Pie Drop!

Since we didn't get to spend Thanksgiving together as a family, my mom decided to do a pie drop instead. She made a bunch of different kinds of pie (while cooking with a mask on) and then drove around and dropped them off on our porches. Then we had a Zoom meeting that night to visit after we had all had our Thanksgiving dinners.

Here are the recipes for the pies she made for us! The pictures don't do the pies justice because I couldn't give them the beautiful presentation they deserved, but they were absolutely delicious. My mom made seven pies. We felt that five of them were absolute keepers as is. The Shaker Lemon Pie and the Candied Orange Pie won't be posted because they need a bit more tweaking and experimenting to get them just right before posting them.

Key Lime Pie VII

Ingredients:

1 (9-inch) prepared graham cracker crust
3 cups sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup key lime juice
1 tablespoon grated lime zest

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime rind. Mix well and pour into graham cracker crust.

Bake in preheated oven for 5-8 minutes, until tiny pinhole bubbles burst on the surface of the pie. Do not brown. Chill pie thoroughly before serving. Garnish with lime slices and whipped cream, if desired.

Nutrition information: 8 servings. 553 calories; 10.9 g protein; 84.7 g carbohydrates; 20.5 g fat; 45.3 mg cholesterol; 324.5 mg sodium.

Source: Allrecipes, recipe by AnnRichardson. You can find it here.

Notes: This was just fantastic. Refreshing citrus flavor and pretty presentation.

Above: I tried to transfer them so that I could get pretty pictures of these beautiful and delicious pies. It didn't work. Ha ha. I lost some of the graham cracker crust in the transfer. However, this was a beautiful and surprisingly sturdy (though creamy) pie. Seriously, a keeper. The other pies didn't transfer at all. So, what you see in the mix with all of the other pies is what you get.

Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:

1 cup powdered sugar
1 cup natural-style, reduced-fat creamy peanut butter (such as Smucker's)
1 (8-ounce) block 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
12 ounces frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
2 (6-ounce) reduced-fat graham cracker crusts
20 teaspoons fat-free chocolate sundae syrup

Directions:

Combine powdered sugar, peanut butter, and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add milk; beat until combined. Fold in whipped topping. Divide mixture evenly between crusts; chill 8 hours or until set (pies will have a soft, fluffy texture). Cut into wedges; drizzle with chocolate syrup.

Nutrition information: 20 servings (each pie will be cut into 10 slices), 302 calories; 10g fat; 3.8 g saturated fat; 3.3 g mono fat; 2.8 g poly fat; 6.9 g protein; 45.8 g carbohydrates; 1 g fiber; 11 mg cholesterol; 0.6 mg iron; 252 mg sodium; 59 mg calcium.

Source: My Recipes. You can find it here.

Notes: This was a favorite, especially with all of the guys. Rich and decadent, and yet, as you can see, lightened up. 

Maple Chess Pie

Ingredients:

1 (9-inch) unbaked pie crust
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
3 eggs
1 tablespoon yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1 teaspoon maple extract
5/8 cup chopped pecans, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Press the pie crust into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch deep dish pie plate.

In a medium bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and eggs until light and fluffy. Stir in the cornmeal, vinegar, and maple extract until well blended. Fold in pecans (if using) so they are evenly distributed. Pour into the unbaked pie crust.

Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. Bake for 30 additional minutes, or until the top of the pie is golden brown, and the filling is set. When removing the pie from the oven, gift it a gentle shake. If there is no movement, the pie is set. The pie will thicken and shrink slightly upon cooling.

Nutrition information: 8 servings. 457 calories; 4.8 g protein; 50.1 g carbohydrates; 27.6 g fat; 100.3 mg cholesterol; 225 mg sodium.

Source: Allrecipes recipe by David Robinson. You can find it here.

Notes: We left out the nuts because of my son's tree nut allergy. It was smooth and melt in your mouth delicious.

Debbie's Easy No-Bake Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups whipping cream
1 graham cracker pie crust
1 can favorite pie filling (such as cherry, blueberry, strawberry, raspberry, or peach)

Directions:

Blend together cream cheese, sugar, sour cream, and vanilla. Whip 2 cups whipping cream and sweeten to taste with sugar. Combine whipping cream and cream cheese mixture. Pour into graham cracker crust. Freeze at least 1/2 hour before serving. Top with pie filling of choice.

Source: My mom got this recipe from her friend, Debbie, many years ago. 

Notes: This time, we topped it with strawberry pie filling. This one always brings back childhood memories for me.

Apple Butter Pie

Ingredients:

8 ounces gingersnaps
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup spiced apple butter
3 large egg yolks
1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
Garnishes: whipped cream, crumbled gingersnaps

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Pulse gingersnaps in a food processor 20 times or until finely ground. With processor running, pour apple butter through food chute, processing until blended. Press mixture into a 9-inch pie plate.

Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk together sweetened condensed milk and next 3 ingredients. Pour into prepared crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 15 minutes. Chill 2 to 24 hours.

Sources: My Recipes. You can find it here.

Notes: The My Recipes test kitchen noted that they used Smucker's Spiced Apple Butter. I thought this was so good. Before I knew what it was actually called, I referred to it as the gingerbread pie because it reminded me so much of gingerbread. This one is a keeper!

Depression Era Pie

 

I had to try this pie. It seemed fitting this year. I was fascinated by the shortages that we have had because of the pandemic and how they compared to the shortages people had during the depression. 

At the beginning of the pandemic/beginning of shutdown, bread, flour, sugar, eggs, milk, toilet paper, paper towels, tissue, sanitizing wipes, and many cleaners disappeared from the shelves.

During the Great Depression, people really had to make things stretch. Casseroles and soups were a way to stretch protein and vegetables to fill hungry stomachs. People still had a sweet tooth, and desserts were also often simplified to make a few simple ingredients go a long way. This pie is one of those recipes.

I actually thought it was very good. It was a lot like a custard pie...without the egg and milk. I think you will like it too! Heads up though, it is very sweet, so a little is enough to take care of your sweet tooth fix.

Water Pie

Ingredients:

1 (9-inch) deep-dish pie crust, unbaked
1 1/2 cups water
4 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla
5 tbsp butter, cut into five pieces

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and set empty pie crust on a baking sheet.

Pour 1 1/2 cups water into the pie crust.

In a small bowl, stir together flour and sugar. Sprinkle evenly over water in crust. Don't stir.

Drizzle vanilla over water in pie crust. Place pats of butter on top of this.

Bake at 400 degrees F for 30 minutes. Reduce heat to 375 and cover sides of crust, if needed, to prevent burning. Continue cooking for an additional 30 minutes.

The pie will be watery when you pull it out of the oven, but will set as it cools. Allow to cool completely and then cover and place in the refrigerator to completely chill before cutting.

Source: Southern Plate. You can find it here.

Pickle Pie?

 

My mom found this recipe and it just sounded way too intriguing not to try. People sounded horrified by the name, but those who tried it responded with, "I don't hate it," "It's not horrible," and "I actually kind of like it." Ha ha!

Serving it with a dollop of whipped cream is a must. Though whether you decide to make the "pickle cream" or regular whipped cream is up to you. It tastes somewhat similar to pumpkin pie. In fact, my son kept asking for another piece of pumpkin pie throughout the week and every time I said, "Do you mean pickle pie?," he would get mad at me, so I just started calling it pumpkin pie to him. Shhh. It's our little secret.

Utah Pickle Pie

Ingredients:

1/2 package refrigerated rolled pie dough (such as Pillsbury Pie Crusts), or frozen pie crust
1 1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch, divided
5 large eggs
1 cup half-and-half
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest (from one lemon)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 cup sweet pickle chips, plus more, for garnish
1 1/2 cups whipped cream

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Form pie dough into a 9-inch pie plate, and crimp the edges.

Whisk together sugar and 2 tablespoons of the cornstarch in a large bowl. Add eggs and half-and-half, and beat with an electric mixer until combined. Add butter, zest, cinnamon, and nutmeg; beat until well combined.

Process pickles in a food processor until finely chopped, reserving 1 tablespoon for topping. Stir pickles and remaining 1 tablespoon cornstarch together until lightly coated; stir into filling. Pour filling into unbaked pie shell.

Bake in preheated oven until lightly golden brown and filling is just set, about 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack until room temperature, about an hour. Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving, so it is well chilled.

Stir together whipped cream and reserved 1 tablespoon chopped pickled in a medium bowl. Top each slice with pickle cream; garnish with a pickle chip, if desired.

Source: My Recipes. You can find it here.

Notes: I used a frozen pie crust and just filled it with the filling and baked it from frozen. It worked great. I also did not make the pickle cream. I just used a can of ready made whipped cream for the top. I also didn't top it with another pickle chip. It was plenty pickle flavored without those extra added touches. It was a unique flavor, but I liked it! It grew on you.

Thanks, Sis!

I got sooooo burned out with meal planning during this pandemic, so I asked my sisters and sisters-in-law for ideas.

Here is an idea that my sister gave to me. It was delicious! So easy to throw together and so easy to adjust to your own tastes. Plus, it was so packed full of beautiful fresh fruits and veggies.

Black Beans and Rice

Ingredients:

Half large onion, or one small onion, finely chopped
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. bottled minced garlic
2 (15 oz) cans black beans, drained
1 (15 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
White or brown rice, for serving (1/2 cup to 1 cup rice per person)

Topping Options:

Avocado, chopped or sliced
Mango, chopped
Pineapple (canned pineapple tidbits or chunks, or fresh chopped pineapple)
Tomatoes, chopped (or halved grape tomatoes)
Bell peppers, chopped (or sliced mini bell peppers)
Sliced black olives
Sliced jalapenos (bottled or fresh)
Shredded cheese
Chopped cilantro
Sour cream of Greek yogurt

Directions:

Cook rice of choice according to package directions. 

While rice is cooking, saute onion in olive oil over medium to medium high heat in saucepan until translucent. Add garlic and saute one minute longer.

Add drained black beans, crushed tomatoes, cumin and chili powder. Stir in cilantro. Simmer on low to medium low heat while preparing your vegetables.

Chop your vegetables, as desired. 

Serve black beans over rice and top with desired toppings.

Source: My sister, Laurie Allred.

 

 

Above: You can see that I really like my toppings, but if you look closely, you can tell that there actually are beans and rice in there too! Ha ha!

 

 

 

Above: Here is my sister's version. So, as you can see, it is highly adaptable to your own tastes and moods, or what you currently have on hand. It was soooo good though and it really hit the spot.

Theme Night: Mexican Edition

 

So, if you haven't realized this yet, we like to do a lot of theme nights. Here are some great finds from our Mexican theme night that we had recently.

 

Carnitas

Ingredients:

1 (3-1/2 to 4 lb.) pork shoulder, boneless and well-marbled
1 (12 oz.) bottle or can of beer or beef broth
Water, as needed
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tbsp. lard or vegetable shortening
Corn tortillas, for serving
Favorite toppings, for serving (salsa verde, diced onions, shredded cabbage or lettuce, pico de gallo, sliced radishes, fresh cilantro, guacamole, shredded cheese or crumbled cotija cheese, etc.)

Directions:

Slice the pork into 2-inch chunks and arrange in a Dutch oven or roasting pan.

Add the beer (or beef broth) and enough water to barely cover the meat. Stir in the salt and the cumin. On the stove top, over medium-high heat, bring the mixture to a boil.

When ready to cook, start the Traeger grill on Smoke with the lid open until the fire is established (4 to 5 minutes). Set the temperature to 300 degrees F. and preheat, lid closed, for 10 to 15 minutes.

Carefully transfer the pan with the meat to the grill grate. Roast the pork, uncovered until the meat is very tender, 2 1/2 to 3 hours, stirring occasionally. Add a bit more water to the pan if most of the liquid has evaporated.

When the pork is tender, drain off any remaining cooking liquid and discard. Break the meat into bite-size chunks with a fork. (The recipe can be prepared to this point up to three days ahead. Let cool and refrigerate.)

Add the lard to the pan and return the pan to the grill grate. Increase the temperature of the Traeger to 400 degrees F.

Let the meat "fry" in the lard until it is browned and some bits are slightly crisp, about 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve with the suggested accompaniments. Enjoy!

Source: Traeger Grills website. You can find the recipe here.

Notes: If you don't have a Traeger Grill, you could always slow cook the meat...but the flavor and texture of the meat won't be the same, of course.

 

Grilled Mexican Street Corn (Elotes)

Ingredients:

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream or Mexican crema
1/2 cup finely crumbled Cotija or feta cheese, plus more for serving
1/2 teaspoon ancho or guajillo chili powder, plus more for serving
1 medium clove garlic, finely minced (about 1 teaspoon)
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
4 ears shucked corn
1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions:

Light 1 chimney full of charcoal. When all charcoal is lit and covered with gray ash, pour out and spread coals evenly over half of coal grate. Alternatively, set half the burners of a gas grill to high heat. Set cooking grate in place, cover grill, and allow to preheat for 5 minutes.

While coals heat, combine mayonnaise, sour cream or crema, cheese, chili powder, garlic, and cilantro in a large bowl. Stir until homogeneous and set aside.

When grill is hot, place corn directly over hot side of grill and cook, rotating occasionally, until cooked through and charred in spots on all sides, about 8 minutes total.

Transfer corn to bowl with cheese mixture and use a large spoon to evenly coat corn on all sides with mixture. Sprinkle with extra cheese and chili powder and serve immediately with lime wedges.

Source: We found this on the Serious Eats website. You can find it here.

Notes: Holy cow, this was good. I could eat a meal of this and only this.

 

 

Mexican Chopped Salad

Ingredients:

Dressing:

1/4 cup fresh lime juice
2 tablespoons honey
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1 clove garlic, finely minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
freshly ground black pepper
Salt, to taste, if needed

Tortilla Strips:

6 6-inch corn tortillas
1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Salad:

1 medium head romaine lettuce, chopped in approximately 1/2-inch pieces
1 medium bell pepper, diced in 1/4-inch pieces, any color
1/2 medium red onion, diced in 1/4-inch pieces
1/2 medium jicama, peeled and diced in 1/4-inch pieces
1 medium zucchini, diced in 1/4-inch pieces
4 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced into 1/4-inch pieces
4 ears corn, cooked (if fresh corn is not in season, substitute 1 1/2 cups of sweet, tiny frozen corn, thawed)
1 1/2 cups canned black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro, plus whole cilantro leaves for garnish, if desired

Directions:

Dressing:

Combine lime juice, honey, cumin, garlic, and salt. In a slow, steady stream,a dd the oils, stirring continuously with a fork or small whisk. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if needed. Set aside.

Tortilla Strips:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Stack corn tortillas on a cutting board. Cut in half. Cut each stack of halves into thin strips, width-wise, about 1/4-inch thick.

Transfer tortilla strips to a sheet pan. Drizzle with oil. Sprinkle with salt and toss to coat.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes, or until light golden brown and crisp. Set aside to cool.

Salad:

Combine corn and other salad ingredients in a large bowl. Stir to combine. Add dressing and stir to coat all ingredients. Garnish with cilantro leaves, if desired.

Serve with tortilla strips on top or place a bowl on the side for people to garnish their salad as desired.

Source: The Cafe Sucre Farine. You can find it here.

Notes: This was fantastic even without the tortilla strips. This was such a light, fresh salad. Everyone loved it. It also kept surprisingly well the next day if you have any leftovers.

 

Vine-ripe Tomato Salad with Queso Fresco and Serrano

Ingredients:

2 large round tomatoes
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 serrano pepper, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro leaves
1/4 cup queso fresco
1 teaspoon Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

Slice tomatoes about 1/4-inch thick and arrange on a plate with the sliced onion. Place the sliced chile alongside the tomatoes and sprinkle the cilantro on top and around the plate. Crumble the queso fresco on top.

In a bowl, combine the oregano, oil, and vinegar and mix well. Drizzle the vinaigrette on top just before serving. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Source: Food Network, recipe by Aaron Sanchez. You can find it here.

Notes: Those serrano peppers do give this some heat, so if you don't like spicy stuff, eat around them! However, I thought this was absolutely fantastic. So delicious and such a great way to use up fresh garden tomatoes.

Pico de Gallo

Ingredients:

1 medium tomato, diced
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
2 sprigs fresh cilantro, finely chopped
1 green onion, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

In a medium bowl, combine tomato, onion, jalapeno pepper (to taste), cilantro, and green onion. Season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Stir until evenly distributed. Refrigerate for 30 minutes before serving.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by grneyedmustang. You can find it here.

Notes: Poor Mom. After all the work to make this, she forgot to set it out at our family dinner, so none of us got to partake, and I didn't get to take pictures. I'm sure it was fantastic though!

This is the Way to Do It

 

I always worry about overcooking steak. Overcooked steak is just the worst stuff ever. This is one of those recipes that is hard to screw up. It's the perfect way to cook steak. You are going to love these fajitas. They are easy and delicious.

 

Easy Sheet-Pan Beef Fajitas

Ingredients:

2 cups sliced onion (1/4-inch slices)
1 medium red or yellow bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch strips
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 package (1 oz) Old El Paso original taco seasoning mix
1 lb. boneless sirloin steak
8 (6-inch) Old El Paso flour tortillas
Sour cream, salsa, shredded cheese, chopped fresh cilantro, and lime wedges for topping, if desired

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray 18x13-inch rimmed sheet pan with cooking spray. Add onion and bell pepper to sheet pan. Add 1 tablespoon of the oil and 2 tablespoons of the taco seasoning mix; stir to coat, spreading mixture evenly in pan. Bake 15 minutes; stir.

Meanwhile, cut steak into 1/4-inch strips; place in small bowl. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining seasoning mix until combined and coated. Place on pan with vegetables. Bake 7 to 9 minutes longer or until beef is no longer pink and vegetables are tender.

Heat tortillas as directed on package. Using tongs, transfer steak mixture to serving platter or, if serving on sheet pan, carefully drain excess liquid from pan before serving.

Spoon steak and veggies onto each tortilla. Serve with remaining ingredients.

Source: Betty Crocker. You can find it here.

Notes: I used a 1 lb. flank steak instead of sirloin steak. I also used a fajita seasoning mix instead of a taco seasoning mix. In addition to that, I increased the bell peppers because I wanted more veggies. I used three: a red, an orange, and a yellow bell pepper.

Dip That Fruit!

I made some fruit dip because my oldest son asked me to. He really wanted to dip his green grapes into some fruit dip. So, heck, why not!?

 
Fruit Dip

Ingredients:

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (7 ounce) jar marshmallow creme

Directions:

Using an electric mixer, blend cream cheese and marshmallow creme until mixed thoroughly.

Source: Allrecipes.com, submitted by Crystal Gossett. You can find it here.

Notes: Simple and sweet...and a crowd pleaser, especially with the kids.

 

 

Brown Sugar Fruit Dip

Ingredients:

1 (8 oz) container sour cream

Brown sugar, to taste

Directions:

Stir brown sugar, to taste, into sour cream until smooth. Use as a fruit dip or serve a dollop on top of some fresh berries.

Source: I found an idea in a cookbook where strawberries were served with sour cream that had brown sugar sprinkled on top. I tried it, but I thought the sour cream was a little too tart and the brown sugar was a little too few and far between. So, I tried mixing in the brown sugar and discovered that I really liked the dip that way. 

Notes: It is great with all fruit, but particularly good with berries. This one isn't as popular with the kids. Even with the brown sugar mixed in, it is a tad too tart for little taste buds. However, I really love it and perhaps you will too.