KEY LIME PIE

Graham Cracker Crust

Preheat Oven to 375 Degrees.

18 Graham Cracker Squares (1 package (not box) equals this amount)
6 tablespoons Butter, melted
1/4 cup Granulated Sugar

Place graham crackers in a food processor and process until they are finely ground.

Combine the graham crackers crumbs with the melted butter and sugar and mix until well combined.

Press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9 inch pie plate.

Bake for 7-9 minutes.

Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack.

Bump oven temperature down to 350 Degrees for the pie filling.

Filling:

4 Egg Yolks
(1) 14 ounce can Sweetened Condensed Milk
2-1/2 ounces Key Lime Juice

Combine egg yolks and milk at low speed.  Slowly add juice.

Pour into the pie crust.

Bake at 350 Degrees for 12-15 minutes.

Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack until completely cooled.

Top with Fresh Whipped Cream

Whipped Cream Topping:

1/2 Pint Heavy Whipping Cream
1/8 cup Granulated Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Vanilla

For the best results, place your beaters and bowl in the freezer for about 15 minutes before starting this recipe.

Take beaters and bowl out of freezer and pour all the ingredients into the bowl.

Beat at high speed until it is creamy and thick, approximately 2-3 minutes.

Spoon on top of your COOLED Key Lime Pie and place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

PEACH-BERRY PIE

Well, it started with the peaches above. 

I bought an entire case of Georgia peaches last week with the intent of learning how to make peach preserves!

This is what I have left!  Obviously, not enough for preserves but definitely enough for a pie or cobbler!! 

I wanted to try a new recipe using my peaches, so I went on the website allrecipes.com and found one that had great reviews.  It was really so simple and quick to throw together.  It is a perfect recipe to impress your guests.  I have a confession to make, I have never made a pie crust.  Eeeek!!  Another confession....I used pre-made crusts for this recipe.   I do want to get around to making a homemade pie crust.  I am told it is pretty easy!  I'll leave that for another day and another blog.

Today, it was Peach-Berry Pie and it did not disappoint.  My son-in-law doesn't even like peaches and when he saw it and smelled it, he scooped up a big serving with ice cream and licked the bowl clean...haha!  I think you will like it too!

PEACH-BERRY PIE

4 cups of fresh Peaches, peeled, pitted, and diced
1 cup of fresh Raspberries
3/4 cup Sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose Flour
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
2 (9-inch) Pie Crusts
2 tablespoons butter, softened and cut into pieces
1 tablespoon coarse granulated Sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

Place peaches and berries in a colander for about 15 minutes to drain any excess fluid.

Transfer fruit to a large bowl.

 

 

Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon in a small bowl.

 

 

Pour the dry mixture over the fruit and gently toss.

 

 

 

Transfer to pie crust.

 

 

 

Dot with butter, and top with remaining crust.

 

 

 

Cut vents in top crust, and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

 

 

 

Bake 45 minutes in the preheated oven, until crust is golden brown.

 

ENJOY!

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

Trisha and Janna's Divine Lemon Pie with Fresh Whipped Cream Topping

Well, I decided that since I used part of Trisha Yearwood's recipe and part of mine, I would name it after us both.  Nothing wrong with that...right?  I did give her front billing! Ha! 

I had a recipe for a Lemon Icebox Pie that the chef gave me from a little restaurant in Fredricksburg called The Navajo Grill.  I have had that recipe for probably 10 years but I have never made it.  I remember him telling me that it was a large recipe that would make several pies and that I would have to modify it for just one pie.  I decided to make it on Easter this year, oh I would say around 11:00 p.m. the night before Easter.  Procrastination is a virtue I have perfected over the years...ugh!  Anyway, of course, when I start reading the recipe I realize that it is not a baked pie....at all.  Since it had eggs in it, I was not comfortable with not baking it so I had to come up with a similar recipe with the ingredients that I had on hand.

Thank goodness for computers.  I was able to scroll through some recipes until I found this one by Trisha Yearwood.  I love her style of cooking....southern comfort style!  It was just like the recipe I wanted to make but this one was cooked.  I still wanted a whipped cream topping so I just baked the pie and let it cool.  While it was cooling, I made my whipped topping.  I put both of them in the fridge until the next morning and then I topped the pie and added some fresh lemon zest and blueberries.  It was so smooth and creamy...it just melted in my mouth.

This pie, I think, is probably the simplest pie I have ever made.  I put it together in no time and it is one that can be done the day ahead!  I used a premade graham cracker crust because of time, and there was not a real significant difference between it and a homemade crust. 

This pie would go with just about any meal and it is not only pretty, but it is mouth watering delicious!  This recipe will go into my book of favorites....definitely making it again sooooon!!

TRISHA AND JANNA'S DIVINE LEMON PIE WITH WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

Preheat oven to 325 Degrees

1-14 ounce Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup Fresh Lemon Juice, about 2 large lemons
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
3 large egg yolks
9 inch Graham Cracker Pie Crust

In a medium bowl, beat the first four ingredients.

Pour into pie shell.
 
Place in oven for 20 minutes.
 
Remove from oven and place on a cooling rack until completely cooled.

Top with Whipped Cream....recipe below!

Decorate with blueberries and freshly grated lemon zest, if desired!

 

WHIPPED TOPPING

 

Put a bowl and your mixing beaters in the freezer

Pour 1 cup of whipping cream into the bowl and beat on high

I always add about 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Beat until the cream becomes fluffy like Cool Whip.  This only takes about 2 minutes.

 

 

ENJOY!

 

 

CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE

CHOCOLATE SILK MERINGUE PIE - JOHN BERENDT'S FAVORITE ANGEL PIE

I was at our ranch house and forgot to bring a pan from home so I had to make it in a disposable pan! 

Let me just say right now that this pie is the most delectable, smooth, satisfying chocolate pie I have ever eaten.  

I used to make a Chocolate Silk Pie that I adored but it is made with uncooked eggs and I just could not risk eating it.  I sure have missed that pie!  So, when I found this recipe in my "The Lady and Sons Just Desserts" cookbook by Paula Deen, I was hoping that it would be close to that Chocolate Silk I used to love!  

It did not let me down...it is DIVINE!!  It is smooth as silk and is the most amazing chocoate pie I have ever eaten.  Now a pie this good is worth the extra effort that this one calls for.  I have made it several times and it does require precision...no cutting corners....but I tell you I think I could literally eat myself into chocolate heaven with this pie.

The pie "crust" is not a traditional one.  The "crust" is a meringue.  It is light and crunchy and goes perfectly with the chocolate mousse and the homemade whipped cream.

Oh and one more thing...start this pie early in the day!  It takes a few hours from start to finish.  

Let the ooh-ing and ahh-ing begin!!!

JOHN BERENDT'S FAVORITE ANGEL PIE

MERINGUE:

4 egg whites, at room temperature

1-1/3 cups sugar

2 teaspoons cornstarch

2 teaspoons white venegar

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

FILLING:

(3) 1-ounce squares unsweetened chocolate

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons water

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

PREHEAT OVEN TO 450 Degrees

Grease a 9 or 10 inch pie pan

Beat egg whites with a handheld electric mixer

Until soft peaks form

Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a bowl, then add 2 tablespoons at a time to egg whites

Beat well between additions until the THIRD addition

After THIRD addition, beat in vinegar

Before LAST addition, beat in vanilla

Turn into prepared pan

Push tightly against sides to form a pie crust

Place in oven and turn OFF oven heat

Leave pie for at least 3 hours

For filling, melt chocolate in top of a double boiler.  Since I don't have one, I just put water in a saucepot and rested the bowl with the chocolate on top of the saucepot.  Be careful to not burn yourself, the bowl gets hot.

In another bowl, beat yolks, sugar, salt, and water thoroughly

Stir mixture into melted chocolate

Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly

Until very thick

Set aside and cool completely

Put a bowl and your mixing beaters in the freezer

Pour 1 cup of whipping cream into the bowl and beat on high

I always add about 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Beat until the cream becomes fluffy like Cool Whip.  This only takes about 2 minutes 

Fold the cooled chocolate mixture into the whipped cream

Mix thoroughly

Spoon into the meringue crust that has been cooled completely

Chill overnight.

Mix up another cup of whipping cream and dollop it on top before serving

Top with chocolate shavings and.....

ENJOY!

"Click here for Printable Recipe"

HOMEMADE APPLE PIE

I bought my apples at Market Basket in Nederland...aren't they pretty?

Homemade Apple Pie has America written all over it!  I mean who hasn't heard the phrase "As American as Apple Pie!"  So with the election in full swing, I decided we needed an apple pie in the house.  I have made lots of apple pies over the years but I have never found one that I really and truly like...until this one!

I like my pie to be sweet.  I don't want it barely sweet...I want it really sweet!  I want my apples to taste good and the juices to be flavorful and all of it layered between a golden flaky, crust.  Is that too much to ask? Ha!  Well, I think I have found the perfect recipe.  I truly do not remember where I found this recipe but I immediately wrote it down in my trusty little recipe book so I wouldn't have to search anymore!

 I served it warm and topped with Blue Bell Vanilla Ice Cream.  Can you believe James and my son-in-law Daniel do not like Apple Pie...they must not be American! Haha!  I bought Magic Shell and they ate ice cream with magic shell...that made their little hearts happy so...oh well, more for me!

I feel like I say this all the time, but this recipe is really easy.  It is about as easy as it gets besides just pouring  canned apples out of a can!

This recipe is worth the extra effort and I bet you will keep this recipe close by, just like me!

Wish I would have had a picture with the scoop of ice cream on top...it was so yummy!

 HOMEMADE APPLE PIE

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

1 box of Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts for 9" pie

1/2 cup butter

3 tablespoons flour

1/4 cup water

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons apple pie spice

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

7-8 Red Delicious Apples, small to medium in size, peeled, cored, and sliced

Peel, core and slice apples.  Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Melt butter over medium heat and add flour.  Stir to blend well.

Add sugars and water

Stir well to blend with butter/flour mixture

Bring mixture to a boil and then reduce heat to low

Simmer while it thickens slightly. Add vanilla when taken off heat.

Grease 9" Pie Pan/Plate

Sprinkle the apples with the apple pie spice
Note:  I couldn't find apple pie spice so I made my own:
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice

Stir to coat

Place pie crust in pan/plate and fill with apple mixture

Pour sauce over apples

Place top crust over apples and crimp edges.  You want the sauce and juices to stay in the pan and not bubble over.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees

THEN

Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 35 minutes

Brush top with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar when it comes out of oven. (I didn't get a chance to do this and is not necessary...it just looks nice!)

ENJOY!

"CLICK HERE FOR PRINTABLE RECIPE"