When I was in college, I worked at a restaurant that was famous for their peanut butter pie.  We sold more slices and complete pies than anything else on the dessert menu.  I have been looking for a peanut butter pie that would remind me of this delicacy of yesteryear and, with this recipe, I just may have.

Ingredients:

2 3-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 c. creamy peanut butter
2 c. powdered sugar
12-oz. container frozen whipped topping, thawed
9-inch graham cracker pie crust

Blend cream cheese and peanut butter together until smooth and creamy; set aside.  Mix powdered sugar and whipped topping together; blend into cream cheese mixture.  Spread in pie crust.  Refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.  Before serving, top with whipped cream.

I use Martha Stewart’s recipe for homemade whipped cream (for pie topping):

1 c. heavy cream
2 Tbsp. granulated sugar

In a deep mixing bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form.  Sprinkle sugar over cream; beat until soft speaks return.  Do not overbeat. 

For the fresh whipped cream, chill the whisk or beaters and bowl in the freezer for 15 minutes.  I allowed the pie to sit on the counter for 10 minutes before I added the cream, cut and served.  Next time I may crush some Reese’s Peanut Butter cups and sprinkle over the whipped cream.  Enjoy!

xo–me

It’s a simple graham cracker crust we are making today.  Many of you will ask, why not just grab a pre-made one from the baking aisle at the market?  I too love convenience but it is so simple to make, you can honestly tell your family you made the entire pie, not just the filling.  I know you can skip right past those stacks of crusts and into the cookie aisle to get a box of graham crackers.  I know you can.

Ingredients:

12 graham crackers, finely ground (1 1/2 cups)
5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
1/4 c. sugar
1/8 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Pulse all ingredients in a food processor until combined.  Firmly press mixture into bottom and side of a 9-inch pie dish.  Bake until crust is fragrant and edges are golden, 12 to 14 minutes.  Let cool completely on wire rack.

My BFF, Martha Stewart, shared this recipe with me.  Well, full disclosure, through one of her cookbooks.  Make this crust today and set it aside for tomorrows pie recipe.

xo–me

I decided since it was the new year, I should make an egg nog pie.  It seemed like the right time to try this pie that is one of the world’s favorite new year’s beverage.  I am not a huge fan of egg nog but the ingredients imply it’s going to taste like a heavier custard pie with lots of nutmeg.  The man of the house also loves egg nog so I was game.

I rolled out the crust and baked it with no problems.  The challenge and ‘burning down the house moment’ came when I put the filling in the crust and returned it to the oven.  I was delicate when covering the edges of the pie crust for this second round of baking.  I was cautious walking from the counter to the open oven.  And then it happened, I touched the side of the oven door and jerked.  Guess what happened to the liquid egg nog filling of the pie?  It jerked too.  Or rather it jumped, just a bit, but enough to make a small mess on the bottom of the oven.  I did my best to clean it up but clearly the smoke monster from the island found it’s way into my kitchen.

So the house smells like the place was on fire.  But not before I got a lovely pie from the oven.

Ingredients:

9-inch pie crust (Nany says the best recipe is on the back of the Crisco can)
3 eggs
14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
1 1/4 c. hot water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. nutmeg

Preheat oven to 425.  Bake pie crust for 8 minutes; remove from oven and set aside.  Whisk or whip remaining ingredients together, pour into crust and bake for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350 and bake 25 additional minutes or until a knife inserted in the center removes clean.

I had to bake the pie for 10 additional minutes than the recipe called for because, as I say all the time, every oven is different.  The house still smells a little funky this morning but I am hoping once I cut this pie (yes pie for breakfast), it will make it all worth it.  Be good to yourself today!

xo–me

Today I am sharing a pudding whip recipe that was originally intended to be served in lovely parfait dishes.  I decided instead to put it in a graham cracker crust with some low fat whipped topping to make a pie.

Ingredients:

1 3-oz. Jell-o orange gelatin package
1 c. boiling water
1/2 c. cold water
1 package Jell-o vanilla instant pudding
2 c. cold milk
1 graham cracker pie crust
whipped topping
orange zest

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water; add cold water.  Stir until gelatin is completely dissolved.  Chill until very thick (I allowed it to chill for three hours).  Meanwhile, prepare instant pudding with milk according to package directions.  Let stand until set, about 5 minutes.  When gelatin is very thick, whip with electric mixer until fluffy and doubles in volume.  Fold in pudding, blending well.  Pour into crust and allow to chill until firm.  Top with whipped topping and decorate with a pinch of zest.  Serve.

I used orange but you can use lemon, lime, raspberry, whatever flavor you fancy.  The orange and vanilla flavor reminds me of a dreamsicle.  It’s a very filling slice of pie and, in my mind, better for me than that entire plate of brownies I have been daydreaming of.  Enjoy!

xo–me

This recipe comes from my Farmer’s Market cookbook.  It comes from the brain trust behind the Country Bakery and is worth the extra minute you spend making the filling from scratch.  I break down the ingredients according to each piece of the pie–crust first, filling second and whipped cream last.

Ingredients:

2 c. all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
2 Tbsp. ice water
2 c. dried beans (not to eat silly, for the baking of the crust!)

3/4 c. sugar
3 Tbsp. cornstarch
3 large eggs
1 Tbsp. pure vanilla extract
2 1/2 c. milk
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1 c. cold heavy cream
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/4 c. confectioners’ sugar

2 bananas sliced

Preheat oven to 400.  Combine flour, sugar, and salt in a large bowl.  Add butter and mix with a pastry blender or your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Pour in ice water; work it in to bind the dough until it holds together without being too wet or sticky.  Squeeze a small amount together; if it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tsp at a time.  Form the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.  I usually make the dough the night before.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough into a large circle about 1/8 inch thick.  Place a 9-inch pie plate upside down on top and trim with a knife, leaving 2 inches extra dough all the way around.  Lay the dough circle in the pan and gently press the crust into place.  Fold the excess dough inside the rim and crimp the edges.

Prick the bottom of the dough with a fork.  Lay a piece of aluminum foil on the bottom of the dough and fill it with 2 c. of dried beans.  The weight of the beans will keep the pastry dough flat so it doesn’t bubble while you prebake it.  Put the pan on a baking sheet so it will be easier to move in and out of the oven.

Bake the crust until it begins to brown, about 15 minutes.  Lift out the beans in the foil and return the crust to the oven.  Bake until golden brown, about 15 minutes longer.  Remove the crust and let cool.

In a bowl, combine half of the sugar with the cornstarch.  Add the eggs, 1 at a time, whisking thoroughly after each addition until the mixture is lump free.  Stir in the vanilla.

Combine the milk and remaining sugar in a large pot and place over medium heat.  Stir constantly until the milk mixture begins to thicken, and reaches just below the simmering point, about 8 minutes.  While constantly whisking, slowly drizzle the hot milk into the egg mixture (do not add too quickly or the eggs will scramble).  Return the tempered eggs back into the pot and whisk constantly until the custard comes to a boil and is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes.  It should be much like the consistency of pudding.  Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until completely melted.  Let cool slightly.

Pour the custard filling into the cooled pie shell.  Push the banana slices below the surface to prevent them from browning, and then smoothe the top with a spatula.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight.  Top with the whipped cream before serving.

Make this pie today for your Sunday brunch tomorrow!

xo–me

Ooops.  I forgot to tell you how to make the whipped cream.  Whisk together the heavy cream and vanilla in a bowl.  Sprinkle in the sugar and whip until the cream mounds on itself.  Making this helps your bicep muscle, I promise.  xo

Ingredients:

1 c. water
3 tsp. cornstarch
1 c. sugar
1 small box strawberry jell-o
1 quart fresh strawberries, hauled
1-9″ baked pie shell
whipped cream

Place berries in pie shell.  Boil first 3 ingredients until thick.  Add box of jell-o and stir until dissolved.  Pour over berries.  Refrigerate for an hour.  Add whipped cream to decorate or when serving.

I love this recipe for three reasons: 1) the ease, 2) you can substitute the strawberries for blueberries or whatever berry you want (as long as you find a complimentary jell-o flavor) and 3) it’s from Nany.  And we all know that Nany knows.

xo–me

Ingredients:

1 5/8 c. blueberries
1 5/8 c. raspberries
1 5/8 c. blackberries
1/2 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
whipped cream

scant 1 3/8 c all-purpose flour
generous 1/4 c. ground hazelnuts
3/8 c. butter, cute into small pieces
grated rind of 1 lemon
1 egg yolk, beaten
4 Tbsp. milk

Place fruit in a pan with 3 Tbsp of sugar and let simmer gently, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes.  Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Sift flour into a bowl and add the hazelnuts.  Rub in the butter with fingertips until the mixture resembles bread crumbs, then sift in the remaining sugar.  Add the lemon rind, egg yolk and 3 Tbsp. milk and mix.  Turn out onto a lightly floured counter and knead briefly.  Wrap and let chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375.  Grease an 8 inch pie plate with butter.  Roll out 2/3 of pie dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch and use it to line the base and side of dish.  Spoon the fruit into the pastry shell.  Brush the rim with water, then roll out the remaining pie dough to cover the pie.  Trim and crimp round the edge., then make 2 small slits in the top.  Decorate with leaf shapes cut from the dough trimmings, if you wish.  I occasionally make flowers, or geometric shapes.  Brush all over with the remaining milk.  Bake for 40 minutes.  Remove from oven, sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar and serve with whipped creme.

Heaven.  That’s all I can say about this pie.  Get in the kitchen lovies!  See what you can bake today.

xo–me

Ingredients:

1 c. all-purpose flour,
1/4 c. unsweetened cocoa
1/2 c. confectioners’ sugar
pinch of salt
3/8 c. butter
1/2 egg yolk

1 1/4 c. heavy cream
3/4 c. blackberry preserves
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, broken into pieces
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

3 c. blackberries, plus extra for decoration
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. creme de cassis

Sift flour, cocoa, confectioners’ sugar and salt into a mixing bowl and make a well in the center.  Place the butter and egg yolk in the well and gradually mix in the dry ingredients, using a pastry blender or two forks.  Knead lightly and form into a ball.  Wrap the dough and let chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Preheat oven to 350.  Roll out dough on a lightly floured counter.  Use it to line a 12 x 4 rectangular tart pan and prick the pastry shell with a fork.  Line the base with parchment paper and fill with dried beans.  Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove the tart pan, paper and beans from the oven, and set aside to cool.

Place cream and preserves in a pan and bring to a boil over low heat.  Remove from the heat and stir in the chocolate and then the butter until melted and smooth.  Pour the mixture into the pastry shell and set aside to cool.

Place blackberries, lemon juice, and sugar in a food processor and process until smooth.  Strain through a nylon sieve into a bowl and stir in the creme de cassis.  Set aside.

Remove the plan for the pan and place on a serving plate.  Arrange the remaining blackberries on top and brush with a little blackberry and liqueur sauce.  Serve the flan with the remaining sauce on the side.

Yes, there are a few steps in this recipe but I promise the outcome is worth it.  It’s gorgeous to the eye and the taste buds.  Enjoy!

xo–me

Ingredients:

1 1/4 c. finely crushed graham cracker crumbs
2 Tbsp. sugar
6 Tbsp. salted butter, melted
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/4 c. warm water
1/4 c. very hot water
2 c. very ripe, soft peaches, peeled, pitted and finely chopped
3/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 large egg white
1/8 tsp. salt
1 c. heavy cream

Make the pie crust by mixing together graham cracker crumbs and sugar.  Pour int eh melted butter and mix well.  Firmly press the crumb mixture onto the bottom and side of a 9-inch pie pan.  Make sure crust is evenly distributed.  Chill for at least 1 hour.

In  small bowl soften the gelatin in the warm water.  Pour in the hot water and stir until the gelatin completely dissolves.  In another bowl, combine the peaches, 1/2 c. sugar, and lemon juice and let stand for 30 minutes.  Pour the gelatin into the peach mixture and mix well.  Chill until the mixture begins to thicken, about 1 hour.  When the peach mixture has begun to set, beat the egg white together with the salt until soft peaks form.  Gradually add the remaining 1/4 c. sugar and beat until stiff peaks form, then fold the egg white mixture into the peach mixture.  Whip the cream until stiff peaks form and fold in into the peach mixture thoroughly.  Pour into the crust and refrigerate until firm, at least 3 hours.

Savor this last flavor of the summer.

xo–me

Ingredients:

1 unbaked pie shell
1 c. flour
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 round tsp. shortening
1 c. molasses
1 egg
3/4 + 1/4 c. hot water
1 tsp. baking soda

Preheat over to 375.  Mix flour, brown sugar and shortening into crumbs.  Set aside 1/2 c. of crumbs.  Make a well in remaining crumbs and add molasses, egg and hot water.  Mix well.  Dissolve baking soda in 1/4 c. hot water and add to the crumb mixture.  Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake for 35–40 minutes until a lovely brown.

Sing along while you are creating this delicious pie!  Shoo fly, don’t bother me!

xo–me