Strawberry Glacé Pie

Strawberry pie....one of the most delicious ways to welcome summer into your kitchen. The fresh, aromatic berries filling the air with a sweet aroma....

Its just plain lovely. Especially when the recipe is as easy and scrumptious as this one. (My mom has been making this version for over a decade, so I'm not sure where the recipe originally came from, haha!)

Strawberry Glacé Pie

1 8'' or 9'' pie crust, cooked and cooled

6 cups (approx) fresh strawberries, washed, hulled, dried, and cut in half

1 cup sugar (or honey sucanat)

3 tbls. cornstarch

1/2 cup water

Mash enough strawberries to measure 1 cup. (It takes about 1 1/2 - 2 cups). In a medium saucepan mix sugar and cornstarch. Add water and mashed strawberries. Cook at medium heat until the mixture boils. Boil for 1 minute. Let cool.

Mix remaining strawberries with half of the cooked mixture. Pour into pie crust. Spoon remaining strawberry mixture evenly on top of berries. Refrigerate pie until cold. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top, if desired. Enjoy!

Chocolate Cream Pie

Oh My Wow! I have made this pie many times, and it is SO scrumptious! Creamy, luscious, chocolatey, and light - absolutely delish!

The cream layer of this pie is actually based off of the Almond Cream Pie recipe (minus the almond, ha ha!). You can choose to leave in the cream cheese, or leave it out. I've tried both, and it is awesome either way. You can also substitute a chocolate crumb crust for the graham cracker crust (I've tried that too, and it gives it a nice touch!). Can you tell I'm in love with this recipe? Please give it a try - it is pure yumminess!

Chocolate Cream Pie

Serves 8-10

For the Homemade Crust (or you can use store-bought):

Adapted from this recipe

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup sugar (or honey sucanat)

1/4 cup (1/2 stick, 4 tbls) butter, melted

For the Chocolate layer:

Adapted from this recipe

1 cup heavy whipping cream

8 oz semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 tablespoons water

2 tablespoons sugar (or honey sucanat)

2 egg yolks

For the Cream layer:

Adapted from this recipe

1 cup heavy whipping cream

3/4 cup powdered sugar

4 oz. cream cheese, softened (optional)*

To make crust: Mix together crumbs and sugar. Add butter and stir until thoroughly mixed. Press into bottom and up the sides of pie pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool completely.

To make chocolate layer: Beat whipping cream to stiff peaks. Set aside. Melt chocolate in microwave, or on stovetop. In a small saucepan over medium heat, bring water and sugar to a boil. Cook until sugar is dissolved. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks with a hand mixer (or whisk by hand). Slowly add sugar mixture while beating (or whisking). Continue beating for 1 minute. Add chocolate and stir until incorporated. Add one third of the whipped cream and mix well. Fold in remaining whipped cream, until evenly mixed. Pour into crust and smooth out. Place in the fridge while you make the top layer.

To make cream layer: With an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar and mix until creamy. In a separate bowl whip the cream into stiff peaks. Fold whipped cream into cream cheese mixture until thoroughly incorporate. Gently spoon over chocolate layer and smooth out.

*I have made this recipe both with and without the cream cheese. It is great both ways! (If you'd like to make it without the cream cheese, just add the powdered sugar to the whipping cream and beat until the cream has formed stiff peaks, then proceed with the recipe. Its that easy!)

Chill pie for at least 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

Almond Cream Pie

There are so many things going for this pie. It is light, creamy, and silky-smooth. The flavor is just awesome, and the homemade crust really takes it over the top. Yum...

The original recipe called for gelatin (to help it stabilize), but since I don't usually have any on hand, I tweaked the recipe so that I can leave it out. I really don't think it needs it anyhow, because it works just as well without it!

This recipe is definitely a keeper, I've made it countless times and its always a hit. Give it a try. Its quick, its easy, and its positively scrumptious!

Almond Cream Pie

Adapted from Paula Deen's Holiday Baking Magazine (2007)

Makes 1 (9") pie

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup chopped sliced almonds

3 tablespoons sugar (or honey sucanat)

4 tablespoons (1/2 stick) butter, melted

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

2 tablespoons almond extract

2 cups heavy whipping cream

Garnish: toasted sliced almonds

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine crumbs, almonds, and sugar in a medium bowl. Add melted butter. Stir until crumbly. Press in bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie dish. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until browned. Cool completely.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add confectioners sugar and beat until creamy. Mix in extract. Set aside

Pour whipping cream into a bowl, and beat with an electric mixer until it reaches stiff peaks. Fold in cream cheese mixture. Spoon into crust. Cover pie, and chill 4 hours before serving. Sprinkle toasted almonds on top just before serving. Enjoy!

Apple Pie

Ahhh, there is something comforting about apple pie. Perhaps its just me, but it directs my thoughts homeward. It makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside just thinking about it...

I always used to think that apple pie was something difficult to make. After all, it has a top-crust! Well, I was wrong. Its totally easy. A little bit time-intensive maybe, but simple just the same.

I encourage you to make one soon. You know you want to!

Apple Pie

Adapted from Food.com

Makes one 9" pie

8 cups apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

3/4 cup sugar (or honey sucanat)

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

2 tablespoons flour

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons butter

2 pie crusts, unbaked

Cinnamon sugar, for sprinkling

Place one of the pie crusts in a (deep) pie dish. Set aside.

Toss apples with lemon juice to coat.

Mix together sugar, spices, flour, cornstarch, and salt in a zip-top bag.

Add apples, and shake to thoroughly coat apples.

Pour into prepared crust. Dot with butter and cover with other crust. Crimp crust edges together to seal. Cut vent holes into the top crust. Brush with milk and sprinkle with some cinnamon sugar.

Bake for 15 minutes at 425°. Reduce temperature to 350° and bake for an additional 45 minutes, or until golden brown and bubbly. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!

Mini Apple Pies

These mini pies are so cute! Great for holiday gatherings because you can just grab and eat. You don't need plates or forks like you would with a large pie.

You can make either the double crust pies or the single crust pies (or both!). Feel free to play around with the filling. You could make mini cherry pies, mini pecan pies, mini strawberry pies.... you get the idea : )

Mini Apple Pies
Inspired by Bakerella
Recipe adapted from Food.com
Makes about 16 pies

1 cup finely chopped apples (1-2 apples, depending on the size)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar (or honey sucanat)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (9 inch) pie crust, unbaked

In a bowl, stir together apples and lemon juice. In a separate bowl, combine the sugar, spices, flour, cornstarch and salt. Mix thoroughly. Add to apple mixture. Stir until combined. Set aside.

Roll out pie crust until it is about 1/8 of an inch thick. Using a linzer cookie cutter, or 1 1/2 - 2 in round cutter, cut circles out of crust.

For double crust pies:

Place half of the pie circles on a tray. Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the apple mixture onto the center of each crust. Top each with another crust, and crimp sides. (Optional: Place lollypop stick in each pie before crimping top crust).

Brush tops with melted butter, if desired, and bake at 350º for about 15 minutes, or until slightly browned.

For single crust pies:

Press crust circles into mini muffin tins. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the apple mixture into each. Bake at 350º for about 20 minutes, or until crust edges are brown, and pie filling looks thick.

I like to make both the double crust, and single crust pies out of the same batch. Just make about the same number of each. (Because the double crust pies use more crust, and the single crust pies use more filling). Enjoy!

All Butter Pie Crust

Here is a quick and easy recipe for flaky pie crust. No, it doesn't use the hydrogenated anomaly known as vegetable shortening. It uses butter instead. It tastes great, and is very versatile. I love it!
All Butter Pie Crust
Adapted from this recipe
Makes one 8" or 9" crust

1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (or 5 oz. Soft White wheat flour)
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons sugar (optional) (or honey sucanat)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, chilled and diced
1/4 cup ice water (or more)

Combine flour, salt, and sugar (if using) in a bowl. Cut the butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs (you can leave a few pea-sized lumps of butter - it will create a flakier crust). Adding water one tablespoon at a time, stir mixture until it forms a ball. Knead a few times, until smooth. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate 2-4 hours, (or overnight), until chilled.

Roll out dough to fit into pie plate. (I sometimes roll it out between two sheets of plastic wrap, or parchment paper). Place crust in pie plate, and press down evenly. Use as directed. Enjoy!

Cranberry Pie

If you have never heard of a cranberry pie you're probably not alone. I, at least, hadn't heard of such a thing, and certainly wouldn't have guessed it would be so yummy. Yeah...I would have guessed wrong. This pie is so delicious! I'm talking "WOW" delicious, as in "go back for thirds" delicious. It is absolutely, positivity, scrumptious. To me, it is more like a cobbler than a pie, but no matter what you call it, it is yummy!

Cranberry Pie
Adapted from the Pioneer Woman
Makes one 8" or 9" pie

2 cups (heaping) cranberries
3/4 cups pecans, chopped (measure, then chop)
2/3 cups sugar (or honey sucanat)
1 cup flour (or 5 oz Soft White wheat flour)
1 cup sugar (or honey sucanat)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar for sprinkling (or honey sucanat)

Preheat oven to 350º.

Butter an 8" or 9" pie or cake pan. Spread cranberries evenly in bottom of pan. Sprinkle chopped pecans and 2/3 cup sugar on top.

Combine flour, 1 cup sugar, butter, eggs, extract, and salt in a bowl. Stir until combined.

Slowly pour batter evenly over top of cranberries. Spread gently over any uncovered areas.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, then sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar. Bake additional 5 minutes. Serve with ice cream or whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!

Key Lime Pie

I love citrus flavors. I love them in fresh fruit, and I love them in desserts. Key lime pie is a favorite at our house. Not only is it quick and easy to make, but it is very satisfying.

Now, after viewing the ingredient list, you may be thinking, "Sweetened condensed milk? Seriously?". I know, I know, it isn't good for you (even though the only ingredients are milk and sugar). However, every once in a while, I think its okay to splurge. So, here is the recipe - its delicious and definitely splurge-worthy.

Key Lime Pie
Adapted from Nellie & Joe's
Makes one 9" pie

9" graham cracker pie crust (for homemade crust, see recipe below)
14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
1/2 cup lime juice (I use 3/4 cup - for more tartness)

In a bowl combine the milk, egg yolks, and lime juice. Blend until mixture is smooth. Pour into pie crust.

Bake for 15 minutes at 350ºF. Allow to cool for 10 minutes before refrigerating. Once pie is chilled, slice and serve with whipped cream, if desired. Enjoy!

Graham Cracker Crust
Adapted from Food.com
Makes one 9" pie crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup sugar (or honey sucanat)
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, melted

Mix together crumbs and sugar. Add butter and stir until thoroughly mixed.

Press into bottom and up the sides of pie pan.

Bake at 350ºF for 10 minutes. Remove and fill with key lime pie filling. Bake as directed. Enjoy!

Rainier Cherry Pie

After opening the refrigerator and noticing that there was an abundance of Rainier cherries, I felt compelled to make (at least some of them) into a pie. And so that is exactly what I did.

This was actually the first cherry pie I had ever made, though not the first I've eaten : )

Rainier Cherry Pie

Adapted from this recipe
Serves 8-10

1 butter pie crust (recipe follows)
5 cups fresh Rainier cherries, pitted and chopped in half
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar (or honey sucanat)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Crumb topping (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Roll out crust on lightly floured surface and place in 9" pie dish. Freeze for 15 minutes.

In a bowl combine cherries, 1/3 cup sugar, lemon juice, and vanilla. Mix and set aside to juice for 10 minutes.

In a small bowl combine 2 tablespoons sugar and cornstarch. Stir into cherry mixture. Pour cherries into pie crust. Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over cherries.

Bake 30 mintues. Then reduce oven temperature to 375ºF and turn pie 180º. Bake for an additional 35-40 mintues, or until golden brown. Allow pie to cool for several hours before serving.

*Butter Pie Crust*

Adapted from Food.com

1 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar (or honey sucanat)
1/3 cup butter, chilled and cut into cubes
2-4 tablespoons cold water

Mix flour, salt, and sugar. Cut in butter cubes using a pastry cutter, or two knives. Add water until dough forms. Flatten into disk shape and fully cover with plastic wrap. Chill until firm.

*Crumb Topping*

1 cup all-purpose flour (or 5 oz Soft White wheat flour)
3/4 cups brown sugar (or honey sucanat)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, melted

Combine dry ingredients. Stir until mixed. Add melted butter. Stir until mixture is crumbly. Set aside until ready to use.

Have a wonderful day, and enjoy your pie!