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.

Pie Night 2016! Part 2

 

 The Pie Night 2016 recipes continue!

Chocolate Chip Funny Cake Pie

Ingredients:

Top Layer:

1/2 cup white sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk

Bottom Layer:

1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup baking cocoa
1/3 cup hot water
1/4 teaspoon vanilla

Additional Ingredients:

9" pie crust
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar, butter, and egg.

In a separate bowl, mix together the baking powder and flour.

Add the flour mixture to the sugar mixture alternately with milk.

Mix just until combined.

In a separate bowl, combine the sugar and cocoa. Add the hot water and vanilla and mix until combined completely.

Use a store bought single pie crust or your favorite pie crust recipe and press it into a pie plate.

Pour the chocolate mixture into the pie crust, then spoon the cake batter over the top of the chocolate. Use the back of the spoon to gently spread the batter over top. Be careful while doing this, but don't worry if it doesn't cover the whole top. It will spread as it bakes. You want the fudgy chocolate to stay on the bottom of the pie and not get mixed in.

Sprinkle the mini chocolate chips over the pie.

Bake at 375 degrees F. for 27-30 minutes, or until the cake is set.

Source: Tastes of Lizzy T's. You can find it here.

Notes: If you can't help but miss having cake--even on Pie Night--then this recipe is for you!

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cherry Cheesecake Pie

Ingredients:

1 (16.5 oz) roll refirgerated chocolate chip cookie dough
2 pkgs. (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cans (21 oz.) Lucky Leaf Regular or Premium Cherry Fruit Filling, divided

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Press cookie dough evenly into bottom and sides of a deep dish (2" deep) 9" pie plate.

Bake 12 minutes at 350 degrees F. Cool completely. While crust is cooling, prepare filling. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in 1 can of cherry fruit filling.

Pour filling into cooled crust.

Bake 55-70 minutes (or until filling is set and golden brown at 350 degrees F.

Cool. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Top with remaining can of cherry fruit filling.

Source: Lucky Leaf website. We found the recipe in a mailer. You can find it here.

Notes: My mom substituted raspberry pie filling because she doesn't think enough of us like cherries. This was good, but it would have been better with the cherry pie filling as called for in the original recipe.

Raspberry Peach Pie

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/4 cup cold water

Filling:

4 medium peaches, peeled and sliced
1 1/3 cups sugar
5 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/3 cup water
3 cups fresh raspberries

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in water until mixture forms a ball. Roll out pastry to fit in a 9-in. pie plate.

Transfer to pie plate; trim and flute edges. Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Fill with dried beans, uncooked rice, or pie weights.

Bake at 450 degrees F. for 8 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake 5-7 minutes longer or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large saucepan, combine the peaches, sugar, and juice. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth. Stir into peach mixture. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from the heat; cool to room temperature. Fold in raspberries. Spoon into crust.

Refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 8 servings.

Recipe Note: Let pie weights cool before storing. Beans and rice may be reused for pie weights, but not for cooking.

Nutrition information: 1 slice equals 333 calories, 8 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 149 mg sodium, 63 g carbohydrate, 39 g sugar, 5 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Source: Taste of Home, recipe by Jean Boelsma, Bethel, Maine. You can find it here.

Notes: Our pie ended up a lot juicier than the recipe pictured. It was still tasty though. You can also substitute a frozen 9" pie crust.

Snickerdoodle Pie

Ingredients:

1 single unbaked pie crust
1 tablespoon raw or coarse sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons butter, melted
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons light corn syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll out single pie crush and line a 9" pie plate with the crust. Crimp edges as desired.

In a bowl, combine the tablespoon of coarse or raw sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of the cinnamon. Brush the 2 teaspoons of melted butter on the bottom of the pie crust, then sprinkle 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon sugar mixture over the butter. Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar, 1/4 cup butter, water, corn syrup, and remaining 3/4 teaspoon of cinnamon. Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the brown sugar. Let the mixture boil for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla, and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat the 1/4 cup softened butter on medium speed for 30 seconds. Beat in the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar, powdered sugar, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar. Beat in the egg and the remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Slowly beat in the milk, just until combined. Add in the flour, and beat to combine.

Spread the cookie mixture evenly into the pie dish. Slowly pour the syrup over the top. Sprinkle with the remaining cinnamon sugar mixture.

Cover the edges of the pie with foil, and bake for 25 minutes. Remove the foil, and continue to bake until the top of the pie is puffed and golden brown, and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 20 more minutes. Cool for at least 30 minutes before serving. If desired, serve with cinnamon ice cream or vanilla ice cream dusted with cinnamon.

Source: Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook, 16th Edition, found on a blog called Taste and Tell. You can find the blog post here. You can find the cookbook here.

Chocolate Banoffee Pie

Ingredients:

One 9" pie crust, baked (or you can use a chocolate or graham cracker crumb crust)
1/2 cup good quality dark chocolate or chocolate chips
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
1 or 2 firm, but ripe, bananas
Lemon juice for bananas
One (14 oz) can of caramel flavored condensed milk or dulce de leche
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
Chocolate sprinkles, optional

Directions:

Place the chocolate in a small pan along with 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream. Stir constantly over low heat until the chocolate melts and becomes a smooth, thick sauce (ganache). Remove from heat.

Slice the bananas and toss with a little lemon juice, then arrance slices on the bottom of the pie crust.

Pour the caramel flavored condensed milk or dulce de leche over the bananas.

Pour the ganache over the condensed milk, and smooth evenly. Place in fridge for at least an hour.

Whip the heavy whipping cream until stiff peaks form, but be careful not to over whip. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream over the top of the pie, leaving the center open, if desired. Decorate with sprinkles, if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

Source: Chocolate Chocolate and More. You can find it here.

Notes: This was really good and so easy too. You could also make it without the bananas, if you prefer.

 

Caramel Custard Pie

Ingredients:

Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
4 teaspoons all-purpose flour
3 eggs
2 cups 2% milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

Line a 9-inch pie plate with pastry; trim and flute edges. Combine brown sugar and flour; press into pastry.

In a large bowl, combine the eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, and salt; pour over brown sugar mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees F. for 55-60 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cover edges with foil during the last 15 minutes to prevent overbrowning, if necessary. Cool on a wire rack; sprinkle with nutmeg. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition information: 1 piece equals 277 calories, 10 g fat, 89 mg cholesterol, 201 mg sodium, 41 g carbohydrate, 28 g sugar, 0 g fiber, 6g protein.

Source: Taste of Home, recipe by Roger Clapper of Delavan, Wisconsin. You can find it here.

Notes: I'm not sure why this has such a low review on the Taste of Home website. I thought this was fantastic. My caramel was not gritty (as some people complained theirs was) and my custard was not curdled. This is a great pantry friendly pie.

Old-Fashioned Custard Pie

Ingredients:

Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inches)
4 eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Unroll pastry sheet into a 9-inch pie plate; flute edge. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice. bake on a lower oven rack 10-15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove foil and weights; bake 3-6 minutes longer or until bottom is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

In a large bowl, whisk eggs. Whisk in remaining ingredients until blended. Pour into crust. Cover edges with foil. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 25-30 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 6-8 servings.

Source: Taste of Home. You can find it here.

Notes: This is another recipe with surprisingly low reviews, but it it is so easy and absolutely fantastic. The confusion for many reviewers was because they didn't read the recipe carefully enough and didn't bake the pie crust prior to filling it with the custard filling--and THEN complete the baking of the pie. It's so important to read the whole recipe all the way through before you start making it!

Sugar Cream Pie

Ingredients:

Pastry for a deep dish single-crush pie (9 inches)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 cups 2% milk
1/2 cup butter, cubed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Roll out pastry to fit a 9-inch pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2 inch beyond rim of plate; flute edge. Line unpricked pastry with a double thickness of heavy-duty foil. Fill with pie weights, dried beans, or uncooked rice.

Bake 8 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake 5-7 minutes longer or until light brown. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven setting to 375 degrees F.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch; stir in milk until smooth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Transfer to crust; sprinkle with cinnamon. Bake 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack; refrigerate until chilled.

Yield: 8 servings.

 Source: Taste of Home, recipe submitted by Laura Kipper, Westfield, Indiana. You can find it here.

Notes: I used a frozen pie crust. I used a regular 9" pie crust the first time and I had way more filling than I could fit in the crust and what I did get in there overflowed. I made it again using a deep dish pie crust and it worked so much better. This pie was absolutely delicious and so, so easy!

Ladyfinger Ice Cream Cake

Ingredients:

2 packages (3 ounces each) ladyfingers, split
3 cups vanilla ice cream, softened
1 jar (16 ounces) hot fudge ice cream topping
1 package (8 ounces) toffee bits
3 cups chocolate ice cream, softened
3 cups coffee ice cream, softened

Directions:

Arrange ladyfingers around the edge and on the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.

Spoon vanilla ice cream into prepared pan. Top with a third of the ice cream topping and toffee bits. Freeze for 20 minutes. Repeat layers, using chocolate and coffee ice creams (pan will be full). Freeze overnight or until firm.

Yield: 16 servings.

Nutrition facts: 1 slice equals 365 calories, 16 g fat, 57 mg cholesterol, 184 mg sodium, 50 g carbohydrate, 35 g sugars, 1 g fiber, 6 g protein.

Source: Taste of Home, recipe by Barbara McCalley of Allison Park, Pennsylvania. You can find it here.

Notes: I love Tiramisu and I am always on the lookout for a caffeine free version. Kroger has a Private Selection Coffee Ice Cream that is fantastic (and uses coffee extract, so it is caffeine free). I would suggest putting the coffee layer of ice cream on the bottom though because it is very strong and that would help to even out the flavors a bit.

Above: Dishonorable Mention: Fruity Pebbles No-Bake Cheesecake Pie. We made this for the kids, but it was awful. Too, too sickeningly sweet. Not sweet in a good way, just sickeningly sweet. The kids liked the looks of it, but not the taste of it. However, if you still want to brave it, you can find the recipe here.

Pie Night 2016! Part 1

 

It happens every year because we love our pie! We made some good pie finds this year too! Enjoy!

Almond Butter-Chocolate Delight Pie

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 Pillsbury refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box

Chocolate Filling:

1/2 cup whipping cream
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (6 oz.)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Almond Butter Filling:

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup almond butter
1 cup powdered sugar
1 container (8 oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed

Topping:

1 cup toasted coconut
1/2 cup toasted sliced almonds

Directions:

Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Bake pie crust as directed on box for One-Crust Baked Shell, using 9-inch pie plate.

In medium bowl, microwave whipping cream uncovered on High 30 seconds. Stir in chocolate chips and vanilla until smooth. Spread chocolate filling over bottom of baked shell. Refrigerate 30 minutes.

In large bowl, beat cream cheese, butter, almond butter, and powdered sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Carefully spread over chocolate filling.

Spread whipped topping over almond butter filling. Mix toasted coconut and toasted almonds. Sprinkle over whipped topping. Refrigerate about 2 hours, or until set. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

Recipe Notes: Coconut can be toasted 5 to 7 minutes on ungreased small cookie sheet while oven preheats. Then almonds can be toasted 8 to 10 minutes on same cookie sheet after removing coconut.

Source: Pillsbury. You can find it here.

Notes: Oooh, this was a good pie. Plus, it was a pretty pie.

 

Root Beer Float Pie

Ingredients:

1 container (8 ounces) frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed, divided
3/4 cup cold diet root beer
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1 package (1 ounce) sugar-free instant vanilla pudding mix
1 graham cracker crust (9 inches)
Maraschino cherries, optional

Directions:

Set aside and refrigerate 1/2 cup whipped topping for garnish. In a large bowl, whisk the root beer, milk, and pudding mix for 2 minutes. Fold in half of the remaining whipped topping. Spread into graham cracker crust.

Spread remaining whipped topping over pie. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Dollop reserved whipped topping over each serving; top with a maraschino cherry, if desired.

Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition information: 1 piece equals 185 calories, 8 g fat, trace cholesterol, 275 mg sodium, 27 g carbohydrate, 14 g sugar, trace fiber, 1 g protein.

Source: Taste of Home, submitted by Cindy Reams, Philipsburg, Pennsylvania. You can find it here.

Notes: This was really yummy. Plus, you can't beat how light this is. Though you won't feel deprived because of how light this is. It is still satisfying.

 

Samoas Cookie Pie

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), melted

1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, for sprinkling
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut, loosely filled, not packed
Two-third of one 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk (about 10 ounces)
4 to 5 ounces salted caramel sauce (homemade or store bought)
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted for drizzling

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch pie dish with cooking spray; set aside.

In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt butter (about 1 minute).

Let cool slightly. Add the brown sugar, vanilla, and egg. Whisk until smooth.

Add the flour and salt and stir until just combined; be careful not to overmix.

Pour batter into prepared pie dish, smoothing the top with a spatula. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until edges firm up slightly and center has set slightly.

Remove pie dish from oven and evenly sprinkle 3/4 cup chocolate chips over the crust. Sprinkle the coconut evenly on top of the chocolate chips.

Evenly drizzle the sweetened condensed milk on top of the chocolate chips. Evenly drizzle the caramel sauce over the sweetened condensed milk.

Return pie to oven and bake for about 25 minutes, or until there's slight bubbling near the edge of the pie plate and the center has become more set. The cookie pie will continue to firm up more as it cools. In the last 10 minutes of baking, watch the pie carefully to avoid burning. If you are worried about the pie being underdone or the coconut burning, you can tent it lightly with aluminum foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Allow pie to cool in pie plate on a wire rack.

Melt the chocolate for drizzling by adding 3/4 cup chocolate chips to a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat in microwave for about 1 minute. Stir chocolate. If needed, return to microwave for another 30 seconds and stir until smooth. Repeat, if necessary.

Evenly drizzle the chocolate on top of the pie in long vertical lines, parallel to each other, spaced about 1/2-inch apart. The pie doesn't need to be completely cooled before drizzling the chocolate on top.

Allow pie to cool completely on wire rack for at least 4 hours before slicing and serving.

Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 6 months.

 

Source: Averie Cooks. You can find it here.

Notes: Who doesn't love Samoas? This was yummy stuff.

 

No-Bake Birthday Cake Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups heavy cream
12 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup birthday cake mix (like Funfetti cake mix)
1 graham cracker pie crust, store-bought or homemade
Rainbow sprinkles, for decorating

Directions:
In a large bowl, using an electric hand mixer, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form.

Add softened cream cheese and sugar and stir until completely combined and no clumps remain.

Fold in birthday cake mix.

Pour mixture into prepared pie crust, smoothing over top with a rubber spatula. Top with sprinkles, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, at least 6 hours.

Source: Delish.com, recipe by Lindsay Funston. You can find it here.

Notes: This was also a yummy pie. You could also use a plain white cake mix instead of a cake mix with colored sprinkles in it.

Shortcut

 

I've always liked meringue, but it look me a really long time to figure out how to succeed at meringue when it was used as a pie topper. If you still can't succeed at meringue on pies, this recipe is for you.

Easy Lemon "Meringue" Pie

Ingredients:

1 deep dish frozen pie crust (9 inch pie crust)
1 box (4.3 oz) Jell-O Cook and Serve Lemon Pudding and Pie Filling (as well as the sugar, water, and egg yolks called for on the package)
4 cups miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup milk
1 (8 oz) container Cool Whip Whipped Topping

Directions:

Bake pie crust according to package instructions. Let cool.

Prepare lemon pudding and pie filling according to package directions. Once pudding and pie filling is set, spread into the bottom of the pie crust. Place in the refrigerator while preparing the "meringue."

Microwave marshmallows and milk in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min. or until marshmallows are completely melted, stirring after 1 min.; stir until blended. Refrigerate 15 minutes or until completely cooled. Whisk in Cool Whip; spread over pie. Refrigerate 3 hours or until firm.

Source: This recipe is an adaptation of a recipe from the Kraft website. I made quite a few changes. You can find it here.

Notes: The original recipe called for a crumb crust made from Nilla wafers and a filling that used Jell-O (not the pudding, the gelatin). I was worried about the Jell-O filling and that it might be too much like Jell-O. Well, I was right. I made the recipe found on the Kraft website and was disappointed. It was jarring to have an almost Jell-O layer in a pie. Plus, the crumb crust was all wrong. The "meringue," however, was spot on. It is an amazing stand-in for meringue. It is a little sweeter than real meringue, but it is very similar...and much easier and faster to make than real meringue. I felt that this had potential, so I made it again the week after Thanksgiving and substituted a regular frozen pie crust for the crumb crust. The combination of the lemon and the meringue just needed a flaky pastry crust instead of a crumb crust. I also missed the more traditional lemon filling, so I substituted the package of lemon pudding and pie filling for the Jell-O concoction that was called for in the original recipe. I really loved how it turned out. It was refreshing, light, and delicious. Good stuff!

2015 Pie Sunday! Part 5

Time for the 2015 Pie Sunday Finale! Have you had your fill of pies yet? Well, either way, here are the last of our 2015 Pie Sunday discoveries.

 

PMc's Buttermilk Pie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup butter melted
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 eggs, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 (9-inch) frozen or homemade unbaked pie crust (not deep dish)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk together sugar, flour, butter, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla until well-combined. Pour into pie crust and bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. The center will jiggle slightly, but will set as it cools. Remove and allow to cool completely before serving.

Source: Call Me PMc. You can find it here.

Notes: This was one of my favorites. So simple, and yet so good.

 

 

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

3/4 cup chopped pecans, optional

Directions:

Preheat the 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 so they are evenly distributed, if using. Pour into the unbaked pie crust.

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

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

Notes: This was another favorite. This was so good. On Allrecipes, the author said, "I was in the middle of making a Chess pie and realized I was out of vanilla extract. I substituted some maple extract I had on hand, added some pecans, and the result was delicious. This pie is decadent and rich, so fortunately, a small slice will do. I think this would be a great pie for Thanksgiving. Top with sweetened whipped cream or whipped topping, if desired."

We omitted the nuts due to my son's tree nut allergy. It was fantastic.

 

Southern Brown Sugar Pie

Ingredients:

1 pound light brown sugar

1 stick butter, melted

3 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 9-inch pie crust

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare pie pan with pie dough.

Whisk together eggs and add in sugar, butter, and vanilla.

Whisk together until combined well and smooth.

Pour mixture into pie crust. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until golden brown.

Watch the pie crust during baking. You may need to cover crust with aluminum foil to prevent crust from browning too much.

Source: Pizzazzerie. You can find it here.

Notes: This was another one of my favorites. It's very rich though, so heads up! This is a little like a pecan pie without the pecans.

Chocolate Chess Pie

Ingredients:

1/2 (14.1 ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts (1 sheet)

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup whole buttermilk, at room temperature, shaken

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup sweetened whipped cream

Chocolate shavings, for garnish, if desired

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

On a lightly floured surface, roll pie crust into a 12-inch circle. Transfer to a 9-inch pie plate, pressing into bottom and up sides. Fold edges under, and crimp as desired. Refrigerate 15 minutes. Prick bottom and sides of dough with fork.

Bake 10 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for 30 minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine sugar and eggs. Beat at medium speed with a mixer until combined. Add buttermilk, melted butter, cocoa, and vanilla, beating until smooth. Pour into prepared pie crust.

Bake until a knife inserted near edge comes out clean, approximately 30 minutes (cover pie crust with foil to prevent excess browning, if necessary). Let cool completely on a wire rack. Serve topped with whipped cream. Garnish with chocolate shavings, if desired.

Source: Taste of the South Magazine. You can find it here.

Notes: I wish I had gotten a picture of what it looked like when it was sliced. This was very yummy.

Pineapple Coconut Chess Pie

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups white sugar

3 tablespoons cornmeal

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 (3.5 ounce) package flaked coconut

1 (15 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine sugar, cornmeal, flour, and salt. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Stir in butter, coconut and pineapple. Pour filling into pie shell.

Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until filling is set. Cover with aluminum foil after 40 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

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

Notes: Of the two pineapple pies (the other one is below), this was my favorite. The pineapple helped it set up and hold shape better. I loved the addition of the pineapple and this one wasn't overly sweet.

K and W Buttered Coconut Pie

Ingredients:

2 extra large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup softened butter

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup milk

1 (7 ounce) bag flaked coconut

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 unbaked 9-inch pie crust

Directions:

Mix the eggs and sugar together. Add the butter and mix until well-combined. Add the salt, cornstarch, and milk and mix until incorporated. Finally, fold in the coconut.

Pour into the unbaked pie crust and bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour, or until set.

Cool completely.

Source: Food.com, submitted by Austin12. You can find it here.

Notes: We needed to bake ours longer because it didn't completely set. This was delicious, but it was really, really sweet and rich. A little goes a long way!

 

 

Above: Goodbye Pie Sunday! We shall meet again in 2016!

2015 Pie Sunday! Part 4

The pies aren't done yet! Are you ready for some more pie recipes? Well, here they come!

 

S'mores Pie

Ingredients:

1 stick softened butter
1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 whole egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 container (7 oz) marshmallow creme
6 whole (1.55 oz each) Hershey's Chocolate Bars
1 cup mini marshmallows
1/4 cups chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and spray a 9-inch pie pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until combined, then add egg and vanilla and mix until incorporated.

Stir in flour, graham cracker crumbs, and baking powder.

Divde the dough in half.

Press half the dough in the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pie pan.

Evenly spread the marshmallow creme over the bottom crust. Separate chocolate squares and place on top of the marshmallow creme.

Place the mini marshmallows on top of the marshmallow creme.

Using the remaining crust, pat sections of dough on top of and around all the marshmallows. You will not be able to completely cover all of the marshmallows, but that is what you are going for.

Sprinkle with 1/4 cup chocolate chips, then bake 20 minutes until lightly browned.

Remove pan from oven and set it on a wire rack.

Cool completely before cutting, or it will be too sticky and messy to cut.

You can also warm each serving (or leftovers) up in the microwave to melt the marshmallows and chocolate.

Source: Wishes and Dishes. You can find it here.

Notes: This is more like a giant s'mores blondie in pie form than an actual pie, but it is still delicious and it was a fan favorite and one of the first pies to go!

 

 

 Snicker Caramel Apple Pie

Ingredients:

1 pie crust

3 green apples, diced

1/4 cup caramel ice cream topping

15-20 mini Snickers, chopped

2 1/2 cups Cool Whip

1/4 cup sweetened condensed milk

4 oz. softened, cream cheese (or you can substitute 4 oz. vanilla pudding)

Directions:

Combine Cool Whip, cream cheese, and sweetened condensed milk in a large bowl. Fold in apples and chopped Snickers.

Pour mixture into pie crust and refrigerate at least four hours. 

Prior to serving, top with fresh apples (chopped or sliced) and a few chopped Snickers for garnish, if desired. Finally, drizzle with caramel ice cream topping. Serve immediately.

Source: I Heart Nap Time. You can find it here.

Notes: This is an homage to that Snickers and Apple "Salad" that you find at pot lucks from time to time...where it is basically Snickers, Apples, and Cool Whip stirred all together...it gives salads a bad name, but it is pretty tasty, nonetheless.

 

 

Caramel Apple Crumble Pie

Ingredients:

1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (half of one stick)

1 large egg

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup light brown sugar, loosely measured

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon salt, optional and to taste

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup whole rolled old-fashioned oats (not quick cooking or instant)

One (21 ounce) can apple pie filling

One (9-inch) frozen pie crust

Homemade caramel sauce or store bought caramel ice cream topping

Ice cream, whipped topping, or whipped cream, optional

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter, about 1 minute on high power. Allow the butter to cool momentarily so you don't scramble the egg; then add the egg, sugars, vanilla, cinnamon, allspice, cloves, and salt. Whisk to combine until batter is smooth.

Add the flour and oats. Stir to incorporate. Fold in the apple pie filling. Pour filling mixture into frozen pie crust and lightly smooth filling with a spatula. Place pie crust on a cookie sheet or aluminum foil (in case the filling overflows while baking).

Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until top is golden and filling has just set and is not jiggly. When you remove the pie from the oven, the filling might have risen, but as it cools, it will flatten out.

Allow the pie to cool for at least 30 minutes prior to serving. You can top your pie with ice cream, caramel sauce, whipped topping, or whipped cream, if desired.

Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Source: Averie Cooks. You can find it here. 

Notes: People were divided on this one. Some people didn't care for it, while others liked it. I thought it was good. Not my most favorite apple pie I have ever had, but still tasty.