Easier French Silk Pie

I don't blog much anymore, but I wanted to add this adjustment to an older recipe because I have made it a couple of times recently, and a few small changes made it so much better!

What You Need: 

For the crust:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/2 cup shortening (cut into chunks)
3 Tbsp. butter (cut into chunks)
1/3 cup ice water

For the filling:
3 large eggs
1/4 cup sugar
5 oz. semisweet or dark chocolate (chips, chunks or broken into chunks)
3/4 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

For the topping:
1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4-1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Yield: About 36 mini pies (or you can use a 9" pie pan, and this will make you one pie)

Easy Cheesecake Recipe

This small, 6" cheesecake is perfect for a small family gathering. It's smaller, so you can make it the same day, and it only needs to cool 3-4 hours.

I use my Instant Pot because it cooks perfectly and quickly. 

What you Need:

For the crust:
4-5 full graham crackers (or 1/2 cup of graham cracker crumbs)
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
2-3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

For the filling:
12-ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 whole egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature

1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. lemon zest or 1 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup sour cream

For the chocolate topping:

2-3 Tbsp. Heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup dark chocolate chips (or 2 oz. chopped chocolate)

Birthday Pie

Around here, it's not cake that takes the cake for birthdays... it's pie. And this year, I made my husband three different pies to celebrate his big 40th birthday.

#1- French Silk Pie - This rich, chocolate cream pie is amazingly good!

#2- Strawberry Rhubarb Pie - I had to substitute store-bought frozen rhubarb, but it was still fantastic!

#3- Cherry Pie - How can you go wrong with a classic?

The only one missing was my favorite: Lemon Cream Pie... but then, it wasn't my birthday!

Charley's Deep Dish Pumpkin Pie {Recipe}

We had a bumper crop of pie pumpkins in our garden this summer. So, my son, Charley decided he wanted to learn to make pumpkin pie. This recipe is the result of lots of trial and error in using fresh pumpkins in our pie. We love it, and hope you will, too.

What You Need:
For the Crust:
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. butter

For the Filling:
1- medium sized pie pumpkin (for 2 1/2 cups pumpkin puree)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp. Corn starch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-2 Tbsp. pumpkin pie spice
2 large eggs + 2 egg yolks (beaten)
2 1/2 cups evaporated milk (about 1 1/2 cans)

For the Whipped Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar

*Please note: this recipe makes a DEEP DISH pie. If you are using a regular pie plate, you will need to either cut the filling by about 1/3 or use the extra filling to make pumpkin custards (which I recommend).

Chocolate Pie with Pretzel Crust

Chocolate Pie with a Pretzel Crust and Peanut Butter swirls. My boys and I worked together to make this perfect-for-Daddy birthday pie. (Which is why I have no pictures of the process, sorry.)

What You Need:
2 cups crushed pretzels
1/2 cup melted butter
3 eggs (separated)
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups heavy cream
12 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4-1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Make the Crust:
Preheat oven to 350-degrees (F).
Crush pretzels to small crumbs and pour into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
Melt the butter. Add to the pretzel crumbs, and stir to combine.
Separate one egg. Add the egg white to the pretzel mixture. Place the egg yolk into another small mixing bowl.
Mix the egg white with the pretzel crumbs and butter (be sure to add the white after you've combined the butter and crumbs or you could heat the white too much).
Press the pretzel mixture into an 8-9" pie pan. (This is sticky business.)
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the crust is crispy and golden.

Make the Filling:
While the crust is baking, make the chocolate filling.
Whisk the two remaining eggs, and the one yolk with the sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl until well-combined and airy.
Heat the cream in a medium saucepan over medium heat until bubbles form around the edges.
Slowly pour the heated cream into the egg mixture, whisking constantly while pouring a thin stream of hot cream into the eggs. (Being careful not to "cook" the eggs.) When it's fully combined, pour the mixture back into the pan, and heat over medium heat until it thickens.
Remove from heat, and add the chocolate chips. Stir well to combine.

Make the Pie and Chill overnight:
Pour the filling into the pie crust.
Add the peanut butter. (I warmed the peanut butter in the microwave for 20 seconds, then poured it into a zip-top sandwich bag. Cut the corner, and squeezed it onto the top of the pie. If you want it to swirl down into the pie, use a butter knife to swirl it in.)

Refrigerate for at least 5 hours to overnight.

Note: This is very, very rich pie. Cut into small pieces and serve with milk or coffee!

Cool Fourth of July Easy "Pies"

This treat is perfect if you love pie, but don't want to heat up the kitchen for hours. You still have to bake some of the crust, but it only takes five minutes, not an hour, in the oven.

What You Need
Pie Crust
   You can use store-bought or one of my Two Favorite Pie Crust Recipes
   (Flaky Pie Crust or Rich Pie Crust).
Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce
   Or you can use store-bought pie filling. Cherry & Blueberry would make a cool red, white and blue pie.
Vanilla Ice Cream


Pretty simple instructions here...

Make the crust.
For mine, I used my Flaky Pie Crust Recipe, and cut it into stars (or even just cut into strips if you want to make it even easier).  Be sure to prick it with a fork before you cut it so that the crust doesn't get funky air bubbles. Bake at 425-degrees for just 5-7 minutes.
I only used 1/4 of the dough, and it made about six to eight "pies."

Make the filling.
The Recipe for Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce is here.

Assemble them in cute cups or mugs, and top with ice cream.

Yum!

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Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Bars {Recipe}

I love cheesecake bars. I've made Strawberry-Rhubarb Cheesecake Bars, Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars, Cranberry-Gingerbread Cheesecake Bars. And now, Pumpkin Streusel Cheesecake Bars

What You Need:
For the Crust & Topping:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans
1 tsp. salt (if using unsalted butter)
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter, chilled

For the Filling:
2- 8 oz. block cream cheese (at room temperature)
1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

Note: I think I would like to have more filling, but my husband and children insist this is enough. If I double it, and like it, I'll report back.
** Update: I 1.5-ed the filling, and I think it was PERFECT. That used 3 blocks of cream cheese, 1 15-oz. can pumpkin, 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, 3 eggs, 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice... and it baked for an hour. Awesome yumminess!

Yield: 30-40 2" square bars

Mini Chocolate Pies {Recipe}

My baby sister is getting married next summer. We're about ankle-deep at this point in trying to get some of the basics set. The thing is, she can't really be related to me because she's not a huge fan of cake. (I know! Right?!)

So, I'm thinking that if we can convince my mom, and perhaps my future brother-in-law... she can go with some kind of dessert bar.

Now, I would LOVE to be able to actually make such a thing happen for her all by myself, but given that the wedding will be in Texas, and I live in Minnesota, this seems unlikely. But perhaps I can make some recommendations... like these mini chocolate cream pies.

What You Need: 
For the crust:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp. butter

For the filling:
3/4 cup butter (at room temperature)
1 cup powdered sugar
5 oz. semisweet or unsweetened chocolate, melted
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs (or 3/4 cup 'pasteurized egg product' to protect from salmonella)

For the topping:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Yield: About 36 mini pies.

For the Love of Rhubarb

I love Rhubarb! And thanks to a late spring, it's just now rhubarb season here.
Here's a collection of the rhubarb recipes I posted last summer, and my best rhubarb tips, too.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Bars

(These are easy, quick and so good!)

Rhubarb Fruit Crisp

(This recipe can be used for any kind of fruit crisp. I love it!)

Strawberry-Rhubarb Hand Pies

(Just made these again for Father's Day. BIG hit!)

Strawberry-Rhubarb Sauce

(Perfect on top of ice cream or biscuits.)

Rhubarb 101

(Everything I know about growing and baking with rhubarb.)

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Pi(e) Day 3-14

It's Pi(e) Day! March 14th. Like 3.14. Like Pi. Get it? Any excuse for pie is a good one in my book!

Below you will find my collection of pie recipes. Enjoy!

Cherry Pie with Flaky Pie Crust

Lemon Cream Pie

French Silk (Chocolate Cream) Pie

Strawberry-Rhubarb Hand Pies

Mini-Apple Hand Pies

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Mini Apple Hand Pies

It didn't occur to me until I started writing this post that my nephew refers to the city in which I live (well, okay the metro area in which I live) as "Mini-Apples, Mini-Donuts." But that makes these little pies even better.

What You Need:
Pie Crust (I recommend this recipe, but you can also use store-bought) 
2-3 apples (diced small)
2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 cup brown sugar
butter (optional)
1 egg (beaten)

Yield: 1-2 dozen mini pies, depending on how big you make them

Pecan Turtle Cake Recipe

It's all here. Chocolate, Caramel, Pecans. Yummy turtle cake. And the best part for me was that it was all leftovers from other projects!

What You Need:
Chocolate Cake Recipe
Caramel Buttercream Icing Recipe
1 cup Pecans (toasted and chopped)
Caramel Sauce (see Caramel Icing Recipe)
Chocolate (melted)

Homemade Cherry Pie with Flaky Crust {Recipe}

When I was a little kid, my grandparents had a handful of tart cherry trees in their back yard. I remember spending a summer weekend or two helping my Grandma make cherry pie filling, which she'd freeze in Cool Whip containers. Then, one year, they had to cut down ALL of their cherry trees. I think there was an insect infestation or blight or something. I remember my Grandma being just devastated at the loss of her trees. Of course, at the time, I didn't understand why Grandma cared about the silly trees. Now... I get it.

Tart cherry pie is the only pie that matters as far as I'm concerned. My husband may love his chocolate pie or strawberry-rhubarb pie, but for me, Cherry Pie is where it's at. My Father-In-Law agrees with me entirely. So, for Father's Day, I set out to make him a cherry pie.

Now, I wish I could have gotten my hands on some of Grandma's fresh, or even frozen, tart cherries. But for whatever reason they practically don't exist in Minnesota. So, I am forced to go with the canned variety.

What You Need:
For the Crust:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces
3-4 Tbsp. ice water
1 egg
1 Tbsp. vinegar

For the Filling:
2- 14.5 oz. cans Tart Cherries (in water)
1 cup sugar
3-4 Tbsp. corn starch
1 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. almond extract

Ode to Parchment Paper

So, I know this is a really weird thing to write a blog post about, but I was trying to think about things that I use just about every time I bake... things I can't live without... and an ode to my oven will come someday... but I'll have to clean it first so that I can take a picture of it!

I landed on parchment paper.
I'm always surprised when friends or students don't know what parchment paper is, or how it's different than waxed paper. Let me tell you, my friends, it is one of those staples that I now couldn't bake without!
(And, no, I did not contact the parchment paper people to get them to pay me for this post, but perhaps I should have. One day maybe I will get paid to post something... just not today.)

Without Further Ado...
What Do You Use Parchment Paper for?

Picnic-Perfect Portable Pies {Recipe}

I set out to make some single-serve pies on a stick. They turned out okay, but I couldn't find food-safe popsicle sticks to save my life, I didn't like these "corn skewers" I tried, then I realized, why do they need to be on sticks?

So, I made them without sticks, and you know what? I like them better as "hand pies." Perfect. Portable. Pies. What could be better?

What You Need:
 For the Filling:
2 cups rhubarb (chopped into small- 1/4-1/2"- chunks)
1 cup strawberries (chopped)
1 cup sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. corn starch
1 tsp. vanilla
For the Crust:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup heavy cream
3 Tbsp. butter (cut into small pieces)

Yield: 12-15 (3" round) Hand pies or Pies on a stick

Homemade Peanut Butter Cup Recipe

I got a recipe similar to this from my aunt in a little book she put together for me for my wedding. I altered it a bit to make it a smaller batch, but I love the texture and flavor of these peanut butter cups.

And if you want, you can also make them in a pie-sized piece. I've made them mini-cupcake size, standard-cupcake size and in those little mini foil pie tins.

What You Need:
1- 12 oz. bag chocolate chips (I recommend milk chocolate.)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup peanut butter (I prefer crunchy, but whatever you like.)
1 package of graham crackers, crushed (1/3 of a standard box of graham crackers.)
1 cup powdered sugar

Yield: About 3 dozen mini cupcakes, 2-3 of the mini foil pie pans.

Rhubarb 101

When my husband and I bought our house in Iowa about 8 years ago, we didn't know that something in the back yard would change our lives... it was rhubarb. I'd never eaten it, and hardly ever heard of it before.

So, when I saw (what I called then) "These Jurassic Plants" in the backyard, I wanted to get rid of them. (In my defense, look at those leaves. They are Jurassic!)
I'm not sure who told us that it was rhubarb, and we should try it... but whoever you are... THANK YOU!

I did keep it, and now it's one of my favorite things to bake with in the summer. We were lucky that we got an especially good variety of rhubarb. That stuff has been divided, transplanted, moved and has made it with us to two more houses. It's great!

But, if you're like I was, and you don't know a thing about rhubarb, let me help.
Here's my Rhubarb 101:

Easy Rainbow Pudding Pie for St. Patrick's Day

Seriously, start to finish, it took me less than an hour to do all three of these! (Well, except for baking the crusts.)

What You Need:
Pie Crust (These are mini-pies, but you could totally do full-sized.)
Instant Pudding (Prepared as pie filling - mixed with 1 3/4 cups of cold milk)
Whipped Cream (or Cool Whip)
Wilton Nonpareils 6 Mix Sprinkle Assortment (or other sprinkles divided by color)
Parchment paper for template
Optional (for "pot of gold"):
1 Thin Mint Girl Scout Cookie (or other round, dark cookie)
Yellow or gold sanding sugar or sprinkles