter how you do it. 

 

 

 

Tips:

The only thing I'd change about this recipe (if I were feeling so motivated) is that I'd make my own graham cracker crust. The store bought ones taste great and they're super convenient, but I do like a thicker crust, which also lends itself to serving a slice of pie in one piece without so much crust breakage. But you do you!

Btw, if you're wondering why it's called an "icebox" pie... Before there were today's electric refrigerators, there were iceboxes, which were insulated wooden boxes with a top compartment for large blocks of ice that cooled a lower compartment as the ice melted. So I guess now this pie should be called a Refrigerator Pie, but we don't need to be that technical. 

Apple Pie Snickerdoodles

  I recently got together with my nephew, Tommy, for our yearly tradition of putting up his Christmas tree. It's something that we started many years ago when he asked for a little advice with his tree, and I was all too happy to help. This year, we were joined by my niece, Katie, and she brought a tin of FABULOUS Snickerdoodles. YUM! She told me how easy they are to make, and we discussed how much we liked the fact that the recipe uses butter instead of shortening as with other recipes. So she gave me the recipe. Thanx Katie Kate! It's called Grandma Ruth's Easy Snickerdoodle Cookies, and she got the recipe from Allrecipes.com. Frankly, I have no idea who Grandma Ruth is, but she certainly has a fabulous cookie recipe!! And when I was invited to a friend's house for a little Christmas Hang, I immediately thought of these cookies, and figured they would be great for the party. But then I wondered what I could do to make them extra special. I remembered seeing a tiktok video where a guy used purchased sugar cookie dough in muffin tins, then added pie filling to the center and I thought YES, that's the answer! I just happened to have some apple pie filling and it seemed like all the planets aligned perfectly for this dessert to happen. 

 OMG... when I tell you that they are delicious, I mean they are DELICIOUS. The buttery cookie crust, the apples and the cinnamon.. it was like they were meant to be together!! Everyone at the party absolutely loved them, and I'm pretty sure the entire tray was gone by the end of the party. 

 Now, of course, if you want to just make them into regular Snickerdoodles, you certainly can, and I promise they'll make the perfect addition to your Christmas cookie tray. But if you happen to have a can of apple pie filling, I urge you to go the extra mile. You and your guests will be glad that you did! Promise!

 

 

Cookie:

1 1/2 cups white sugar

1 cup softened butter

2 eggs

2 3/4 cups all purpose flour

2 tsp cream of tartar

1 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

Coating:

2 tbs sugar

2 tsp cinnamon

 

Filling:

Purchased or homemade apple pie filling

 

 

 Heat oven to 400ºF.

 Beat 1 1/2 cups white sugar, butter, and eggs together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl; stir into creamed butter mixture until dough holds together. 

Form dough into 2-tablespoon-size balls and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place dough balls in greased muffin tins. 

Bake for 6 minutes. Remove from oven. Reduce oven temperature to 350ºF. 

Using the bottom of a shot glass (or other similarly sized item), press a well into the center of each cookie. The dough will still be raw in the center, but the well will keep its shape. Fill each well with a tsp of canned apple pie filling. Place the muffin tins back into the oven for another 5 minutes, or until the cookie dough is set. Remove from oven and let them cool completely before removing them from the tins. You can put the tins in the fridge to speed this process. Use a fork or the pointy end of a knife to help you pop them out of the tin. 

To make the regular Snickerdoodles:

After you mix the filling as directed above, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease, form dough into 2-teaspoon-size balls, and roll in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Place dough balls, about 2 inches apart, on the prepared baking sheet.  Bake in the preheated 400º oven on the center rack for 7 minutes. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. 

Tips:

You definitely want to cool them completely or chill them in the fridge because they'll be too soft when you take them out of the oven and you don't want them to break when you take them out of the muffin tins. 

When you open the can of pie filling, if the chunks of apple are quite large, just chop them up a bit so that the apple pieces will fit nicely into each cookie well. 

 I was originally going to drizzle a little glaze over them after cooling, but then decided that they're just perfect without any additional glaze. But if you'd like to guild the lily, just add a few splashes of water or apple juice to some icing sugar until it's the right drizzling consistency, then pour a little over the top of each Snickerdoodle. You could also do a drizzle of caramel sauce, but I think I prefer to let the cinnamon and apples be the stars of the show. 

Original cook's notes:

When removing cookies from the oven, they make look doughy still. By allowing them to continue to cook on the cookie sheet out of the oven prevents hard cookies. For storing cookies, place cooled cookies in a plastic container or plastic bag with a piece or two of bread to keep cookies soft.

 

 

 

Impossible Coconut Pie

 

Have you ever heard of an "impossible" pie? This was something that became popular in the mid 1970s and it still remains one of my all time favorite recipes. So, why is it called an Impossible Pie? Well, it makes it's own crust! What?? But that's impossible!! Nope, not at all. You just throw everything into a blender, pour it into an empty pie plate and bake!! Fun, right??! It's the baking mix in the recipe that sinks down to the bottom while it bakes, and that's what forms its own base. How cool is that??

 Over the years, there have been many variations of Impossible pies, even savory versions, but coconut was the original, so I'll stick with it. It really is just as easy as it sounds, and it comes together in no time at all. So, if you're looking for a quick and easy custard pie, give this one a try! And be sure to let me know if you find any other "impossible" recipes!! I'd love to try 'em!

 

 

 

2 cups milk

1/2 cup baking mix such as Bisquick*

1/4 cup melted butter

3/4 cup white sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut extract (optional)
2 cups flaked coconut

 

Heat oven to 350ºF.

Set aside 1 1/2 cups coconut.

Place all remaining ingredients in a blender. Blend on high for 3 minutes,

Pour into an empty pie plate. Top with reserved coconut. Bake for 30-40 minute or until set. 

Serve with sweetened whipped cream, if desired. 

 

 

 *You can make your own baking mix by combining 1 cup of flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/2 tsp of salt, and 1 tbs of oil or melted butter.

 

 

Tips:

-Be sure to use a BLENDER for this, and not a food processor or mixer. You really want everything to be completely pureed together to make one smooth batter. And be sure to blend it for the full 3 minutes!

-Whenever I make a coconut something, I like a LOT of coconut flavor, so I always add just a little coconut extract. It wasn't part of the original recipe, just my own addition, but it really goes a long way!

Applesauce Pie

 

 OK, here’s a question for you. Are you a PIE Person?  The reason I ask is that there are people who like pie, and people who don’t really care for it. But then there are people like me…. I can honestly say that I’ve literally never met a pie I didn’t like. Fruit pies, custard pies, savory pies, meat pies, you name it, I love every one!!
 So that gives you a strong inkling of why Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday!
So, what kind of pie is my favorite? Well, apple pie, of course, and for Thanksgiving, pumpkin pie is a definite must! And come to think of it, I’ll never say no to a pecan pie… or a mince pie like my Mom used to make… you can't go wrong with any of them! They’re all classics! Clearly, there’s a reason these pies have stood the test of time.. they’re all delicious!!
So that got me to thinking about what other kinds of old-timey classic type pies I could find.
 It didn’t take me long to find this recipe from one of my favorite you tubers, Miss Lori, over at Whippoorwill Holler. She has some of the BEST pie recipes, and I want to try every single one of them!
And when I saw how easy it is to make this applesauce pie, I was all in! I mean, seriously, an applesauce pie?? How can this not be good?
You literally just stir everything together, pour it into your pie shell, and bake!!! Perfect, right??
Also, the flavor is so light and fresh, you really need to taste it for yourself to believe it. That bit of lemon juice is a game changer!!
So thank you AGAIN, Miss Lori.
I'll be making this pie again and again. This just might be a new Thanksgiving favorite!!!
 

1 unbaked deep dish 9” pie shell
2/3 cup sugar
4 eggs
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups applesauce
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup flour

In a large bowl, stir all ingredients together until well combined. Pour into pie shell.
Bake at 350ºF for 45 minutes or until set.


Tips:
This recipe is doubled from the recipe that Miss Lori posted. I wanted to fill up my deep dish pyrex pie plate. Worked perfectly! But if you're using just a regular 9" pie dish, you'll want to cut all the ingredient amounts by half.

Egg Nog Pie

 

 OK, here’s a question for you… Do you like egg nog??
It’s a simple question, right? But who knew it would be so divisive?? It’s almost as crazy as the great “pineapple on pizza” conversation (which I LOVE, btw). If you bring up the topic of egg nog on social media, you’ll see an onslaught of comments ranging from one extreme to the other. Either people LOVE it, or they find it to be absolutely repulsive. Such was exactly the case when my fabulous friend, Audrey, recently posted, not that she didn’t like it, but that she has “never tried it, and never will.” Well, when it comes to food, I would always say to at least try it!
 And yes, of course I am, have always been, and will always be Team Egg Nog.  It’s sweet and creamy and tastes like a milkshake! What’s not to love? And I love to bake with it too! If I can find some new egg nog dessert every year, then it’s a good Christmas, I say.
 I’ve done egg nog cupcakes, egg nog ice cream, egg nog fudge, egg nog trifle, egg nog cookies, egg nog quick bread, even an egg nog French toast casserole. I simply can’t get enough! But somehow or other, I’ve never gotten around to making a fabulous egg nog custard pie…..until now!
 It’s just exactly what you think it will be: rich sweet delicious custard made with egg nog, and a little pinch of nutmeg to go over the top. Perfect with a little swirl of whipped cream. It also comes together in a snap because you just stir it all together and pour it into your pie shell. Easy!
 So if you love love LOVE egg nog as much as I do, I think you should try this pie. And Audrey…. well, maybe this pie will change your mind! 

1  1/4 cups white sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups eggnog
3 eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp rum extract
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
1 (9 inch) prepared, unbaked pie crust, thawed

Heat oven to 350ºF
Mix the sugar and flour together in a mixing bowl. Beat in the egg nog, eggs, and vanilla to make a smooth mixture. Stir in the butter. Pour into the prepared pie crust.
Bake until the custard is set, 45-55 minutes. Cool before serving. Top with whipped topping, if desired.


Tips:
Btw…I found this recipe on All Recipes . com and frankly, I have no idea who the author is. And of course, this is my tweaked version. Whenever I make egg nog anything, I always add just a little rum extract. It makes it taste more like egg nog! Also the original recipe said to bake it for 35-45 minutes which was nowhere near enough. You’ll know it’s done when the center puffs up a little and is no longer liquid.

Sister Pie's Salted Maple Pie

Ok, so, full disclosure, I can’t even remember when or where I first saw this recipe. Maybe it was on a TV show? I’m not sure. It might have been on a Food Network show called The Best Thing I Ever Ate, where a bunch of TV cooks and chefs tell you the where and when of some of their favorite foods. In this case, Sister Pie is the name of a bakery in Detroit, and this recipe was one of their stand outs. Honestly, though, I really can’t remember when I first saw it. I just remember thinking “that pie has my name written all over it.”
 It’s syrupy sweet, kind of like a Pecan Pie, but it uses cornmeal to thicken it, similar to a Chess Pie. And it has that salty/sweet thing going on, which I love love LOVE. I just knew I had to try it!
 So I made it for one of my Fall Dinners (where I get to test out a bunch of new recipes with my gang of friends) and everyone loved it! Actually, I loved it so much that I immediately added the Sister Pie Cookbook to my wish list, and it has since become a cherished addition to my cookbook collection. It’s also the perfect addition to your pie repertoire. It’s special enough for Thanksgiving, but easy enough for anytime you just want a nice piece of pie!
Oh, one other thing..
I’ve listed the entire recipe just as it’s printed in the author’s own words. Following the filling recipe is the entire recipe and technique for making their pie crust. Once again, full disclosure, I was short on time and I didn’t make the crust as listed. I just used a ready made pie crust. What can I say? Sometimes I’m in the mood to get my hands in there and be up to my elbows in flour, and sometimes I just don’t have the time. You do you! Use your favorite crust recipe, buy a ready-made, or use this crust recipe that was made specifically for this pie. No matter how you slice it, you’ll still get a fabulous pie!

Salted Maple Pie Filling:
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1⁄4 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup Grade B maple syrup*
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup fine yellow cornmeal
1/4 tsp kosher salt
3 large eggs, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 9-inch crust made with All-Butter Pie Dough, blind baked and cooled (see below)
1 large egg, beaten
1 pinch flaky sea salt, for sprinkling top

All-Butter Pie Dough:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp granulated sugar
1 tsp kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted European-style butter, straight from the fridge
1/2 cup ice-cold water-vinegar mixture (see below), or more if needed

Preheat your oven to 350°F.
Make the filling:
In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter and maple syrup. Whisk in the brown sugar, cornmeal, and kosher salt.
Crack the eggs and yolk into another medium bowl. Add the cream and vanilla and whisk until combined.
Slowly pour the egg mixture into the maple mixture and whisk just until combined.
Place the blind-baked shell on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush the crimped edge with the beaten egg. Pour the maple filling into the pie shell until it reaches the bottom of the crimps.
Transfer the baking sheet with the pie on it to the oven and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, until the edges are puffed and the center jiggles only slightly when shaken. It will continue to set as it cools.
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the pie to a wire rack to cool for 4 to 6 hours. Once fully cooled and at room temperature, sprinkle generously with flaky sea salt, slice into 6 to 8 pieces, and serve.
Store leftover pie, well wrapped in plastic wrap or under a pie dome, at room temperature for up to 3 days.

All Butter Pie Dough:
In a large stainless steel bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt and stir to mix well. Place the sticks of butter in the bowl and coat on all sides with the flour mixture. Using a bench scraper, cut the butter into 1⁄2-inch cubes. Work quickly to separate the cubes with your hands until they are all lightly coated in flour. Grab that bench scraper once again and cut each cube in half. I always tell my pie dough students that it’s unnecessary to actually cut each cube perfectly in half, but it’s a good idea to break up the butter enough so that you can be super-efficient when it’s pastry blender time.
It’s pastry blender time! Switch to the pastry blender and begin to cut in the butter with one hand while turning the bowl with the other. It’s important not to aim for the same spot at the bottom of the bowl with each stroke of the pastry blender, but to actually slice through butter every time to maximize efficiency. When the pastry blender clogs up, carefully clean it out with your fingers (watch out, it bites!) or a butter knife and use your hands to toss the ingredients a bit. Continue to blend and turn until the largest pieces are the size and shape of peas and the rest of the mixture feels and looks freakishly similar to canned Parmesan cheese.
At this point, add the water-vinegar mixture all at once, and switch back to the bench scraper. Scrape as much of the mixture as you can from one side of the bowl to the other, until you can’t see visible pools of liquid anymore. Now it’s hand time. Scoop up as much of the mixture as you can, and use the tips of your fingers (and a whole lot of pressure) to press it back down onto the rest of the ingredients. Rotate the bowl a quarter-turn and repeat. Scoop, press, and turn. With each fold, your intention is to be quickly forming the mixture into one cohesive mass. Remember to incorporate any dry, floury bits that have congregated at the bottom of the bowl, and once those are completely gone and the dough is formed, it’s time to stop.
Remove the dough from the bowl, place it on a lightly floured counter, and use your bench scraper to divide it into two equal pieces. Gently pat each into a 2-inch-thick disc, working quickly to seal any broken edges before wrapping them tightly in a double layer of plastic wrap. If you’re portioning for a lattice-topped pie, shape one half into a 2-inch-thick disc and the other half into a 6 by 3-inch rectangle. Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or, ideally, overnight. When you go to roll out the crust, you want the discs to feel as hard and cold as the butter did when you removed it from the fridge to make the dough. This will make the roll-out way easier.
You can keep the pie dough in the fridge for a few days or in the freezer for up to 1 year. If frozen, remove the dough and place it in the refrigerator to thaw one full day before you intend to use it. If you’re planning to make only one single-crust pie, wrap the discs separately and place one in the freezer.
NOTE: Icy water, now improved and with tang: While working at Brooklyn’s Four & Twenty Blackbirds for a summer, I learned a number of good tricks that considerably changed my pie dough–making experience. Here’s one of my favorites: Fill a 1-cup liquid measuring cup with about 1 inch of water and freeze until completely frozen. Just after you mix your dry ingredients, grab it from the freezer and fill with water plus 2 tablespoons or so of apple cider vinegar. The ice-cold water-vinegar mixture should look just like apple juice. Let it chill on your counter while you mix the other ingredients for the dough.
NOTE 2: The addition of vinegar to pie dough was originally thought to tenderize the gluten (thus avoiding a tough crust), but there isn’t any good scientific evidence proving that it makes a difference. We keep it in our recipe for its tangy flavor and our respect for tradition.
NOTE 3: Not the pie-baking plan-ahead type? That’s okay! When you’re ready to make the dough, simply fill a 1-cup liquid measuring cup about halfway with ice, then add water and 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar.

*Note from Joey: When looking for different grades of maple syrup, I like to think of it just as I would think of olive oil. The one with the lighter clear color is Grade A, just like extra virgin olive oil. And just like regular olive oil, Grade B maple syrup is a little darker in color, and has a more robust flavor.

Tips:
You can find Grade B maple syrup at Trader Joe’s or even online, but even if you can’t find it, be sure to use a PURE maple syrup. You don't want the corn syrup based products you’d put on pancakes. I mean, yes, of course you could still use that, but you’ll wind up with a different end result.

Chocolate Chip Pie

 

Usually, when you think of pie recipes for Thanksgiving, the first thing that comes to mind is a pumpkin pie, correct? And if not pumpkin, then maybe sweet potato, or apple, or some kind of fruit mincemeat with lots of warm Fall spices like cinnamon and ginger and cloves and allspice, am I right? But here's a question for you, what about CHOCOLATE? I know we always think of chocolate for other holidays like Valentine's Day or Halloween, but I think chocolate deserves a place at our holiday dessert table just as much as anything else. There. I said it.
 Actually, it’s become a running joke with my brother in law, Gregg. Every time my sister, Cathy, makes a dessert, Gregg always says “it would be better if it had chocolate chips in it.” Well, Gregg, this one’s for you! It's from Nestle, so if you love the classic Nestle Toll House cookie recipe, you'll love this one too.
 It’s rich and chocolatey through and through, and it’s enough to satisfy the biggest chocolate cravings. It's super easy too! And yes, it’s special enough for your holiday dessert!
 So, as you plan your menus, keep your chocolate lovers happy and add this one to your holiday table. The chocoholics in your life with thank you for it!

1 (9 inch) unbaked
2 large eggs
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
1 cup chopped nuts (optional)
Sweetened whipped cream or ice cream

Preheat oven to 325ºF.
Beat eggs in large mixer bowl on high speed until foamy. Beat in flour, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in butter. Stir in morsels and nuts. Spoon into pie shell. Bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between edge and center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm with whipped cream, if desired.


 

 Tips:
Before the pie is finished baking, I added a few extra chocolate chips on top, just to make the pie look a bit more like a chocolate chip cookie. Of course, this is completely optional, but doesn’t it look better that way? Who's with me?
Also, I should note that the original recipe specifically said to use a deep dish pie plate. But I didn’t think it looked like enough filling, so I only used a regular 9” pie plate. It filled it perfectly!

Fresh Strawberry Pie

  I was recently at the local produce market picking up some hot peppers, and I noticed that the strawberries looked absolutely delicious! When I walked into the market, I had no intentions of buying strawberries, but I just couldn't help it, they looked so good! Clearly there must be something I can do with them. And then I thought of a fresh sweet delicious old fashioned strawberry pie. PERFECT! And then it dawned on me... do I even have a recipe? Wait, have I ever even MADE a strawberry pie before?????  WHAT?? How can it be that I've gone this long without making a perfectly fabulous fresh strawberry pie? Well, that settles it. One strawberry pie, coming up!
 At first, I couldn't decide if I wanted to do crushed berries, sliced berries, or whole berries, so I figured, why not do all three? I made a filling with the crushed, stirred in the sliced, topped it with whole. Boom. It turned out just as good as I hoped it would be, and now I can add this pie to my ever growing list of favorite pies. Actually, I've literally never met a pie that I didn't like, but still!




1 deep dish pie shell, blind baked and cooled
4 lbs fresh ripe strawberries
1 cup sugar
1 tbs lemon juice
3/4 cup water
3 tbs corn starch


First, choose about 5 or 6 or your most perfect gorgeous strawberries. Set Aside.
Take half of the remaining strawberries and place them in a small sauce pot along with the sugar and lemon juice. Using a potato masher, mash the strawberries into small chunks. Heat over medium high heat until they just begin to boil. Reduce heat and simmer 5-10 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a small bowl, add the cornstarch to the water, and stir well. Add the cornstarch slurry to the strawberries. Let simmer, stirring constantly, until mixture becomes very thick. Let mixture cool slightly.
Slice remaining strawberries, and stir into the cooked strawberry mixture. Pour filling into your pre-baked pie shell. Arrange your selected choice strawberries over the top of the filling, either whole or sliced. Chill for several hours or overnight. Serve with freshly whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.



Tips:
To make your pie really glisten, reserve a little of the thickened strawberry filling, removing any chunks of berry. Use that gel to brush your decorative strawberries on top.
If you're making a regular 9" pie, (instead of a deep dish pie) just cut all the amounts by half.
For a little unexpected summer variation, add a little fresh basil to your pie filling. Seriously!
For an extra special treat, drizzle your whole pie with melted chocolate.

Joey's Summer Squash Pie

  So I was looking for fun recipes to try with zucchini. During this time of year, I always like to find some new zucchini recipes, just because it's so abundant. Sooo.... what'll it be this time.....Do I wanna go sweet like zucchini bread? or savory as with an entree? And then I thought, ooooo how about a pie? YUM. So I googled, and immediately found a recipe from Taste of Home and it looked pretty awesome, so I thought I'd have a go.
 Well, the first thing I noticed is that it was kind of similar to a tomato pie recipe I've been making for years. In that pie recipe, you layer slices of tomatoes with fresh basil and scallions, then you spread a mixture of shredded cheese and mayonnaise over the top, and bake it. So this was basically the zucchini version of that recipe. I immediately thought "why have I never done this before?" I'm forever looking for new ways to reinvent old recipes, and I'm still completely amazed that I never tweaked that tomato pie.
 So, now, I'm reading the squash pie recipe, and I'm already deciding what changes to make. Not to the method, but mainly to the ingredients. Full disclosure, I always find summer squash to be a little bland unless you pump up the flavor a bit, so I added a few aromatics. (Basically I can never leave well enough alone!) Fresh herbs, onions, peppers, garlic.... it just seemed like this pie was calling for them!!
 Oh, and one more thing... with the tomato pie recipe, the one problem I always have is that the fresh tomatoes bring too much liquid to the party, and you end up with a soggy pie. So, recently, I started adding a little flour to the filling, just to help thicken it up a bit. It worked with the tomatoes, so I did that here too. And I must say those extra aromatics really boosted the flavor. It turned out great! At the very first bite, I thought "ooh that's REALLY good." Dontcha just love that feeling of getting something right on the very first try? Seriously delish! So if you happen to have a home garden that is overgrowing with a million zucchini, give this one a try. Serve it with a little side salad and there's your perfect brunch or light dinner. It's really just that good!





1 unbaked pie crust (ready made, or your own)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
olive oil
2 cups roughly diced zucchini
2 cups roughly diced yellow summer squash
1 medium onion, roughly chopped
1 red bell pepper, roughly chopped
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
a couple sprigs EACH fresh thyme, fresh basil, fresh oregano, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup flour
2 large tomatoes, sliced
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup mayonnaise



Heat oven to 350ºF.
Line deep dish pie plate with pie crust pastry. Crimp to make a decorative edge. Line pie shell with parchment paper. Fill with dry beans or pie weights. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment. Brush with beaten egg. Bake for an additional 10 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside. Meanwhile, make the filling.
  To a large skillet or wok, add a few big glugs of olive oil. When the oil is hot enough, add the zucchini, yellow squash, onions, and peppers. Saute over fairly high heat for a good 10 minutes, stirring often, until very tender. Add garlic powder, salt, and pepper. At the last minute, add garlic, fresh herbs, and flour. Stir until well combined and cook for only another minute or two. Spoon into baked pastry shell. Top with tomato slices. Combine the cheese and mayonnaise; spread over the top.  Bake for 30-40 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for a good 15 minutes before cutting.



Tips:
Like I said, I just couldn't leave this one alone. I had to add my own little spin. But just because I like certain things, doesn't mean you have to! Don't like peppers? Leave 'em out! Want to add eggplant? Go for it! Add any combination of veggies you want, or just do all one kind! It'll still be fabulous!
Also be sure to season everything well. It will probably need more salt than you think it will!

Bourbon Sugar Pie

 OK, so, at the risk of sounding pretty obvious, I'm just gonna say this: Whenever I make a recipe with a specific star ingredient, I want to be able to taste that ingredient! Crazy, I know, but just go with me on this. If it's a Vanilla Brownie, I want it to have a STRONG hit of vanilla. If it's a Bailey's Irish Cream Cupcake, then I want to be able to taste the Bailey's Irish Cream! Know what I mean? It seems obvious to say this, but you'd be amazed at how many recipes I try that have a specific ingredient in the title, but there's no flavor of that ingredient to be found. Or maybe it's only just a little hint of that flavor.
 Enter, THIS recipe. When I tell you that it's a bourbon pie, I mean it's a BOURBON pie. One bite, and you definitely get the flavor. It's strong, yes, but in a really good way. My friend Jason said "WOW, bourbon." And it's so smooth that my friend Judy said "oooooooh that's really good" in a "boy that's smooth going down" kind of a way. hahaha
 I guess the best way to describe the texture is that it's similar to a Chess Pie or a Pecan Pie without the pecans. Sweet and syrupy and gooey and delicious. And it's perfect with a swirl of freshly whipped cream on top.
 I was originally gonna post this Betty Crocker recipe for Thanksgiving, (because who doesn't love pie at Thanksgiving?), but it was a busy week and I never got around to it. But then I figured "why not post it anyway? Pie is just as good for Christmas as it is for Thanksgiving!" So here we are.
 It's REALLY easy to make, and I've literally already made it four times this month. It's just that good! And, side note, when you tell people it's a bourbon pie, everyone's reaction is always the same: "oooooooohhhhhh." Not even kidding. haha.
Give it as a holiday gift. Make it for your family.  Or friends. Or even just for yourself. It's definitely this year's favorite new dessert discovery!

1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 cup dark corn syrup

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 cup bourbon

3 eggs, slightly beaten 

1 tsp salt

1 unbaked 9" pie shell, either homemade or store bought

Sweetened freshly whipped cream

Heat oven to 350ºF.
In a medium bowl, mix all filling ingredients until well blended. Set aside.
I used a Pillsbury ready-made pie crust, (which is my go-to brand). Just roll it flat, place it into your regular (not deep dish) pie plate, fold the edges under and flute to make a decorative edge. Pour the filling into pie shell. Bake 60-70 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the center is set. Cool completely on cooling rack, about 2 hours. Garnish with whipped cream. 

Tips:

Ok, here's the thing.. the original recipe directs you to blind bake the crust. In other words, partially bake the crust before you pour the filling into it, and then bake it with the filling for another 70 minutes. I did exactly that, just as instructed, only my crust turned out to be FAR too done. So then I made it again, and I figured it has to bake for over an hour. The crust will be cooked enough! So I just poured the filling right into an unbaked crust, baked it for 70 minutes, and it turned out perfectly. The bottom wasn't soggy, the outer edge was perfect. So that's how I'll be doing it anytime I make from now on. Also, the original recipe from Betty Crocker didn't have any salt in it. But it is INFINITELY better with the added tsp of salt. Be sure to include it! Btw, this recipe fits a regular pie plate, not the pyrex deep dish. I thought about increasing the amounts so that it would fill up a deep dish pie, but the pie is very sweet and very rich. I think it's fine just as it is!

Cinnamon Pie

  As I was trying new recipes for Thanksgiving, the question that always came to mind was "is it Thanksgiving worthy?? Allow me to explain.
 In my family, Thanksgiving isn't just a meal, it's an event. It's a HUGE deal, and it's my very favorite holiday of the year. So, a few weeks ago, I tried a couple recipes, and my thought was "Is it GOOD enough for my family's big event on my favorite holiday?" Unfortunately, several of those recipes didn't make the cut.
 And then, ladies and gentlemen, I discovered THIS recipe. First, let me just say that this may possibly be my favorite new recipe this year. I found it on a blog called A Spicy Perspective, and it is HEAVEN in a pie plate. It's absurdly easy to make and it literally proves what I always say...."There's no such thing as too much cinnamon." At first, the recipe kind of reminded me of my family's favorite cherry cheese pie, sans cherries, and of course with the addition of a TON of cinnamon. Of course, I needed an excuse to try it. I had planned on having a few friends over for a sort of meeting/dinner, and this was the perfect chance to test the pie.
 It got RAVE reviews from my friends, and soon they were asking me for the recipe. My friend Chris described it as tasting like the inside of a cinnamon roll. OMG YES THAT'S IT! That's the perfect description! It's rich and creamy, but yes, if a cinnamon roll and a pie had a baby, this would be it!
 So, if cinnamon rolls are your thing (Anthony, I'm looking at YOU), then you clearly need to make this pie! And YES, this is DEFINITELY 100% Thanksgiving worthy!!




8 ounces cream cheese softened 
1 cup brown sugar packed 
2 large eggs + 1 egg yolk 
1 1/4 cups heavy cream 
1/4 cup all purpose flour 
3 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon 
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
1 teaspoon salt 
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg 
1 pie crust homemade, or store-bought 
Powdered sugar for dusting



 Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Roll and fit a pie crust into a deep dish pyrex pie plate. Crimp the edges and place the pie crust in the refrigerator. Place the cream cheese and brown sugar in the bowl of a mixer. Beat of high until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Scrape the bowl with a spatula, then beat in the eggs. Scrape the bowl again, then set the mixer on low and mix in cream, flour, cinnamon, vanilla, salt and nutmeg until very smooth. Pour the cinnamon filling into the prepared pie pan. Bake for 35 minutes, until the center seems set when jiggled, but not totally firm. Bake another 5 minutes if needed. Cool completely. Cover and chill. Take out of the refrigerator 1 hour before serving. Dust the top of the pie with powdered sugar. Cut and serve with whipped cream if desired.



Tips:
Yes, that says 3 1/2 TABLESPOONS of cinnamon. That is NOT a typo. I know, I know, that's quite a lot, right? Well, what do you expect? It's a cinnamon pie!

Salted Caramel Apple Pie Bars

  Well, it's officially Fall, and whenever I think of Fall, I think of baking things with apples and pumpkin. Yes, I'm THAT guy who loves everything pumpkin, but as I've often said, if you were to ask me what my favorite dessert is, in the whole wide world, in the history of ever, it would be an apple pie with vanilla ice cream and caramel poured over the top. Hands down. Like, there's not even another dessert that comes close. As much as I love a chocolate this and a chocolate that, I'd rather go for the warm cinnamon and apples that make the whole house smell like home. So when I was looking for an apple pie something to bake, I happened upon this little gem of an idea. Yes, they're apple pie, yes, they're BARS, and yes, they have caramel drizzled over them, and not only that it's SALTED caramel. Um, YES PLEASE.
 OK, so let's look around and see if I can find the right recipe. WHOA. Who knew there would be so many variations???? I found literally no less that 10 different versions on different cooking blogs all over the place. But then, I noticed something.. many of the recipes were adapted from (or inspired by) a particular version on one of my favorite websites, a blog called Sally's Baking Addiction. It seemed to me that this was the standard against which all others were compared. So I figured, well clearly that's the one I need to make!
And as luck would have it, I just happened to have all of the ingredients to make it! Perfect! At first, it seemed like a lot, but upon closer look, there was really nothing difficult about it. The dessert has several layers, so it stands to reason that the recipe would have several steps. All very simple!
And O. M. G. can I just tell you how heavenly they smell while they're baking?  I'm not even kidding. Oh, btw, whenever I share a recipe, I usually give you a few hints and helps, but Sally has already done that for me too. So, thank you, Sally, for yet another wonderful recipe and also for the hints! I remain a huge fan! It's nice to share something from someone who clearly loves baking as much as I do!
And the next time YOU happen to be looking for an apple pie something to bake, give this one a try.
Everyone will be glad you did!


Crust:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

Apple filling:
2 large apples, peeled and thinly sliced (1/4 inch thick)
2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel:
1/2 cup old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

Caramel Drizzle:
Here's the link for SBA's Homemade Salted Caramel Sauce 
or you can just do what I did..
I melted a bag of Kraft caramel bits with 1/4 cup of milk, then added a tsp of kosher salt.



 Preheat the oven to 300°F. Line the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper, leaving enough overhang on all sides. Set aside.

Make the crust:
Stir the melted butter, granulated sugar, vanilla, and salt together in a medium bowl. Add the flour and stir until everything is combined. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes while you prepare the filling and streusel.

Make the apple filling;
 Combine the sliced apples, flour, granulated sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a large bowl until all of the apples are evenly coated. Set aside.

Make the streusel:
  Whisk the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour together in a medium bowl. Cut in the chilled butter with a pastry blender or two forks (or even with your hands) until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside.

 Remove the crust from the oven, and turn the oven up to 350°F. Evenly layer the apples on top of the warm crust. It will look like there are too many apple slices, so layer them tightly and press them down to fit. Sprinkle the apple layer with streusel and bake for 30–35 minutes or until the streusel is golden brown.
 Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes at room temperature, then chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (or overnight). Lift the foil or parchment out of the pan using the overhang on the sides and cut into bars. I usually cut them into 16 smaller bars, but you can cut them into 12 larger bars. Once cut, drizzle some salted caramel sauce on top of each. These apple pie bars can be enjoyed warm, at room temperature, or even cold.




Sally's Tips:
The bars will stay fresh in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 days. You can freeze the bars for up to 3 months. Then, thaw overnight in the refrigerator before serving and drizzling with caramel. I like to use two different kinds of apples for a more complex flavor. I typically use 1 tart apple variety such as Granny Smith, and 1 sweeter apple variety such as Pink Lady. You'll end up with about 3-4 cups. A little more or less is OK, based on your preference of filling. Recipe can easily be doubled and baked in a 9x13 pan. Bake for 45-55 minutes and cool completely as directed in this recipe.

Joey's final thoughts:
Of course I doubled it and baked it in a 9x13 pan. Because MORE IS MORE! I used Honeycrisp apples because they're my absolute favorite. And then I added an extra little sprinkle of salt over the top. You do you!!

Fresh Corn Pie

 In my never ending search for recipes using fresh corn, I discovered this recipe on a website called Just a Pinch. It's just a simple quiche, perfect for a light meal, and it's easy to throw together in no time at all. Full disclosure, this version isn't exactly the same as the original recipe. I tweaked it ever so slightly to fit the ingredients I had on hand, but it's still basically the same thing. If you don't happen to have fresh corn, you can still make it using frozen corn. But, of course, fresh is always better!
 Serve it with a light salad and a glass of sweet tea and you have a perfectly summery delicious brunch. Definitely add this one to your summer repertoire!


1 9" deep dish pie shell with fluted edges
5 large eggs
1 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 large scallion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
paprika

Heat oven to 425ºF.
Prick crust well on bottom and sides with a fork. Line the crust with parchment paper, fill with pie weights, and par-bake the crust for 5-7 minutes. Remove parchment paper and pie weights.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together remaining ingredients except paprika. Carefully pour into pie shell. Sprinkle paprika over the top. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350ºF and bake for an additional 30 minutes or until center is almost firm. Cool 10 minutes and serve.



Tips:
Tbh, I debated whether or not the crust needed to be par-baked with weights before adding the filling. It's not my usual method whenever I bake a quiche. But since I happened to have parchment and pie weights, I went with it. Not sure what pie weights are? I just use uncooked navy beans. You crumple up a piece of parchment paper which makes it easier to line the pie crust, then you pour the navy beans on top, filling up the plate. This is so you can bake the crust before adding the filling, which keeps it nice and crisp. (this is called "blind baking", btw). If you were to try this without the beans to weigh the crust down, then the pastry would likely slide down the sides of the pie dish and lose its form. After the crust is baked, then you remove the beans and parchment, let them cool, put them in a container and use them again and again whenever you want to blind bake a crust. I've literally had the same beans for years and years!

French Silk Pie

  Have you ever heard of a French Silk Pie? It's something I've heard about for ages, but never really looked into until fairly recently. It's basically just a chocolate mousse pie, and it's very rich and creamy, much more so than just chocolate pudding in a pie crust! I recently made one for the first time and thought "why have I waited all this time???" It's really one of the most rich and decadent chocolate somethings I've made in quite a long time. And it's a bit more sophisticated than chocolate pudding. Absolutely delish!
 Now, I have to say, there are a couple things worth noting. From what I've read, a TRUE French Silk Pie has eggs in it, but the pie itself is not cooked. I know, I know, everyone always says you shouldn't eat raw eggs, right? Well, honestly, I kind of don't worry about that. I've seen Anne Burrell taste her raw scrambled eggs to make sure they're seasoned enough, and I've also heard Sara Moulton say that she doesn't really worry about it either. But if that worries you, all you have to do is use pasteurized eggs. Problem solved!
 And the next thing about this pie is the texture. It's SO rich and creamy and sets up into the perfect slice of pie! The tricky thing is all about the sugar. You should use really superfine sugar for this pie, because the sugar needs to dissolve as you whip the filling. Regular granulated sugar may not dissolve completely, and your pie might not be completely silky smooth.
 And finally, I know I always choose recipes that don't take a lot of time, but this one takes a little extra. I mean, it's still super easy to do.. (easy as pie, quite frankly!) but the extra time is completely worth it! Have I ever lied to you before???? And besides, you can use the extra whipping time to multitask! I used it to empty/reload the dishwasher, but you do you!
 Anyway,  if chocolate is your thing, you simply MUST try this recipe. I found it on a blog called Averiecooks.com, and it's definitely a keeper!





Ingredients:

Crust:
20 Oreo cookies, finely crushed (I use chocolate-filled Oreos rather than white-filled, and regular rather than Double-Stuffed)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
6 ounces dark chocolate, at least 72%, melted (unsweetened baker’s chocolate may be substituted)
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/2 cups ultrafine sugar, also called ultrafine or baker’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon instant espresso granules
pinch salt
4 large eggs, at room temperature (or pasteurized eggs, if you prefer)

Topping:
8 ounces whipped topping (thawed and stirred well, lite okay) or 2 cups freshly whipped cream
3 to 4 ounces dark chocolate (72% or higher) roughly chopped, for sprinkling





 Method:

 Crust –
Preheat oven to 350F and spray a 9-inch pie dish wish cooking spray; set aside. Add Oreos to the canister of a food processor and process until finely ground, 1 to 2 minutes on high power; set aside. In a small microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power. Add melted butter to canister of food processor and process until incorporated, about 30 seconds. Turn crumbs out into prepared pie dish and using your fingers, hard-pack the mixture to create a crust, making sure to cover sides of pie dish. Bake for 10 minutes, or until just set. Place on a wire rack to cool.
 Filling –
In a medium microwave-safe bowl, melt the chocolate, about 1 to 2 minutes on high power. Stop after 1 minute to check and stir. Heat in 15 second increments until chocolate can be stirred smooth; set aside to cool.
  To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, sugar, and beat on high power until very light and fluffy, about 5 minutes, stopping as necessary to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mixture should be very pale, almost white; the lighter and fluffier the better to ensure sugar is well on it’s way to being dissolved and incorporated fully. Add the vanilla, espresso granules, salt, cooled chocolate, and beat on high power until incorporated and mixture is fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, remove paddle attachment, switch to whisk attachment, add 1 egg, and beat for 5 minutes on high power. Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the second egg, beat for 5 minutes on high power. Repeat process with remaining eggs. Eggs are added 1 at a time, spaced 5 minutes apart, for a total of 20 minutes active whipping time. After 20 minutes, make sure your mixture is smooth, silky, fluffy, with zero traces of graininess. Continue beating until you’re satisfied with the smoothness because this is what your pie will taste like. Turn mixture out into crust, smoothing the top lightly with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap and place in fridge for at least 4 hours (overnight is better) for pie to set up fully.
 Topping –
Add the whipped topping/cream, smoothing it lightly with a spatula. I left a bare margin of 1-inch for visual appeal so you can see the chocolate; cover surface fully if preferred. Sprinkle evenly with chopped chocolate before slicing and serving. Pie will keep covered in the fridge for up to 5 days.



Tips:
I think the next time I make this (which will be VERY SOON), I'll probably try it with just a regular pie crust. Since we're going to all this trouble to make sure it's smooth and silky, I was kind of thinking that a crumb crust was working against me. Just a thought!
 Also, I know the recipe says to let it chill for at least four hours or overnight, but mine set up beautifully after just three. Just sayin'! Also, I opted for a few sprinkled milk chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate. It's just easier!

Joey's Pineapple Cream Cheese Pie

OK, so this recipe sort of happened by accident. I realized at the last minute that March 14th is PIE DAY, (3.14 = Pi!), but I didn't have any pie recipes ready to share. So I did a quick pantry inventory and came up with a new recipe idea! I was gonna do a regular pie crust, but then decided I wanted a shortbread crust instead. And I always have home made jams and jellies on hand, so I figured a pineapple cream cheese pie would be pretty amazing. And guess what! It TOTALLY is! It was seriously easy to throw together, and it's so light and fluffy, it's just the thing to hit the spot.
A perfect pie for pie day! Hope you like it!


Crust:
2 cups flour
2 sticks butter
2/3 cup powdered sugar
1/4 tsp salt

Filling:
8oz pkg cream cheese, room temperature
1 cup pineapple jam, homemade or store bought
1-2 tbs sugar (depending on how sweet you like it)
1 cup heavy cream, whipped


Heat oven to 425ºF.
For the crust:
Place all crust ingredients into a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse for several seconds until the dough just begins to pull together into a ball. Do not over process. Press dough into a 9" deep dish or pyrex pie plate. Press the dough up the sides and slightly higher than the edge of the plate. Pinch the dough between your fingers all the way around the plate to make a decorative edge. Place a sheet of parchment paper or foil into the plate over the crust, then fill with dry beans or pie weights. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove pie weights and parchment, then place back into the oven for an additional 3-5 minutes or until golden. Cool completely.

For the filling:
Mix cream cheese, pineapple jam, and sugar with a mixer. Fold in whipped cream. Pour cream mixture into cooled crust, smoothing over the top. Chill at least a few hours or until set. Pipe additional sweetened whipped cream on top, if desired.

Tip:
I like a really thick shortbread cookie crust, but if you prefer a thinner crust (or if you're using a regular pie plate instead of a deep dish pie plate, go ahead and cut the crust recipe in half).
For an easy shortcut, just use a ready made store bought graham cracker crust. Bake according to package instructions, then fill as directed.
For an easy variation, use any other kind of jam. Strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, peach, apricot, even orange marmalade would work!

Cranberry Tart

 This is an easy Fall dessert that has holiday written all over it. Thanksgiving wouldn't be the same without cranberries, but how about a cranberry DESSERT in addition to the Cranberry Sauce that you have with dinner? Frankly, I've never met a cranberry I didn't like, so as far as I'm concerned, you can never have too many cranberry dishes. This is sweet and tart, and would be perfect with a dollop of freshly whipped cream. You could even garnish it with a few white chocolate curls! It's also light and refreshing and it's just the thing to finish off a big dinner. This is the tweaked version of a Martha Stewart recipe that I made for my family last year and then tucked it away, figuring I'd share it this year. I almost forgot all about it! Whew! That was a close one.


1 Pillsbury ready made pie crust Or your own homemade
1/2 cup cold water
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
6 cups fresh cranberries
1 3/4 to 2 cups sugar, to taste
1 cup red currant jelly
2 tablespoons Cognac


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Crust:
On a lightly floured work surface, roll pie crust into a 13-inch round. With a dry pastry brush, sweep off excess flour; fit dough into a 10-inch round fluted tart pan with a removable bottom. Fold edges toward center to reinforce; press into sides of tart ring. Pierce bottom of tart shell all over with a fork. Cover with plastic wrap; freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Uncover and line tart shell with parchment and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Bake until edges are set and golden, about 20 minutes. Remove weights and parchment and continue baking until bottom of crust is dry and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool completely on a wire rack.

Filling:
Place cold water in a small bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over water; let stand until softened, about 5 minutes. Combine cranberries, sugar, jelly, and cognac in a saucepan and cook over low heat 12 to 15 minutes. Do not overcook or the mixture will become too watery; cranberries should be soft but not bursting. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Stir in gelatin and let cool completely. Pour cranberry filling into tart shell and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

Tips:
I used the Pillsbury pie crust, just because it's easier, it's a time saver, and I think it's a good product. I usually don't mention brand names unless it's warranted. In this case, I've tried other brands and they're just not as good. If you'd like to make your own homemade pie crust or Pate Brisee, go for it!
Instead of using Cognac, try using Grand Marnier for a little hit of orange flavor or Chambord which is a raspberry liqueur. YUM!

Dutch Apple Pumpkin Crisp

  Whenever someone asks me what my favorite dessert is, I always say "a hot apple something with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce." Whenever someone asks me what my favorite PUMPKIN  dessert is, I always say "I've never met a pumpkin dessert I didn't like!" So, imagine how excited I was when I found THIS recipe!!  It's the best of both worlds!! Yummy delicious spiced pumpkin with apples, topped with a crispy crumble topping. HEAVEN!! This is a Betty Crocker recipe, but actually I found it on a blog called Crumbs and Chaos. And it's super easy to make too! You don't even need a mixer! Perfect for a special holiday dessert or just because you're in the mood for a warm comforting Fall treat! Betcha there won't be any leftover! Try it!



2 cups apples, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 cup pumpkin puree
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup milk
2 tbs flour
1 egg

Preheat oven to 350°.

Place apples in the bottom of a 9 inch pie plate. Microwave 2 1/2 – 4 minutes, until apples are crisp tender.

In a small bowl, mix together 3/4 cup flour, brown sugar, butter and 1/4 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Stir together until crumbly, set aside.

In a medium bowl, whisk together pumpkin, sugar, milk, 2 Tablespoons flour, 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice and egg. Pour over apples in pie plate. Sprinkle crisp topping mixture over pumpkin layer.

Bake 30-35 minutes or until golden brown and set. Let cool 30 minutes, serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

 

 

Tips:

To be quite honest, I didn't even measure the pumpkin pie spice. I always wind up adding more anyway, so I just threw some in. Like Mom always said, if you like a lot, add a lot!

Oh and yes, I served mine with caramel sauce, because that's just how I roll. But you serve it how you like it!

Bailey's Irish Cream Pie

 Even though I don't drink very much or very often, there's one adult beverage that I happen to love, and that's Bailey's Irish Cream. (well, let's be honest, I love ANY Irish Cream, but Bailey's is my fave). So I like to find different things to bake with it. I've done Irish Cream Cake, Irish Cream Cupcakes with Irish Cream Frosting, I think I even did a cheesecake, once upon a time. So I figured why not do a pie this time?
 I found a few different recipes, but not every recipe was what I had in mind. There were lots of CHOCOLATE recipes, which are great and all, but then you can't really taste the Irish Cream. So I purposely decided to stick to a more vanilla version, which would let the Irish Cream flavor shine. Actually, as I was making this one, I wondered if the white chocolate would also overpower the flavor, but it absolutely doesn't. It's the perfect thing to enhance the Irish Creaminess of it all. (As you can see, I take these things very seriously. lol) It's super easy to make and it's a total do-ahead too. All things considered, this was exactly the pie I wanted to make. It's a slightly tweaked version of a recipe I found on a website called Saving Room For Dessert. It's so light and fluffy, it's like eating a cloud. It's the perfect thing to serve after your Corned Beef and Cabbage! Enjoy!


1 1/4 cups graham cracker or cookie crumbs
1/4 cup sugar
5 tbs unsalted butter, melted

1 1/3 cups white chocolate, chopped
1/3 cup Baileys Irish Cream
4 large egg whites
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/3 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 or 3 tbs Bailey's Irish Cream

white chocolate chips or curls for garnish, optional


For the crust:
Heat oven to 350ºF.
Mix ingredients together and press mixture firmly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes. Cool completely.

For the filling:
Melt chocolate and Irish Cream in a metal bowl over hot water, stirring constantly until creamy. In a separate bowl, beat the egg whites with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, and beat until stiff peaks hold their shape. Set aside. Using a mixer, whip 1 cup heavy cream until stiff. Gently fold the egg whites and whipped cream together. Gently fold the white chocolate mixture into egg white mixture, just until blended. Fill the cooled pie crust and chill while preparing the whipped cream topping.

For the topping:
Whip 1 cup heavy whipping cream until soft peaks form. Add powdered sugar and vanilla and whip until stiff. Fold in the Irish Cream. Spoon into pastry bag fitted with large star tip and pipe onto pie using a swirling motion. Decorate with white chocolate curls. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. For mousse instead of pie – spoon mixture into parfait glasses, top with whipped cream and decorate with white chocolate chips or curls.

Tips:
I used shortbread cookies for the crust, but you can use anything you like. Vanilla Wafers would be great. You could also use Golden Oreos, in which case you'd omit the sugar and butter. Just throw the Oreos into a food processor and pulse until they're crumbs, then pat into the pie plate as directed.
For a non-alcoholic version, you can use Irish Cream flavored nondairy coffee creamer instead of the liqueur.  For a flavor variation, you could do this entire recipe with Kahlua instead of Bailey's Irish Cream.

Buttered Rum Raisin Pie

 I was recently watching Martha Stewart's cooking show called Martha Bakes, and she was making a rum raisin pie. My first thought was "ooo that sounds good!" but then I realized that what she was making and what I had pictured in my head were two different things. When I think of a rum raisin pie, I immediately think of something that's sticky and gooey and buttery, kind of like a pecan pie with raisins and rum instead of pecans. But Martha was making a CUSTARD pie with raisins in it. Hmmm..  that's not what I wanted. So then I figured, "well, I'm gonna find one that's sticky and gooey." I did something googling and I found one! This is my version of a recipe I found on a website called mypiary.com, and it's just what I wanted. It's sweet and mildly spicy, but more importantly it's buttery and sticky and gooey and chewy and EXACTLY what I had in mind all along! It kind of has a similar vibe to the Mince Pie that my Mom used to make, since it has dried fruit and spirits in it, but it's not as strong. It's just sweet enough, just spicy enough, just rummy enough (rummy?), and the raisins are definitely the star of the show. I brought a piece to my boss and asked her if it's good enough to have as a Thanksgiving dessert and she said "Absolutely!"
 So if you're looking for something new and a little different to add to your Thanksgiving dessert table, give this one a try. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised!

4 cups raisins
1/2 cup Bacardi gold rum
1 1/2 cups water
2 tbs cornstarch
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
4 tbs butter
1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice
1 tbs cider vinegar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 9-inch prepared pie crusts


 Preheat oven to 425°.
 Place raisins and rum in a small bowl. Give it a stir, and let it sit until the raisins absorb the rum, about 20-30 minutes. In the meantime, prepare the pie pastry and prep the other ingredients.
Line a 9" pyrex deep pie dish with one pie crust.  Set aside.
 In a medium saucepan, before turning on the heat, whisk together water, cornstarch, and salt. Now turn on the heat and bring to boil. Stir in brown sugar, butter, and spices until combined. Add the rum soaked raisins and any remaining rum. Return to boil and let simmer over medium heat for 5-7 minutes, until syrup thickens. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Add cider vinegar and vanilla. Pour filling into prepared pie pastry. Top with second crust. Crimp edges and vent as desired. Place pie on bottom rack and bake for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 375° and move pie to middle rack. Bake for 30 minutes, or until filling is bubbling and crust is golden. Use a pie crust shield or foil tent to keep the edges of the crust from becoming too brown. Cool on wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature with vanilla ice cream or fresh whipped cream.


Tips:
If you'd like to serve it in a regular 9" pie dish instead of the deeper pyrex dish, just use 2 cups of raisins instead of 4 cups. The rest of the amounts stay the same.
I used a store bought ready made pie crust, but feel free to make my Easy Pie Crust or your own if you so choose.
When I first served this, it was chilled (which is usually how I like to enjoy a piece of pie). But in this case, you definitely don't want it to be chilled because it sets up rather tightly which makes it much more dense. It's much more buttery and gooey when you serve it warm or at room temperature. SO much better!

Coffee and Cream Cheese Pie

 If you know me, you know that I usually choose foods that are low in carbs. Yes, of course I love mac 'n' cheese and pasta and french fries and mashed potatoes, and yes I have a SERIOUSLY insatiable sweet tooth. But for the most part, I leave the carbs for special occasions and holidays. It just works better for me. So you may wonder, then, how can I manage to have friends over for dinner all the time, right? Well, to be honest, it depends. Sometimes, if we're doing a theme, I'll come up with a menu that fits the theme, and usually I can find something to make that works for me and still fits the theme. Most times, it's not the dinner that is the challenge, it's the dessert. The best scenario is when I can make a low carb dessert without anyone knowing that it's low in carbs. (hee hee sneaky, I know!) Once I had a dinner/production meeting and I served whipped Jello Fluff desserts in fancy martini glasses. No one had a clue they were low carb and they got RAVE reviews!
 I recently had a few friends over for dinner and a movie, and this was the dessert I served. BIG huge hit!! It's fluffy and sweet and delicious and rich, and no one had any idea that it was a low carb dessert. Yes, it's a pie, but somehow no one even noticed the fact that there isn't even a crust. I figure it's all in the presentation! I found this recipe on a website called Linda's Low Carb Menus and Recipes. If you're choosing to limit your carb intake you should really check it out. SO many awesome recipes there! So even if you aren't choosing to restrict carbs, I know you'll love this dessert. Make it for your next dinner party. Everybody wins!!

1 packet unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup coffee, cold or room temperature
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
2 cups heavy cream
16 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup Splenda
1 teaspoon vanilla
extra sweetened whipped cream (optional)
Unsweetened cocoa for dusting(optional)

In a medium bowl, whip the cream with 1/2 cup of the Splenda until stiff. Place the whipped cream in the refrigerator until needed. 
In a small pot, sprinkle the gelatin over the cold coffee and let soften 5 minutes. Heat and stir over low heat to dissolve the gelatin completely. Do not boil. You can also dissolve the gelatin in the microwave by heating it about 30 seconds or so on HIGH. Stir until completely dissolved. Stir in the instant coffee granules until dissolved. Cool to room temperature. Add the remaining 1/2 cup Splenda and the vanilla to the cooled gelatin mixture.
Beat the cream cheese until creamy and smooth. Gradually beat the gelatin mixture into the cream cheese until well blended and slightly fluffy. Chill the batter until slightly thickened, about 20-30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to prevent lumps. Very gently fold in the whipped cream a little at a time. Spread in a greased 9-inch pie plate and chill until set, about 5-6 hours. Pipe with extra whipped cream and dust with a little cocoa, if desired.

Tips:
If you are not counting carbs and would like to just use sugar instead of Splenda, I'm guessing it will still turn out fine, although I have not tested this theory. Let me know if you do, ok?
This pie has a very light coffee flavor. If you want to bump it up a bit, try using instant espresso granules instead of regular coffee granules.