Can't Decide Pumpkin Pie

REPOST!

I was given permission to include the recipe so I'm reposting about this fun pumpkin apple pie.

This is a new twist on the pumpkin pie. It is made with an apple layer on the bottom. It was quite tasty. The pumpkin custard was a nice texture and had well balanced flavor. The apple layer was surprise to my kids who were wary at first and then decided they liked the pie a lot.

I got this recipe out of a fun apple cookbook. Since these are two classic fall pie flavors, I knew I had to give it a try. I hope you do too. Excerpted from Apple Cookbook(c) by Olwen Woodier, used with permission from Storey Publishing.

The recipe calls for fresh apples to be saute'ed a bit before being layered in the tin. It gives the option of using canned apples, which I did the second time around. This did not turn out well. I tried giving it a pecan topping but we still had to throw half of that pie away--so if you used canned, beware! If I tried using canned again, I would go ahead and cook them first like the instructions say to do for fresh apples.

Pumpkin Apple Pie

pastry for a single 10" piecrust

2 medium apples (Granny Smith, Braeburn, Newtown Pippin, Northern Spy) or 2 cups drained canned apple slices

1 teaspoon butter

2 cups pumpkin puree, canned or fresh

1 1/2 cups light cream or half and half

1 cup brown sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Grease a 10 in pie plate.

2. Roll out the pastry and fit it into the pie plate. Trim and flute the edges. Refrigerate.

3. Peel, core, and cut the apples into the 1/4-inch slices. Place in a skillet with the butter, cover, and cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and drain. If you are using canned apples, simply drain and set aside.

4. Place the pumpkin, cream, sugar, eggs, cinnamon nutmeg, cloves, and ginger in a medium-sized mixing bowl. Beat together until smooth.

5. Arrange the apple slices in the bottom of the chilled pastry shell and pour the pumpkin mixture over them.

6. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 375 degrees and bake for 35-40 minutes longer, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before serving.

Yield: 8-10 servings.

Light-Textured Pumpkin Pie

This was the most unique of the pies from the Old Fashioned Pumpkin Recipes. It has a spongy, fluffy texture. The flavor is excellent and after a few bites of confusion, I got used to the unexpected texture and after a few more bites, I was hooked. You'll need a deep dish or be ready for some overflow. As you can see, I overbrowned my pie, so watch for that! And it needs to be well cooled to enjoy. Definitely try this one!

Light-Textured Pumpkin Pie

2 cups cooked pumpkin

4 eggs, separated

1 cup sugar

1 Tbs. cornstarch

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/3 cup cream

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 9" unbaked pie shell

Combine pumpkin, slightly beaten egg yolks and mixture of sugar, cornstarch and cinnamoon. Beat 5 minutes. Mix in cream and butter. Beat egg whites until rounded peaks form and fold into pupkin mixture. Pour into pie shell and bake in 375 degree F oven 45 minutes or until inserted knife comes out clean.

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie

This is the second in my Pumpkin Pie Series. My family has probably liked this version the best of my recent attempts. I also liked it, although it was very rich. It would be well served for a special occasion and not so much for a dinner/breakfast substitute as many of my pumpkin pies turn out to be.

The recipe I used is one that came with my cute new "Petite Pie Mold" from Tovolo.com. (see future Pumpkin Hand Pie Post) Their recipes are available online but I will include the pumpkin pie version here.

BTW: Paula Deen has another Pumpkin Pie recipe that uses cream cheese. I'll let you know. . .

Pumpkin Pie

1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened

2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed

1 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg pluss 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten

1 cup half-and-half

1/4 cup melted butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

unbaked 9" crust

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a hand mixer, combine the cream cheese, pumpkin, sugar, salt, and beat until combined. Add the eggs mixed with the yolks, half-and-half, and melted butter and beat until combined. Finally, add the vanilla, cinnamon and beat until incorporated. Poor into crust and bake 35 minutes or until filling is set.

8 lb apple pie

October is harvest time for my Gordon and Fuji apple trees. Every year they get bigger and bigger. These are great baking apples because they are nice and juicy, bake quickly and are not too sweet. Aren't they pretty to look at?

Since I have a handy dandy apple slicer, corer, peeler, it takes no time at all to get the fruit fixed up for the filling. I'm using a deep 10" dish so I can really pack the apples in high and thick.

With this many apples, I made the edge extra thick since I knew it would be in the oven for an hour or so. I sealed it well so my delicious juices would not all drip to my un-appreciative oven floor.

After it was baked I put in on the scales. It weighed in at 8 lbs. My goal is a 10 lb apple pie. I feel like doing it right now!! Too bad there are already 2 pumpkin pies in the fridge. Sometimes I just have to stop myself.

Persian Lime Pie

You almost always hear "Key Lime Pie." But key limes are not always available, and the perfectly good substitute, Persian limes, grow in my backyard! Here is a recipe with a different twist on the common sweetened, condensed milk, lime juice and whipped topping lime pie. I have to say that although this was a delicious pie, it maybe wasn't worth the extra work. You can try it and decide for yourself.

Persian Lime Pie

1 ready to fill pastry crust, baked

2 (14 ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk

1 cup lime juice (not bottled)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

1/2 cup sour cream

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Whisk together condensed milk, lime juice, and eggs until well blended. Pour into crust, and bake at 325 degrees for 18 to 20 minues or until set. Chill 5 hours or overnight.

Combine sour cream and powdered suar. Spread evenly over pie.

Lucious Lime Pie

As summer fades away, it's sad to say good-bye to the cool cream pies. Not that you have to, but there are so many fall pies, who has the time for cream? Anyway, when I saw a late season raspberry sale, I had to accessorize my cool lime pie with them.

Raspberry Lime Pie

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup lime juice

1 (8-ounce) tub frozen whipped topping, thawed

1 cup fresh respberries, rinsed and drained.

1 ready-to-fill pastry or graham cracker crust

Stir together sweetened condensed milk and lime juice; mixture will thicken. Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into pie crust and garnish with berries. Chill.

Strawberry Parfait Pie

I made this pie by creating a cream cheese/powdered sugar/cool whip/lime juice mixture and layering that with bananas and strawberries. I sprinkled powdered sugar and lime peel on top to make it all look frosty. I wish I had written down the amounts so I could share a recipe with you, sorry 'bout that! Try it anyway and let me know what you come up with.

Thank you Sweetology

Coconut Pistachio Pie

from Sweetology

We invited some new friends over for dinner on a hot day. For a cool and refreshing dessert, I served this delicious pie. This is one of the few pies that requires absolutely no cooking to prepare and it still tastes yummy. To improve the recipe and temper the strong pistachio flavor I might mix the pudding with some homemade vanilla custard though. I loved the coconut crust and will definitely try it again.

Double Chocolate Cream Pie (Again)

I made this recipe again because it's so easy and delicious. This time I sprinkled chopped up chocolate chips on top instead of mixing them into the warm filling. It had a pretty effect and added some fun crunch.

Just Can't Get Enough Peaches

I don't have much of a peach tree, but I got just enough to make one recipe. I chose to try out the Barefoot Contessa's Peach and Raspberry Crisp. Don't judge me for not making a pie! A crisp fills the same hole a pie does, and sometimes that's just what sounds good. Just wait till you read my post about the worst peach pie I've ever made, then you'll understand that not all pie is created equal. This crisp was so delicious I could have eaten it every night for a month! Too bad I ran out of my home grown peaches.

Peach and Raspberry Crisp

Ingredients

• 4 to 5 pounds firm, ripe peaches (10 to 12 large peaches)
• 1 orange, zested
• 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
• 1 1/2 cups plus 2 to 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 pint raspberries
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup quick-cooking oatmeal
• 1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the inside of a 10 by 15 by 2 1/2-inch oval baking dish.

Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds, then place them in cold water. Peel the peaches and slice them into thick wedges and place them into a large bowl. Add the orange zest, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, and 2 tablespoons of flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the raspberries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. If there is a lot of liquid, add 1 more tablespoon of flour. Pour the peaches into the baking dish and gently smooth the top.

Combine 1 1/2 cups flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 1/2 cup brown sugar, salt, oatmeal, and the cold, diced butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the butter is pea-sized and the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle evenly on top of the peaches and raspberries. Bake for 1 hour, until the top is browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly. Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator and reheat in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 20 to 30 minutes, until warm.

Passing on Pie

This past summer at our family reunion in Oceanside, CA, my nieces helped me make 9 chocolate pies. I couldn't have done it without them. Jessica and Darcy were great to measure and stir (and stir and stir and stir) and poor and scrape and lick and then start all over again. The pie was the perfect end to our meal of chicken fajita enchiladas, green salad, tortilla chips with freshly made salsa, and refried beans. We served about 50 happy people. I hope the girls learn to love making pies as much as I do.

Double Chocolate Cream Pie

(Cooking Light magazine)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups low fat milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, grated

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping

To prepare filling, combine 3/4 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, salt and milk in a medium saucepan; stir well with a whisk. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until mixture comes to a full boil. Gradually add 1/3 cup hot milk mixture to beaten egg; stir well. Return egg mixture to pan. Cook 2 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add grated chocolate, stirring until the chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Spoon mixture into pastry crust. Cover surface of filling with plastic wrap. Chill until set, (about 2 hours). Remove plastic wrap; spread whipped topping evenly over filling.

Beat the Heat with Lemon Velvet Pie

My Queen-of-all-things-domestic sister created this recipe. It's such a nice change from the more traditional lemon meringue. With just a bit of stop top cooking, its a great choice for a warm evening dessert. I left off the top layer just to save on a few calories, but I know the yummy cream cheese topping would make this pie even better. Let me know if you try this one, please!

Lemon Velvet Pie

1 9" baked pie shell

1 1/2 cups sugar

6 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1 1/2 cup water

2 egg yolks, beaten

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup lemon juice

1 teaspoon finely grated lemon rind

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon gelatin

1/4 cup water

1 cup light cream

2 egg whites, beaten stiff

1 small carton cool whip

4 oz cream cheese

Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Slowly add water. Cook until thick. Add small amount to egg yolks. Mix and return to hot mixture with butter. Cook 2 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, grated rind and vanilla. Spread 1 cup of filling in bottom of baked pie shell.

Soften gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Stir into remaining filling until dissolved. Gradually add cream. Cool. When mixture begins to thicken, fold in beaten egg whites. Pour into pie shell. Chill.

Soften cream cheese. Mix with cool whip until smooth. Spread on top of lemon filling. Chill until served.

Just Peachy

I just can't get enough peaches! Even when the kitchen is hot and I don't feel much like cooking dinner, I can be easily convinced to bake a delicious peach pie. Maybe the pie will be dinner! Here is another way to enjoy peaches in pie. This recipe comes from Emeril Lagasse and Foodnetwork.com.

Ruston Peach Crumb Pie

1 1/2 cups water

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon nutmeg

pinch of black pepper

2 pounds peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into wedges (about 3 cups)

1/2 cup flour

1 cup ground pecan pieces

1/2 stick butter, cut into small pieces

1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a saucepan, combine the water, brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of grated nutmeg, and pepper. Whisk until smooth. Place the pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Place the peaches in a mixing bowl and pour the syrup over the peaches. Toss well and cool for 10 minutes. In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining cinnamon, remaining nutmeg, sugar, flour, pecans, and butter. Using your fingers, work the mixture together until it resembles a coarse crumb-like mixture. Pour the peaches into the prepared pie shell. Sprinkle the topping over the top of the peaches. Bake for 1 hour, or until the crust is golden. Serve with vanilla ice cream.

My notes: I loved the pecans in the crumb topping. The amount of syrup and topping was too much to cover my 9" pie so next time I'll cut a few extra peaches and use the 10" plate.

Buttermilk Dilemma

Every once in a while I buy a carton of buttermilk. I need it for my Italian Cream Cake (yes, I do make cake on occasion) and it's yummy in whole wheat banana pancakes. The dilemma is what to do with the rest? I was in a frenzy a while ago trying to find pie recipes that use buttermilk. I was not disappointed! I apologize for the horrible photo, but this pie was awesome and super quick and easy to make. I found it on foodnetwork.com and it comes from Sandra Lee. Try it next time you have leftover buttermilk. And stayed tuned for my Lemon Buttermilk Pie recipe.

Chocolate Buttermilk Pie

1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

6 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 tablespoons vanilla

1 pre-baked 9" deep dish pie crust

whipping cream or cool whip for garnish

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Position a rack in the center of the oven.

Place the chocolate chips in a double boiler and melt over low heat, stirring constantly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour and salt until well combined. In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Add the sugar mixture and mix with an electric mixer or whisk vigorously. Bring this mixture to room temperature by microwaving for 1 minute or more on low power. Stir the melted chocolate into the warmed batter. (Warming the batter keeps the chocolate from setting as it's mixed in.)

Pour batter into the piecrust; you will have about 1 cup of left-over batter. Place pie in oven on middle rack. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes to 1 hour and 25 minutes, or until the pie is crisp on top and a knife inserted in the center comes out with just a bit of moist chocolate on it.

Remove from oven and cool completely. Let stand at least 1 hour before serving. If not eating immediately, refrigerate pie. This pie can be served warm or chilled. Garnish with whipped cream.

Pie for Dinner

I would never have a problem serving a sweet and fruity pie for dinner, and believe me, it has happened. But I do love to serve Chicken Pot Pie because it tastes so good, it looks so pretty on the table, it covers all the food groups in one dish, it's easy to make ahead and everybody loves it. I especially like to make one for dinner and one to share with a friend or neighbor. But then I've never been capable of only making one pie at a time! I would love to branch out and find more savory pie recipes. Do you have one to share?

Chicken (or Turkey) Pot Pie

1 1/2 cups cooked and cubed chicken

2 potatoes, peeled and diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 onion, diced

1 chicken bullion cube

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 tablespoons flour

1 package Turkey Gravy Mix

1 cup milk

salt and pepper to taste

prepared crust for a 2 crust 10" pie

1 can tomato soup, prepared as directed

Boil potatoes, carrot and onion in 1 1/2 cups water till tender. Save 1 cup of water, then drain vegetables. To the water, add bullion, garlic powder, flour and gravy mix. When well combined, add milk and salt and pepper.

Place meat and vegetables in the prepared crust. Pour gravy mix over all. Top with remaining crust and seal edges well. Slit the top crust to allow steam to escape. Place on a baking sheet to catch spills and bake at 425 degrees for 45 minutes, taking care that crust doesn't over brown.

Serve hot with warmed tomato soup as a topping.