Mile High Apple Pie

I received this pie from our dear friends the Searle's after the birth of Charlie. Funny enough, my two favorite pie recipes are pies that I received after having babies! Maybe that makes them sentimental, but we love this pie so much, even I like to make and eat it! (And that is saying something!)

Crust:

In one bowl, mix 11/2 cups flour, 1 1/2 tsp.sugar and 1 tsp. salt. 

In a second bowl, mix 1/2 cup vegetable oil, and 2 Tbls. Cold milk. (I make this recipe 1 and 1/2 times because I have a Pampered Chef deep dish pan.)

Press mixture in a 9" pie pan with a fork and your fingers. 

Apple filling: 

Peel and slice apples. (8 Granny Smith- I use 9 or 10)

Mix 4 Tbsp. Flour, 1 cup sugar, and 1 Tbsp. Cinnamon in a bowl until it looks like sand. 

Mix apples and dry mixture until the apples are fully covered. (Again, I use 1 and 1/2 times because of the depth of my pan.) 

Topping:

Mix 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup sugar in a bowl.

Melt 1/2 cup butter and stir into bowl. 

Drop this mixture on to the top. (I make this mixture 1 1/2 times because I loooove it! However, I don't increase the butter because I feel like it doesn't home up as well. 

Put apples in pie crust with topping on top. Place pan in brown paper bag and staple closed across the front. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours! The most delicious apple pie ever! 

Aunt Judith's Whole Wheat Pie Crust

 This recipe makes enough for 2 - 3 single pie crusts.

1.  Sift together: 

• 3 C regular flour
• 1/2 C whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp salt

2.  Cut in:

• 1+1/4 C shortening
• 1/4 C butter (half cube)

3.  Whip together in a bowl:

• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vinegar
• 5-6 Tbl ice water

4.  Do not chill the dough before rolling out into a round pie shell (but you can freeze remaining dough.)

5.  If baking the shell, use a fork to gently poke holes on the sides and bottom of shell.  Bake at 425 degrees for 8 - 10 minutes.

Aunt Judith's Southern Pecan Pie

Aunt Judith’s Southern Pecan Pie

 

1.   Prepare a 9" pie shell (see Judith's Whole Wheat pie crust recipe)

2.   In a medium bowl, use a mixer to beat 4 eggs well

3.   In a glass bowl, melt 1/4 C butter

4.   Mix into butter:  1 C sugar, 1 C light corn syrup, 1/2 Tbl flour

5.   Blend in the eggs, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/4 tsp salt

6.   Add 2 C pecan halves

7.   Pour mixture into pie shell

8.  Bake at 350* for about 50-60 minutes. (In my oven, it took at least 60 minutes so I put the tin foil over to keep the pecans from burning.)  The middle should jiggle SLIGHTLY.

9.   Let cool for one hour until the filling has set

10.  For an extra touch, melt chocolate chips with some Canola oil and stir it until it's thin.  Drizzle back and forth over the top. (I put the melted chocolate into a little plastic baggy, snipped off a corner, and used that as a pastry bag to drizzle the chocolate.  But be careful, the chocolate is hot.)

11.   Serve with fresh whipped cream, or vanilla ice cream

PECAN PIE!

PW has the best darn Pecan Pie out there. I made it a few times, and it is my hubby's new favorite. At Thanksgiving, it didn't set up. But, I wasn't in my own kitchen, so, you really can't fault me. I know it is awesome, and I don't think I will ever use another one!

PIONEER WOMAN'S PECAN PIE!

PW's Pecan Pie

Let me just start this post by saying, I don't like Pie. Except for THIS one. Wanna see a pretty picture? Please click the link. I try a LOT of PW's stuff, and I always like it. But when I get a sure fire winner, it has to go here as well. This is the BEST PECAN PIE I have ever had. ENJOY.

PW’s Pecan Pie
1 unbaked pie crust
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup corn syrup
1/3 cup melted butter (regular, salted)
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 heaping cup chopped pecans

Mix sugar, brown sugar, salt, corn syrup, butter, eggs, and vanilla together in a bowl. Pour chopped pecans in the bottom of the pie shell. Pour syrup mixture over the top. Bake pie at 350 degrees for 50 minutes, being careful not to burn pecans and crust.
Allow to cool for several hours or overnight. Serve in thin slivers.

**Cook's notes: Use a "chopper" if you have one for the pecans. The great thing about this recipe is the awesome 'crust' that forms because of the ultra-fine pieces of pecan on the top of the pie. However, do not chop ALL the pecans to the fine stage. Leave some in bigger pieces for the rest of the pie. Definitely use a HEAPING cup. :)

Banana Cream Pie--Hill's Version

So I kind of have my own little version of banana cream pie going on, that is based on the recipe in the red and white check book. Since I am not a pie crust fan, I like to use graham cracker crust coated with melted chocolate! I tried to remember to take a picture of it all made and ready to eat, but I totally forgot! So here is what it looks like after everyone devours it and loves it and tells you how great a cook you are! Don't be intimidated by making your own pudding from scratch, it's not hard at all, and turns out great as long as you follow the directions. Good luck!

3/4 c sugar
1/3 c flour
1/4 t salt
2 c milk (I use 1% and it works fine)
3 slightly beaten egg yolks
2 T butter
1 t vanilla
1 9 inch graham cracker pie shell
3 bananas peeled and sliced
1/3 c chocolate chips
2 t butter

First melt the chocolate chips and 2 t butter in a microwave safe bowl. Stir at 30 second intervals until melted and smooth. Spread with back of spoon chocolate all over the base and sides of the graham cracker pie shell. Let sit while you make the pudding.

In saucepan combine sugar, flour, and salt; gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat till bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat.
Stir small amount of hot mixture into yolks; immediately return to hot mixture; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add 2 T butter and vanilla. Slice 3 bananas in base of pie shell. Pour hot pudding over all. Pudding should cover banana completely. Cool and serve with whipped cream. (To prevent a skin from forming on the surface of filling, put waxed paper directly on top of hot filling, then remove when it's time to serve).

Lazy Day Lemon Chiffon Pie

I don't remember how this tastes, but it is a tried and true recipe from my mom. I can tell because it is torn out of a magazine and the page is old, crumpled and brown. I am also keeping it because my husband is a PIE FIEND, and he will love me forever if I make it. ( I think he has to love me forever anyway)

1 8 or 9 inch crumb crust, chilled
1 (14 0z.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/3 cup ReaLemon Lemon Juice
few drops yellow food coloring
2 to 3 teaspoons grated lemon peel, optional
3 egg whites
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
Whipped Topping and lemon slices, optional

In medium bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, food coloring and 1 tsp. grated lemon peel; mix well. In small bowl, beat egg whites with cream of tartar until stiff but not dry. Gently fold into lemon mixture. Pour into prepared crust. Chill 3 hours. If desired, at serving time garnish with topping, lemon slices and grated peel.

Mixed Berry Pie

I am ashamed. Pie is my husband’s FAVORITE thing to eat, and this is the only one I know how to make! But it is fabulous anyway!

6 cups mixed berries (go easy and cheap and buy the bag of mixed frozen berries from Costco)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbs. butter on top of berries

Combine berries, sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl and stir. Allow to sit for 10 minutes so that sugar and flour crystallizes on berries.

Pour mixture into pie crust and cut up butter on top of berries.

Cover with pie crust and brush with milk, and cinnamon sugar.

PIE CRUST!

This is the easiest pie crust to make ever! And it is soooooo good.

1 cup oil
1/2 cup water
3 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder

Heat together oil and water and add remaining ingredients. Makes 3 single crusts.