Thanksgiving Pies (as promised)

Here are the pies I served. The Caramel Apple Pie recipe is in an earlier post. I think I might love pie!

Pecan Chocolate Chip Pie

   4 eggs

   1 cup sugar

   1 cup light corn syrup

    1 teaspoon vanilla extract

    1/2 cup butter, melted

    1 cup chopped pecans

    1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips

  1 unbaked pastry shell (10 inches)

  In a large bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, corn syrup and vanilla. Add

butter and mix well. Stir in pecans and chocolate chips. Pour into

pie shell.

Bake at 350° for 50-55 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: 10-12 servings.

Cherry Almond Mousse Pie

1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk, divided

1 ounce unsweetened chocolate

1/2 teaspoon almond extract, divided

1 frozen pie shell (9 inches), baked

1 jar (10 ounces) maraschino cherries, drained

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 cup cold water

1 package (3.4 ounces) instant vanilla pudding mix

1 cup heavy whipping cream, whipped

1/2 cup chopped toasted almonds

Chocolate curls, optional

In a small saucepan over low heat, cook and stir 1/2 cup milk and

chocolate until the chocolate is melted and mixture is thickened,

about 4 minutes. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon extract. Pour into pie shell;

set aside.

Set aside eight whole cherries for garnish. Chop the remaining

cherries; set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until

fluffy. Gradually beat in water and remaining milk. Beat in pudding

mix and remaining extract. Fold in whipped cream. Stir in chopped

cherries and almonds.

Pour over pie. Chill 4 hours or until set. Garnish with whole cherries and chocolate curls if desired.  

Pumpkin Pie

30 ounces of pureed pumpkin (We loved the home grown pumpkin- I had to use an immersible blender to get it smooth enough)

1 ½ c. sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp/ salt

1 tsp/ ground ginger

1 tsp/ ground nutmeg

6 eggs

1 can of evaporated milk

2 unbaked pie shells

     In a large bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar and spices. Mix it up well. Add the eggs and mix with a fork, lightly beating the mixture. Add the milk. At this point the mixture is very liquid – hint, put the empty shells in the oven and pour the mixture in while on the rack. Cover edges with foil. Bake at 375* for 25 minutes. Remove foil edges and bake 25- 30 minutes more. It is done when a knife comes out clean.

Buttermilk Pie

 1 baked pie shell

3 large eggs

¾ c. sugar

3 TB flour

1 ½ c buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

3 TBS fresh lemon juice

1 tsp. lemon rind

1 tsp. butter melted

 ½ tsp. ground nutmeg

   Beat eggs and sugar until light and lemony colored. Add flour and beat until well mixed. Add buttermilk, vanilla lemon juice, lemon rind and butter. Pour into baked pie shell and dust with nutmeg. Bake 375* fir 25-30 minutes.

Coconut Cream Pie

2 c coconut milk (it was a can)

½ c. sugar

3 TB. Cornstarch

Pinch of salt

3 large egg yolks

2/3 c shredded coconut

1 ½ tsp coconut extract

½ tsp. vanilla

1 baked pie shell

     In medium saucepan, whisk together coconut milk, sugar, cornstarch and slat. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly until you feel like your arm’s going to fall off. Remove from heat and in a medium bowl lightly whisk egg yolks until frothy. Whisk ¼ of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks and then return mixture to saucepan. Whisking constantly, heat mixture until it starts to thicken about one minute more. Stir in shredded coconut, coconut extract and vanilla. Pour into a bowl and cover surface with wax paper of plastic wrap. Chill

  Topping

1 ¼ c. heavy cream

2/3 c. shredded coconut

2 TB sugar

1/8 coconut extract

1/8 tsp vanilla

   Toast coconut and set aside to cool. Pour prepared coconut custard into baked pie shell. Whip cream until it forms soft peaks. Stir in sugar and extracts. Spread over pie and press toasted coconut on top.

   I go this along with other great pie recipes from the book Pie by Sarah Weeks. It is a cute little mystery also!

Chocolate Cream Pie

1 c. sugar

3 TB cornstarch

2 TB cocoa powder

Pinch of salt

3 c. milk

3 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla

1 TB butter

   In a sauce pan, combine sugar, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt. In a separate bowl beat egg yolks and milk. Add to saucepan and blend. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla and butter. Pour into a baked pie shell. Chill. (I added sliced bananas to the bottom for Carter)