Recipes Discovered - Recipes

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 9 inch pie crust, baked and cooled
• 6 cups strawberries (about 1 1/2 quarts)
• 1 cup sugar, or less depending on the sweetness of the strawberries
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1/2 cup water

Directions:

Mash enough berried to equal 1 cup. Stir together sugar and corn starch in a saucepan. Gradually stir in the water and crushed berries. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil for 1 minute, until clear. Cool.

Fill the pie shell with whole berries. Pour the cooled strawberry mixture over top. Chill at least 3 hours, until set.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

To make fresh peach pie, substitute 5 cups sliced peaches for the strawberries.

Recipe courtesy of Sharon Gibbons.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 (9 inch) pie shell
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 1 1/2 cup pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line the unbaked pie shell with pecans and chocolate chips. In a large bowl, combine the corn syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, salt, vanilla, and bourbon. Mix well. Pour the mixture over the pecans and chocolate.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the center is set (toothpick inserted in center will come out clean when pie is done). Cool completely before serving.

Serves 8.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe adapted from All Recipes.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 3 large eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons instant espresso powder
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 cups (about 7 ounces) pecan halves or pieces
• 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1 9-inch pie crust, partially baked and cooled

Directions:

Getting ready: Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone mat.

In a large bowl, whisk the corn syrup and brown sugar together until smooth.. Whisk in the melted butter, then add the eggs one at a time, beating until you have a smooth, foamy mixture. Add the espresso powder, vanilla, cinnamon and salt and give the batter a good mix. Rap the bowl against the counter a couple of times to pop any bubbles that might have formed, then stir in the pecans and chocolate. Turn the filling into the crust.

Bake the pie for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make a foil shield for the crust by cutting a 9-inch circle out of the center of an 11-or 12-inch square of aluminum foil.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Place the foil shield on top of the pie—the filling will be exposed, the crust covered by the foil. Bake the pie for another 15 to 20 minutes (total baking time is 30 to 35 minutes), or until it has puffed (the middle and the edges should be fairly evenly puffed), is beautifully browned and no longer jiggles when tapped. Transfer the pie plate to a rack, remove the shield and cool to room temperature.

Serving: Pecan pie is good at any temperature, and different at each one. It’s softest and most puddingish eaten warm (about 45 minutes out of the oven), most flavorful eaten at room temperature and most candy-like when it is chilled. At any temperature, it’s good with ice cream—vanilla, chocolate or coffee would be my choices.

Storing: Once cooled to room temperature, the pie can be covered and refrigerated for 1 day.

Playing Around
If all you want is a great plain pecan pie, omit the cinnamon, espresso and chocolate. If you want a sweeter pie, increase the amount of corn syrup to 1 cup.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Baking: From My Home to Yours

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3 tablespoons corn starch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup orange or peach jello powder (1/2 small box)
• 4 cups diced peaches (about 4 peaches)
• 9-inch pie shell, baked and cooled

Directions:

Combine the sugar, water, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan and place over medium heat. Bring a boil. Stir constantly for 2 to 3 minutes, until thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the jello powder. Allow to cool while preparing the peaches.

To easily remove the skins from the peaches, place in a large pot of boiling water for 30 seconds. Remove the peaches, and the skin should peel right off. Once peeled, cut the peaches in half, remove the pit, and dice.  Four peaches should yield about 4 cups, enough for a 9-inch pie. Although you can use any pie shell, this recipe has never failed me (hence the name). Once the peaches are diced and the filling has cooled slightly, mix the two together and then pour into the pie shell. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator at least 4 hour or overnight. This pie is best when eaten within 24 hours. After that, the crust tends to get a little soggy.

Serve with whipped cream.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Sharon Gibbons.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

Coconut Pie Shell:

• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/3 cup ice water, more or less as needed

Coconut Pastry Cream:

• 2 cups milk
• 2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
• 2 large eggs
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

Finishing Touches:

• 2 1/2 cups whipping cream, chilled
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Garnish: 1 1/2 cups (2 ounces) unsweetened coconut “chips” (large-shred coconut) or sweetened shredded coconut
• Garnish: 1 (4- to 6-ounce) bar white chocolate, shaved

Directions:

For the Coconut Pie Shell:

In a food processor, combine the flour, coconut, butter, sugar, and salt. Pulse until mixture is crumbly. Add water, 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing once after each addition, until dough holds together when pressed between fingers. (Dough will not form a ball or even clump together in processor — it will be loose.)

Turn dough out onto a large sheet of plastic wrap; press into a disc. Cover with plastic wrap, and chill 30 to 60 minutes.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the dough to a 12 to 13 inch circle. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate (don’t stretch the dough), trimming excess to a 1- to 11/2-inch overhang. Turn dough under along rim of pie pan, and flute edges. Chill at least 1 hour before baking.

Preheat oven to 400°. Place a sheet of aluminum foil or parchment paper the pie shell, extending over edges, and fill with dried beans, rice, or pie weights. Bake at 400° for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove from oven; remove the foil and beans, and return pie crust to oven. Bake for 10 to 12 more minutes or until the bottom of the crust has golden brown patches. Remove from oven, and cool completely before filling.

For the Coconut Pastry Cream:

Combine milk and coconut in a medium saucepan. Split vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and scrape seeds into milk mixture. Add pod. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until mixture almost comes to a boil. Remove from heat.

In another bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, and flour in a medium bowl until well blended. Tempure the eggs by whisking about 1/3 cup of the milk mixture into egg mixture. Add the warmed egg mixture to the saucepan with the milk mixture. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, 5 minutes or until mixture thickens and begins to bubble. Whisk about 4 to 5 more minutes or until very thick. Remove from heat; add butter, and whisk until melted. Discard vanilla pod. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl, and place entire bowl in a larger bowl of ice water. Stir occasionally until mixture cools. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface of mixture and refrigerate until completely cold, about 4 hours. The mixture will thicken as it cools.

Fill baked pie shell with the pastry cream, smoothing surface. Beat whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla extract at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually increase speed to high, and beat until soft peaks form. Pipe or spoon whipped cream over pie.

To garnish and serve:

Preheat oven to 350°. Spread coconut chips on a baking sheet, and bake at 350° for 7 to 8 minutes or until lightly brown, stirring twice. Cool coconut chips before decorating the top of the pie. Using a vegetable peeler, scrape white chocolate into curls on top of the pie.

Makes one 9 inch pie.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

While I didn’t make any changes to the ingredients of this recipe, I did alter the directions by making the pie crust in a mixer rather than a food processor.

Recipe courtesy of Tom Douglas.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 butternut squash or 15 ounces pumpkin puree
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 - 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

If using a butternut squash: Peel the squash, cut it in half, and remove the seeds. Cut into 1 inch cubes and then place in a baking dish with enough water to cover the bottom of the dish. Bake in a 375 degree oven until the squash is fork tender. Cool slightly and then place the squash in a blender with enough of the water to puree. You will need 2 cups of pureed squash for this recipe.

Whisk together the pureed squash or canned pumpkin, milk (you may need less milk if the squash puree is too runny or more milk if using canned pumpkin), sugar, vanilla, flour, salt, and eggs in a large bowl until smooth. Pour mixture into an unbaked 9 inch pie crust. Sprinkle with cinnamon to taste and then bake at 375 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until almost set.

Allow to cool completely before serving.

Serves 8-10.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I used this Never Fail Pie Crust recipe for the pumpkin pie.

Recipe courtesy of Sharon Gibbons.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups flour
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable shortening
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 5 tablespoons ice water, more or less depending

Directions:

Combine the flour and salt in a bowl. Add the shortening and cut it into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg and vinegar and work into the crumb mixture. Add the water one tablespoon at a time until the dough holds together.

Divide the dough in half and form two disks. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes before rolling it out on a lightly floured surface. Bake according to specific pie recipe directions.

Makes two 9-inch pie crusts.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I used this pie crust to make Mom’s Pumpkin Pie.

If “blind baking” the crust, prick the dough several times with a fork before you put it in the oven to prevent it from bubbling.

Recipe courtesy of Sharon Gibbons.

Read my review of this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup sugar (more or less, depending on the ripeness of the peaches)
• 1/4 cup corn starch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup cold water
• 1/4 cup peach or orange jello (half of a 4 serving packet)
• 5 medium to large peaches, peeled, pitted, and sliced
• 1 9-inch pie shell, baked and cooled

Directions:

Mix the sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Add the water and then bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once the mixture boils and thickens, add the jello and turn off the heat. Allow the mixture to cool about 20 minutes before folding in the peaches. Pour into the pie shell and place in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours to set. Serve with whipped cream.

Serves 8.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

Recipe courtesy of Sharon Gibbons.

View my experience with this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 9 inch unbaked pie crust
• 1 cup light corn syrup
• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 1/3 cup butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups whole pecans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Line the unbaked pie shell with pecans. In a large bowl, combine the corn syrup, sugar, eggs, butter, salt and vanilla. Mix well. Pour the mixture over the pecans.

Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until the center is set (toothpick inserted in center will come out clean when pie is done). Cool completely before serving.

Serves 8.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I used pecan halves instead of whole pecans. My pie took about an hour and 15 minutes to bake.

Recipe courtesy of Savannah, GA

View my experience with this recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 (9 inch) pie shell
• 1 cup molasses
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup shortening

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
To Make Bottom Layer: In a medium bowl combine molasses, hot water, and baking soda. Stir well. Whisk in beaten egg. Pour mixture into pie shell.
To Make Crumb Topping: In a medium bowl combine flour and brown sugar. Mix well, then cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle on top of molasses layer.
Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake an additional 30 minutes.

Serves 8.

Nutrition:

Substitutions:

I sprinkled half of the crumb topping into the bottom of the pie shell, poured the wet filling over that, and then topped it with the remaining crumbs. This pie has a tendency to over flow, so please bake it directly on a baking sheet!

Recipe courtesy of www.allrecipes.com