Recipe of the Day: Dutch Apple Pie *National Apple Pie Day*

Dutch Apple Pie

Ingredients
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
Pinch salt
1 egg, beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
2 cups chopped peeled tart apples
1 unbaked pie shell (9 inches)

STREUSEL TOPPING:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons cold butter

Directions
In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Stir in the egg, vanilla and sour cream; stir until smooth. Add apples; mix well. Pour into pie crust. Bake at 375° for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325° and bake for 30 minutes more.

For topping, combine flour and sugar in a small bowl. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle topping over pie; bake 20 minutes longer or until filling is bubbly and topping is browned. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or chilled. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 8 servings.

Recipe found here: Dutch Apple Pie

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Recipe of the Day: Lemon Pineapple Pie

Lemon Pineapple Pie

Ingredients
1 cup reduced-fat graham cracker crumbs (about 5 whole crackers)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 package (.8 ounce) sugar-free cook-and-serve vanilla pudding mix
2 cups water, divided
1 package (.3 ounce) sugar-free lemon gelatin
1 can (8-1/4 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, well drained
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen reduced-fat whipped topping, thawed
Sliced lemon, strawberries and fresh mint, optional

Directions
In a small bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs and butter; press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. pie plate. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or lightly browned; cool on a wire rack.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine dry pudding mix and 1-1/2 cups water; bring to a boil. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened; cool.

In another large saucepan, bring remaining water to a boil. Add gelatin powder; stir to dissolve. Stir into pudding mixture. Add pineapple; cool completely.

Fold in whipped topping; pour into crust. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving. Garnish with lemon, strawberries and mint if desired. Yield: 8 servings.

Recipe found here: Lemon Pineapple Pie

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Recipe of the Day: Frosty Coffee Pie

Frosty Coffee Pie

Ingredients
1/4 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed
1 chocolate crumb crust (9 inches)
3 cups coffee ice cream, softened
1 package (5.9 ounces) instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 cup cold strong brewed coffee
1/4 cup cold 2% milk
1-3/4 cups whipped topping
1 cup marshmallow creme
1/4 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Directions
Spread ice cream topping into crust. In a large bowl, beat the ice cream, dry pudding mix, coffee and milk until blended; spoon into crust.

In another bowl, combine the whipped topping and marshmallow creme; spread over top. Sprinkle with chocolate chips. Cover and freeze until firm. Yield: 8 servings.

Recipe found here: Frosty Coffee Pie

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Recipe of the Day: Peanut Lover’s Pie *National Peanut Lover’s Day*

Peanut Lover’s Pie

Ingredients
6 tablespoons honey-roasted peanuts, divided
1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
7 tablespoons butter, melted
3 pints chocolate ice cream, softened
1 cup plus 1 tablespoon peanut butter, divided
3/4 cup coarsely chopped peanut butter cups, divided
1/2 cup caramel ice cream topping

Directions
Chop 1 tablespoon of peanuts; set aside. Place the remaining peanuts in a food processor; cover and process until ground. In a small bowl, combine the ground nuts, cracker crumbs and butter. Press onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9-in. pie plate. Freeze until firm, about 30 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine the ice cream and 1 cup peanut butter until blended. Spoon half into crust. Return remaining ice cream mixture to the freezer. Cover and freeze pie until almost firm, about 1 hour. Sprinkle with about two-thirds of the chopped peanut butter cups. Freeze for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, resoften remaining ice cream mixture. Spread over peanut butter cups (pie will be very full). Cover and freeze for at least 2 hours or until almost firm. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts and remaining chopped peanut butter cups. Cover and freeze until firm, about 1 hour longer.

Remove from the freezer 15 minutes before serving. Combine caramel topping and remaining peanut butter; drizzle some over dessert plates. Top with a piece of pie; drizzle with remaining caramel mixture. Yield: 8 servings.

Recipe found here: Peanut Lover’s Pie

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Song of the Day: Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie *National Banana Cream Pie Day*

Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

9 inches pie shells, baked
3 cups whole milk
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 bananas

Directions:
1 Have baked 9-inch pie shell ready.

2 In a large saucepan, scald the milk.

3 In another saucepan, combine the sugar, flour and salt; gradually stir in the scalded milk.

4 Over medium heat, stirring constantly, cook until thickened.

5 Cover and, stirring occasionally, cook for two minutes longer.

6 In a small bowl, have the 3 egg yolks, slightly beaten, ready; stir a small amount of the hot mixture into beaten yolks; when thoroughly combined, stir yolks into hot mixture.

7 Cook for one minute longer, stirring constantly.

8 Remove from heat and blend in the butter and vanilla.

9 Let sit until lukewarm.

10 When ready to pour, slice bananas and scatter in pie shell; pour warm mixture over bananas.

11 If desired, make a meringue (you’ll have 3 leftover egg whites) to top the pie, or just let the pie cool until serving.

Recipe found here: Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

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Recipe of the Day: Sour Cream Cherry Pie *National Cherry Pie Day*

Sour Cream Cherry Pie

Ingredients
3 cups pitted frozen tart cherries, thawed, drained and patted dry
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)
1 tablespoon butter
1-3/4 cups plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Directions
Arrange cherries evenly in the pastry shell. Dot with butter. In a large bowl, combine 1-3/4 cups sugar, flour and salt. Stir in the eggs, sour cream and lemon juice. Spread evenly over cherries. Sprinkle with remaining sugar.

Bake at 400° for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°; bake 30 minutes longer or until topping is set. Cool for 1 hour on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 3-4 hours before cutting. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 8 servings.

Recipe found here: Sour Cream Cherry Pie

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Recipe of the Day: Apple Pie *National Pie Day*

Apple Pie

Ingredients
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 to 7 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples
1 tablespoon lemon juice
Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)
1 tablespoon butter
1 egg white
Additional sugar

Directions
In a small bowl, combine the sugars, flour and spices; set aside. In a large bowl, toss apples with lemon juice. Add sugar mixture; toss to coat.

Line a 9-in. pie plate with bottom crust; trim pastry even with edge. Fill with apple mixture; dot with butter. Roll out remaining pastry to fit top of pie. Place over filling. Trim, seal and flute edges. Cut slits in pastry.

Beat egg white until foamy; brush over pastry. Sprinkle with sugar. Cover edges loosely with foil.

Bake at 375° for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake 20-25 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack. Yield: 8 servings.

Recipe found here: Apple Pie

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Recipe of the Day: Vanilla Bavarian Cream Pie *National Bavarian Cream Pie Day*

Vanilla Bavarian Cream Pie

Ingredients

1 1/2 (.25 ounce) packages unflavored gelatin
8 tablespoons ice water
9 tablespoons white sugar
2 1/4 tablespoons cornstarch
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
3/4 cup vanilla ice cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Soften gelatin in cold water. In bowl, mix together sugar and cornstarch. Add eggs and mix thoroughly. Add milk and softened gelatin, stirring constantly.

Cook in double boiler over hot water until custard thickens and coats spoon. Remove from heat. Add ice cream while custard is hot. Cool thoroughly.

Stir in the vanilla. Fold in 1 1/2 cups whipped cream. Pour filling into pie shell and garnish with remaining whipped cream. Optional: Serve with sliced strawberries.

Original recipe makes 1 – 9 inch pie

Recipe found here: Vanilla Bavarian Cream Pie

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Recipe of the Day: Mincemeat Pie *National Mincemeat Pie Day* *National Dessert Month*

Mincemeat Pie

Ingredients
2 Granny Smith Apples, peeled, cored and quartered
8 ounces golden raisins
6 ounces dark brown sugar
4 ounces dried figs, coarsely chopped
2 ounces dried cherries
2 ounces beef suet, coarsely chopped
1-ounce crystallized ginger, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup brandy
1 orange, zested and juiced
1 lemon, zested and juiced
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground clove
Cornmeal crust, see recipe below

Directions
Place all of the ingredients except the crust into the bowl of a food processor and pulse 8 to 10 times. Place in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for at least 3 days before using. Can be stored for up to 6 months.

If you prefer a finer texture of mincemeat place the apples, dried fruit and suet into a meat grinder with a large die and grind. Transfer to a bowl and stir in the remaining ingredients. You may also finely chop the apples, dried fruit and suet by hand.

Cornmeal Crust:
12 ounces all-purpose flour, plus additional for dusting
2 1/2 ounces stone ground cornmeal
1 1/2 ounces sugar, plus extra for the crust
1 teaspoon table salt
8 ounces very cold unsalted butter
2 ounces apple cider or juice
2 ounces cold water
1 egg beaten with 1 teaspoon water

Place the flour, cornmeal, 1 1/2 ounces sugar and salt into a large mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Grate the cold butter on the large side of a box grater directly into the dry ingredients. Work together with your hands until the mixture is crumbly. Add the cider and water and stir with a spatula to combine. Knead the dough 5 to 6 times and spritz with additional water if the dough is dry. Shape into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

Unwrap the dough and divide into 4 equal pieces. Place 2 pieces of the dough onto a piece of parchment paper and roll each out into a 1/8-inch thick round that is 6 to 8 inches in diameter. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the mincemeat into the center of each round, fold up the edges of the dough in order to form a crust all the way around. Brush the edges of the crust with egg wash and sprinkle lightly with sugar. Transfer the dough on the parchment to a half sheet pan. Place on the middle rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Repeat with the remaining dough.

If you prefer 1 large pie, roll out the dough on a piece of parchment into a 15 to 16-inch round, about 1/4 to 1/8-inch thick. Trim the edges with a pizza cutter. Carefully slide the rolled out dough, still on the parchment paper, onto an upside down half sheet pan. Spoon about 1 1/2 pounds of the mincemeat onto the center of the dough, leaving a 2 to 3-inch margin around the edge of the crust. Place in the oven and bake for 35 minutes or until the crust is golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 30 to 45 minutes before serving.

Serve with ice cream or Brandied Hard Sauce (can be bought commercially).

Recipe found here: Mincemeat Pie

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Recipe of the Day: Strawberry Cream Pie *National Strawberry Cream Pie Day*

Strawberry Cream Pie

Ingredients
1 pastry shell (9 inches), baked
1/2 cup slivered almonds, optional

FILLING:
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract, optional
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

GLAZE:
1/2 cup crushed strawberries
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
3 cups fresh strawberries, halved
Whipped cream, optional

Directions
Cover bottom of pie shell with nuts if desired; set aside. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, cornstarch, flour and salt; gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from the heat and stir a small amount into egg; return all to the saucepan. Cook and stir until almost bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 1-2 minutes more (do not boil). Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and almond extract if desired. Cool to room temperature. Whip cream; fold into filling. Pour into pie shell. Chill for at least 2 hours.

About 2 hours before serving, prepare glaze. Combine crushed strawberries and water in a large saucepan; cook for 2 minutes. Combine sugar and cornstarch; gradually stir into the berries. Cook until thick and clear, stirring constantly. Strain. Cool for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, arrange berry halves over filling; pour glaze evenly over berries. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Garnish with whipped cream if desired. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Recipe found here: Strawberry Cream Pie

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