Pie Recipes

I decided to try two new pie recipes this Thanksgiving. I know, a holiday is probably not the best time to try something new, but I hate doing the same old thing. I've done a pumpkin cheesecake for several years, but this year I found a recipe with a cheesecake layer on the bottom, a regular pumpkin layer on top of that and then it's all topped with a yummy streusel topping. I also found a recipe for pecan pie (one of my husband's holiday requests) that doesn't use corn syrup. I don't know about you, but just the idea of using corn syrup grosses me out. I won't even eat one bite of regular pecan pie if it's made with the nasty stuff. 


Pie Crust 

Ingredients

·         1/2 cup vegetable shortening or butter, frozen (I used butter)

·         1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1/2 cup ice cold water

Directions

1.     Mix shortening, flour, and salt together with a fork or a pastry blender until very crumbly or pulse gently in a food processor. If using a food processor, transfer to a medium mixing bowl at this point. Add as much water as needed, one tablespoons at a time to hold together, and mix lightly with a fork. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

2.     Roll gently on a floured pastry cloth to about an inch larger than pie plate. Fold carefully in half, lift to pie plate, and unfold. Press into pan. For a single-crust pie, trim with a small knife to about 1/2 inch beyond rim. Fold up, and pinch so edge of pie is raised from rim.

3.   Follow directions for whichever pie recipe you're using for baking instructions.

*Add 1 T. fine sugar to flour if desired for a sweet pie.

Pecan Pie V

Ingredients

·         1 cup light brown sugar

·         2 T white sugar

·         1/2 cup butter

·         2 eggs

·         2 T bourbon or Grand Marnier (not in original recipe)

·         1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

·         1 tablespoon milk

·         1 teaspoon vanilla extract

·         1 cup chopped pecans

·         ½ cup halved pecans (not in original recipe)

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2.     In a large bowl, beat eggs until foamy, and stir in melted butter. Stir in the brown sugar, white sugar and the flour; mix well. Add the milk, bourbon, vanilla and nuts.

3.     Flour both sides of pie crust before placing in pan. Pour into an unbaked 9-in pie shell. Spread halved pecans evenly on top. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, then reduce heat to 300˚ and bake an additional 50-55 minutes, or until done.

4.     Allow to sit overnight so the flavor mellows and the texture sets up.

Old Fashioned Paradise Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients

1 (9 inch) pie shell

1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

1/4 cup white sugar

1/2 t. vanilla

1 egg, beaten

1 1/4 c. pumpkin puree

1 c. evaporated milk

2 eggs, beaten

1/4 c. packed brown sugar

1/4 c. white sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. ground nutmeg

1/4 t. salt

2 T. flour

2 T. brown sugar

4 T. flour

4 T. butter, softened

1 cup chopped pecans

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. To make cheesecake layer:  In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Beat in 1/4 cup sugar, then add vanilla and 1 egg. Beat mixture until light and smooth. Spread into pie shell and chill for 30 minutes.

3. To make pumpkin layer:  In a large bowl, combine pumpkin puree, milk, eggs, brown sugar, white sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and flour. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly combined.

4. Pour pumpkin mixture over cream cheese layer. Cover edges of crust with foil and bake in oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil and bake an additional 25 minutes.

5. To make streusel layer:  While pie is in the oven, combine flour and brown sugar in small bowl. Mix well, then add softened butter and stir until combined. Mix in pecans.

6. After pie has been in the oven for 50 minutes, remove and sprinkle with pecan streusel evenly over top. Bake for an additional 10-15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Sourdough Banana Bread

I just finished my sourdough starter and am praying that it's okay. I was, and am still, a little concerned about it not being right. I got varying information in all of my research, with some sites saying to cover with plastic wrap and others saying to cover with cheesecloth. I had some saying to feed once per day and others feeding every 12 hours. Hmm, what's a girl to do?

I decided to make a batch of Sourdough Banana Bread since I have the sourdough and bananas needing to be used. I took the recipe from Wild Yeast Blog and tweaked it slightly. I don't like using a lot of oil in my baking so I substituted 1/2 cup of applesauce for 1/2 cup of the olive oil, used 250 g. of Sucanat and 50 g. of honey, left out the lemon zest and used all banana. I also added about 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to one loaf. This recipe made two 8x5-inch pans and one smaller loaf.

In addition to this banana bread I plan to make Mexican Chocolate Cupcakes, No-Knead Sourdough Bread, Sourdough Bread, and Pancakes.

In order to make all of these wonderful things, I've placed several items on my Amazon wishlist, including a digital scale, The Bread Bible book, Silpat, and Kefir grains. I'm so excited to begin this amazing journey! I can't wait to get them ordered.

October 18, 2011 Update: The banana bread is wonderful. It's nice and moist and full of flavor. The pancakes this morning turned out fine, though a bit tough. I think they would be wonderful as a cross between bread and tortillas. I put fresh peanut butter (from Whole Foods) and raspberry jam on mine to make a sandwich. 


I decided not to make the cupcakes as I didn't keep enough starter out. I put roughly 2 cups in the refrigerator and left one cup out. I added 1 cup of flour and 2/3 cup of water to the one I left out and it grew slightly overnight. I used that this morning for the pancakes, No-Knead bread and regular sourdough bread. The sourdough bread is currently in its final rise and waiting to go into the oven. The No-Knead is in its overnight resting phase and will be baked around mid-day tomorrow.


I couldn't wait any longer and ordered my Kefir grains and the digital scale last night.

No Dairy No Chocolate "Chocolate" Pudding

Horse Girl is using the book Nutrition 101: Choose Life for her health credit this year. Each chapter has a recipe to try that utilizes foods that benefit the particular part of the body that was just studied. We are getting ready to start studying the respiratory system and the first recipe happens to be for chocolate pudding. This recipe intrigued me because it was specifically mentioned at the booth when I was researching the book at the last home school convention and also because I think I'm sensitive to both dairy and chocolate. So, daring to be brave and try something I have never liked, I took the plunge and bought the avocados for the recipe and gave it a shot a few days ago.

Verdict: husband, daughter and I did NOT like it. Son liked it, but said his ears started to feel funny within a few minutes. Husband actually said it tasted like it had a dirty dish rag in it. Daughter and I just thought it tasted odd. It might be an okay recipe if you take it one step at a time and replace the more common ingredients over time. It uses avocado in place of dairy, carob powder in place of cocoa powder and honey in place of sugar.

Here's the recipe if you're interested in trying it.

2 small ripe avocados
1/2 to 3/4 cup Blue Agave Nectar, raw honey, or Grade B Maple syrup
1/4 cup carob powder
2 tablespoons coconut milk or rice milk
1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract
Pinch of sea salt
Pinch of cinnamon (optional)

Make sure the avocados are ripe, as unripened avocados will change the flavor. Place the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend on high until smooth. Chill until serving. Makes about two cups.