Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

This recipe is from Ree Drummond's new food network show The Pioneer Woman. Jacob was watching it with me and asked me to make it for him. No prob babe! Yum...

One change I made: I used chunky instead of creamy peanut butter. The crunch is mo better.

You will need:

Crust:

(note: I doubled this to make sure I ended up with a thick enough crust)

 

- 25 whole chocolate sandwich cookies, such as Oreos
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

- 1 cup chunky peanut butter
- One 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
- 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
- One 8-ounce package whipped topping, such as Cool Whip, thawed

Directions:

For the crust: 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Crush the cookies until they're fine crumbs. 

Pour the melted butter over the top and stir with a fork to combine. Press into a pie pan and bake until set, 5 to 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

For the filling: 

Beat the peanut butter with the cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until smooth. 
Add in the thawed whipped topping and beat until smooth, scraping the sides as needed.

Pour the filling into the crust, evening out the top with a knife or spatula. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

Deep Dish Caramel Apple Pie

Cook time: eh, maybe like 3 hours including prep.
Serves: At least one

Ingredients:

- Pie crust for double crust pie (find recipe HERE)
- 8 to 10 apples pealed, cored, and thinly sliced

• - 1 cup sugar
• - 3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
• - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• - 1/2 teaspoon salt
• - Juice of 1/2 lemon
• - 1 tablespoon heavy cream
• - 1 large egg
• - Caramel sauce, recipe follows:
• • - 1 cup packed brown sugar
  • - 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • - 4 tablespoons heavy cream (or 2 tablespoons whole / 2% milk, and 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk)
  • 
    
  Caramel Sauce directions: In a small saucepan combine brown sugar, butter and cream. Bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and reserve to layer with apples.

  
  

  Directions:

  Roll out one pie crust and place in a 9 inch deep dish pie tin. Refrigerate crust until ready to fill. Combine sliced apples with the sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, salt and lemon juice in a large bowl. Beat together the cream and egg to make a glaze to brush over the edges and top of the crust. Mound the apple filling in the pie shell, layering with the caramel sauce. It will be quite full. 

  

  
  

  

  Roll out the remaining dough to a large round about 1/8'' thick. Place over the filling a seal the edges together by gently pressing together. Trim any excess dough and flute the edges. Brush the top with the egg glaze. Using a  knife, cut 5 or 6 slits in a spoke pattern beginning 1/2-inch from the center  and ending 1/2-inch from the outside edge. You can bake off right away, or chill for up to 30 minutes before baking to re-chill the pie crust.

  
  

  Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Place the pie plate on a cookie sheet and bake 10 - 15 minutes, or until the top is golden brown. Reduce the heat to 300 degrees and continue baking until the juice visible becomes thick and bubbly, about 1 hour (if the edges are browning too quickly, cover with aluminum foil). Cool on a rack at room temp for at least one hour before serving 
  

  to allow the fruit pectin to gel and set; otherwise the pie will fall apart when you cut into it.

  
  

  

  
  

  
  

Homemade Pop-Tarts

(Thank goodness for my helper who was there to clean up any stray sprinkles!)

I came across this recipe on one of my favorite food blogs, Sea Salt with Food. You can find her post on pop-tarts HERE. But if you like ME then keep reading, and I will tell you all you need to know.

I didn't do the pop-tart thing too often as a kid because there was always way to much yucky tasting pie crust in proportion to the amount of frosting and filling. Now we can take control! You can use a store bought ready made pie crust, or make your own favorite version. I like to make my own, because when I do I can add extra flavor with lemon zest, cinnamon, almond flavoring etc (depending on the filling you have in mind). As far as filling, it's as simple as your favorite jelly or jam (or even nutella). The frosting on top is just powdered sugar and lemon juice. Simple, simple, simple, and an exciting treat for your kids!

Here is what you'll need:

- Store-bought double pie crust, or your favorite double pie crust recipe. I used THIS ONE and added lemon zest.

- Egg Wash: one egg+ one tbsp water or milk lightly beaten

- Lemon Glaze: 1/4 cup Powdered Sugar + 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice (or orange, apple, etc. use your imagination!)

- Your favorite Jam or Jelly. I think raspberry tastes the best, personally.

- Sprinkles.

You will also need:

A Cookie Cutter, the larger the better, and a circular shape (i.e. pumpkin, heart, flower) will work best for getting you the most jelly per bite.

Cookie Sheet lined with Parchment Paper, and a Fork.

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 375.

Roll out your pie crust, and cut out as many of your shapes with a cookie cutter that you can making sure that you have an even number (for a top and bottom).

Put a mound of jelly into the center of half of your shapes, making sure that you leave enough of the edge dry to allow the top of your pop tart to seal to the bottom.

Lay the second dough on top of the first, and gently press down the edges with your fingertips. Then seal the edges with a fork. Brush the top of the dough with egg-wash.

Bake for 17 to 18 minutes, or until the tops are a golden brown.


Allow them to cool slightly before topping with the lemon glaze.
To make the lemon glaze: While the pastry is cooling, in a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and enough of the lemon juice to make an easily spreadable, smooth glaze. Spoon the glaze on top of the cooled pastry and top with your favorite sprinkles.

I think this is a great treat around the holidays because we're making pie crusts anyway, right? Please let me know if you make any especially tasty variations!

Sweet Corn and Bacon Empanadas

These are great for two reasons: they are yummy, and you can make them up ahead of time and freeze till ready to bake. Love them for brunch, lunch or dinner parties. They also make great midnight treats!


You Will Need:
- 2 anaheim chile peppers
- 3 strips bacon
- 2 cups fresh or frozen sweet corn kernels
- 1 1/2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup diced scallions

-your favorite pie dough, either homemade or store bought

Directions:
Have your pie dough made up and ready to go.
Roast chile peppers over a gas burner or in a hot oven until they're blackened and blistered. Wrap chilies in damp paper-towels for about 10 minutes, until cooled off and skin peals off easily. Peel chilies; discard skin. Slit chilies lengthwise, scrape out and discard seeds, remove stem, and dice chilies. Should yield about 1/2 cup diced chilies.
Fry bacon in a saute pan over medium-high heat until crisp. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Pour off all but 1 tablespoon fat from pan; add corn; saute over medium-high heat until edges of corn begin to brown, about 8 minutes. Stir in bacon, chilies, cheddar, and scallions. Chill filling thoroughly.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Roll out pie dough on a work surface, lightly floured if necessary. Using a 3 1/2 " biscuit cutter, cut circles from dough; repeat with remaining dough, rerolling scraps once. Arrange dough rounds on prepared baking sheet.
Place 1 T filling in the center of each round. Fold rounds in half, pinch to seal, then crimp edges with a fork. (Freeze if desired.)
Blend one egg yolk with 1 T water; brush over empanadas. Sprinkle empanadas with smoked paprika; then bake until golden, 15-18 minutes.

Williams-Sonoma Pie Crust (for a double crust pie)

This pie crust is so deliciously superior to any other pie crust I've ever had. I should just delete the other pie crust recipe I have from off this blog, but I think it is nice to keep just in case you don't have the 2 sticks of butter called for in this recipe. I just feel like the other recipe doesn't yield you enough dough for a double crust pie, and my border ends up looking weird because of this lack of dough. This crust was perfect (although my boarder still looks weird, but now I only have my lame skills to blame)!

You will need:

- 2 1/2 cups (390 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. salt
- 1 Tbs. sugar
- 16 Tbs. (2 sticks, or 250 g.) cold, unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/3 to 1/2 cup ice water

Directions:

In a food processor combine the flour, salt and sugar. Add the butter and pulse until pea sized crumbs form, 10 to 15 pulses. Add the 1/3 cup ice water and pulse twice. The dough should hold together when squeezed with your fingers but should not be sticky. If it is crumbly, add more water 1 Tbs. at a time, pulsing twice after each addition.

Turn the dough out onto a work surface, divide in half and shape each half into a disk. Wrap separately with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight.

On a floured work surface, roll out each dough disk into a 12-inch round about 1/8 inch thick. Brush off the excess flour. Transfer the dough rounds to a baking sheet (a pizza stone works better if you have one), placing parchment paper between the rounds. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Transfer 1 dough round to a 9-inch pie dish, gently press into the dish and refrigerate while preparing the filling.

Once filled, cover pie with second dough round and trim the edges, leaving a 1/2 inch overhang. Tuck the top crust under the edge of the bottom crust and press to seal. Cut slits to vent, and lightly brush the crust with egg yolk mixture.

Bake pie according to filling directions, or-
20 minutes at 425, then reduce temp to 350 for 55 to 60 minutes more, until the filling juices bubble thickly and the crust is golden. Cover the edges of the crust with tin foil if they start to brown too quickly.

Caramel-Pecan Pumpkin Pie

The best of Thanksgiving desserts in one pie. Bam.


Prep: 25 minutes, Bake: 45 minutes
Yield: about 8 servings

You will need:
- 1 recipe for single crust pie (make THIS one, and freeze 2nd half for later use)
- 2 slightly beaten eggs
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin
- 1/4 cup half-and-half, light cream, or milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 Tbs. all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. finely shredded lemon peel
- 1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
- 1/8 tsp. ground allspice
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (I doubled this part of the recipe, so 1 cup brn sugar)
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans (1 cup to double)
- 2 Tbs. butter, softened (4 Tbs. to double)

Directions:

Prep pastry for crust. and have ready. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl stir together eggs, pumpkin, and half-and-half. Stir in the granulated sugar, flour, lemon peel, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice. Pour pumpkin mixture into pastry-lined pie plate. To prevent over browning, cover edge of pie with tin foil.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl stir together the brown sugar, pecans, and butter until combined. Remove foil. Sprinkle brown sugar mixture over top of pie. Bake for 20 minutes more or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean and topping is brown and bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours.

Tentacle Pot Pie

Ok, I love Be Different...Act Normal! I always get the coolest ideas from this blog, and I have to pass this one along:


The idea originated HERE. How cool! And you could even do this atop your next pumpkin or apple pie!

Chocolate Cherry Chiffon Pie

Once again, Paula Deen comes through. Although, I don't think there was enough butter in the crust, it didn't hold together at all. Really Paula, I never thought I'd say the words, but the next time I make this I will add more butter.

Ingredients:
- 24 cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookies (oreo's)
- 2 tablespoons butter (I would use more butter, or maybe double stuff cookies)
- 1 cup boiling water
- 1 (6 oz) box cherry-flavored gelatin
- 1/2 cup ice
- 1 (16 oz) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1 (12 oz) package frozen cherries, thawed

Directions:

In the work bowl of a food processor, combine cookies and butter. Pulse until crumbs form. Press into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine boiling water and gelatin, stirring until gelatin is dissolved. Add ice, and stir until melted. Fold in whipped topping until smooth.

Fold in cherries.

Freeze until firm, about 2 hours.

Lemon Meringue Pie! and Carissa's top 5 of the week...

This week has been a BIG DEAL! And it's not even over yet. My top five so far, in no particular order, except for the first thing which is the most awesome for sure:

1. My BFF L-Dub had her third baby, Nora! Yay slash bummer for her social life...

2. I discovered Dahani episodes on my On Demand, and if you don't know who Dahani is (aside from being my brother-from-another-mother) I recommend you rectify that situation.

3. The soccer world cup is happening. I don't know if you heard. My husband's world revolves around it... And what the CUSS was up with the "ref'd-up" ref's at today's USA game?! If the Axis of Evil is still a thing this douche bag just jumped to the top of the list.

4. THE MOUNTAIN GOATS CAME TO SALT LAKE CITY! I was there, and Jon Darnell is still my soul mate.

5. Our pool finally opened, followed by today's sweet awesome discovery of a dead mouse in the filter of the kid's pool.

Other cool-ish things that didn't quite make the top 5: Learned Kobe's nick-name is "the Black Mamba"...gross, officially paying for the Internet...gross, discovered Claritin...thank Heaven!

Now, for another delicious pie recipe by the lovely Paula Deen (that came out awesome the first time!!)

Recipe from: Cooking With Paula Deen magazine, May/June 2010
Crust Recipe from: the New Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book, 12th edition

Like the butterscotch meringue pie I made, this recipe breaks nicely into three parts: crust, filling, and meringue topping (which is the exact same meringue topping as was used for the butterscotch pie). I thought a graham cracker crust would go best with this pie, so I used the crust recipe found in the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.

Makes 1 (9 inch) pie
Cook time: 1 hour-ish.

For the Graham Cracker Crust:

- 1/3 cup butter
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 ¼ cups finely crushed Graham Crackers (about 9 whole rectangles)

Melt butter and stir in sugar. Add crushed crackers and toss to mix well.

Spread evenly into a 9 inch pie plate. Press into bottom and sides to form an even crust.

Bake crust in a 375 degree oven for 4 to 5 minutes or until edge is lightly browned. Cool on a wire rack before filling.

For the Filling:
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- 4 eggs, lightly beaten
- ½ cup fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest

In a large heavy sauce pan, combine sugar and cornstarch.


Stir in eggs and lemon juice.



Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.


Remove from heat; stir in butter and lemon zest. Pour into pie shell and top with meringue while still warm.



For the Meringue:

- 5 egg whites at room temperature (your 4 reserved from the butterscotch filling, plus one more)
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 10 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Paula recommends clear vanilla extract to keep the meringue really white, but other than that there is no difference)

In a metal or glass bowl, beat egg whites at a high speed with a mixer until frothy.

Add cream of tartar, and beat egg whites until soft peaks form (when you lift the beaters from the beaten egg whites, the peaks will stand up straight and then fall over, mixture will still be slightly frothy.) Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time...


...beating at a high speed for 2 to 4 minutes or until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves.

Add vanilla, beating just until blended.


Finish the Pie: 
Using the back of a spoon, spread meringue over hot filling, sealing to edge of pie crust.




Bake for 23 minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in refrigerator.

Butterscotch Meringue Pie

Shout out: I would like to thank my neighbor, Kim, for awakening me to my deficiencies in dessert making. I didn't know I sucked at desserts until I met her.
It shouldn't be this way for me! My love for cooking started with a dessert. I remember baking my first cherry pie for my first boyfriend (sigh) because one day he mentioned he liked them. But a lot has changed, and now desserts and I, well...bleh. So I am facing the issue head on, and this week I am taking on a dessert a day. Failure is unacceptable.
I couldn't believe it when this pie came out perfect on the first try, and given my track record I am positive that this is entirely due to the genius of Paula Deen. I humbly worship at the food altar that is Paula Deen. I LOVE YOU PAULA!!!!!
What is nice about this recipe is that it breaks naturally down into three parts: crust, butterscotch filling, and “mile high” meringue top. I recommend making everything in that order for the smoothest pie making experience. Paula doesn’t provide a crust recipe, she suggests using a store bought. I say, why sell out if you already have plenty of Crisco and flour at home? I think the store bought crusts have a funky taste.

Recipe from: Cooking With Paula Deen magazine, May/June 2010
Crust Recipe from: the New Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book, 12th edition

Makes 1 (9 inch) pie
Cook time: 1 hour-ish

For the Crust (pastry for single crust pie):
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1/3 cup shortening
- 4 to 5 tablespoons cold water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a medium bowl stir together flour and salt. Using a pastry blender (aka, fork) cut in shortening until pieces are pea-sized.
Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of water over part of the flour mixture; gently toss with a fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat moistening flour mixture, using 1 tablespoon of water at a time, until all the flour mixture is moistened. Form dough into a ball.
On a lightly floured surface, use your hands to slightly flatten dough. Roll dough from center to edges into a circle about 12 inches in diameter. To transfer pastry, wrap it around the rolling pin. Unroll pastry into a 9 inch pie plate, and try to do so with out stretching it. Trim and crimp edges.

Line the pastry with a double thickness of tin foil. Bake in oven, covered, for 8 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 5 to 6 minutes more or until golden. Cool on a wire rack.

Reduce oven temp to 325.

For the Butterscotch Filling:
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ cups firmly packed dark brown sugar
- 6 tablespoons corn starch
- 2 ½ cups whole milk *(I never have whole milk on hand, so I used 2 cups 2% and ½ cup heavy cream)
- 4 egg yolks, lightly beaten *(save egg whites in a second large bowl for meringue)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
In a large heavy saucepan, combine sugars and cornstarch (careful, the cornstarch will fluff everywhere, so whisk gently). Stir in milk and egg yolks.
Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until mixture comes to a boil. (It will take a while for the mixture to come to a boil over medium heat, but be patient. An seriously, don’t leave that sauce pan. Once it starts heating up the process goes really fast, and you wont notice the filling come to a boil at first unless you are stirring.) Boil for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Pour mixture into prepared pie crust.

Quickly move on to meringue. You want the filling to still be nice an hot when you top it with the meringue.

For the Meringue:
- 5 egg whites at room temperature (your 4 reserved from the butterscotch filling, plus one more)
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 10 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (Paula recommends clear vanilla extract to keep the meringue really white, but other than that there is no difference)

In a metal or glass bowl, beat egg whites at a high speed with a mixer until frothy.

Add cream of tartar, and beat egg whites until soft peaks form (when you lift the beaters from the beaten egg whites, the peaks will stand up straight and then fall over, mixture will still be slightly frothy.)Gradually add sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating at a high speed for 2 to 4 minutes or until stiff peaks form and sugar dissolves.

Add vanilla, beating just until blended.


Finish the Pie: 
Using the back of a spoon, spread meringue over hot filling, sealing to edge of pie crust.

Bake for 23 minutes.

Cool completely on a wire rack. Store in refrigerator.

Blueberry and Almond Tart (5/1/2010)

This is a recipe from my latest dinner party adventure. Uhem. We had one of Finn's little friend's family over to dinner last night. We anticipated an awkward afternoon, and it was... ok... I should make clear that the awkwardness that occurred was mostly on our end. I love "the mom" (we'll leave names out of this). She made me the most delicious chocolate cherry birthday cake I have ever had. Love, love, love! She dropped it by just in time for me to eat it for breakfast! And how awesome is she for remembering my birthday?! We have play dates together all the time, but neither Jacob or I had ever really talked to "the dad." He's a construction lawyer, currently working for his dad's firm. He seemed very intelligent, well spoken and nice.

My husband studies Anthropology at the University of Utah, and most people think that means he likes dinosaurs. "The Dad" was asking Jacob about ethnography's and the cultures he was interested in studying, so that was cool...
The only awkward point came during a lull in the conversation in which I decided to interject a story from my recent trip with Finn to San Diego. The story is this:

Finn and I were at the zoo, and we happened to be checking out a couple of monkeys. We were surrounded by a medium sized group of people when one of the monkeys bent over in front of the other and the first started "grooming" the other in an "area." Finn was disgusted, and in his anger pointed an accusing finger at the monkeys and screamed out "Don't touch the butt-hole!" Everyone around us lost it, and I was more embarrassed than I can remember being in a long while.
Great story, right? But things got kinda weird after that. I thought butt-holes were cool, as long as it's a little kid talking about them, but maybe not?

Recipe From: Four Ingredient Cookbook, by Joanna Farrow
And Cuisine At Home magazine, Issue # 58, August 2006


Serves: 4 to 6 Cook Time: about an hour

Ingredients:

-9 oz shortcrust pastry (my suggested recipe follows)
- generous 1 cup marzipan
- 4 large egg whites
- generous 1 cup blueberries (blackberries are yummy too!)

For the shortcrust:

- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- zest of 1 lemon (optional)
- 1 stick unsalted butter, cold, cubed
- 1 egg yolk (reserve egg white for filling)
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Coat a 9” tart pan with nonstick spray.
Process flour, sugar, salt and zest in a food processor until combined.
Add cubed butter...

...and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Blend in the egg yolk; pulse until dough begins to hold together.

Press dough over the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan. (This picture is of the crust after it had been baking for a while. I was a little late with the picture taking on this one...)
Bake at 400 degrees until golden, 12-15 minutes, then cool completely.

Reduce oven temp to 350 degrees. Grate the marzipan. This is the marzipan that was available at my grocery store. It was in the Spanish candy section, and spelled Marzapan.
When separating the yolks from the whites it is important to be very careful, because even the smallest ammount of yolk will keep the egg whites from stiffening properly (that's what she said!) I like to break my eggs one at a time into a smaller bowl before adding them into my larger mixing bowl just to make sure no yolks make it in the mix.

Whisk the egg whites until stiff.

Sprinkle half the marzipan over them and fold in. Then fold in the rest.

Turn the mixture into the pastry shell and spread it evenly.
Sprinkle the berries over the top and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and just set. Leave to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Top with Basil Whipped Cream to knock it out of the park!