Magic Crust Pumpkin Pie - Week 49

Pumpkin is the Second favorite pie in America.

Right behind the apple pie, pumpkin comes in second as America's favorite pie.

Even though the crust is my favorite part of the pie, some people actually don't care for it {gasp!}

So, this pie recipe is just for them to be able to enjoy pumpkin pie during the holidays. It forms its own crust. 

(note: my pie doesn't do this pie justice, it really is an easy & delicious alternative, you should try it.)

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) can pumpkin

¾ cup sugar

2 T. margarine

½ cup baking mix (bisquick)

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

2 ½ t. pumpkin pie spice

2 eggs

2 t. vanilla

Directions:

Grease pie plate. Beat all ingredients until well mixed (2 minutes). Pour into pie plate. Bake 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees (or until knife comes out clean).

What is your favorite pie to top off your Thanksgiving meal?

Crazy Crust Cherry Pie - Week 27

 Easy as Pie recipe that everyone will enjoy!

Urban Legend claims that it is illegal to buy cherry pie with ice cream in Kansas on a Sunday. That law has been perpetuated by internet sites, and even the Mattel game "Balderdash". However, Anali gets it straightened out on her blog by doing the research.
Pie a la mode is such a treat; it would be hard to imagine that it could be illegal in Kansas. I am a stickler for not perpetuating false claims that I am always checking out websites such as snopes.com or urbanlegends.com when I see a crazy claim, I try to check it out before I pass on the information. So I'm happy to announce that Kansas can eat cherry pie a la mode on Sundays!

I enjoyed the simplicity of this pie. I think it has several possibilities: Apple, Blueberry, Peach, and more. The a la mode is just the best way to top it off!



Ingredients:
1 c. flour
2 T. sugar
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
3/4 c. water
1/2 c. butter, melted
1 egg
16 oz. pkg frozen cherries
1 c. sugar
2 T. cornstarch

Directions:
In small bowl, combine flour, 2 T. sugar, baking powder, salt, water, butter, and egg. Mix well.
Spread batter into a greased deep dish pie pan.
Mix cherries, sugar, and cornstarch together, and carefully spoon over batter, don't stir.
Bake at 425 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes or until is golden brown.
(Note: You can use your favorite canned pie filling instead of the frozen cherry mix to make it easier.  I used dark sweet cherries, and I would recommend using a red tart cherry instead.)

I made this pie for my birthday, and birthday gift this year was homemade ice cream from my sweet hubby.

Every birthday I had as a child, my family had the neighbors over for homemade ice cream and cake. There was always two kinds, so it was a treat to indulge!

What is one of your favorite birthday treats?

Impossible Pie - Week 14

Grandma says,

"This is quick and easy. Thought you 2 might like this. I use vanilla & nutmeg to my taste."

This pie is originally from the 70s when Bisquick popularized the mysterious way that you could mix all ingredients together and pour into a pie plate, bake and then it would impossibly form its own crust. The company printed the recipe on boxes of their mix with various modifications to simplify baking, and brand loyalty. Bisquick still promotes these pie recipes, but changed the titles to "Impossibly Easy..."; you can find their recipes on their website. 

In all actuality though, baking mix is not actually needed and you can create the same effect with flour. I have yet to try it with their other impossible recipes, but this one works fine with just flour. This recipe was another one of my Grandma's favorites, so I actually fixed this on her 94th birthday this past week. I wish I lived closer, and I would haven taken her a piece of birthday pie! 

Here is her recipe exactly like she wrote it for me 20+ years ago when I was a newlywed. By the way, scant means barely or almost.


Ingredients:
4 Eggs
1 cup Sugar (scant)
1/2 cup Flour
1/2 stick Oleo
2 cups Milk
1 cup Coconut (scant)
1 tsp Vanilla
Nutmeg, to taste
Cinnamon, to taste






Directions:
Melt Oleo. Put all ingredients together and mix well. Pour into large greased pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

This is a super-easy quick treat. However, my family missed the crust.  I actually know people that don't care for "all that crust"; so this would be great for them.

I am excited to try some of the variations of the Impossible Pies.  Do you have a favorite?