Choose Your Flavor

My mom has mentioned a number of times that her mom used to make candy cane cookies that had anise and almond flavoring. However, her mom never passed on a recipe to them. I decided to try my hand with the internet and see if I can find a recipe that was close to what her mom used to make. She said this one came pretty darn close and brought back a lot of memories.

Now, you can have a lot of fun with the flavorings on these cookies. I found a lot of different options online. Some recipes used 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract for the red dough and 1 teaspoon almond extract for the white dough. Some recipes used 1 teaspoon peppermint extract for the red dough and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract for the white dough. The version my mom always had used 1 teaspoon anise extract for the red dough and 1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract for the white dough.

I made these cookies two ways. I made one batch using the anise extract for the red dough and almond extract for the white dough. Then I made another batch where I used peppermint extract for the red dough and vanilla extract for the white dough. It was fantastic both ways. These are light, soft, and chewy butter cookies. I think you will love them. Besides being delicious, they were also adorable.

Christmas Candy Cane Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 large egg, room temperature
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon red food coloring (or more, to get your desired color)
1/2 cup peppermint candy, crushed, optional
1/2 cup sugar, optional

Flavorings:

1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla

Or:

1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Or:

1 teaspoon anise extract
1 1/2 teaspoons almond extract

Directions:

In a large bowl, cream the shortening, butter, and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in egg. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Divide dough in half; mix the food coloring into 1 portion. Then mix in the extracts: almond, peppermint, or anise into the red dough and vanilla or almond into the white dough.  

Cover each portion of dough separately and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle. I put each into a separate zip top bag.

Just before removing dough from the refrigerator, mix crushed peppermint candy and sugar together, if using.

Shape 1 teaspoon plain dough into a 4-inch rope. Shape 1 teaspoon red dough into a 4-inch rope. Place ropes side by side; pres together lightly and twist carefully. Be gentle to avoid breaking or cracking the dough. Place on an ungreased baking sheet; curve top of cookie down to form handle of cane. Repeat with remaining plain and red dough, placing cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets. I kept the dough I wasn't currently working with in the refrigerator to keep it chilled.

Bake at 375 for 8-9 minutes or until set. Sprinkle the candy mixture lightly on top of the warm cookies. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Nutrition information: 1 cookie: 86 calories, 4 g fat, 48 mg sodium, 11 g carbohydrate (6 g sugars, 0 g fiber), 1 g protein.

Source: I found variations of this cookie recipe all over the internet. I followed this one from Taste of Home. you can find it here. However, here are some more versions of the recipe. Another Taste of Home version, here. This Taste of Home version is cinnamon flavored with crushed red hots! You can find it here. Don't feel like making dough? This version, here, uses refrigerated sugar cookie dough. This was the only one I found that used anise flavoring. You can find it here. I am not sure why it was so poorly reviewed. Probably someone who doesn't like anise flavoring. But I love it! A cute three color candy cane with red, green, and white, here. Version one from Allrecipes.com, here. Version two from Allrecipes.com, here. Version three from Allrecipes.com, here.

 

 Above: I could have spaced them a little more and fit nine cookies to a pan, all facing the same direction, but this is how I did mine this time.

 

Notes: I LOVED the anise and almond flavor combination. The anise flavoring was not overpowering. This is not eating a black jellybean cookie, I promise. It is subtle and just such a lovely flavor combination. It was so good. I also loved the peppermint flavored cookies as well. Though the almond and vanilla flavor combination might be the most kid friendly. As you can see from all the versions I found, you can experiment with what works best for you! Also, definitely check out the tricolor candy canes (red, green, and white). Those were really fun and cute too!

Quick and Easy Chicken

We have chicken a lot, but that's because it is so versatile. You can serve it with all sorts of sides and it is often quick and easy to prepare. This is one of those main dish recipes. This particular recipe is also an easy one to alter to your own tastes.

Grilled Honey-Lime Chicken Recipe

Ingredients:

3/4 cup oil and vinegar salad dressing
1/2 cup honey
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Pour 1 cup marinade into a large resealable plastic bag; add the chicken. Seal bag and turn to coat. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Cover and refrigerate remaining marinade.

Drain and discard marinade. Lightly oil the grill rack. Grill chicken, covered, over medium heat or broil 4 inches from the heat for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until a thermometer reads 170 degrees F, basting occasionally with reserved marinade.

Yield: 8 servings.

Nutrition information:

1 chicken breast half: 286 calories, 9 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 94 mg cholesterol, 476 mg sodium, 15 g carbohydrate (15 g sugars, 0 fiber), 34 g protein.

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

Notes: I almost tried this with a lime vinaigrette that I had on hand, but decided to keep closer to the recipe and use a balsamic oil and vinegar salad dressing. However, you could really use any kind of salad dressing you wanted to mix up the flavor of this chicken. I'm actually going to make this again with the lime vinaigrette as well! My kids like dipping sauce for their chicken, so I doubled the marinade. I used half for marinating the chicken and rather than basting the chicken, I heated the other half of the marinade for a dipping sauce. I would have basted my chicken if I grilled it, but I opted to broil it and as a result, basting wasn't necessary. We served ours with some corn on the cob, grapes, and a side salad. Tasty stuff!

Easter Leftovers, Part 3

 

This is a really great recipe. Also, as I discovered, it can also be altered to make a very basic macaroni and cheese if you have picky eaters on your hands.

 

Ham & Cheese Ziti

Ingredients:

1 package (16 ounces) ziti
1/4 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups 2% milk
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded white cheddar cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cups cubed fully cooked ham
1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

Directions:

Prepare ziti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a Dutch oven, melt butter. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat; add the cheeses, garlic powder and pepper. Cook and stir until cheese is melted.

Drain ziti; add to sauce mizture. Stir in ham and spinach. Transfer to a greased 13x9-in. baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 375 degrees F for 20-25 minutes or until heated through.

Yield: 6 servings.

Source: Taste of Home, submitted by Donna Bailey, Oreland, Pennsylvania. You can find it here.

Notes: This is so flavorful. My kids were eating just the noodles though and it dawned on me that this could easily be made into a very classic and basic macaroni and cheese.

 

Macaroni and Cheese

Follow the recipe above, but omit the spinach and ham and substitute 1 lb. macaroni noodles for the ziti. You can bake it as directed in the recipe above or just serve it as soon as you toss the pasta with the cheese sauce. It's as easy as that!

Easter Leftovers Part 2

 

This was a really good and easy recipe. It was a nice and different way to use up some of my leftover Easter ham.

 

Slow Cooker Ham and Eggs

Ingredients:

6 large eggs
1 cup biscuit/baking mix
2/3 cup 2% milk
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 cup cubed fully cooked ham
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/3 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk the first eight ingredients until blended; stir in remaining ingredients. Pour into a greased 3- or 4-qt. slow cooker.

Cook, covered, on low 3-4 hours or until eggs are set. Cut into wedges.

Yield: 6 servings.

Source: Taste of Home, submitted by Andrea Schaak of Jordan, Minnesota. You can find it here.

Notes: I really liked this. It was really easy to throw together too. My son helped me mix it up and thought it was a lot of fun. Of course, he wouldn't eat it, but that's life, right?

Leftover Easter Ham Part 1

 

The best part about Easter dinner, for me, at least, is the leftover ham and all the things I can make with it. I love trying new ham recipes every year. This one is a recipe that I thought was good, but my husband found quite addicting. He couldn't get enough of this. My kids, of course, wouldn't even touch it. So, to each his own, I guess!

Pineapple-Dijon Ham Sandwiches

Ingredients:

2 pounds fully cooked ham, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 can (20 ounces) crushed pineapple, undrained
1 medium green pepper, finely chopped
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
10 hamburger buns, split
10 slices Swiss cheese
Additional Dijon mustard, optional

Directions:

In a greased 4-qt. slow cooker, combine the first seven ingredients. Cook, covered, on low 3-4 hours or until heated through.

Preheat broiler. Place bun bottoms and tops on baking sheets, cut side up. Using a slotted spoon, place ham mixture on bottoms; top with cheese. Broil 3-4 in. from heat 1-2 minutes or until cheese is melted and tops are toasted. Replace tops. If desired, serve with additional mustard.

Yield: 10 servings.





Source: Taste of Home submitted by Camille Beckstrand of Layton, Utah. You can find it here.

Notes: My husband wanted something different than just hamburger buns, so he got some ciabatta rolls. The meat filling is quite juicy and needs to be served with a slotted spoon, so having a heavier bun was perfect, and perhaps even necessary. A regular hamburger bun--even toasted--would get too soggy with this sandwich filling.

Time for Breakfast!

 

Awhile back, I had signed up to bring a breakfast casserole to a church function. It was a crazy week and I didn't have time to go shopping, so I searched through my fridge and cupboards to see what I had on hand and what I could make with it. I found these two recipes and since I had enough in my pantry, I made both of them. They are both similar, yet different. The first baked oatmeal recipe is almost like a streusel or a granola. The second one is creamy, soft oatmeal comfort food. They are both fantastic and I highly suggest that you serve them topped with milk, brown sugar, and even some fresh fruit or berries if you have any on hand.

Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients:

3 cups quick-cooking oats
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 eggs
1 cup milk
1/2 cup butter, melted
Additional milk, for serving

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. In another bowl, whisk eggs, milk, and butter. Stir into oat mixture until blended.

Spoon into a greased 9-in. square baking pan. Bake 40-45 minutes or until set. Serve warm with milk.

Yield: 9 servings.

Nutrition information: 1 serving equals 318 calories, 14 g fat, 78 mg cholesterol, 492 mg sodium, 43 g carbohydrate, 78 g protein.

Source: Taste of Home, submitted by Arlene Riehl of Dundee, New York. You can find it here.

Notes: This was so delicious. I got a picture of this one because there was some left over after the church function. The only reason it was left over though was because I got there late. If I had gotten there on time, the whole thing would have been gobbled up. This is so yummy.

 

Above: Still absolutely delicious, even without the berries!



Above: Baked Oatmeal from Quaker straight out of the oven.



Above: You can serve a slice as is...



Above: You can serve it with a little milk or even cream (please, don't skip this! It's soooo good!)

 

Above: Or, better yet, top it with milk and fresh fruit!

Baked Oatmeal from Quaker

Ingredients:

2 cups Quick Quaker Oats, uncooked
1/3 cup white sugar (I used 1/2 cup)
3 1/3 cups fat-free milk
1/2 cup egg substitute with yolk (I used 2 eggs)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Directions:

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 8-inch square oven-safe baking dish with cooking spray.

In large bowl, combine oats and granulated sugar.

In medium bowl, combine milk, egg substitute and vanilla; mix well. Add to oat mixture; mix well. Pour into prepared baking dish.

Bake 40-45 minutes or until center jiggles slightly. Remove from oven to cooling rack.

Sprinkle brown sugar evenly over top of oatmeal. Using back of spoon, gently spread sugar into a thin layer across entire surface of oatmeal.

Return to oven; bake just until sugar melts, about 2 to 3 minutes.

Set oven to broil. Broil 3 inches from heat until sugar bubbles and browns slightly, 1 to 2 minutes. (Watch carefully to prevent burning. It may be necessary to turn baking dish.) Spoon into bowls to serve.

Recipe Notes:

You can use 2 1/4 cups Old Fashioned Quaker Oats instead of 2 cups Quick Quaker Oats.

You can use 2 lightly beaten eggs instead of 1/2 cup liquid egg substitute.

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

Notes: As mentioned above, I increased the sugar to 1/2 cup. As recommended in the recipe notes, I also used 2 1/4 cups Old Fashioned Quaker Oats and 2 lightly beaten eggs as substitutes for what was called for in the original recipe. Finally, I didn't melt the brown sugar by broiling it. I just sprinkled the brown sugar on top and called it good. It tasted delicious that way. I also poured a little milk on top as well. This was a delicious recipe and I had someone ask me for the recipe after the church function...because it's that good!

 

Here's Something To Put in Your Bread Bowl

 

We had a family gathering last year where we had some fantastic potato bacon soup in a bread bowl and ever since then, I have been hunting for good potato soup recipes. I altered this recipe slightly (by adding more potatoes), but this is a great recipe and I think you will like it. My family did.

Potato Bacon Chowder Recipe

Ingredients:

1 pound potatoes, peeled and cubed (about 2 medium) (I used 6 small)
1 cup water (I increased the water to 3 cups since I increased the potatoes)
8 bacon strips
1 medium onion, chopped
1 celery rib, chopped
1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 3/4 cups whole milk
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
Dash pepper
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Directions:

Place potatoes in a small saucepan and cover with the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook bacon until crisp; remove to paper towels to drain and set aside.

In the same skillet, saute onion and celery in drippings until tender; drain. Add to undrained potatoes. Stir in the soup, milk, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes or until heated through (do not boil).

Crumble bacon; set aside 1/4 cup. Add remaining bacon to soup along with parsley. Sprinkle with reserved bacon.

Yield: 6 servings.

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

Notes: I also used a whole package of bacon because I knew that my kids would eat the bacon more than anything else. I put half of the bacon in the soup and saved the other half for sprinkling on top. We also sprinkled some Cheddar cheese on top. This was really good.

When I made this, I was a little worried about my kids' reaction to this. They don't always take too kindly to soup for dinner. However, when I made this, my oldest son exclaimed, "What!? This is for dinner? I LOVE this dinner! You haven't made this in, like, three years!" (Not true, by the way, I make this at least once a year). So, it was a hit with my oldest son. My younger son ate the bacon and cheese, but left the soup and the bread bowl. You can't please 'em all!

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.