SnowPie2K16 - 10

There's nothing like the classic pumpkin pie to make you feel at peace. It's really hard to mess up a good pumpkin pie recipe, and I've stolen my mother-in-laws, so it's just about perfect. Put a dollop of freshly whipped cream on top and you'll be in heaven!

CREAMY PUMPKIN PIE

2 - 9 inch pastry shells
1 large can pumpkin
2 - 14 oz cans sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)
4 eggs
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425°. In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, sweetened condensed milk, eggs, and spices. mix well and turn into pie shells. Bake 15 minutes, reduce oven to 350° and continue to bake 35-40 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean. Cool before cutting. Garnish with whipped cream.

SnowPie2K16 - 9

I'll be honest, we're 9 weeks into this challenge and I'm still all in, but my husband is getting a little tired of pie...and it was his week to pick. He wanted molten lava cake, one of my specialties, and I needed pie. So we compromised.

MOLTEN LAVA PIE

Not my favorite, but everyone else ate it up. I'd rather have my flowing chocolate in a ramekin, with no crust.

But, it was chocolate-y and molten-y, so at least the recipe was a success!

I based this off of THIS RECIPE from Chef Carla Hall. 

MOLTEN LAVA PIE

1 pie crust - baked

1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 cup butter

5 eggs

1 cup sugar

1 tbsp vanilla

1/3 cup flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup nuts (optional)

1 - Preheat oven to 350°, bake pie shell and allow to cool.

2 - In a glass bowl, melt chocolate chips and butter in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted and smooth. Don't over heat. Let mixture cool slightly.

3 - In a separate bowl, use a mixer to whisk eggs and sugar until thickened, mix in flour and salt, then blend into the chocolate mixture until just mixed.

4 - Pour into baked pie shell and bake for 20-25 minutes. Will be slightly dry on top and look a little jiggly in the center.

5 - Remove from oven and cool for 10 minutes (we didn't have time to wait, so mine was a little runnier than if we'd waited).

6 - Garnish with chopped nuts. (optional)

SnowPie2k16 - 8

Sometimes I ad-lib recipes. Like 93.7% of the time I don't follow a recipe completely. 89.2% of the time this works out for me. And yes, totally pulling numbers out of the sky, (those numbers are likely inflated slightly).

However, I'd never made a meringue pie, or a lemon pie. I didn't deviate on the recipe at all. I did, however, have to rush as soon as it came out of the oven to take my daughter 2 hours away to a Dr appt and may not have cooled the pie as requested...it sweated. Other than that this pie was easier than I imagined, and as delicious as the one I bought from their restaurant. (Better, actually, because I didn't make the meringue sky high...another story for another day)

Lemon Meringue Pie - Blue Bonnet Cafe
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
3 tbsp flour
Dash of salt
1 1/2 cup water
3 eggs
2 tbsp butter
1/2 tsp finely shredded lemon peel
1/3 cup lemon juice
Pie crust
Meringue for pie - recipe follows

Prepare and roll out pastry. Line a 9-in pie plate. Trim pastry to 1/2-in beyond edge of pie plate. Flute edge; prick pastry. Bake in 450 oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool.

For Filling: in a medium saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt. Gradually stir in water. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Separate egg yolks from whites; set whites aside for meringue. Best eggs yolks slightly. Stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the beaten yolks. Return mixture to saucepan. Bring mixture to gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and lemon peel. Gradually stir in lemon juice, mixing well. Turn filling into baked pastry shell. Make meringue for pie using the reserved egg whites. Spread meringue over hot filling; seal to edge. Bake in 350 oven for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Cook completely before serving. For Lemon Cream Pie to with whipped cream instead of meringue.

For 3-egg meringue:
3 egg whites, room temperature
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
6 tbsp sugar

In a medium mixer bowl beat the egg whites, vanilla and cream of tartar at medium speed of mixer for about 1 minute or until soft peaks form. Gradually add the sugar, about 1 tbsp at a time, beating at high speed about 4 minutes more or until mixture forms stiff, glossy peaks and sugar is dissolved. Immediately spread meringue over pie, carefully sealing edge of pastry to prevent shrinkage (any Seinfeld fans out there, hello?) Bake as directed above.

SnowPie2K16 - 7

I think I've figured out my dilemma with soupy berry pies... Practice makes perfect better.

1 - fresh berries are better than frozen to guarantee consistency

2 - directions are to be followed with exactness or pies turn soupy

Maybe rule #2 only applies to people like me who don't pay attention.

Either way, this week Landry picked blueberry pie. I used fresh berries. I followed instructions. Pie was perfect.

Elaine's Blueberry Pie - Bluebonnet Cafe Cookbook

2 pie crusts
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
4 cups fresh blueberries
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tbsp butter, cut into small chunks

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a bowl mix the sugar, flour, and cinnamon together. Add the blueberries to the dry mixture, stirring gently. Spray pie pan with non-stick spray. Place the dough on the bottom of the pan. Pour the berry mixture into the pan. Sprinkle the berry mixture with lemon juice and butter chunks. Cover the mixture with the 2nd pie crust and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Make a slit in the middle for steam to escape. Bake for 35-45 minutes.

SnowPie2K16 - 6

I promise this pie was made last week. It was a little crazy up in here and I'm just getting around to posting the recipe. It was delicious, but I'm struggling with the soupiness of some of my pies. It's user error, not the recipe, so go ahead and try this one. Kids thought it was a keeper.

Quadruple Berry Pie
2 pie crusts
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 tbsp cornstarch
2 tbsp quick cooking tapioca
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) blackberries
2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) raspberries
2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) blueberries
2 cups fresh or frozen (thawed and drained) cranberries
1 tbsp milk
2 tsp sugar

Heat oven to 450. Last one prepared pee crust in 9-in pie pan.

Stir together sugar, cornstarch, tapioca,  and salt; gently stir in berries. Let stand 15 minutes (I forgot this step, probably makes a big difference).

Spoon into crust lined pan. Top pie with lattice top. Brush with milk, sprinkle with 2 tsp sugar.

Bake in oven with cookie sheet on the rack below in case it bubbles over.  Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 375 and cover crust with foil. Bake 40-45 minutes longer. Let stand for 2 hours before serving.

SnowPie2K16 - 5

This week we finally got around to Cael's choice... Key Lime pie. He's a boy after my own heart. He wears sweaters and pants most of the year and chooses fruity pies over chocolate.

I used the Blue Bonnet Cafe cook book again this week, but exchanged their nutty, shortbread crust with a prepared Graham cracker crust. I also made a coconut whipped cream to top instead of regular whipped cream and berries.

It was delicious, but I can't wrap my head around uncooked eggs. I have a baked key lime pie recipe that I've made before that is just as good without the rush of salmonella. (Totally kidding).

KEY LIME PIE - adapted from Blue Bonnet Cafe

Crust: Graham cracker crust

Pie:
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
4 egg yolks
8 oz cream cheese, softened
2 tbsp. grated lime zest
1/2 cup lime juice

Topping:
2 cups heavy whipping cream
1-2 tbsp sugar
1 tsp coconut extract

For the pie: Combine the condensed milk and egg yolks in a mixing bowl. Mix until blended. Add the cream cheese and lime zest. Process until smooth. Add the lime juice slowly, mixing until well blended. Spoon into prepared crust. Chill, covered, for 8-10 hours, or overnight. Whip cream cream, sugar and extract until stiff. Spread over chilled pie just before serving.

SnowPie2K16 - 4

Bonus edition...

Nope, it's not Monday. Surprise! Guess who had a little extra time and an extra assignment for pie for the husband's business partner?

We posed him the question, which pie would you like for Christmas? Cherry, peach, apple, chocolate, lemon, key lime.... No. Pecan? No, and we live in the South, for crying out loud.

His answer... Buttermilk pie. I'd never even heard of it, which means I'm not even a Southern girl yet. I've only made a couple of pecan pies. Now I've made a Buttermilk pie. I'm earning my stripes.

I found this recipe on BunsInMyOven.com. I looked at half a dozen recipes before settling on this one. It had a real crust, not a baked in one. I like crust. Pies deserve good crust.



Buns In My Oven Buttermilk Pie

2 9-inch pie crusts, unbaked
3 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
6 eggs, beaten
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted
1 cup buttermilk

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Arrange pie crusts in 2 9-inch plates.
2. Mix together the sugar, flour, and salt. Beat in the eggs, butter, buttermilk, and vanilla until well combined. Pour into the pie crusts. Bake for 1 hour or until no longer jiggly - check them after about 45 minutes. If the tops are getting too brown (mine were), cover them loosely with foil. Let cool one hour before serving. Good served cold.

**As done as mine look, the probably should have cooked another 5 minutes. It was still a little too jiggly/runny in the middle.

SnowPie2K16 - 3

For our pie this week we were back from the hospital, had a little extra time on our hands, and my daughter Savannah begged to make the Banana Cream Pie that we failed to make for Thanksgiving this year.

I'm not a pie snob, but I'm learning, and based on the abysmal performance of instant pudding the week before and the fact that homemade pudding just tastes SOOO much better we went with a "Made from scratch" banana cream pie rather than relying on Jello brand to save the day.

About a year ago we ate at a great restaurant in Marble Falls, Texas. It's right by Lake LBJ and one of our favorite vacation spots. This restaurant is known for it's pies (which are delicious) especially if you're fond of meringue (which we aren't). Their meringues are sky high and beautiful, but I like a little more substance in my pie. When we were leaving the restaurant I snagged a copy of their cookbook for my collection. It's been well worth it. You'll find a lot of the pies we're going to test are going to be from here. It's not a fluke or a coincidence, the restaurant is that good!

This banana cream pie recipe is delicious. It's vanilla pudding with bananas, so it's a better blend than banana cream pudding with bananas.

BLUE BONNET'S BANANA CREAM PIE

1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
3 cup milk
4 eggs, separated
3 Tbsp. butter
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
2 bananas, sliced

Separate the egg yolks from the whites; reserve whites for another use. (think delicious egg white omelet with cheese, green onions, and bacon...MMM) Combine sugar, cornstarch, salt and milk. Cook mixture over medium to low heat, stirring constantly. After mixture bubbles up and thickens, cook an additional 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Beat egg yolks slightly. Gradually stir 1 cup of the hot mixture into yolks. Return egg mixture to saucepan; bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla; stir until butter is melted. Pour mixture into a 9-inch cooked pie crust lined with banana slices. Top with whipped cream.

Whipped Cream:

1 cup whipping cream
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat cream at high speed with an electric mixer. As it starts to thicken, add powdered sugar gradually. Add vanilla. Beat until soft peaks form, being careful not to overbeat.

SnowPie2K16 - 2

Did I assume I'd be able to post pictures of my pies every week, on time, accompanied by great posts? No. Did you? I'm so sorry!

I haven't stopped making pies, in fact I'm ahead, an over achiever, because I made a Christmas pie for a friend today! (it's only Wednesday!)

Last week my daughter, Landry, chose a chocolate mint pie. It was the day before her back surgery, we were desperately trying to get packed and prepared to head out of town for the surgery, and I made the pie... no pictures were taken, it wasn't really something we'd revisit... at least not without some variations to the recipe. It was a triple layer pie and it didn't set up right. I'd make it with homemade pudding instead of instant and I'd definitely take more time for it to set up.

Here's the recipe if you want to try. It tasted great, it was just kind of soupy...

TRIPLE LAYERED CHOCOLATE MUD PIE

1/3 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 OREO pie crust
1/2 cup Andes mint chips
2 cups cold milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size) chocolate instant pudding
1 tub (8 oz.) whipped topping (I used homemade) - divided

Mix chocolate chips and condensed milk until well blended. Pour into crust, sprinkle with mint chips.

Pour milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes. Beat with wire whisk 2 min. or until well blended. (Mixture needs to be thick). Spoon 1 1/2 cups of the pudding over mint chips in crust. Add half of the whipped topping to remaining pudding; stir with wire whisk until well blended. Spread over pudding layer in crust; top with remaining whipped topping.

Store in refrigerator.

Snowpie2k16

Hello? Anyone there?

The list of things keeping me from this blog is hilariously long, and getting longer. I've been cooking up a storm (hello 3 square meals a day...family of 6...you understand) but blogging hasn't been my priority for a LONG (really long) time. 

However, maybe a theme is what I needed to come back. A Pie theme. So, perhaps, if I can find the time, you'll be a welcome (and hopefully satisfied) guest on my journey for the next year. 

#SnowPie2k16

What?!?!

So I make pies. Every Thanksgiving that's my thing. But we don't ever have enough people to justify as many pies as I want to make/bake/take. So we usually have a pie per person, because who wants to go without their favorite pie, and we don't overlap on favorites.

Lincoln loves cherry, Mom-in-law has to have/make her pumpkin, Shane is the master of chocolate, dad-in-law loves his apple (I actually make him an apple/cranberry with a custard that's to die for), Savannah loves banana cream, the twins eat whatever they can get their hands on, and I like being adventurous (NOT mincemeat adventurous, I meant delicious adventurous). 

So....for the next year every Monday Family Night I'm making pie. We're going to try 50 (ish) different pies and really know the winners for next Thanksgiving.

Sounds like a good plan, eh?

This week's recipe hails from HERE. It was Lincoln's pick, but we wanted Cherry without being just cherry...

CHEESECAKE CHERRY PIE

TOTAL TIME: 1:25

PREP: 0:15

SERVES: 12

INGREDIENTS

• 1 box refrigerated ready-to-bake pie crusts
• ½ c. sugar
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 2 bricks (8 oz each) 1/3-less-fat cream cheese (Neufchâtel)
• 1 large egg
• ½ tsp. Almond Extract
• 1 can cherry pie filling
• White from 1 large egg, in a small bowl
• ⅓ c. Sliced almonds

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Have ready a 9-in. pie plate
2. Fit 1 crust into pie plate. Unroll or unfold remaining crust on a cutting board; cut in 1/2-in.-wide strips. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate
3. Mix sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add cream cheese; beat with mixer on medium speed until smooth. On low speed, beat in egg and extract until just blended
4. Spread batter evenly in crust; spoon pie filling evenly over top. Beat egg white with a fork until foamy. Brush on pastry strips. Arrange about 8 strips evenly spaced across pie filing. Place 8 more strips diagonally over first strips to form a lattice (discard remaining strips). Trim and press ends to bottom crust. Brush rim with egg white; press on almonds
5. Bake 50 to 60 minutes until crust is golden brown and cherries bubble. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.

Pictures will get better throughout the year. We just really wanted to jump into this one. It was great! Maybe a little less cheesecake and a little more fruit next time. It did bubble over a little, but set up well. 

One down...many to go!