Cherry Pie

So I've been slacking off a bit on the whole pie making thing. However, since we're coming into berry season out this way pies will be spewing forth.

Also, this week was the first time I've tried using refrigerated premade pie crusts. I actually made a lattice using this and a pizza cutter.

Now, PIETASTISMIC TIME



Cherry Pie

• 5 cups fresh or frozen tart cherries
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/8 tablespoon almond extract
• pie crust
  
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, to dot
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, to sprinkle

Preheat oven to 375

cut and pit the cherries. Cook them covered on low-med heat until the juice is rendered. This should take about an hour or so, stir occasionally.
remove from heat
Mix the sugar and cornstarch together then add to cherries
mix thoroughly
add almond extract
pour mixture into prepared bottom crust
put top on pie, place butter on top of filling and put top crust on
if lattice, cut it into extra small pieces and put between connecting crust
sprinkle with sugar
Bake 50 min and allow to cool

my grandma's pound cake

Grandma Tantaquidgeons pound cake


2 sticks of butter
3 c sugar
1c milk
5 eggs
1 tblsp vanilla
3c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch salt



cream the butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time mixing all before adding the next followed by milk and vanilla.
add flour, baking soda and salt in small portions throughly mixing
bake for an hour
DO NOT OPEN THE OVEN DURING THAT HOUR!
after that check it, if it needs another 15 minutes give it to it.
turn off the oven and let it sit for 15 in the over

dbl chocolate pecan cookies

1 1/2c brown sugar
2 sticks butter-room temp
1/3 c cocoa powder
1 tbls vanilla
2 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking powder
2 c flour
bag choco chunks and 1/2 c pecans


375 for 11 min

cream sugar and butter
add eggs, cocoa and vanilla
then flour, salt and baking powder.
mix in nuts and chips
bake 11 minutes

key lime

So I had a serious case of life attack the past few weeks which i shall be making up for shortly.
this week's addition happened two weeks ago. I made Emril's key lime pie recipe which can be found at http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/key-lime-pie-recipe/index.html
i bought a crust myself.


key lime may possibly be the easiest pie ever. seriously, the most work involved was zesting the limes.

coming up some cookie and pound cake recipes

Be bop a re bop- rhubarb and srawberry pie

Behold the first recipe I created myself. Whoever decided to eat the red stems of a toxic plant that is pretty tart on its own could become such a tasty duo with overly sweet berries.









Rhubarb and Strawberry Pie

preheat to 400

pie crust- bottom and top
1 1/2 c frozen strawberries
1 1/2c rhubarb, sliced
1c sugar
3 tblsp corn starch
dash cinnamon
4 tblsp butter

put your fruit in a bowl with sugar and corn starch. stir until the fruit is coated. sprinkle cinnamon on the bottom crust before adding your fruit. it will be super dry, just make sure everything is coated and all the dry goes on top. put your butter on top and cover with other crust. slice some slits in the top.

bake 15 minutes at 400 then lower to 350 for 45 minutes

i can pecan

This beauty is from my Husband's grandmother. I have it on my refrigerator. I keep it there. This recipe has been number 1 since the first day I tried it.










Pecan Pie

350 45-60 minutes

ingredients:
3 beaten eggs
1 cup sugar
1 heaping tbls flour
1/2 c dark corn syrup
1/2 c light corn syrup
3 tbls melted butter
1tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cup pecans


Beat eggs
add Syrup and sugar
mix well
stir in add flour, vanilla and melted butter

Put 1 up in pie pan and pour mixture over
sprinkle remaining nuts over top
bake until set.

HAVE MIXER ? CAN MERINGUE!

So this pie was the most daunting to me when i first started my adventures in baking. Then i tried it by hand... and failed miserably. However, with the addition of a stand mixer or popeye arms there isn't an easier or more delicious thing i can think of. Case in point- i forgot to take a picture when it was fresh and 3 hours later the pie had become a memory.



So from the dark dank cook books of days past i present

Lemon Meringue
Preheat to 325
bake 15

Ingredients

• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1/2 cup lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 3 egg yolks

Top or the actual Meringue:

• 3 egg whites
• 1/4 teaspoon cream or tartar
• 1/4 cup sugar

In medium bowl, combine milk, lemon juice, and zest; blend in egg yolks. Pour into cooled crust.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Beat egg whites with cream of tartar until soft peaks from. Gradually beat in the sugar until stiff. Spread over filling; seal to edge of crust. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until meringue is golden brown.

Carrot Pie

This gem was found in a parade newspaper insert a few years back. Currently it is one of my favorites. When I first heard about this I had serious reservations... mainly because it sounds weird. If you like pumpkin and sweet potato pie this will join that list







Carrot Pie
preheat oven to 400

2cups cooked and mashed carrots
1 can evaporated milk
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ginger
2 tsp cinnamon

Combine all ingredients and beat for 2 minutes ( i usually just put it in the blender) and pour in unbaked pie crust.
bake on 400 for first 15 minutes then lower to 350 for 45 minutes until it's set.
chill and serve with whipped cream

North Dakota Sunflower pie

prebaked
I pulled this out of a Midwest Living Magazine email. It was a link to their top 20 pies and, it looked simple enough.


Ingredients

• 3 beaten eggs
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3 tablespoons sunflower margarine, melted
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup roasted, salted sunflower kernels
• 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, brown sugar, corn syrups, sugar, margarine, vanilla, and salt.

2. Spread sunflower kernels evenly in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell. Pour in the sugar mixture.

3. Bake in a 350 degree F oven for 50 to 60 minutes or until center is almost set (it will jiggle slightly). Cool on a wire rack. Makes 8 servings.

My thoughts: so if pecan pie went on a diet... the day off it was a touch reminiscent of trail mix, however a night in the refrigerator made it lovely. I will make it again at some point but with the only thing varying from my pecan pie recipe being the type of nuts I'm not sure if its so good on the waistband.


also, let me stress the importance of beating eggs when it says beaten eggs. If you want that gooey golden awesome power in a nut pie the eggs must be beaten. Otherwise it wont set and you'll have a pan off goo

best thing since sliced pie

I don't think I have ever met anyone who doesn't like pie. Perhaps its the variations it can take on, the fact we equate it with so many holidays or events or that it's generally delicious but we tend to go gaga over it. That is why I've decided to start this blog(that and boredom). I want to attempt a new pie every week - from pecan to chocolate mousse to pumpkin to peppermint chiffon, I'm going to try them all.

The main thing they have in common(besides being eaten) is crust. My basic crust recipe, taken from my in-laws is


3/4 cups of veg oil
2 cup flour
1/4 c water- COLD
dash of salt and tsp sugar


a note on the water- it should be cold, also the amount will really vary depending on your climate and the weather. Today I didn't need any, actually I added more flour because it was far to moist, whereas on a normal day i have to add almost 1/3 a cup. You want it just to come together for the proper flaky and tender levels.

this recipe will make a crust for a fruit pie- i.e. top and bottom. since I'm using it for a nut pie, I'm planning on freezing the other half for next week.

You can either roll this out or, do it the cheat way which is moosh it into shape with your fingers. Now, I'm not so good with crust creation. Usually it looks a bit slap dash/dropped mess when i roll it out. So I go with the moosh method when at all possible.

Now I will start my first pie of this project.