Chocolate Cream Pie

1 baked pie crust

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 cups whole milk, 2%, or nonfat

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup chocolate chips

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/4 cup powdered sugar

Mini chocolate chips or grated chocolate for garnish, optional

Whisk sugar, salt, cocoa powder, cornstarch, and milk in a medium saucepan, then switch to a wooden spoon or heat-safe spatula. Cook over medium-low heat until thickened, stirring constantly, about 5-8 minutes or longer. Be sure to get in the corners of the pan when you’re stirring. Cook until the consistency of medium-thick pudding. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and chocolate chips; stir until chocolate is completely melted. Pour into prepared crust. Cool at room temperature, then cover tightly with plastic wrap and chill 4 hours or overnight. Before serving, make the whipped cream. Beat cold heavy whipping cream in a bowl until stiff peaks form, adding powdered sugar slowly during the mixing process. Spread on the pie and garnish with mini chocolate chips or grated chocolate, if desired. Double recipe if using a deep dish pie pan. This recipe makes enough for an 8-inch pie.

Butter Pie Crust

Makes 2 crusts

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup cold butter
1 teaspoon apple cider or white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
5 tablespoons cold water (or more)

Cut cold ingredients together until mixture forms a ball.

Easy Lemon Cream Pie

I was looking for a way to use up a bag of lemons and found the perfect solution...This pie is light and perfect for summer!

1 baked 9-inch pie shell
2 cans sweetened condensed milk
3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 4 lemons) 
2 egg yolks, beaten 

Blend together sweetened condensed milk, lemon juice, and egg yolks in medium saucepan.  Heat on low, stirring constantly.  Pour into baked pie shell.  Refrigerate until set.  Top with whipped cream, although this pie can stand on its own! 

Cherry Pie

I was looking for a way to use up our cherry crop this year, and I found this Food Network recipe...I'm not overly fond of cherries, but this recipe turned out more delicious than I would have guessed!

Ingredients

• 4 cups fresh or frozen tart cherries, pitted
• 1 to 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch
• 3/4 - 1 teaspoon almond extract
• Your favorite pie crust recipe for 2 crust pie
• 1 1/2 tablespoons butter, to dot
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, to sprinkle

Directions

Place cherries in saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly.  After the cherries lose considerable juice, which may take a few minutes, remove from heat. In a small bowl, mix the sugar and cornstarch together. Pour this mixture into the hot cherries and mix well. Add the almond extract. Return the mixture to the stove and cook over low heat until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and let cool. If the filling is too thick, add a little water--too thin, add a little more cornstarch.

Use your favorite pie dough recipe. Prepare your crust. Divide in half. Roll out each piece large enough to fit into an 8 to 9-inch pan.  Place bottom crust in pan.  Poke crust repeatedly with fork. Pour cooled cherry mixture into the crust. Dot top of filling with butter. Place top crust on and flute the edge of the pie. Score the top crust so steam can escape. Sprinkle top of crust with sugar.
Bake for about 50 minutes at 375 degrees F.

Pumpkin Pecan Pie

Line pie pan with your favorite pie crust

Combine:

2/3 cup chopped pecan

1/3 cup brown sugar

2 Tbs. butter

*Mix together all above ingredients and layer bottom of unbaked pie shell

Combine:

2 eggs

1/4 tsp. ginger

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp. cinnamon

2/3 cup brown sugar

15 oz. can pumpkin

1/4 cup evaporated milk

*Mix together and pour over pecan layer

Bake Pie for 15 mins. on 425 degrees. Then turn down to 350 degrees for 40 mins.

Pecan Pie

1 c. light corn syrup
1 c. brown sugar
1/3 tsp. salt
1/3 c. melted butter
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
2 c. pecans

Melt butter in large microwave safe bowl. Mix corn syrup, brown sugar, salt, and vanilla in with the melted butter. Mix in eggs and beat well. Pour mixture into 9-inch uncooked pie crust. Sprinkle pecans on top of filling (I used 1 c. chopped pecans and then arranged 1 c. pecan halves on top). Cover and bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Remove foil for about the last 5-10 minutes. Test the filling by sticking a knife in the center. If the knife doesn't come out clean, place the pie in the oven for another 5 minutes.

Four Layer Pie

Crust:

1 c. flour
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1/2 c. chopped pecans (optional)

Layer 2:

1 c. powdered sugar
3 oz. cream cheese
1 c. Cool Whip

Layer 3:

1 small pkg. instant chocolate pudding (can use other flavors--lemon is great)
1 3/4 c. milk

Layer 4:

Cool Whip and grated chocolate

Mix flour, butter, and pecans. Press into the bottom of a 9 inch pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees until BARELY starting to turn golden. Cool crust. Mix powdered sugar, cream cheese, and 1 c. Cool Whip. Spread on top of crust. Mix pudding and milk together for 2 min. Spread pudding on top of cream cheese mixture. Top with thin layer of Cool Whip. Can top with grated chocolate, if desired.

Peach Pie

This is a GREAT way to use up some of those delicious peaches from your peach tree!

Pastry for double-crust pie:

Cut ingredients together:
2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. Crisco shortening
7- 8 TB. cold water

Peach filling:

4 c. peeled, pitted, sliced peaches
1 TB. lemon juice
1 c. sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 TB. butter

In large bowl, sprinkle the sliced peaches with lemon juice. Add the sugar, flour, and nutmeg and stir well. Roll out half of crust and place in 9-inch pie pan. Prick crust with fork in several places. Add peach mixture. Separate butter into several "dots" and place on top of peach mixture. Roll out top of pie crust, place on top of peach filling, and flute edges closed. Cut designs on top of crust for ventilation. Sprinkle top of crust with sugar. Cover pie with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes more, or until crust is golden.

Apple Pie

Natalie makes the BEST apple pies! Here is the recipe...

Apple Pie Filling:

5 C. thinly sliced, peeled apples
3/4 C. sugar
2 TB. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1 TB. butter

Double Crust:
Cut ingredients together:

2 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
3/4 c. Crisco shortening
7 - 8 TB. cold water

In large bowl, mix the filling ingredients together, except for the butter. Roll out half of crust and place in 9" pie pan. Prick crust with fork in several places. Spoon filling into crust. Separate butter into several "dots" and place on top of apple filling. Roll out top of pie crust, place on top of filling, and flute edges closed. Cut designs on top of crust for ventilation. Sprinkle top of crust with sugar. Bake at 350 degrees until crust is golden.

Fresh Lime Pie

This is another of Mema's exquisite recipes! This has been a "classic" for our family gatherings, wedding luncheons, and now is a Thanksgiving tradition! Garnish with grated chocolate.

1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained (optional--pineapple helps cut the sweetness/richness)
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (about 5 limes)
2-4 drops green food coloring
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
Baked pie shell or graham cracker crust

Whip cream and fold all ingredients into it. Place in pie shell. Place in refrigerator for 3 or 4 hours.

Coconut Cream Freezer Pie

For all of your coconut lovers....or not, just forget the coconut!

1 graham cracker crust
1/2 gallon (or smaller) vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt
1/2 C cold milk
2 small pkg, coconut pudding (change the flavor if you want)
1 carton cool whip
1/3 C toasted coconut

Method:
Soften ice cream so stuff can be mixed into it, and mix in milk, pudding mix and blend well. Spread evenly in the crust. Frost with cool whip and freeze for 1-2 hours. Thaw for 15 mins befor serving.

Easy No-Bake Cheese Cake

This no bake recipe can be made ahead of time and is super yummy!

1, 8 oz block room temp cream cheese
1 tub cool whip, defrosted
1 premade graham cracker pie crust

Method:

Combine the cream cheese and cool whip with an electric mixer or kitchen aide till smooth. There might be some tiny lumps, but this is ok. Spread the mixure into the graham cracker crust and chill for at least an hour. Top with cherry or blueberry canned pie filling.

Pumpkin Pie

This is Jospeh's favorite dessert.

3/4 C sugar
1/2 t salt
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t ginger
2 eggs
2 C pumpkin
5 oz (a small can) evaporated milk

Method:

Combine all ingredients with a hand mixer. Pour into an uncooked pie shell and bake for 15 mins on 425F. Reduce the oven temp to 350F and continue baking for 40-50 mins or till a knife insterted in the center comes out clean and the top is firm. Yeild: one thick pie!

Suggestions to help give you a better pie: wrap the crust with a piece of long foil to prevent burning. To increase the yeild of the pie, double all ingredients. You can also just use 12 oz of milk too--for some reason it still works. If you use pumpkin you've prepared yourself, the pie will have a nice buttery taste to it and you will never want to use canned again!