.blackberry pie for one.

My sister, Ronda, sent me an email the other day with a bunch of links. When I clicked on each of the links, I was taken to various sites that have been making mini pies! Well, that got me hankering for pie and decided to make some that night for dessert.

The instructions on one of the sites required 4oz Ball canning jars but I don't have any so I used my ramekins instead. Nothing like having your very own pie to put a smile on my face.

Before I get ahead of myself, I'll share the link. Not Martha

I made a butter pastry. 2 cups flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp sugar mixed together in a bowl. Cut in 1 cup cold butter until the mix is crumbly. Spoon in some ice water until the dough pulls together. Divide into 8 balls. Roll each ball out and carefully line the inside of the ramekin, or ball jar.



Fill the pie up 3/4 of the way with the filling. Since I was in a hurry and didn't have fresh or frozen blackberries on hand, I used a jar of pie filling I had in my cupboard. Blackberry cobbler filling from Cracker Barrel. Mmmmm...

Roll out the other pieces of dough and top each of the ramekins. Trim the edges and then carefully tuck under and crimp. Make sure you put a vent hole in the dough before you put it on the pie because it's difficult to do. You can even use a mini cookie cutter if you want.

Brush the top with eggwash (in a bowl crack 1 egg and add 1 Tbsp water, whisk together) and then sprinkle generously with sugar. Bake at 350* until the tops are nice and golden.

Now if you want to take these out of the molds for serving, wait until they have cooled substantially otherwise the pie will collapse on itself like it did for me. I can be so impatient!

Serve with some vanilla ice cream and garnish with a sprig of mint for final presentation. This recipe will definitely impress your friends and family!

.chocolate french silk pie.

Have you ever had french silk pie? If you have, you'll be familiar with the delicious light, whipped filling that has a very delicate texture. Absolutely delicious. The chocolate is very subtle, unlike a chocolate cream pie. This is really just a chocolate mousse plopped on pie crust. What can be better than that?

This pie does call for raw egg, so if you have a problem with that, this might not be the pie for you. But trust me (trust me), you will not get food poisoning and you cannot taste the egg at all.

Before making the filling, you need to make a pie crust. When I started the pie crust, I took 3 eggs out of the fridge and sat out on the counter. You don't want to use really cold eggs, but rather you want eggs that have the chill taken off them. I have found if you take them out as you start the pie crust, they'll be out long enough to whip well.


For this recipe, make one single pie crust. Put in your pie plate, stab with a fork to create air holes, and stick in a 425* oven for 10-15 minutes.

You want the pie crust to be a little golden brown. Pull from the oven and allow to cool. You can make this pie crust the night before if you want.






While the pie crust is in the oven, you need to melt 3 ounces chocolate. The key to this recipe is good chocolate. Don't use Hershey's or Toll House. I'm talking gourmet chocolate here, people.

I broke off a piece of my Callebaut bar. It is some seriously good chocolate with out about 70% cocoa. It's a nice dark chocolate.












Melt over a double boiler on low heat. Don't get this too hot!











In a mixing bowl, put 1 softened stick (1/2 cup) butter and 3/4 cup sugar.

You really will want to use a hand mixer or stand mixer for this. You will KILL YOURSELF trying to whip this by hand and you won't get anywhere near the texture you need/want.






Cream the sugar and butter together for about 5 minutes on medium high speed. You need to make sure you let this whip until the sugar is no longer grainy. It needs to dissolve into the butter.









Add the melted chocolate and whip to incorporate. See how fluffy this is already becoming?

Add 1 tsp vanilla at this point too. Mix well.









Now, add one egg and whip whip whip on high. When it has been whipped and the sides scraped, add the second egg.

Again, whip whip whip on high. Each time you add an egg, it will get lighter and fluffier. Scrape the sides again.

Add the third egg and whip whip whip for the last time. By this point, you will have a beautiful silky mousse filling.


Here's a better shot of that filling. See how gorgeous that is? It's almost like chocolate whipped cream!











Scrape all of the filling into the cooled pie shell. Put in the fridge to sit while we make the whipped cream.










Thanks to the magic of the internet, voila. Sweetened whipped cream! Put the whip cream in a piping bag fitted with a star tip. Pipe whip cream around the edge of the pie and a little dollop in the center.

I used my vegetable peeler to shave off some chocolate off my Callebaut bar and sprinkled that on top.

Because this pie has egg in it, you will need to keep it in the fridge at all times. Probably not a good pie to serve at a hot summer pot luck outside. No no. Not good, unless you pull it directly from the fridge, serve, and put right back.

This pie is so very simple to make. Wow your family with this dessert tonight!


Printable version:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg2vfjqm_1312w8dkwdv

.harvest pumpkin pie.

Pumpkin pie is probably one of my most favorite holiday pies. I love when Fall rolls around because I know those pumpkins are ripening on the vine and will soon hit market places. I have to admit to something. For years I used to buy the canned pumpkin, and in a pinch I will use it, but really.... nothing compares to fresh roasted pumpkin for your pie.


I bet you're thinking, "Great! I can use my Halloween pumpkins for pie!" No no no... pumpkin pie flesh comes from pie pumpkins. They are much smaller than those giant ones you use for jack-o-lanterns. The flesh isn't stringy and it's sweeter.

Aren't they just adorable? I think they are. Paige thought we were going to carve them for Halloween and I told her to BACK OFF MY PUMPKINS. Yah.. she's a little upset with mom. LOL


Cut the tops off the pumpkins and then in half. Use a large spoon to scrape out the centers. I thought having one family member upset with me was enough... when Jim saw me throwing away the pumpkin seeds, I had another cry baby on my hands. (I just can't get a break!)


Place the pumpkins in a baking dish and pour 2 cups water into it. Don't get the water in the pumpkins but around them.

Cover the dish loosely with foil and pop in a 400* oven for about 45 minutes to an hour. Pull from the oven and let cool.


I cooked the pumpkins yesterday and let them chill in the fridge overnight. You don't have to do this, but you will have to wait until the pumpkins cool enough so you can do this step. Take a large spoon and scrape out the cooked pumpkin flesh.


Mash with a fork. Make sure you look through this puree really well. I accidently had a few pieces of pumpkin shell in there that needed fishing out.

You should have about 3 cups worth of pumpkin here.


Add 1 can evaporated milk to the bowl.


Then add 1 cup sugar.


Add 1 tsp vanilla.

Time for the important spices. 1/4 tsp cloves, 1/4 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/2 tsp allspice, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon.


Dump in 1/4 cup flour.


And finally add 2 large eggs.



Whisk everything together until there are no lumps.


Prepare 1 single pie crust. Roll out and put in a pie plate. Trim the edge, turn under, and crimp. This recipe makes a lot of filling so if you will need a great deep dish pie plate. I love this one I use. I received two of them 16 years at my wedding. They're hand crafted clay and bake so nicely. I would cry if something were to ever happen to them.


Pour your pie filling into the pie shell. It should come all the way up to your crimped edges. Do not fill too full otherwise it will bake up and over your plate and cause a big mess in your oven.

Carefully place in a preheated 450* oven. Bake at 450* for 15 minutes and then lower to 350* and bake another 45 minutes.

The center should be just set. If you bake too long, your pie will crack in the center as it cools. Thankfully this doesn't affect it's awesome taste. ;)

Allow your pie to cool on the counter then transfer to your fridge to chill thoroughly. To keep a skin from forming on the surface, put a layer of saran on top and press on it lightly to stick it to the pumpkin.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

.roast chicken pot pie.

Roast chicken pot pie. Or as I like to call it - poor man's pie, because really... it doesn't cost a lot to throw something like this together. I had some roast chicken leftover from the other night and some corn from when I made corn muffins on Sunday. All I needed were some other veggies thrown into the mix, pie crust, and a cream sauce! A wonderful meal on a very chilly Georgia night.

Let's start with the sauce.


Mine is more of a herb-ish/garlicky sauce which adds a nice contrast to the root vegetables and the chicken. Start by melting 1/4 cup butter in a saucepan and add 1 clove minced garlic to saute.


While whisking, add 1/4 cup flour, a little at a time. Make sure you whisk while you add otherwise you will get lumps. Lumps are not our friends. Let this cook over medium heat for a few minutes.


Now we need 2 cups milk. Again, while whisking, add the milk gradually.


Add 1/2 tsp dill weed. You really don't need to measure. If you're confident enough, just shake the jar a few times and that'll be good.


Then add about the same amount of thyme. Thyme is a good herb for anything chicken. I also added some salt and pepper to properly season the sauce.


Kick up the heat to medium high and let this thicken up. Make sure you whisk it constantly so it doesn't burn on the bottom of your pan. When the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon, it's done. Set aside.


Chop up some potatoes, carrots, and celery. I used 2 of each. You don't need more than you see here because it adds up quickly and your pie will be bursting at the seams! Yep.. been there. lol


Chop up some roast chicken. If you don't have roast chicken, cook some chicken breasts and use those. I don't play by rules. :D

At this stage, you could throw it all in a pie crust, seal up and throw in the oven. I have found my pot pies take way too long to bake through when I do this. So I do some cooking before putting it in the pie plate.


Start by melting 2 Tbsp butter. Add a little olive oil.


Add your chopped vegetables. Stir to coat them with the oil/butter. Saute for about 4-5 minutes. The potatoes will be glassy looking.


Here I added a variety of frozen vegetables. I added about 1/2 cup peas, 1/2 cup green beans, and 1/2 cup corn. Mushrooms would be a really nice addition but I didn't have any. Season well with salt and pepper then stir everything together.



Remove the skillet from the heat and pour in your cream sauce. We're almost there!


Add your chicken. I used 2 cups worth of meat. If you want yours more "chicken-y", then add more. I like a good balance of chicken vs. vegetable.


Make a double pie crust. Roll out the bottom shell and line the pie plate. Trim off any excess. Add your filling.


Roll out the top crust and put on top. Again, trim excess, then pinch closed. Mark the top with a knife to create vents.

You wouldn't think I was a pie baker by this pie crust. I totally mangled it. Oh well. Brush with a little milk and pop in a 350* oven for about 1 1/2 hours. The sauce will probably be oozing out the top and your crust will be golden brown. A sure sign it's time to feast!


Printable version:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg2vfjqm_122mg2sb3fp

.lime pie.

In my family cookbook there's a recipe for lemon meringue pie. It's a great recipe that was passed down to me from my mother, and to my mother from her mother. Who knows how many generations this goes back! About 8 years ago, I had a bunch of limes to use up and thought I would try making this recipe using the juice of the limes, instead of lemon. It turned out amazing. Sweet and tart. It is such a refreshing dessert, perfect for spring or summer.

This lime pie has become one of the traditional pies I make for Easter and has won over the hearts of many. One of our good family friends was over for Easter 3 years ago and Russ fell in love with it. I promised if we ever lived close to each other again, I would make him one.

So, whether you use lemons or limes, this is a great pie for your next family function!


In a pot, mix together 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup cornstarch. Set aside.


Take 4-5 limes (not key limes) and cut them in half.


Using a cheese grater, or zester, zest the limes. It would probably be easier to do this before cutting them. My daughter was helping me and I was trying to make it more manageable for her.


Then you want to juice the limes.


Separate four eggs. We need the yolks. You can save the whites in a bowl or jar in the fridge to use on something else at a later time.


Remember that pot of sugar and cornstarch? Add 3 cups BOILING water. Whisk well. Then put on the stove and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Stir constantly!


It will begin to thicken and get clear. That's when you know it's time to move on to the next step.


Add a spoonful of the hot liquid to the yolks, whisking with a fork or small whisk while you pour. This tempers the yolks.


While stirring, slowly add the tempered yolks into your pot. If you need to pull the pot from the heat, do so. You don't want this to burn and you don't want it lumpy.


Now add the lime (or lemon) juice.

Stir well.

Put back on the burner and let it thicken up more.


Once it's as thick as it's going to get, pull from the heat and add 1-2 drops of green food coloring. I don't like this neon green so I only add 1 drop.


At this stage, add 2 Tbsp butter.


And dump in the zest.

Now we need to cool the filling down. You don't ever want to put a hot filling into your pie shell because it will make it tough.


Fill a bowl up with ice water.

This is called an ice bath and will cool the filling down quickly.


Nestle the pot in the bowl. Make sure no water can make its way into the pot. Keep stirring every now and then to get it to cool quickly, and also to keep a skin from forming on top.


Now pour 2/3 of the filling into a BAKED
pie shell. Pour the remaining 1/3 into a separate bowl.


Cover both with saran. Make sure the saran rests right on top of the filling to keep skin from forming. Put these in a fridge and chill for at *least* 4 hours, or overnight if possible.


Once chilled, add a tub of cool whip to the 1/3 lime filling.


Mix well and spoon onto the pie.


Spread the topping over the entire surface. Cover again and chill another hour.

Cut and serve!


Printable version:
http://docs.google.com/Doc?id=dg2vfjqm_110gpsk7cg8