Coconut Cherry Pie

Unexplained cravings are again responsible for spontaneous semi-homemade desserts. This time, it was cherries and coconut. But how to combine these two random, yet delicious ingredients? A pie, of course! Take a traditional crumble topping, add coconut flakes, and put on top of your own cherry filling, or, like me, a canned filling. Wha-la! You've got a pie. 

The delightful surprise of the toasted coconut gives the cherries an added dimension, without overpowering the dish or taking away from the comfort a cherry pie offers. 

1 regular size can cherry pie filling. (I used the one without HF Corn Syrup.)

1/3 c. coconut flakes

1/4 c. brown sugar

1 tbl cinnamon 

3 tbl flour

1/3 c. oats 

3 tbl butter, chilled

1 pie crust (my favorite pre-made is Marie Callender in the freezer)

Heat oven to 375. Pour can into pie crust. Cut butter into 1/4 in pieces. Mix dry ingredients together. Cut butter into crumble mix with a pastry blender or two knives until the size of peas. Spread evenly on top of the pie. Make a pie shield out of aluminum foil. (see previous posts) Bake for 30 min. Remove foil and bake for 15 min longer. Let stand before serving to gel and avoid tongue burning. 

Verdict: it was delicious. 

Chocolate Pecan Bourbon Pie "Derby Pie"

• Last year I had the good fortune to be set up on a girl date with who is now my best friend, Bonnie. She and I share a love of horses and often talk about Kentucky and the races. This summer she made a "Derby Pie," and I will never look at a pecan pie the same way. 
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• The Derby Pie is a tradition of Kentucky, and the only original recipe is a well kept family secret. This version is a cross between a chocolate chess and a pecan. 
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• Frozen Marie Callenders crust 
• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans 
• 1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1 cup dark corn syrup
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar 
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup bourbon or water 
• 4 large eggs 
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted 
• 2 teaspoons cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Sprinkle pecans and chocolate evenly onto bottom of piecrust; set aside.
• Combine corn syrup and next 3 ingredients in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients. Gradually whisk about one-fourth hot mixture into egg mixture; add to remaining hot mixture, whisking constantly. Pour filling into prepared piecrust. Cover with crust shield for first 30 min. 
• Bake at 325° for 50 minutes or until set; cool on wire rack.
• Cynthia Ann Briscoe, Birmingham, Alabama, Southern Living 

Mississippi Lemon Chess Pie

One of my best girlfriends, Jennifer, recently inherited a priceless collection of recipes from a beloved aunt. My little southern heart beat fast at the prospect of finding original recipes like my grandmother and great-grandmother used to make. With her permission, I took pictures of several and am eager to put them all to the test.
My first try was this wonderfully rich pie. Chess Pie is at the heart of any true southerner, and this recipe artfully balances the sweet with the fresh lemon flavor. I'm not typically a huge lemon dessert fan, but this has won me over and I've made it twice already.

See the recipe in the picture below and read my previous posts to find crust recipes and tips.

Pecan Pie

What are the holidays without a Pecan Pie?

My favorite Thanksgiving memories are when my family in Tennessee would gather at my Aunt Meg's house. We would pack in cousins, in-laws, grandparents, uncles, and close family friends. One year we had three dogs and a cat! Now that was a lively day. In order to feed all 20-30 of us, the women folk would work for hours the days before to prepare a feast. Aunt Meg's kitchen island would be covered with a wide variety of pies, cakes, and cookies to tempt and delight. The list usually included molasses cookies, buttermilk pie, mincemeat pie, and pecan pie. Even though I didn't get to spend the day with everyone this year, my brother and I carried on the traditions here in Colorado with his family.

This year, rather than using the usual recipe on the Karo Syrup bottle, I decided to try something a little more complex. It took more time, but the results were amazing!

1 Pie crust, deep dish. (I have a simple recipe for one on the apple pie blog. If you must use store-bought, I recommend Marie Callender's.)

6 Tbl butter, cut into 1 in pieces
1 cup packed, dark brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1 Tbl vanilla
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted

Heat the oven to 375.
Toast pecans for 8 minutes, or until you can start to smell them.
Place pie weights in the crust, either using dry beans in aluminum foil, using it to also cover and protect the edges (this is to prevent bubbling). Bake the empty crust for 25 min. Carefully remove the foil and beans, return crust to oven for 5 min until bottom of crust is dry.
Decrease oven to 275.
Filling: place a medium glass bowl in a skillet of water. Bring water to boil, reduce to simmer. Add butter. Once melted, add brown sugar and salt, mix well. Add the eggs, corn syrup and vanilla. Beat together, then stir regularly until the filling is hot and reads 130 degrees. Remove from heat and add pecans.
Pour into prepared shell, cover with crust shield, bake for 40 minutes. Remove shield, bake another 15-20 min, or until the pie doesn't jiggle, but gives when pressed in the center.

Chocolate Chess Pie

I have the great honor and privilege of living close to my brother and his three amazing children. Time to time, when I babysit them, I let them help me cook and try to pass on my knowledge to their young, eager faces. This was a perfect opportunity to bake a pie: their father's birthday.

Now in the south, a Chess pie is a tradition. It's one of the first recipes I learned, passed down from my grandmother along with this story. The old saying goes, that a yankee was enjoying a delicious pie baked for him by a southern cook when he asked what kind of pie it was. The cook, in a heavy accent, said, "It's jes' pie." Thus, the name, "Chess Pie." What's better than a pie full of sugar and butter? A pie full of sugar, butter and chocolate. So here's the variation on the old favorite.

Ingredients
3 cups sugar
7 tbl cocoa powder
3 tbl flour
1 cup milk
4 eggs
1 stick butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 regular pie shells or 1 deep dish.

Directions
Heat oven to 350, place pie shells on a cookie sheet. prepare a crust shield (directions in Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake).
In a small saucepan, heat butter on low just until melted, remove from heat and add cocoa until melted.
In a bowl, mix sugar with flour, then add remaining ingredients. Add butter/cocoa mixture. Pour into crusts.
Bake for 30-40 min, until a crust has formed on top of the pie. (it will be cracked and not sticky to the touch)
Remove crust shield during the last 15 min of baking.
Cool completely before slicing. We call this "Settin' up."  (trust me, resist temptation or it will be pure liquid inside!)

Funny side note: After baking this and putting the sweet darlings to bed, I couldn't resist tasting my creation. So, I confess I nibbled a bit :) It made Twitter with a picture of the creator/culprit.

Key Lime Pie

As I was walking through the grocery store this afternoon, I spied some key lime pies on the shelf that got my mouth watering. As much as I may be tempted to buy premade treats, I am always halted by the memory of my mother's homemade creation. Its cool, creamy texture and tart taste are refreshingly perfect for a hot summer's day. Once again, thank you Mama for this family favorite! (My brother is so jealous right now)

8oz sour cream
2 8oz pkgs of cream cheese, room temp
Juice of 1 lemon
Juice of 1 lime (even if small)
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 dash salt
Graham cracker crusts: 1 deep dish (with leftovers) or 2 regular crusts or 12 mini crusts

Mix all ingredients until smooth. Pour in crust, cover, and refrigerate 4 hours or overnight. Serve cold.

Tips:

• Microwave the lime and lemons for 20 seconds and roll on the counter to loosen the juices. 
• Microwave the cream cheese for 30 seconds in a glass bowl to make it easier to mix. 

Garnishes:

• Take an extra lime and slice thinly then cut half-way through on one side. Open and twist the sides in opposite directions. 
• Add whip cream and lime zest.
• Score the lime from top to bottom before slicing to add flair to the rind.
• Eat it all right away before you have time to garnish it.

Old-fashioned Buttermilk Pie

This pie is famous in my family. At my great-grandmother "Ma's" funeral, it was even mentioned as something to be remembered. It's the first pie I ever made, and the one I make when I want to get into my daddy's heart. So simple, yet so unique. Enjoy!

Ma and Father Gunn, my great-grandparents

2 cups sugar
1 heaping tbl flour
1 cup buttermilk
3/4 stick of butter, melted
6 egg yolks, save whites for meringue
1 1/2 tsp vinegar, preferably apple cider
1 deep dish pie shell. My favorite is Marie Callender's in the freezer case with the Coolwhip

Preheat oven to 325.
In a large bowl, mix sugar and flour. Add rest of ingredients, mix well. Pour into crust and bake for 60 to 70 min, until it doesn't jiggle and it is light brown in spots. A crust shield is needed for this recipe. Remove at the 50 min mark. Let cool completely, even overnight, to let it set-up. Cut SMALL slices and serve! Also known as "death by sugar pie" hahah!

Meringue:
6 egg whites
1 tbl cream of tartar
2 tbl sugar
1 dash salt

Beat it on high until stiff peaks form. Spread on cooked pie. Cook at 450 until top is golden brown (doesn't take long, so watch it!)

Spring St, Ashland City, TN, 1970

Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake

A Holiday dessert to please two requests! My sister in law gave me this recipe from a very impressive HyVee (grocery chain) magazine that her mother brought her from Iowa. What better time to try it than Thanksgiving?













1 refrigerated or frozen pie crust
8 oz cream cheese, at room temp.
3/4 cup of sugar, divided
3 large eggs
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 Tbl rum or 1 Tbl vanilla
1 1/4 cups pumpkin from a can
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt



Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place refrigerated crust in a pie plate, fluting with fingers as shown or folded and pressed with thumb for edging. Or use my favorite brand, Marie Callendars frozen crust.

Beat cream cheese, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1 egg, nutmeg and rum with a mixer until smooth. Spread evenly in prepared piecrust.

In a large bowl, stir together pumpkin, evap. milk, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, cinn, ginger, cloves and salt until thoroughly combined. Begin by pouring near the edge of the pie and slowly pour pumpkin mixture over cream cheese layer. Bake for 40 min. Remove crust shield and add steusel topping and bake for another 15-20 min, till crust is golden. Cool to room temperature. Chill and serve with Rum Whipped Cream. Serve that day or next. It's not as good after that.

Meanwhile, make streusel topping.

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

2 Tbl flour

2 Tbl butter

1/2 cup pecan pieces
Combine brown sugar and flour in a small bowl. Cut in butter with 2 knives or a pastry blender (if you read my blog, you'll want to buy one!) until mixture resembles wet sand. Stir in pecans.
Rum Whipped Cream:
1 cup whipping cream
2 Tbl sugar
1 tsp rum or vanilla

Beat with a mixer on high until soft peaks form.

Cooking tips:

• Serve that day or next. It's not as good after that.
• Make your own crust shield with aluminum foil. Fold the foil in half and cut a half circle out. Gently place over pie. 
• Chill your glass or metal bowl before you beat the whip cream and it will go faster. 
• Don't add until it's time to serve.

Easy as Pie!

Baking not your thing? In a rush? Want some comfort food? I've got a solution: Cherry Pie!

Cherry Pie has a special place in my heart because of my Great-Aunt Pat. I grew up in a small town in Tennessee sharing a home with my grandparents, my great-grandparents lived next door, my grandpa's mama lived 10 min away, and my great-aunt and her son lived two blocks away.

When I was really little, I remember almost every night for dinner family would drop by and bring a dish to share. One thing I liked most was Pat's Cherry Cobbler (not really a cobbler, but we called it that). Once she found out how much I enjoyed it, she would bring it over every year on my birthday, and other times just as a treat. The crust was home-made, and peeking through the lattice-top, the bright-red cherries always had the perfect amount of sweetness to them.

When I was a teenager, I asked Pat what her recipe was. She laughed and told me it was cherry pie filling out of a can! I couldn't believe that all the years I thought she spent hours making "Anna Margaret's Cobbler" that it was partially store-bought! I do have to give her credit for making a delicious crust, though. Since then I have followed in her footsteps, and as she told me, "why make it when they sell it for cheaper and it tastes better." So, adding to that, I buy store-bought pie crust as well.

Here's how it goes:

1 large can of Cherry Pie filling (not canned cherries)

1 pie crust, either frozen Pet Ritz/Marie Callenders, or Pillsbury refrigerated

Dump can into the crust and bake on 325 until it's warm and bubbly and the crust is golden brown, at least 45 min. Place on a cookie sheet to catch overflow. Use a pie crust shield until the last 15 min. If desired, you can cut another crust into strips and make a lattice for the top. Google it. hee hee :)

Pie Crust Shield, what's that?

This is a metal circle that covers the crust but not the top of the pie while it bakes long times to prevent burning. You can buy them. . . but no need! I have invented an easier method: aluminum foil.

Take one piece as large as your pie, fold it in half, and cut a half circle out of the middle. Open it up and lightly place it on top. If this doesn't fit, then crimp the middle until it's the right size. Whal-la!