Week 39 :: Strawberry Crumble Pie

This is one of my all-time favorite pies and I can't believe it took me this long to post it!  The ingredients are simple so you may have them all on hand.  This pie might not be the prettiest but it is de-licious!

Strawberry Crumble Pie

Prep time :: 15 minutes

Bake time :: 1 hour

::Ingredients::

• 1 9" unbaked pie shell
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup flour
• 4 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and cut

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup oatmeal 
• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• Pinch salt 

::Directions::

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Mix together 3/4 cup flour and 3/4 sugar.  Stir is strawberries to coat.  Discard excess mixture that does not stick to strawberries.
3. Mound strawberries in the unbaked pie shell
4. Mix together the last 6 ingredients (butter, brown sugar, oatmeal, flour, cinnamon, and salt) to make the topping.  Gently pack an even layer over the strawberries.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.  Lower heat to 350 degrees and bake for 40 minutes.

Happy baking!

Week 35 :: American Apple Pie

So I'm a little off on my weeks and will catch up soon, but today required a special post.

Nashville Fire Department Station 10 set up a memorial with 343 flags in honor of the NY firefighters of 9/11.  The flags were meticulously placed, with a board honoring all who perished.  The Nashville firefighters were so kind and appreciative of people stopping, when we are the ones that need to show appreciation.

How do I show appreciation?  You guessed it--by baking.  In this case an apple pie.

Grandma Ople's Apple Pie
allrecipes.com

Prep time :: 30 minutes

Bake time :: 50 minutes- 1 hour

::Ingredients::

• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 Tbsp. flour
• 1/2 cups white sugar
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 7-8 apples of choice, peeled, cored, and sliced
• 2 unbaked 9" pie shells

::Directions::

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Place one unbaked pie shell in baking dish.  Place apples in unbaked pie shell mounding slightly in the middle like so:
   
   

   

   
   
3. Top apples with lattice-work crust.
4. Melt butter in sauce pan, add flour and thicken.  Add sugars and water, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.  Pour mixture over pie slowly like so: 
   
   

   

   
   Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes.  Lower  temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 35 to 45 minutes more.
   
   Happy Baking! 

Week 6 :: French Silk, Coconut, and Pecan Pie!

Better late than never!  I have been swamped this week so I am late on my post...but these pies are worth the wait!  None of these pies are difficult to make and they aren't seasonal so they are great recipes until fruit pies are back in season.  I made these pies for a BBQ with very little left over.  The three different flavors were a great variety for a large party too.  Happy Baking!!

French Silk Pie
All recipes

::Prep Time:: 20 minutes

::Set Time:: 2-4 hours

::Yields:: 8+ servings

::Ingredients::

• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 2 (1 ounce) unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 8 inch pie shell baked and cooled

::Directions::

1. Beat butter and sugar together until well blended.
2. Stir in chocolate and vanilla extract.
3. Beat in eggs one at a time, beating 3-5 minutes after each addition.
4. Spoon into cooled pie shell.
5. Chill in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.
6. Note: To melt chocolate microwave for 10 seconds, stir, and microwave for 5 additional seconds if needed. Stir. Repeat if necessary.
7. Note: To bake pie shell place unbaked shell in pie dish.  Poke holes throughout shell.  Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Coconut Cream Pie
All recipes

::Prep Time:: 20 minutes

::Cook Time:: 30 minutes

::Set Time:: 2-4 hours

::Yields:: 8+ servings

::Ingredients::

• 3 cups half and half (or 1 1/2 cups whipping cream and 1 1/2 cup milk)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 9" pie shell, baked
• 1 cup flaked coconut, toasted
• 2 cups whip cream (the original recipes calls for frozen whipped topping, I used fresh)

::Directions::

1. In a medium saucepan combine half and half, eggs, sugar, flour, and salt.  bring to boil over low heat, stirring constantly (this may take 30 minutes; do NOT turn the heat up or you will get scrambled eggs :o).
2. Remove from heat; stir in 3/4 cup coconut and vanilla extract.
3. Pour into baked pie shell.
4. Chill in refrigerator for 2-4 hours until firm.
5. Top with whip cream and sprinkle with dusted coconut.
6. Note: To toast coconut spread on ungreased cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 5-7 minutes, stirring every couple of minutes.
7. Note: To bake pie shell place unbaked shell in pie dish.  Poke holes throughout shell.  Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

Roma's Pecan Pie
by Roma Willis

This recipe is really special because I had a dear friend share her many generation-old recipe for pecan pie.  We made it together, with fresh pecans, and it was so wonderful it disappeared before I even had a chance to take a picture! So a picture of the pecan pie will be added as soon as I can make a new one! (Thanks Roma!)

::Prep Time:: 10 minutes

::Bake Time:: 40-50 minutes

::Yields:: 8 servings

::Ingredients::

• 3 eggs, well beaten
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup light Karo corn syrup
• 2/3 cup dark Karo corn syrup
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 2 Tbsp. melted butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 heaping cup of pecans
• 1 unbaked 9" pie crust (Rolled Pillsbury crust is an easy go-to)

::Directions::

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine eggs, sugars, syrups, salt and melted butter. Mix well.
3. Add vanilla and pecans.
4. Pour into unbaked 9" pastry shell.
5. Bake at 325 degrees for 40-50 minutes until set (or toothpick inserted into middle comes out clean).