Kentucky Derby Pie

I had this recipe elsewhere but now it gets its' own space!  :)

Kentucky Derby Pie (a family favorite since the 1970s)

• 1 stick butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1 C. sugar (I prefer brown sugar)
• 1/2 C. flour
• Pinch of salt (hmmm..1/8th teaspoon?)
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 C. chocolate chips
• 1/2 - 1 C. chopped pecans or walnuts (I have made it without nuts)
• 1 unbaked pie shell (regular pie shell or graham cracker crust, I've used both over the years)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix together butter, sugar, and eggs until well blended, add vanilla. Add flour and salt, mix. Add chocolate chips and chopped nuts if you're using them. (There is no leavening in this pie.)

Place mixture in unbaked pie shell and bake for 40 minutes.  Let cool for awhile before cutting into slices.

I usually serve this alone but it's very good with ice cream if you serve it warm.  I prefer it at room temperature as it is less rich that way.

Note:  Original recipe has a shot of bourbon added to batter.  I never made it that way, neither did my friend who gave it to me.

Possum Pie

I will add a picture the next time I make this pie.  The original recipe is from the Taste of Home magazine.  Yummy!20

• 2 packages (3 ounces each) cream cheese, softened*
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 graham cracker crust (9 inches)
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans (optional but good)
• 1-3/4 cups cold milk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup instant vanilla pudding mix
• 1/3 cup instant chocolate pudding mix
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped (or Cool Whip)

Directions

• In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Spoon into crust. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.
• In a bowl, whisk the milk, vanilla and pudding mixes for 2 minutes. Let stand for 2 minutes or until soft-set. Spoon over the pecans. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Top with whipped cream and if desired, more chopped pecans. Yield: 8 servings.

*I usually only have 8 oz. packages of cream cheese on hand so I use 6 oz. for this and then use the remaining 2 oz. for something else (like spreading on a bagel).

While the pecans add interesting texture and great flavor, I have made the pie without them to save on cost.

The boxes of pudding (vanilla and chocolate) will make two pies.  If I am just making the one pie, I  tuck the two boxes in my pantry to use for another pie later.


Don't you love the name of this pie?  It was one of their favorite restaurant recipes and the owner of the restaurant didn't know how it got its' name.  Had to be a story there...

Cherry cheesecake pie

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese (room temperature)

1 1/3 c. (15 oz. can) Borden's Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (22 oz.) can prepared cherry pie filling (can use other fruit pie filling or fresh fruit)

1- 9" graham cracker crust*

Let cream cheese stand at room temperature until softened; beat until fluffy.

Gradually add condensed milk until thoroughly mixed.

Add lemon juice and vanilla extract until well mixed. Turn into prepared crust.

Refrigerate at least three or four hours, then pour cherry pie filling on top - or - plate up individual slices of pie and fruit filling can be spooned onto each slice.  This is especially good if you want to offer a variety of pie filling options.

Keep in refrigerator until ready to serve.

*This can also be made in an 8" or 9" square pan by making your own graham cracker crust and pressing it into the pan (9 x 13 dish if recipe is doubled).  Continue recipe as usual...

This is a wonderfully light and creamy dessert!

Canned Pie Filling

This is a wonderful Beverly Nye recipe for canning your own pie filling. I use it for apples but I have friends who have used it with good success for peaches.

I've written it out just as it came from Beverly's cookbook back in the 70s so from here on out, these are Beverly's words...

Canned Pie Filling

Combine in large kettle:

4 cups sugar
1 cup cornstarch
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. nutmeg
1 tsp. salt

Add: 10 cups water

Cook until thickened and add: 3 T. lemon juice

Fill canning jars 1/3 full of sauce. Peel and slice apples into jars, smooshing down into the sauce until the jar is full.

Put on hot lids and process in boiling water bath for 20 minutes. Fills 7 quart jars.

When you want to make a pie, just roll out the crust, pour in the filling, dot with butter, and cover with the top crust. Bake at 400 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

You can also substitute other fruits such as peaches or cherries. You may want to vary the spices a little. Sometimes I (Beverly) use a little more cinnamon and nutmeg with apples.

Peoria Rhubarb Cream Pie

This recipe was originally from a Midwest Living cookbook called "Recipes From Great Midwest Cooks". I'd used a different rhubarb recipe for years but once I tried this, it became the "go to" rhubarb pie recipe in our home.

Added Note: You can also add about a cup of sliced strawberries to this for a delicious change of pace.

Peoria Rhubarb Cream Pie

Preheat over to 400 degrees

Pastry for single crust pie

1 1/2 C. sugar
1/4 C. flour
3/4 t. nutmeg
3 beaten eggs
4 C. sliced rhubarb

1/2 C. flour
1/4 C. sugar
1/3 C. butter

In large bowl, combine 1 1/2 C. sugar, 1/4 C. flour and nutmeg. Add eggs, mix well. Gently stir in rhubarb. Turn into pastry lined pie plate.

In small bowl, combine 1/2 C. flour and 1/4 C. sugar. Cut in butter until you get course crumbs. Sprinkle over pie.

Cover edge of pie with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil. Bake 20 more minutes or until golden brown.

Kentucky Sugar Cream Pie

My sister, Jean, gave me this secret family recipe that is served at our cousin's restaurant. Since only a few readers personally know my family and only my daughter has been to the restaurant... it is safe to pass on to you.

This is different than the sugar cream pies we find in the Midwest as it is made with brown sugar.

Kentucky Sugar Cream Pie

1 Cup brown sugar
6 Tablespoons flour

Mix together and take 2 handfuls and put in a 9 inch unbaked pie shell.

Mix remaining flour-sugar mixture with:

1 Cup heavy cream
1 1/2 Cups Half & Half
2 Tablespoons butter

Pour into pie shell, sprinkle cinnamon on top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 1 hour. Cool completely to set.

That "handfuls" part of the recipe. You can tell that is from a family member of mine as that is how we all cook. :)

From Cousin Idell (in Kentucky) via my sister Jean (in Tampa).

Sugar Cream Pie

NOTE: I did some more online research for the Durbin Hotel Sugar Cream Pie. I found one that is exactly like the one I had copied from the Tampa Bay website except it called for less cream and milk. I'm thinking the extra cream in this original recipe is what required more baking time. It is now modified.

This modified recipe is from AllRecipes.Com.

Durbin Hotel Sugar Cream Pie

1 stick butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup milk

1 cup cream

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/2 cup milk

1 9-inch baked pastry shell

Nutmeg

Heat butter, sugar, milk and cream in double boiler until hot and butter melts. Do not let boil. Stir together cornstarch and 1/4 cup milk until smooth. Add to hot mixture, stirring constantly. Continue cooking and stirring for 5 minutes. Pour into baked pie shell, sprinkle with nutmeg and bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.

This recipe for sugar cream pie was sent in to the Tampa paper by Yvonna Stockel Brewer who said makes a pie just like Mrs. Wick's frozen sugar cream pies.

Sugar Cream Pie

1 pint half and half coffee creamer

11/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 tablespoons butter

Cinnamon

Nutmeg

1 9-inch pie crust, unbaked

Mix first five ingredients and cook until slightly thick. Add vanilla and butter. Pour into unbaked pie crust. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon and nutmeg. Bake 10 minutes at 375 degrees and 25 minutes at 325 degrees.

Dutch Apple Pie

9" pastry shell, unbaked (I use a frozen deep dish pie crust, easy and it tastes great!)
I have also used a Pillsbury Refrigerator Pie Crust with excellent results.

5-6 apples, peeled and sliced
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
(I add a pinch of ground coriander but that is optional)

2/3 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup margarine or butter, sliced (I prefer butter)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine apples, sugar, and spice(s) until apples are thoroughly covered. Place in the pie shell.

Mix flour, brown sugar, and margarine or butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples, making sure to press in to fully cover all the apples and "tuck" into sides.

Place pie pan on cookie sheet or something similar.

Bake for 15 minutes, then...

reduce heat to 375 degrees and bake an additional 35 minutes.

I find baking on the bottom shelf of the oven helps keep the crust crisper.

This basic recipe is my favorite for Dutch Apple Pie.

It is from the community cookbook called Eet Smakelijk put together by the Holland Junior Welfare League of Holland, Michigan.

Mine is now yellowed with age and food stains... a very good thing.

Kentucky Peach Pie

This recipe came from a library book. It is delicious, especially for those who love buttery type pies.

Kentucky Peach Pie

1 cup sugar
1 stick butter - room temp
1/3 cup flour
1 Egg
1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 large peaches, sliced (about 5 cups)
1 double pie crust (Pillsbury works fine)
cinnamon sugar mix (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Using an electric mixer; combine sugar, room temperature butter, flour, egg, and vanilla until well blended. Fold in peaches until well covered.

Line a 9" pie plate with crust. Pour peaches into crust. Top with second crust and crimp edges. Prick a few holes for vents on top. Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top if desired.

Bake pie for one hour. Let cool completely to room temperate before serving (this is important so make it way ahead of serving).

From: Endangered Recipes by Lori Robling

Jean's Peach Pie (Cobbler)

Jean's Peach Pie (Cobbler)

• 1 28 oz. can sliced peaches
  
• 1 yellow cake mix (18 oz. box)
• 1 stick butter, cut into small chips

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Pour can of peaches into bottom of large baking dish that has been buttered (or sprayed with something like Pam).

Sprinkle dry cake mix over peaches.

Top with butter chips.

Bake until brown

(It has been awhile since I made this but I'd say check after 20 min.)

Two lemon chess pie recipes

I've been researching lemon chess pie recipes after my husband tried a piece at a restaurant and loved it. The first recipe I tried, he didn't care for. It was a traditional lemon chess pie with cornmeal in it, the pie at the restaurant was creamy.

I made this first recipe and it was much more like the creamy pie he had eaten. I'm going to try the second recipe for him soon. It also looks very interesting.

I used a frozen pie crust. I know how to make a pie crust and I do when I don't have a store bought crust handy. However, when my mother-in-law (who was famous for her pie crust) started using Pillsbury crusts...I was no longer guilty for going the quick route myself.

LEMON CHESS PIE

1/2 c. butter
1 c. sugar
5 eggs
1/2 c. lemon juice
9" pie shell

Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add lemon juice and mix thoroughly. Pour into pie shell. Bake in moderate oven (375 degrees) for 30 minutes.

It was still quite "wiggly" when I took it out of the oven. I put it in my garage to cool (it's VERY cold in my garage right now) and it firmed up nicely. We found it was better after sitting in the frig for awhile and it was better when served with whipped cream on top. Yeah, this is not a low fat dessert!

From: Cooks.com

Lemon Chess Pie Recipe courtesy of Biltmore Estate's Deerpark Restaurant, Asheville, N.C. Ingredients: 1/2 pkg. (15-oz.) refrigerated pie crusts 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar 2 Tbs. flour 5 large eggs 1/2 tsp. freshly grated lemon rind 1/3 cup fresh lemon juice 1/3 cup melted butter 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg whipped cream Preparation: Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place one of the pie crusts in a 9-inch pie plate. Flute edges and set aside. Combine both sugars and flour in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating at medium speed of an electric mixer until blended. Add lemon rind, lemon juice, melted butter and nutmeg. Mix well. Pour pie filling into the prepared pie crust. Bake on lower rack of a 325-degree oven for 45 minutes. Dollop each wedge with whipped cream when the pie is cool enough to cut and serve. Yield: One 9" pie

From: HGTV

Key Lime Pie

This is one of my favorite pies to make because I can keep the ingredients on hand at all times in the pantry (and frig...and freezer). I prefer to use fresh whipped cream for the Key Lime pie but I often use Cool Whip for that very reason (I keep one or two small containers of Cool Whip in the freezer).

Also, I usually don't purchase many premade items. However, I always try to have a couple graham cracker crusts in my pantry. I like to buy the crusts that are a little bigger (they say two more servings on the label).

 
Key Lime Pie (my husband's favorite)

• 1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 lime's zest (optional, I don't add very often)
• 1/2 C. key lime juice (check the asile where bottled lemon juice is sold)
• 1 9" graham cracker crust
• Cool Whip or whipped cream

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whip together sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks for a couple of minutes. This is the real secret to a great texture. Add the key lime juice and zest (if you're using it). Whip another minute.

Pour into 9" graham cracker crust and bake 15 minutes. Let cool completely.

Either spoon a layer of Cool Whip on top or serve with whipped cream. Yum....

Great new cheesecake recipe

I just tried this cheesecake recipe from Heart of the Home cookbook (by Susan Branch). I wanted to try something new as a treat for the guys and they both love cheesecake. I liked this one because it can be made in a regular 9" pie pan.

In the recipe, she makes her own graham cracker crust but I kinda' cheated and used a storebought graham cracker crust. I was busy... Also, it calls for lemon juice and I didn't have any right then so I used the key lime juice I had in the frig. My husband loved it but then again...that's why I have key lime juice in the frig (to make key lime pies, his favorite). He thought this tasted even better than the key lime pie! This is not a last minute dessert, it really does need to be in the refrigerator at least a few hours before serving.

Cheesecake

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Crust
2 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs
3/4 C. melted butter
Combine and press into a buttered 9 inch pie plate, building up the sides.
(I used store bought graham cracker crust and it tasted just fine Next time I would use the storebought graham cracker crust that is bigger, the one that says it gives you two extra pieces.)

Filling
1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened, room temp
1/2 C. sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice (as mentioned above, I used key lime juice)
dash salt
2 eggs
Beat softened cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually blend in sugar, lemon juice, vanilla and salt. Add eggs one at a time, beat after each.

Pour filling into crust. Bake at 325 degrees for 25-30 minutes, until set.

Topping
1 1/2 C. sour cream
3 Tbsp. sugar
3/4 tsp. vanilla
Combine all ingredient and spoon over top of hot cheesecake.
Bake 10 minutes longer.

Cool---Chill several hours before serving.