Thanksgiving Pies

Raspberry Key Lime

We took a well deserved break from pie making and posting. With the holidays, however, we made a few pies for parties. My office employees association has an annual Thanksgiving lunch and I made two pies, both variations on Key Lime. I repeated pie No, 43 Black-bottomed Key Lime (see post on 4/17/12). I also made a Raspberry Key Lime as a variation from the American Pie Council's book "America's Best Pies."

Crust: Store-bought Graham Cracker Crust

Filling:
One 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks (whites not used)
1/2 cup (and a little more) Key Lime Juice

Topping:
6 oz. seedless raspberry preserves
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine condensed milk, egg yolks, key lime juice and blend until smooth. Pour filling into pie shell and bake in pre-heated oven at 350 F for 15 minutes. Cool on wire rack for 10 minutes. Heat raspberry preserves in a pan, add butter and lemon juice and vanilla. Spread over pie then refrigerate. Before serving, top with whipped cream and lime slices.

We hosted Thanksgiving dinner and thought we would have a lot of people so we reserved our church. As it turned out we only had 17 (we were thinking of 50). We made Sour Cream Lemon (see post on 11/23/11)  and Coconut Cream pies (see post on 6/4/12). We forgot that the Coconut Cream recipe is for two pies so Kerry posted on facebook that we had some extra filling. We immediately had Savannah and Sage at our door who took the filling of our hands. We also tried Apple Pie Cookies which tasted okay but were a disaster to make - not recommended.

Coconut Cream Pie (5 stars)

50
Coconut Cream Pie
6/3/12


We were home teaching Sarah and she mentioned that her favorite pie is Coconut Cream. I thought we had made a coconut pie already but after reviewing the posts, I guess not. It is a Lion House recipe and I really like their pudding - it beats the jello pudding, cooked or instant that we used to make. We doubled the amount of coconut from the recipe because it sounded kind of skimpy. The recipe is for two pies so we can give one to Sarah. It was her idea after all. We exceeded the maximum capacity of the double boiler trying to make two pies, so for the last stage we sent to a medium pan directly on the stove at a lower temperature and it seemed to work. Here's our modified recipe.

Paula Dean Double Boiler

Crust: 2 Buttermilk bottom crusts

Filling:
4 cups whole milk, divided
2 cups half-and-half
2 Tablespoons butter
1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
3 egg yolks, discard the whites
1/4 teaspoon salt

Adding garnish

1/2 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups coconut
Whipped cream and toasted coconut for garnish

Place 3 cups whole milk, half-and-half, butter and 3/4 cup sugar in double boiler and stir. Heat over medium high heat until butter is melted.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks with 1/2 cup sugar and salt. Slowly add egg mixture to hot milk mixture, stirring constantly. Cook for 15 - 20  minutes stirring frequently.



In a separate bowl, mix 1 cup whole milk, and cornstarch then add slowly to hot mixture, stirring constantly. Continue stirring for about 2 minutes and then stir frequently for 15 - 20 minutes. When pudding is thick, stir in vanilla and coconut. Allow to chill in refrigerator for 3 to 4 hours. Top with whipped cream and toasted coconut.

Coconut Cream Pie

Joslyn, Dante, and Jordan

Chocolate Cream Pie (4 stars)

49

Chocolate Cream Pie

5/27/12

The issue of Cook's Country came just in time with a recipe for a reduced calorie Chocolate Cream Pie. I learned that neutchatel cheese is actually reduced fat cream cheese. It didn't taste reduced, it has a very chocolaty flavor. 

Filling

Adding Cream

Cream

Crust:

6 whole chocolate graham crackers

3 Tablespoons sugar

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 ounce neutchatel cheese, softened

Filling

1/2 cup sugar

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

2 Tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa

1/8 teaspoon salt

Finished

2-1/2 cups whole milk

1 large egg

4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped fine

2 teaspoon vanilla

Topping

1/2 cup heavy cream

1 Tablespoon powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Process graham crackers and sugar in food processor to fine crumbs. Add butter and neufchatel and pulse until combined. Spray pie plate with vegetable oil spray, press crumbs into pie plate. Bake for 15 minutes in a preheated oven at 350 F. Cool completely.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, cocoa, and salt in bowl. Beat milk and egg together in a medium saucepan, Whisk sugar mixture into pan. Add bittersweet chocolate and bring mixture to a boil, whisking constantly. Reduce heat to low and cook for 3 minutes, whisking constantly. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Pour into pie shell, cover with wax paper an refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Whip cream, sugar, ad vanilla until soft peaks form, cover pie with layer of cream.

Peanut Butter Pie (4 stars)

48
Peanut Butter Pie
5/20/12

It turned out to be quite a weekend. Abby graduated from Seminary and we had a solar eclipse. Of course we didn't get to see the eclipse because we were at Seminary Graduation but we are proud of Abby. Kerry didn't think you could have peanut butter without chocolate. It must be a Reeses thing: "You got your chocolate in my peanut butter", "No you got your peanut butter on my chocolate". So this is a variation on a recipe by adding a black bottom of chocolate fudge. Natalie didn't think we had enough chocolate, maybe we should add another layer.

Close-up

Abby's Seminary Graduation Certificate

Crust: Single pre-baked buttermilk crust

Filling:

3/4 cup peanut butter

1-1/2 cups powered sugar

2 cups whole milk, divided

1 cup half-and-half

1 Tablespoon butter

3/4 cup sugar, divided

2 egg yolks

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

6 oz Smucker's fudge ice cream topping.

Layer bottom of pie crust with about 6oz fudge topping. Mix together peanut butter and powdered sugar with a pastry cutter until it resembles course corn meal. place on top of fudge layer, saving some aside to place on top of pie.

Place 1-1/2 cups milk in top of double boiler, add half and half, butter and 3/8 cup sugar. Cook until butter is melted and milk is scalded.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks until broken up, add remaining sugar and whisk very well. Add to hot mixture slowly, stirring constantly. Allow to cook for 15 to 20 minutes stirring occasionally.

Mix 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch together and slowly add to the hot mixture. Sir constantly to avoid lumps forming. Stir for two minutes then every 5 minutes until mixture has cooked for 15 - 20 minutes.Add vanilla, stir well.

Pour filling over peanut butter mixture in pie shell. Sprinkle reserved peanut butter filling on top. Chill.

Finished Product

Peanut Butter Pie

Lemon Meringue Pie (4 stars)

47
Lemon Meringue Pie
5/13/12

A friend told me he took his wife to an urban planning meeting for Mother's Day. I wasn't sure that would work with Kerry so decided to go with flowers and a pie. I asked her which pie we should make on Mother's Day and she chose Lemon Meringue from the Lion House pie book. The meringue didn't turn out and I'm not quite sure why. I have never been a fan of meringue. The lemon was excellent, very smooth and a great flavor.

Double Boiler

Baked shell

Crust: Single buttermilk crust pre-cooked

Pie with wax paper

Filling:
1-1/2 cups sugar
7 Tablespoons cornstarch
5 egg yolks
2 cups water
1/2 cup lemon juice
2 Tablespoons butter

Meringue:
5 egg whites
3 Tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon Cream of Tartar

Cutting the pie

Mix together sugar and cornstarch and pour into top of a double boiler. In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks until well mixed. pour 1/2 cup of water into egg yolks and whisk well. Pour in remaining water an mix, add to egg yolks and stir well. Add lemon juice, stir well. Place double boiler on top of water pan and cook stirring frequently, cook for 30 to 40 minutes until thick and clear. Remove from heat, cut butter into pieces and add to hot mixture. Stir until butter is melted and well blended. Pour into baked pie shell. Cover with wax paper and place into refrigerator until cool.

Beat egg whites until foamy, stir in 3 Tablespoons sugar and 1 teaspoon and continue beating until stiff. Spoon on top of lemon pie. Bake at 425 F for 3 to 5 minutes, or until meringue is lightly browned.

Mother's Day pie

Lion House

Almond Chocolate Pie (4 stars)

45
Almond Chocolate Pie
4/29/12

Everyone loves chocolate pie so I should have doubled the batch. This is from Lion House and is very sweet, very rich, and very easy to make. I used a store-bought graham cracker crust which was too small for the filling but there wasn't enough for a second. We used a large symphony bar and a dove bar to add up to 7 oz. I should have made my own crust in a deep dish and it would have fit and had more than just micro-slices for everyone.

Melting chocolate bars

Heavy cream

Crust: Graham Cracker Crust

Toasted Almond Slivers

Filling:
1/2 cup almond slivers, toasted
1 (7oz) chocolate bar
1/2 cup half-and-half
18 large marshmallows
1 cup heavy whipping cream

Toast almonds on a cookie sheet at 350 F for 7 minutes, don't over-cook. Place chocolate bar, marshmallows, and half-and-half in a double boiler and heat until everything is melted. In a large bowl, whip the cream until stiff; fold cream and almonds into chocolate mixture. Pour into crust and refrigerate to cool. Once cool, place in freezer. Remover from freezer 1 hour before serving.

In the crust

Slicing the Pie

Black Bottom Key Lime (5 stars)

43

Black Bottom Key Lime Pie

4/14/12

Key Lime is one of my favorite pies, but not the fake one with green food coloring. This is a recipe from Crisco and is a little twist on the simple Key Lime. It uses a fudge bottom layer, macadamias, and then a key lime - sour cream layer. I've discovered that the key to pies with sour cream is to add the sour cream after the filling has cooled to room temperature.



Fudge Layer



Crust: Single Buttermilk Crust

Filling:

1/2 cup chocolate fudge ice cream topping

2/3 cup chopped macadamia nuts

1 tsp unflavored gelatin

1/4 cup boiling water

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch



1 cup milk

Crushed Macadamia

3 egg yolks lightly beaten

1/3 cup key lime juice

1/4 cup shortening

1 cup sour cream





Topping

1 cup whipping cream

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

Chocolate shavings

Bake bottom pie shell at 425 F for 15 minutes or until lightly browned, cool completely.

Spread fudge topping over bottom of cooled pie crust. Sprinkle with nuts. In a separate bowl, stir gelatin with boiling water until completely dissolved.

Combine sugar and cornstarch in medium saucepan. Stir in milk until smooth. Sir in egg yolks and key lime juice. Add shortening. Cook on medium heat stirring constantly until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat, stir in gelatin mixture slowly. Pour into a large bowl and chill for 40 to 50 minutes. Fold in sour cream and pour into pie crust over the fudge and macadamia nuts. Chill two hours.

Combine cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar. Beat until stiff, spoon on top of pie, garnish with chocolate shavings.



Natalie and Pie



Slice of Heaven



Lemon Swirl Cream Cheese Pie (3 stars)

42
Lemon Swirl Cream Cheese Pie
4/7/12


We got together for our traditional Easter egg coloring. Savannah and Sage were in town and kept us all laughing. We also have a traditional Easter dinner on Sunday with spiral ham, funeral potatoes, and dinner rolls. I couldn't think of a traditional Easter pie so I went to the Crisco website which has a lot of great ideas. Lemon must be one of our favorite flavors because we seem to make a lot of them.

Baked Crust

Crust:
1-1/2 cups vanilla wafer crumbs
3/4 cup ground almonds, toasted
2 teaspoons grated lemon peel
7 teaspoons butter, melted

Lemon Curd:
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar

Adding Cream Cheese Mixture

3 large eggs
1/4 cup butter, cubed

Cheesecake:
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese softened
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract

Adding Swirl

Topping:
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 Tablespoons powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
12 to 15 fresh raspberries
1 lemon thinly sliced and quartered




Whisk together sugar, lemon juice and lemon peel in small saucepan. Whisk in eggs. Add butter. Cook over medium-low heat 7 minutes of until thickened, stirring constantly. Transfer lemon curd into bowl. Press plastic wrap directly onto surface to prevent skin from forming. Cool 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 350 F. Coat a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate with no-stick cooking spray. Stir together crumbs, almonds and lemon peel. Stir in butter. Press mixture onto bottom and sides of pie plate. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool completely on wire rack.

Beat cream cheese and sugar in medium bowl with electric mixer on medium speed for 2 minutes or until smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, beating on low speed until just blended. Measure 1/2 cup prepared lemon curd and set aside. Add remaining lemon curd to cream cheese mixture with sour cream, vanilla and lemon extract. Mix until blended. Pour into prepared crust. Spoon reserved lemon curd by tablespoonfuls over cheesecake filling. Swirl into filling with a sharp knife. Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool completely on wire rack. Cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Beat cream, powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla in small bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until stiff peaks from. Pipe whipped cream onto pie, along inside edge of crust, creating a decorative boarder. Garnish with raspberries and lemon slices. Chill until ready to serve.

Jeff and Karly

Abby, Sage, and Savannah

Black Bottom Pie (4 stars)

41
Black Bottom Pie
3/31/12

Each General Conference we gather at my Dad's house after the priesthood session on Saturday night. It's usually modified pot luck so you never know whats for dinner. I really like it because its a chance to catch up with extended family. I made a Black Bottom Pie (Lion House), it takes several steps but is worth it. The gingerbread crust gives it a unique flavor and a little zing. Of course I love ginger snaps with a glass of milk and barely had enough to make the crust.

Crust:

Chocolate Layer

36 gingersnaps
1/2 cup butter

Filling:
3 cups whole milk
4 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup cornstarch
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup water
4 eggs, separated

Finished Pie

2 teaspoons vanilla
2 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
2 Tablespoons unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup water
1 cup sigar
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons imitation rum flavoring

Garnish:
Whipped cream
Chocolate flakes

Crush gingersnaps (I blended them) mix with melted butter, mold into 10 inch pie plate.

Scald milk; add butter. In a separate bowl mix 1-1/2 cups sugar, and cornstarch; moisten with water to make a past, stir into milk and cook until boiling, stir constantly. Add beaten egg yolks and cook for 2 minutes and add vanilla. Remove 2 cups of custard, add chocolate, beat well, pour into crumb crust and chill. Blend gelatin with cold water, allow to set for a few minutes, fold into remaining hot custard and allow to cool. Beat egg whites, 1 cup sugar, and cream of tartar int a meringue. Add rum flavoring and mix into custard. Pour plain custard onto chilled chocolate custard and chill. Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate.

Neil J.

Pie tasting

Black Bottom Pie

Marc

Van

German Chocolate Pie (4 stars)

37
German Chocolate Pie
3/4/12

Spencer and Natalie announced their engagement on Friday!! We are very happy and decided to celebrate with a German Chocolate Pie which is one of Spencer's favorite flavors. This recipe makes 2 pies, that way we can take one pie to Spencer's family as a peace offering.

German Chocolate

Spencer, Natalie, engagement ring, and pie

Crust: Two buttermilk baked pie shells

Whipped Cream

Filling:
4 cups milk, divided
2 cups half and half
2 Tablespoons butter
1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
3 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cornstarch
1-1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping

Garnish: Whipped Cream

Mix 3 cups sugar, half-and-half, butter, and 3/4 cup sugar and stir. Cook in a double boiler until butter is melted.

In a separate bowl, whisk egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Slowly add egg mixture to hot milk mixture, stirring constantly. Cook for 20 minutes, stirring frequently.

Mix 1 cup milk and cornstarch in a separate bowl and slowly add to hot mixture, string constantly. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes until pudding is thick. Add vanilla, chocolate chips, coconut, pecans, and caramel topping. Stir until blended and chocolate chips are melted.

Lemon Truffle Pie (5 stars)

36
Lemon Truffle Pie
2/26/12

We had a really good Sunday - My Dad, Stacey, Chloe, and Claire, had dinner with us.We talked and laughed and found out our good friends Jason and Megan have moved into Miles and Stacey's ward, what a small world. Stacey told us about the time when Grandma Anna got Grandpa's attention before they  were married by putting a chocolate pie in the woodshed. Anna knew Wilmer wouldn't talk to her otherwise. Dad told us how Grandma Anna took a pie, hot out of the oven, outside to cool on the frozen ditch. The pie attracted a stray dog. The last thing Dad remembers is Grandma chasing after the dog with a half eaten pie in her hand. Nobody could resist her pies. At her funeral someone said: Anna's pies were un-suppressed. We think they meant unsurpassed and we agree.

This is a great pie recipe from the Lion House, a little twist on basic lemon pie. I loved my mom's lemon pie, I could pick it up and eat it with one hand. This one is not as stiff and has a good combination of flavors. We made two pies and doubled the lemon filling. We had one for dinner and took the other to Kerry's parents for birthday Sunday.

Lemon Truffle

Layers

Claire and pie

The whole bunch

Crust: Graham Cracker Crust

Chloe and Claire

Filling:
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup sugar, divided
1-1/2 cups water
5 Tablespoons lemon juice
Zest from 2 lemons
4 egg yolks, beaten
1-1/2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup white chocolate chips
2 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 cup whipped cream
Almond slices for garnish.

Mix cornstarch and 1/3 cup sugar together. Add water, lemon juice, and zest and stir. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks, ad 1/4 cup sugar and mix together. Add the egg mixture to the lemon mixture and cook over medium heat stirring constantly. Let boil for one minute then remove from heat. Add butter and stir until melted. Remove 1-1/2 cups of mixture and set aside. Add white chocolate chips to remaining mixture and mix well.In a separate bowl whip (with blender) the cream cheese and then blend in the lemon-chocolate chips mixture. Mix until smooth. Pour cream cheese mixture into bottom of pie shell. Add the reserved lemon mixture on top and chill for at least 2 hours.Spread whipped cream and sprinkle with sliced almonds.

Stacey

Chloe

Grandpa