5-STAR APPLE PIE

adapted from Grandma Ople's Apple Pie - allrecipes.com

pie dough for double crust 9-inch pie

1/2 cup butter

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 cup white sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-4 tablespoons water

8-10 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored, quartered, sliced crosswise

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add white sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and water. Bring sauce mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Reserve a small amount of sauce mixture and set aside.  
4. Place the bottom crust in glass pie plate.
5. In a large bowl, pour remaining sauce mixture in saucepan over apples and stir to coat evenly. Pour apples over crust in pie plate; distribute apples to mound slightly in the middle to fill evenly to sides.
6. Cover apples with top crust and crimp edges with fork. Make slits in top crust to vent pie. Brush top crust with reserved sauce mixture, being careful not to let it run over edges.
7. Place pie on large baking sheet, if desired. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees, and continue baking for 40-45 minutes, or until top is nicely browned.
8. Cool slightly before serving, or serve at room temperature. Top with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired.

VIDALIA ONION PIE

1 refrigerated piecrust

3 cups thinly sliced Vidalia onions

2 tablespoons melted butter

3 eggs

1 cup sour cream

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 1/2 teaspoons fresh thyme

  (OR 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Unroll piecrust and fit it into a 9-inch pie pan.  Prick bottom and sides of piecrust with a fork and fill with dried beans or pie weights.  Place pie pan on a baking sheet and bake at 450 degrees for 8 minutes; remove to wire rack and cool.

Sauté sliced onions in butter in a large heavy skillet stirring often until onions are tender, about 30 minutes. Combine eggs, sour cream, salt, pepper and thyme.  Stir egg mixture into onions until well blended.  Pour mixture into prepared piecrust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until golden brown.

CHICKEN POT PIE

2 refrigerated pie crusts

1 batch Master Chicken Casserole Mix

1 small bag frozen mixed vegetables

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 9-inch pie pan, prepare one crust as directed on package.  Blend Master Mix, frozen mixed vegetables and thyme; pour into the pie crust.  Cover pot pie with second crust; crimp to seal edges and cut six small slits in top with the point of a sharp knife.  In a small bowl beat egg and water.  Brush egg mixture over top crust.  Bake pot pie until top crust is brown, about 35-45 minutes.  Cool slightly before cutting to serve.

Master Chicken Casserole Mix

1 can cream of chicken soup

8 ounces sour cream

4 cups cooked and cubed chicken breast

In a large bowl, mix cream of chicken soup, sour cream, and cubed chicken.  Use one batch of Master Chicken Casserole Mix to for each of the following recipes.

WHITE PIE

1 c. sugar, divided 

1/2 c. cake flour 

1/8 tsp. salt 

2 c. milk 

2 egg whites, stiffly beaten 

1 tsp. vanilla 

1 10-in. pie shell, baked 

1/2 pt. whipping cream 

Cook 3/4 c. sugar, flour, salt, and milk in a double boiler until thick, stirring constantly.  Beat egg whites until stiff, adding remaining 1/4 c. of sugar.  Fold egg mixture into cooked mixture along with the vanilla.  Pour into a baked and cooled pie shell; top with whipping cream.  Chill overnight before serving. 

Note: If you do not have cake flour, you may substitute 1/2 c. regular flour, minus 2 tbsp. and add 2 tbsp. cornstarch, to replace the flour you removed!

LEMON TART

1 unbaked piecrust round

1 stick (1/4 lb.) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

4 extra large eggs

5 extra large egg yolks

1/4 cup finely grated lemon zest (6-8 lemons)

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/8 teaspoon kosher salt

1 pint heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar

Equipment:

Tart pan

Electric mixer

Instant-read kitchen thermometer

Whipped cream dispenser with chargers

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place pie crust in a tart pan with a removable bottom.  Press crust around bottom of pan and up sides.  Use a fork to poke holes in the bottom of the pie crust.  Cut a piece of foil the same size as the tart pan.  Butter one side of the foil and place it, butter side down, on the bottom of the tart pan.  Fill the pan with dried beans or rice to prevent the crust from puffing up while baking.  Bake for 10 minutes.  Remove the beans and the foil from the pan and prick the crust with the fork a few times.  Return to oven and continue to bake until lightly browned, about 10-15 minutes. Set aside to cool.

Cream the butter and sugar for one minute in the bowl of and electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  On low speed, add the eggs and egg yolks one at a time, and then add the lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt.  It will look curdled!  Pour the mixture into a small saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for 8- 10 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Whisk briskly when it starts to thicken and continue to cook over low heat for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly.  Don’t let it boil!  When it reaches 175 degrees on an instant-read thermometer, pour into a bowl and cool to room temperature.  Once cooled, spread the lemon filling in the cooled tart shell.

Fill whipped cream dispenser with cream, vanilla, and confectioner’s sugar and attach charger.  Pipe whipped cream rosettes over lemon filling.  Serve immediately or refrigerate to serve later. 

FROSTY PUMPKIN PIES

2 cups canned pumpkin

1 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon ginger

1/2 gallon good vanilla ice cream, softened

2 graham cracker or gingersnap crumb pie shells

Combine first 6 ingredients, add softened ice cream.  Fill 2 graham or gingersnap crumb pie shells and freeze until firm before serving.

DEEP DISH BLUEBERRY COBBLER

1 package Krusteaz Crumb Cake Mix

4 cups fresh blueberries

1 pouch Cinnamon Topping (included)

6 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces

1 cup old-fashioned oats

1 tablespoon water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large bowl, gently toss together berries and 1/2 cup cake mix.  Spoon berry mixture into an ungreased 10-inch deep dish pie pan or similar baking dish.  In separate bowl, place remaining cake mix, full pouch of cinnamon topping, butter, oats and water.  Using an electric mixer, mix on medium speed until mixture is crumbly.  Sprinkle topping over berry mixture.  Bake 35-40 minutes or until filling is bubbly.  Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.

CHANDA’S BERRY PIE

1 1/4 cups sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

4 cups (2 bags) frozen blackberries

     (by using them frozen, berries will

      keep shape and not turn to mush)

pastry for double-crust pie

     (homemade – not store bought!)

Line bottom of oven with foil because berry pie will bubble over.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Combine, sugar, flour and salt.  Add sugar mixture to frozen blackberries; toss to coat fruit.  Fill a pastry-lined, 9-inch pie plate with berry mixture.  Adjust top crust.  Seal edge.  Bake for 45-50 minutes or until top is golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack.

APPLE CIDER PIE

pie dough prepared for double crust 

2 c. apple cider

1/3 c. sugar

3 tbsp. cornstarch

2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/4 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

7-8 apples (about 3 pounds of one variety or combination of Golden Delicious, Jonathan, Jonagold, Braeburn, Fuji, Rome Beauty, Macoun, Pippin or Northern Spry) peeled and quartered 

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 tbsp. water

1 tbsp. sugar

To prepare filling, bring cider to a boil in a large, heavy saucepan over high heat. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 20 minutes). Cool completely.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Combine cooled cider, 1/3-cup sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla, and pie spice in a large bowl. Cut each apple quarter crosswise into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Stir apple slices into cider mixture.  Spoon apple mixture into crust, and brush edges of crust lightly with water. Cover pie with top crust and press edges of dough together; fold edges under, and flute. Cut six 1-inch slits into top of pastry using a sharp knife. Combine egg and 1 tablespoon water. Brush top and edges of pie with egg mixture, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar. Place pie on a baking sheet, and bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not remove pie from oven) and bake an additional 45 minutes or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

MOTHER’S DAY QUICHE

1 unbaked pie crust round

1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced

  OR any veggie, meat or seafood

2 tablespoons butter

1 cup cubed Swiss cheese

1 1/2 cups half & half

1 cup grated Swiss cheese

3 eggs

1/4 cup white wine

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Place pie crust in a quiche pan with a removable bottom.  Poke holes in the bottom of the crust with a fork; bake for 5 minutes. Remove crust to cool.  Sauté mushrooms in butter; spread over crust.  Place cubed Swiss cheese over mushrooms.  Scald half & half and cool slightly; add grated cheese.  In a small bowl, beat eggs with a fork until blended.  Add wine, salt, and nutmeg to eggs and blend.  Add egg mixture slowly to half & half mixture and stir to mix. Place quiche pan on a baking sheet.  Pour egg mixture into crust, taking care not to over fill.  Bake for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown and set in the middle.  Remove and serve warm or at room temperature.  Refrigerate leftovers to reheat.

LIBBY'S FAMOUS PUMPKIN PIE

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

2 large eggs

1 can (15 oz.) LIBBY'S® 100% Pure Pumpkin

1 can (12 fl. oz.) NESTLÉ® CARNATION® Evaporated Milk

1 unbaked 9-inch (4-cup volume) deep-dish pie shell

Whipped cream (optional)http://www.coracooks.com/2011/11/classic-pumpkin-pie-with-little-flair.html

MIX sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

POUR into pie shell.

BAKE in preheated 425° F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Link back to Cora Cooks 

EASY CHICKEN POT PIE

2 pie crusts - homemade or store-bought

1 can cream of chicken soup
1 cup sour cream
3-4 cups diced, cooked chicken breast

1 small bag frozen mixed vegetables

1/4 teaspoon thyme

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1.  Preheat oven to 350°. In a 9-inch pie pan, prepare one crust as directed on package.

2. Mix cream of chicken soup, sour cream, cooked chicken, frozen mixed vegetables and thyme; pour into the pie crust.

3. Cover pot pie with second crust; crimp to seal edges and cut six small slits in top with the point of a sharp knife.

4. In a small bowl beat egg and water. Brush egg mixture over top crust.

5. Bake pot pie until top crust is brown, about 35-45 minutes.

6. Cool slightly before cutting to serve. Makes 6 servings.

CLASSIC KEY LIME PIE

9" graham cracker piecrust

14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk

3 egg yolks (reserve whites for meringue)

½ cup Nellie and Joe's Famous Key West Lime Juice

1 tsp. grated lime zest

3 egg whites

¼ tsp. cream of tartar

¾ c. superfine sugar

*option – top with whipped cream, instead of meringue

Combine milk, egg yolks, lime juice and zest. Blend until smooth. Pour filling into piecrust and bake at 350º for 25 minutes. With mixer on high, beat egg whites and cream of tartar in a bowl until soft peaks form. Slowly add sugar, one tablespoon at a time, while continuing to beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Pour meringue over pie and smooth to edges, leaving some peaks. Place pie back in the oven and bake for about 7-8 minutes, until top begins to brown. Remove and let pie cool before serving. *If the weather is humid or rainy, whipped cream may be a better choice than meringue for the topping.

SCRAMBLED EGGS À LA QUICHE LORRAINE

(measurements are approximate - be generous for full flavor!)
1/4 cups chopped leeks, rinsed
1-2 tbsp. butter
3 extra large eggs
large splash of cream
pinch of kosher salt
pinch of freshly ground pepper
pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
splash of white wine (I used vermouth)
1/2 cup finely shredded Swiss cheese
(1/4 cup crumbled cooked bacon - optional)

Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet. Add chopped leeks and saute until just beginning to brown. Crack eggs into a bowl and beat until well combined. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg, vermouth and finely grated Swiss cheese; stir to combine. Pour egg mixture into skillet with sauteed leeks and cook over medium low heat, stirring gently until eggs are softly cooked. Serve immediately!
Note: Cooked eggs could also be served in blind-baked mini pie shells or puff pastry cups.

INDIVIDUAL RUSTIC FRUIT PIES

For piecrust:
2 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup Crisco
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 egg
1 ½ tbsp. vinegar
¼ cup water

For fruit filling:
4 cups fruit – raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, sliced peaches, etc.
½ c. flour
½ cup sugar (if needed)
¼ cup sugar for topping

In a medium bowl, blend flour, Crisco and salt with a pastry blender, or two knives, until crumbly. Stir together egg, vinegar and water; add to flour mixture and blend. Shape dough into a disk; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Remove piecrust from refrigerator and cut into 4 equal size pieces. Roll out each piece on a floured surface. Fold each crust round in half and then in half again. Gently place crust into a small custard cup or ramekin and fit into bottom of dish. Divide fruit into 4 equal amounts and fill crusts. Gently fold edges of dough back over fruit filling, leaving a hole in the center. Sprinkle ¼ c. sugar lightly over the top of pies. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place baking dishes on a baking sheet and bake until top of crust is golden brown, about 20 – 30 minutes. Serve warm or room temperature with ice cream.

DEEP DISH CRISCO PIE CRUST

2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup chilled Crisco
6-10 tbsp. ice cold water

Combine flour and salt in medium mixing bowl. Cut in chilled Crisco with pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle with 5 tbsp. ice cold water over the flour mixture. Using a fork, stir and draw flour from bottom of bowl to the top, distributing moisture evenly into flour. Press chunks down to bottom of bowl with fork. Add more water by the tablespoon, until dough is moist enough to hold together when pressed together. Work into a firm ball, flatten into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Makes two single deep-dish pie crusts, or one double.

DIANNA'S MOTHER'S PIE CRUST

4 cups all-purpose flour

2 cups Crisco
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 egg
1 tbsp. vinegar
½ c. water

In a bowl, blend flour, Crisco and salt with a pastry blender, or two knives, until crumbly. Stir together egg, vinegar and water; add to flour mixture and blend. Shape dough into two equal-size disks; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out. Makes two double crust pies.

CREAM CHEESE PIE CRUST

2 ½ c. all-purpose flour¼ c. sugar
½ tsp. kosher salt
1 c. unsalted butter
4 oz. cream cheese

Makes two 9-in. pre-baked pie crust shells to use with filling. Allow butter and cream cheese to soften for about 10-15 minutes. Spray one or two 9-in. pie plates with cooking spray and set aside. In a bowl, blend flour, sugar and salt with a whisk or fork. In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese with a mixer for 2-3 minutes, until thoroughly blended. Add flour mixture to butter and cream cheese mixture and blend on low speed just until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Scrape bowl and continue to mix on medium speed until clumps form. Place dough on a floured surface and shape into two round disks. Place one disk in each pie plate. With hand, evenly press from center of dough to cover bottom of pie plate. Continue to press dough evenly up the sides of the pie plate. Press edges of dough with finger and thumbs along top edge of pie plate to form fluted pattern. Cover pie crust with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
For pre-baked pie shell: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Prick the bottom of crusts with a fork and bake on rack in center of oven for 35-40 minutes, until golden brown. If crust forms bubbles, press them down gently with a clean towel and they will flatten as the crust cools.
For fill and bake pie: Fill and bake chilled crust according to pie recipe.
Note: This recipe does not work well for two crust pies.

CARAMEL APPLE PIE

(recipe from Stephen Odaniell)

Prepared dough for double-crust pie
4 Granny Smith apples
4 Red Delicious apples
2 cups caramel sauce (homemade or store-bought)
1 cup pecan pieces
1 cup sugar
1 tbsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place rolled-out dough for one pie crust into a 9-inch glass pie plate and press into place. Line pie crust dough with parchment paper or foil and fill with pie weights or dried beans. Place in oven and par-bake for 10 minutes; remove and cool slightly. Peel apples and slice thinly. Toss apples with sugar and cinnamon. Add caramel sauce and pecans; mix lightly and pack into pie shell. Top with second round of pie crust dough and crimp edges seal tightly. Cut slits in pie top and coat with egg wash and a sprinkle of sugar. Bake pie at 400 degrees for about 35-45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown and pie filling bubbles.

PEACH BERRY PIE

Prepared dough for double-crust pie2 ½ lbs. firm ripe peaches (about 8 medium)
1 pt. fresh raspberries or blueberries
1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar
pinch of kosher salt
4 tsp. cornstarch
¼ tsp. pure almond extract

Peel peaches, cut in half and remove the pit. Slice each half into 8 thin wedges. Put peaches in a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Sprinkle sugar over peaches and toss gently to coat. Let peaches sit at room temperature for at least 1 hour, or as long as 12 hours. Place colander over a bowl and drain peaches, reserving the liquid—you should have 1 – 1 ½ cups of liquid. Pour the juices into a small, non-stick saucepan and place over medium heat and reduce liquid to 1/3 to ½ cup of syrup; let cool for 1 – 2 minutes. Pour peaches and raspberries into a bowl and toss them with cornstarch and almond extract until cornstarch disappears. Pour slightly cooled peach syrup over peaches. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place one piece of rolled dough in pie plate and fill with peaches. Roll out dough for top crust and make strips for lattice top crust or a quick cut-out lattice crust. Seal edges of crusts together and bake on center rack of oven until crust is browned and peaches are bubbly, about 35-45 minutes.