a year of pie

Fruitcake Pie

December 12, 2014

There are 3 kinds of people in the world.

1. Those who love fruitcake.
2. Those who hate fruitcake.
3. Those who hate fruitcake but haven’t/won’t try it.

This recipe is for ALL you.

If you love fruitcake then I’m sure you’ll love this and if you don’t like fruitcake I bet you’ll love this too as pie is always awesome. And the booze.

People tend to hate on fruitcake since fruitcake can be dense and dry. But guess what? That is BAD fruitcake. Not all fruitcake is like a door stop. Good fruitcake will have you begging for more. I’m serious.

Every year Price’s dad sends us a fruitcake and it takes all my self control not to intercept it before he opens the package to eat it all myself and tell them it must have gotten lost in the mail. Now, that is good fruitcake!

Part of what makes fruitcake so good is its boozy goodness. So I used 2 different liquors in this pie. There is rum in the crust and brandy in the pie. Boom!

People will love this pie. The rich crust is a tender, flakey base for a custardy pie. The filling is custardy, and yet crunchy from the nuts. Every bite is jam packed full of brandy soaked fruit and crunchy pecans. It will be a great pie to serve this Christmas.

Fruitcake Pie

Makes a 9″ pie

Ingredients

For the Pie Crust (you only use 1/2 of the dough)

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) very cold unsalted butter
1/3 cup very cold vegetable shortening
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon sugar
4 Tablespoons Rum, very cold
2 to 4 Tablespoons ice water

For the Pie Filling

3/4 Cup red candied cherries
1/4 Cup candied pineapple
/2 Cup chopped dates
1/4 Cup chopped candied lemon peel
1/2 Cup brandy
6 Tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 Cup packed brown sugar
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 Cup light corn syrup
1 Cup pecan halves, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

Process

To prepare the fruit mixture for the pie, chop the candied cherries and pineapple. Combine the cherries, pineapple, dates, and lemon peel in a small bowl. Add the Brandy and mix to coat. Let soak for 1 hour- 24 hours.
To make the crust, cut the butter and shortening into small pieces. Return it to the refrigerator while you prepare the flour mixture.
Place the flour, salt, and sugar in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a dough blade and pulse a few times to mix.
Add the butter and shortening. Pulse until the butter is the size of peas and the mixture is crumbly While the machine is running, pour the ice water down the feed tube and pulse the machine until the dough begins to pull away from the sides. Dump out on a floured surface. Quickly kneed together, divide into equal sized balls. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
While the pie crust is chilling, chop the pecans. In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, corn syrup, pecans, cloves, ginger, and nutmeg.
Preheat the oven to $350 degrees. Grease a 9″ pie plate.
Remove one of the dough balls from the refrigerator. Roll out on the floured surface again. Form a circular disk that is large enough to fit into the 9″ pie plate with some overhanging crust. While you are rolling it out, roll from the center to the edge, turning and flouring the dough to make sure it doesn’t stick to the surface.
Drain the soaking fruit. (You may save the the Brandy to reuse for another pie.)
Evenly sprinkle the fruit mixture over the crust. Pour the filling mixture over the fruit.
Bake for 35-40 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate leftovers.

Pie Filling Adapted from Taste of Home, Pie Crust adapted from Ina Garten

No-Bake Chocolate Candy Cane Pie

December 5, 2014

Although we are only a few episodes in, I am so hooked on the new show State of Affairs. Have you seen it?

I stayed up super late the other night trying to finish an episode. Well, I have a really bad cough now that rattles the whole house so I was also trying to let the Robotussin kick in and not wake up the baby. I just so happened to be glued to the TV while I hacked my head off. So bad that I had to keep rewinding what I had just seen so I could actually hear the actors. Classic.

Well, I love Kathrine Heigl in it. I’ve loved her since I first watched ‘My Father The Hero’. I loved her through all the Grey’s drama as well. I think Izzy was annoying but she played that well. (And I still cry when I watch the episodes when Denny and George die). Anyway, I love her as Charleston, a CIA anaylst who develops and reports to the president about national security threats every day, through the President’s Daily Brief. Of course there is your run of the mill national security drama, with a health dose of relationship and personal drama mixed in as well. Such a good mix of drama.

Anyway, I suggest that you should check out State of Affairs if you haven’t seen it. Just like you should try out this pie. Yum.

It’s the perfect wintery treat as it is packed full of candy cane goodness. Oh man, I love candy canes in the winter. Do you decorate your Christmas tree with candy canes? I used to when I was younger. Now I just eat them. I’d totally toss some on the tree but I’d be afraid the dog would knock the tree over trying to get one. Dumby.

The pie is super easy to make. Just some mixing and you’ll have it all together in a short while. The BIGGEST thing is to wait until the heated marshmallow and candy cane mixture is cool. like really really cool. I probably should have waited a few more minutes. It really seemed cool enough but things got a little melty when I folded in into the whipped cream. It worked out well but just be really, really sure that it is really, really cool.

Also, isn’t Charleston a kick ass name?

No-Bake Chocolate Candy Cane Pie

Makes 1 Deep Dish Pie

Ingredients

For the Crust

8 ounces chocolate cookies (I used a ‘dutch chocolate cookie’)
3 Tablespoons butter, melted plus a little extra for greasing the pie plate

For the Chocolate Layer

3 Tablespoons water
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

For the Peppermint layer

1/2 cup crushed candy canes or peppermint candy (I used 8 candy canes)
1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1/4 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream

Process

Butter the bottom and sides of the pie plate. Set aside.
In a food processor, finely process the cookies until you produce a fine crumb. Add the melted butter and mix to combine. Using your fingers, press this mixture into the pie plate and up the sides. Place in the fridge to harden.
To make the chocolate layer, bring 3 tablespoons water to a boil. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the water and chocolate chips, stirring constantly until all the chips are melted and smooth. Cool to room temperature.
In a large, chilled mixing bowl, whip the cream with the sugar until stiff peaks form. Fold in the chocolate mixture with a rubber spatula. Spoon into the crust; chill.
To make the peppermint layer, break the candy into chunks. In a blender, pulse the candy until you have a fine powder. Combine the marshmallows, milk , and candy cane powder in a saucepan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the marshmallows are melted. Cool to room temperature. (I suggest that you put the pot on a kitchen towel and into the fridge, stir every few minutes)
Whip the remaining cream to stiff peaks. Fold in the marshmallow mixture. Spoon onto the chocolate mixture. Chill or freeze for at least 4 hours.

Inspired by The Houston Chronicle

Pumpkin Pie Milkshake

November 28, 2014

I feel that desserts get the short end of the stick at Thanksgiving. At least, they kinda get the cold shoulder from me.

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Double Chocolate Pecan Pie

November 21, 2014

MAYDAY PEOPLE!!!

We are now less than a week from Thanksgiving. It’s the Super Bowl of food. I’m sure I could come up with something about how the QB is the turkey and the special teams is dessert, but that would be ridiculous as there are times when I barely understand football and, well, it’s just lame. Oh, look I did it… I’m lame.

…

Bourbon Pecan Pie

November 14, 2014

Tuesday is Autumn’s first birthday. {Que freak out}

So we are hosting her farm themed party tomorrow.

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Cranberry Apple Pie

November 7, 2014

I’m having a bit of a #FlashbackFriday post.

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Overnight Apple Pie Breakfast Pudding

October 31, 2014

You guys have you seen Daniel Radcliffe rapping?

It has made my life complete.

Seriously, I’ve watched his little performance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon at least a dozen times since Wednesday.

Obviously, I’ve loved the Harry Potter books and the movies. I don’t care to share how many times I’ve seen them. And we saw Daniel on Broadway in How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. Which was amazing. But this has taken things to a whole new level for me. It’s just so cool.

Anyway, it’s Halloween so I’m here with a Trick AND a Treat.

Normally, I post a pie recipe but I wanted to change things up, a Trick if you will, by posting this breakfast recipe. It’s flavors are based upon apple pie so that is where the Treat part comes in. Clever, no?

Well, it’s super simple and I swear that you will love it. I love that it came together in about 5 minutes and then I just had it do its thing in the fridge overnight. I’ve made overnight oats often because I love how I have breakfast ready for me in the morning. I ate plenty of oatmeal while I was on maternity leave since oats are really healthy, filling, and comforting. I was all about warm comforting goodness in the cold months while I was home… hello, Polar Vortex!!

Some days I have the chance to whip up eggs but more often than not I try to have something already prepped, like overnight oats or large batches of precooked steel cut oats, since spending $5 on a breakfast sandwich while I run into work is just annoying. And dumb. And unhealthy.

So while overnight oats are da bomb, I love how the added chia seeds really changes things up and adds a lot of fun flavor and texture to the recipe. I love how they pump up and get really creamy. Chia pudding- a fav! This breakfast pudding is just a great combo of those 2 things.

Enjoy an Overnight Apple Pie Breakfast Pudding. And go watch HP rap. I swear it will put a smile on your face.

Overnight Apple Pie Breakfast Pudding

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients

2 Cups rolled oats
1/4 Cup chia seeds
2 1/2 Cups almond milk
2 apples, diced (I used Macon apples)
1/3 Cup chopped walnuts
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Process

Combine all of the ingredients in a large bowl. Mix well.
Divide the mixture between 2 vessels. Cover and store in the refrigerator overnight.
Stir prior to enjoying. Warm in the microwave, if you prefer it warm. Can be stored for up to 3 days.

Butterfinger Pie

October 24, 2014

We are currently in Miami!!!

I extended a work trip and dragged Price and Autumn along with me. Totally dragged them along. So while I am working today they get to hang around the pool at the hotel. So tough!

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The perfect pair: Pear and Apple Pie

October 17, 2014

Guys, let’s talk about coke.

Not that coke… jeez I’ve never even had a cigarette.

I’m talking the other addicting form of Coke. Coca-Cola!

Ignoring the fact that I post a pie recipe every Friday, Price and I have been trying to reshape our diets. We have been shifting more and more to the Paleo diet. As a treat, we have a slice of pie at some point during the week, but the rest typically goes to our dog walker or Autumn’s daycare teachers. It’s been going well with some easy swaps- quinoa for rice, zoodles for pasta, and sweet potatoes with everything when all else fails. Cheese is the hardest to give up but at least the adjustments we have been making have been helping curb the cheese and sweets cravings.

Like soda. We stopped buying soda. We get seltzer and add some lemon or lime. Or if I am horrible, I go for my drug of choice… Country Time Lemonade Mix. (At least I only put in about a Tablespoon in my 24 oz waterbottle since I don’t actually like lemonade). Which brings me to the point of this story… I grabbed a Diet Coke at work during a Lunch & Learn.

I only drank half of it and felt so gross.

I couldn’t believe how blah I felt after just half of a soda. I used to feel like I could drink a Big Gulp full and it was refreshing. But now it’s just gross. This actually just makes me happy. Happy that we have been making smart choices to better our diets.Thankfully, as a result we have purged junk from our bodies and have been curbing cravings too.

While I’m glad that we have been curbing our sugary cravings, I’m still glad to crave some fresh pie straight from the oven. And this is a pie worth craving!

The combination of pears and apples goes together to well. This pie has less cinnamon than your typical apple pie and more ginger so there is a nice complexity to the spices used. I don’t normally do an egg wash on pies but I went for it this time, and added a heafty sprinkling of sugar, which gave it a nice look and added crunch to the top.

Yum!!!

Pear and Apple Pie

Makes a 9″ pie

Ingredients

Crust

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, chilled
1/4 to 1/2 cup ice water

Filling

4 large Bartlett pears
4 large baking apples, such as Cortlands
1 lemon
1/2 Cup flour
3/4 Cups sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 Tablespoons butter

1 egg
2 Tablespoons water
3-4 Tablespoons sugar for sprinkling

Process

To make the crust, in the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, and sugar. Addbutter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds.
With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; be careful not to process more than 30 seconds. To test, squeeze a small amount together: If it is crumbly, add more ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time.
Divide dough into two equal balls. Flatten each ball into a disc and wrap in plastic. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill at least 1 hour.
While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Ready your pie plate by placing it on a rimmed cookie sheet.
Peel the pears and apples. Cut the fruit into 1/4″ thick slices. As you add the fruit to a large mixing bowl, add the juice of the lemon to prevent oxidation.
Add the flour, sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and vanilla extract to the pears and apples. Mix gently.
Roll out one of the disks to be large enough to compeltely cover the pie plate. Place the dough into the pie plate. Add the filling to the pie crust. Then add the 4 pats of butter on top. Roll out the other other disk and then cover the filling and crimp the edges.
Mix together the egg and the water. Brush the top of the pie with the egg wash and then sprinkle with sugar.
Bake for 55-65 minutes. Serve hot or let cool on a wire cooling rack. Store in an air tight container for up to 3 days.

Crust Sourced from Martha Stewart, Pie by I am a Honey Bee

Classic Pumpkin Pie

October 10, 2014

I believe my spirit animal is the Canadian Goose.

They have this whole migration thing down. They are constantly seeking out warmer weather. I, like my brethren, love the warmer weather. I should craft my own plane to ride along side them so I can settle in with them in a prime spot. (Which reminds me of at Anna Paquin movie which makes me ball like a baby.)

Except I can’t do that because are assholes that crap everywhere and eww.

Anyway, in some attempts to embrace in inevitable cold, I’m trying to enjoy every that the season has to offer. I enjoy the things like leaf peeping, pumpkin carving, baking up a storm, eating an unacceptable quantity of hot Apple Cider Donuts, and of course, apple picking.

Basically making pie is a perfect fall activity. We have begun to clear the days/nights when keeping the oven on for 45-60 minutes for a pie was questionable. Like, how much more heat can I have in this house?! But now, the temps are pie perfect.

And pumpkin is such a great pie. A perfect fall pie.

One day I will make it completly from scratch but right now the only squashes in my oven are of the butternut, buttercup, acorn, and spaghetti. I have yet to roast up a sugar pumpkin but the problem with that is that canned pumpkin is so good. Just pop that sucker open and scoop it out. But, hmmm… I used to think that premade pie crusts were ah-maze, but now that I am making my own I have seen the light.

Until I get a sugar pumpkin to roast up, I will be whip up this canned classic. So while it isn’t exactly from scratch (my crust was homemade!!!) it was pretty dang good.

Classic Pumpkin Pie

Makes 1 pie, 8 servings

Ingredients

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
1 can (12 fl. oz.) evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell

Process

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
In a small bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg.
Beat the eggs in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and vanilla extract. Mix the sugar-spice mixture until completely combined. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
Pour the pie mixture into the crust line pie plate.
Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350° F; bake for 40 to 50 minutes more, or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.
Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Slightly adapted from Libby’s

Deep Dish Apple Pie with a Cheddar Rosemary Crust

October 3, 2014

I might have had this for breakfast. A slice. Not the whole pie.

And it was gooood. Dang good.

I had such high hopes to whip this pie up last week after we got home from our trip to Raleigh on Tuesday night but it was not in the cards. I was just so zonked after work both Wednesday and Thursday nights from playing catch up and then I was dragging myself out of bed in the morning (as usual) and then it was Friday morning… crap!! So I missed posting a pie recipe last week, which really, really bums me out. But I have to admit that if it means I’ve posted 50 pies instead of 52, I’m still okay with that. 50 pies… wow.

I used the apples from when we went apple picking last weekend with Price’s mom and sister in New Hampshire. It’s a fun activity but it meant more this year as it was Autumn’s first time. She certainly enjoyed herself as she bit right into her apple as it hung on the tree.

If you are going apple picking soon, or just picking up some apples while going grocery shopping, then I strongly suggest that you make a pie. A big deep dish pie. And one with cheddar cheese in the crust definitely doesn’t hurt.

Side note: I used to dread making crusts but now I really enjoy it. I’ve enjoyed all the pies I’ve made this year but my deminished fear related to crusts has been the best part of this whole thing. yay!

We all know that apples and cheddar are a great combination when we are snacking. BUT just because we want dessert we shouldn’t have to miss that combo. So I decided to make a pie using apples and cheddar. I know of some diners that will put a slice of cheddar on top of the slice of pie prior to warming it up when they serve it to you. That’s a fine way to get cheddar to snuggle up to your apple pie, but cheddar IN the crust is so much better than just being on it.

And since we have a rosemary bush on our itty bitty back deck I grabbed some of that to kick up the savory flavors. Kinda like a cheddar rosemary cracker. I think it adds a nice little elements to the crust and pie.

Deep Dish Apple Pie with a Cheddar Rosemary Crust

Makes 1 deep dish pie

Ingredients

For The Crust

2 1/2 Cups flour
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh rosemary
12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
6 ounces sharp white cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
1/3- 1/2 cup ice water

For the Pie

4 1/2 pounds of granny smith apples
1/2 Cup sugar
1/2 Cup brown sugar
1/3 Cup flour
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 1/2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

Process

To make the crust, in the bowl of a food processor, combine flour, salt, sugar, and the rosemary. Add the butter, and process until the mixture resembles coarse meal, 8 to 10 seconds. Add the grated cheese and pulse to combine.
With machine running, add ice water in a slow, steady stream through feed tube. Pulse until dough holds together without being wet or sticky; do not process for more than 30 seconds.
On a floured surface, gently work the dough together. Divide the dough into two equal balls. Flatten the balls and wrap them with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator.
While the dough is chilling, combine the sugars, flour, and cinnamon together in a small bowl, set aside.
Peel the apples in about 1 pound batches. Cut the apples into 4 pieces around the core, then slice each piece into 1/4″ thick slices. Add the slices to a large bowl and add some of the sugar mixture, mix well to coat all the pieces. Repeat with all of the apples.
Preheat oven to 400. Line a rimmed cookie sheet with wax paper.
Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. On a floured work surface, roll out one of the disks to be large enough to fit your deep dish pie dish. Place the pie dough in the dish and trim so there is an extra 1/2″ beyond the edge of the dish.
Scoop the apple pie filling into the pie plate. Leave any juices behind in the bowl. Top off the apples with a few small pieces of butter.
Roll out second pie crust to be large enough to cover the pie. Carefully lay the crust over the apples. Fold the top layer edge under the bottom edge, then pinch together around the pie. Cut 4 small slits around the pie and make a tiny cross slit at the top.
Place the pie on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for for 75-90 minutes or until crust is golden and apples are tender.
Place the pie on a cooking rack and allow to cool before slicing and serving. Store any remaining pie in an airtight container for up to several days.

Crust is adapted from Martha Stewart, Pie from I am a Honey Bee

German’s Chocolate Pie

September 19, 2014

I’ve been looking forward to Friday all week!!

Sure, it means it’s the end of the work week but what it really meant is that I got to share this recipe for German’s Chocolate Pie. Soo yummy!

Price’s birthday is Monday so I made this pie in honor of that as German’s Chocolate Cake is one of his favorites. I made him a German’s Chocolate Cake (< pardon the old photos!) for his birthday before so I wanted to do that again, but with a twist!

We both loved this pie! It’s such a good combination of chocolate, coconut, and pecans- all elements in German’s Chocolate Cake’s super rich condensed milk based frosting. The pie basically uses the same ingredients as the cake but with a twist.

When I was making this I was thinking it would be pretty dense from the sweetened condensed milk but it ended up being pretty light and fluffy, which is from beating the eggs very well when they are incorporated into the chocolate and butter. It still was really rich but the light texture helped make it feel a little less indulgent.

Anyway, since it’s almost Price’s birthday we are celebrating it this weekend. We always try to do something big and fun for birthdays so we have a trip planned. There has been plenty of research related to all the good things we can eat and things we can see. At least there will be plenty of walking to help work off all the BBQ!

Hope you have a great weekend!

German’s Chocolate Pie

Makes a 9″ Pie

Ingredients

2 4-ounce bars Baker’s sweet chocolate, broken into pieces
1/4 Cup unsalted butter
1 13-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 Cup sugar
1 Cup shredded coconut
1 Cup finely chopped pecans
1 9-inch unbaked deep-dish pie shell (I used half of this crust recipe)

Process

Preheat oven to 400F degrees.
In a saucepan, melt chocolate and butter over medium heat.
Removed from the heat, and add the sweetened condensed milk end eggs mix well to fully incorporate.
Add the sugar, coconut, and pecans. Stir until blended.
Pour into the unbaked pie shell
Set pie on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 -40 minutes, or until the center is set while slightly shaken.
Serve warm or after the pie has cooled. Store in refrigerator

Inspired by Easy Baked