After the Pie Challenge....

A different pie of the week is not as extensive as you would think....there are still pies that were undiscovered!

Whew! What a year!
I learned much about pies, and even much more about myself. I really need to learn to say "no" to myself. I have lots and lots of ideas that go through my head, but I need to limit myself to projects that are more short-term and not such a commitment.  During the year, I found myself burdened with the fact there was always a pie that needed shopped for, prepared, pictured, and blogged.  I love baking, photographing, creating, and even sharing my thoughts; just not on a schedule. 

Stacked Enchilada Pie - Week 39 Bonus

Tasty main dish that will impress with stacks of enchilada flavor.

This was really good. I wish that I would have a good picture of it because it really looked great after I took it out of the oven and presented it on a glass platter. However, I took it to a potluck and didn't get a chance to photograph it before it was devoured. Maybe, I will update this post when I make it next time. And there will be a next time!

Updated Pic 04/17/16 (from another potluck!)

The original post was vegetarian, so I added the meat to make it family-friendly. And I think it's a great idea to use the springform pan so you can show off the tasty layers.

Ingredients (filling):
6 (10”) flour tortillas
1 lb ground beef
1 T. olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t. cumin
salt & pepper
2 c. frozen corn
4 green onions, sliced
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained & rinsed
¼ cup cilantro, minced
2 cups shredded cheese 
Ingredients (Enchilada sauce):
1 T. olive oil 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 small onion, diced 2 T. chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced 1-1/2 t. cumin

Directions:
Prepare 10” springform pan with cooking spray. Brown ground beef, and drain. Add olive oil and saute onion until tender. Add the jalapeno, garlic, ½ t. cumin, salt and pepper. Cook through. Add corn, green onions, beans, and green cilantro.  Set aside
For enchilada sauce, heat 1 T. olive oil, and saute small onion until tender. Add garlic, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, and cumin. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Place ¼ cup of enchilada sauce in springform pan (spread to sides). Layer tortilla shell, ¼ cup enchilada sauce,3/4 cup filling, ½ cup cheese. Repeat 4X. After the last tortilla is stacked, pour remaining sauce and remaining cheese. 
Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes and run a knife along the sides of the pan before you remove the side. To serve, slice into wedges.


Variation from crunchyrock.com

Can you think of another dish that you could stack and make a delicious meal?

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Pie - Week 22

This pie is like an enormous chilled Peanut Butter Cup.

It has a rich dark chocolate crust that balances well with creamy sweet filling. Each slice is a real treat.

Ingredients:

1 cups heavy cream

3/4 cup powdered sugar, divided

1 t. vanilla

15 whole chocolate sandwich cookies

20 mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups (wrappers removed, divided)

3 T. butter, melted

4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 of 8 oz. pkg.), softened

1 cup chunky peanut butter

1/8 cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped

1 oz. milk chocolate, broken into pieces

Directions:

1. In a tall bowl, whip heavy cream until foamy. Add vanilla and slowly add 1/4 cup powdered sugar. Whip until soft peaks form. Place in refrigerator.

2. In a food processor combine cookies and 10 peanut butter cups. Pulse until your mixture is crumbs. Slowly pour melted butter in the mix, and pulse until combined and crumbs are moistened. Pour crumbs into pie plate and press mixture on bottom and sides. Place in freezer.

3. Combine cream cheese and ½ cup powdered sugar in a mixing bowl. Beat until fluffy. Add peanut butter. Beat until well combined. Fold in ½ of whipped cream. Pour into chilled crust. Smooth with a spatula. Pour remaining whipped cream over top. Place in refrigerator.

4. Quarter remaining peanut butter cups. Melt chocolate.

5. Sprinkle peanut butter cups, and peanuts over pie. Drizzle chocolate over pie.

6. Freeze pie until ready to eat.

Recipe Notes:
I had some issues with this recipe as it was originally wrote. The original recipe easily made 2 pies, and chilling it in the refrigerator just wouldn't have been sufficient. Halfway through the making of this recipe, I modified it to make it work. 
Also, I'm providing a link for whipping cream from bakingvintage.com. I think it does a good job going through the different steps of whipping cream that most people my generation haven't had the chance to learn. 
I also believe you could make it with creamy peanut butter; and leave the peanuts off for those non-nutty people. I think my boys would have enjoyed it much more that way.

What do you think, creamy or crunchy peanut butter?

Summer Strawberry Sour Cream Pie - Week 21

Fresh strawberries are the first glimpse of summer. We can be assured that late sunsets, fireflies and water sprinklers will be just a few things we can celebrate.  

Who doesn't like to remember their lazy summers of youth when you could sleep in and feel the cool breeze of the fan in the mornings before you would crawl out of bed to take part in household activities like putting laundry on the clothesline or helping in the garden by pulling weeds out of the cool morning soil. On your way inside for lunch from the garden, you would need to wash off your legs and feet, also taking a long cool drink straight from the garden hose. After lunch, when the sun was overhead and it was about too hot to do anything else, you would either head off to the swimming pool or run through the lawn sprinkler.  At the end of the afternoon, we knew it was time to head home when we could see people coming home from work because supper would be served soon. Sometimes if you were lucky, the smell of a grilled hamburger was finding us in our secret shaded tree forts signaling that someone's name would soon be called out  for mealtime. Fresh garden cucumbers & onions, large thick slices of tomatoes, fresh cooked green beans, and buttery ears of corn are just a few of the dishes that you could expect multiple times each week once the garden started producing through the summer. 

However, the strawberries were one of the first treats of summer. Maybe, you were even fortunate enough to have your own prized patch. The first strawberries that turned red were usually ate before they even left the patch by anxious gardeners. Soon there would be enough to pick a whole pail of ruby red strawberries to make a dessert for everyone. They would be all different shapes and sizes. Some would have a few spots that would have to be cut off, but it would not take long to get so many that your pail was overflowing and you had hopes that you were finished with your task. There was always a chance, you could be sent back out with an empty pail.

Enjoy your summer with the tastes of Summer Strawberry Sour Cream Pie.

Ingredients:

Single Crust Pastry

1 quart fresh strawberries

1 cup flour

1-1/4 sugar

Dash salt

1 cup sour cream (not fat free)

Directions:

Hull and wash strawberries. Slice them in half. Set aside.Sift flour, sugar and salt. In a large mixing bowl. Add sour cream, blending until creamy. Gently fold in berries. Pour into shell and spread without packing. Bake 10 minutes at 450 degrees. Bake 30 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool 4-5 hours. Serve with whip cream or ice cream.

Summers are especially fun for us because we have birthdays in June, July and August with an anniversary too. This time it was Daniel's birthday so I stuck 12 candles on his birthday pie and sang happy birthday to him before his friends and the family enjoyed a slice of pie with some birthday ice cream.

What is your favorite sign of summer?

Mexican Chocolate Cream Pie - Week 20

The first note was coffee, then a hint of cinnamon, and then the zinger at the end. - Jonell

This Chocolate Cream Pie has characteristics that set it apart from your typical chocolate pie. If you prefer a little depth to your dessert, this pie is definitely for you! When I chose this pie, I couldn't wait to see how the different ingredients would mix with the traditional taste of chocolate pie, it didn't disappoint. You can find the original recipe here at myrecipes.com. I do think my favorite part was the crust.

When I was looking for the ingredients, I found the instant coffee at the store with 7 individual packets for $1. My husband claimed the other 6 for camping.

Crust Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

2 T. sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1/8 t. salt

1 egg white

2 T. butter, melted

Filling Ingredients:

1-3/4 cups milk, hot & scalded

1/2 cup sugar

2 T. cornstarch

1 T. unsweetened cocoa

1/4 t. instant coffee

1/8 t. salt

1/8 t. cayenne pepper

1 egg

1 egg yolk

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa

2 T. vegetable oil

1-1/2 cups frozen topping

Crust Directions:

Reserve 1 T. graham cracker crumbs for topping. Combine the remaining crumbs, 2 T. sugar, cinnamon, and 1/8 t. salt in a bow, stirring well. Stir in egg white and butter. Press crumb mixture into bottom and sides of a greased 9” pie plate. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 minutes or until lightly toasted; cool completely on a wire rack.

Filling Directions:

In mixing bowl, combine ½ cup sugar, cornstarch, 1 T. unsweetened cocoa, instant coffee, salt, cayenne pepper, and 1 egg. Gradually add milk, and whisking together well. Put mixture in heavy saucepan, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes, or until thick & bubbly stirring constantly. Mix 1/3 cup cocoa and oil together. Add to milk mixture, and sir until smooth. Place pan in a large ice-filled bowl for 10 minutes or until mixture cools,stirring occasionally. 

Spread over  crust. Chill for 3 hours or until set. Spread with whipped topping; sprinkle with reserved graham cracker topping.

Do you have a recipe that has an unusual ingredient that enhances a traditional dish? 

I'd love to hear about it!

Kentucky Derby Bacon Bourbon Pie - Week 17

Read on to find the six degrees separation between this year's Kentucky Derby winner and Easy as Pie in Kansas!

California Chrome is the race horse that is currently trying for the triple crown.

Kentucky Derby is the race that boosted his popularity across the nation.

The state of Kentucky has hosted the Kentucky Derby since 1875.

Fried Chicken is a well known southern food for the state of Kentucky, in fact Colonel Sanders started a chain of restaurants based on his original recipe.

KFC is the national franchise restaurant of Kentucky Fried Chicken found in nearly every part of the United States. 

Kansas Fried Chicken...surely if the restaurant is located in Kansas that is what the KFC stands for.

Pie is the perfect accompaniment to fried chicken, especially if you're in the state of Kansas.

Easy as Pie in Kansas is proud to present the Kentucky Derby Bacon Bourbon Pie. And we just had to include Bacon in it because of the 6 degrees of Kevin Bacon.

And bourbon because it is unique to the state of Kentucky because of the iron-free water that is found in area by filtering it through high concentration of limestone found in Kentucky. 95% of all bourbon originates from the state of Kentucky and must be aged in new, charred oak barrels giving it a unique taste that carries through in this pie.

Ingredients (Crust):

1-1/2 cups flour

1/2 t. salt

2 t. sugar

3 T. cold bacon grease

5 T. cold butter, cubed

2 T. cold bourbon

2 T. ice water, more as needed

Ingredients (Filling):

1/2 cup maple syrup

4 T. brown sugar

1/2 cup light corn syrup

3 T. butter

3 large eggs

1 t. vanilla extract

1/4 t. salt

2 cups pecan halves

1/2 cup bacon, finely chopped

3 T. bourbon

Directions (crust):

Whisk together the flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Cut in bacon

grease, and then cut in butter. Sprinkle the bourbon and water over

the mixture and lightly toss together until just mixed. Mold dough into

a disc, and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Roll dough on lightly floured surface and roll out. Place in a pie plate and crimp as desired. Freeze for 30 minutes before baking.

Directions (filling):

Position rack in bottom third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees. Stir

syrup, brown sugar, corn syrup and butter in medium saucepan over

medium heat until sugar dissolves and butter melts. Increase heat and

boil 1 minute. Cool to lukewarm (45 minutes). Whisk eggs, vanilla and

salt in mixing bowl. Gradually whisk maple mixture into egg mixture.

Stir in pecan halves, bacon, and bourbon. Pour filling into crust. Bake

pie until filling slightly puffed around edges and center is set, about 55

minutes. Cool and serve at room temperature.

Nutty Goodness!!

We thought this pie was good. My husband who loves pecan pie and bacon, actually thought the traditional pie is just as good, but it was fun trying it out!

And while we are at it why don't we just rename the racehorse 

Kalifornia Krome in honor of his connection to Easy as Pie in Kansas.

Grandma's Hershey Chocolate Pie - Week 16

Grandmas always makes the best food!

This recipe came from my husband's family recipes. Unfortunately, I never had a chance to eat this particular dish from his Grandma. However, I will never forget her barbecue chicken, homemade ice cream and her endless supply of treats. 

Believe it or not, years before I met my husband, I actually visited her home as a child with my family and remember that she had treats ready to welcome her guests.  She made hot cocoa that was so thick and rich that you could imagine that the spoon could stand up on its own.

Ingredients:

1 graham cracker crust

4.5 oz Hershey chocolate bar

1/3 cup milk

20 large marshmallows

1 cup whipping cream

3 T. powdered sugar

1 t. vanilla

Chocolate!!

Directions:

Melt chocolate, milk, and marshmallows over medium heat. Spread over crust, and cool. Whip whipping cream until soft peaks. Whip powdered sugar and vanilla in the whipped cream. Spread over chocolate filling. Refrigerate until serving.

Whipping Cream!

I hope you enjoy this rich chocolatey dessert that only could come out of a grandma's recipe box.

English Cottage Pie - Week 15 Bonus

This pie has been around since the 1700's when the potatoes were introduced as an affordable crop for the poor that lived in cottages. This pie could be identical to the Shepherd's Pie, except for the fact that it doesn't not include mutton as the key meat ingredient.

This pie was just okay. The mashed potato top was runny, and we didn't care for the cinnamon in the filling. I have modified the recipe to make this pie better. Maybe someday, I'll get a chance to make it right and update this post!

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground beef

1 onion, diced

3 carrots, diced

2 T. flour

1/2 t. cinnamon (optional)

1 T. Italian seasoning

1 t. parsley

1-1/2 cups beef broth

1 T. tomato paste

Salt and Pepper to taste

4 Potatoes, peeled and diced

1/4 c. butter

1/2 c. milk

Salt and Pepper to taste

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:

Meat Filling: Brown ground beef, and drain. Add onion and carrot, then continue to saute until onion begins to brown, about 5 minutes. Mix in flour, and seasonings. Add beef broth and tomato paste, and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until almost all of liquid has been absorbed. Spoon mixture into a round casserole dish.Potato Topping: Boil diced potatoes for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain. Mash potatoes until smooth. Add butter and milk and whip until fluffy. 

Spread potatoes over meat filling.  Sprinkle with cheddar cheese. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or until top is browned and bubbly.

Enjoy!!

Pastiera Easter Grain Pie - Week 15

The fruitcake pie of Easter.

The grain contained in this pie is symbolic of Christ's resurrection. A grain of wheat lies dormant and then comes to life in the spring. I have found some reports that this pie originates from the 8th century when a group of nuns came from Greece to Naples, Italy. They used the whole grain to represent the resurrection of Christ. It has been a tradition in Italian culture since then.

I was actually excited to make a wheat pie because of my Kansas connection. However, I am sad that I was unable to find the wheat berries that I needed in town. Even the local health food stores and the co-op couldn't help me out. I may have been able to find them elsewhere, but when I found out that barley would taste basically the same, I caved and used them instead.  

The result was interesting, however my family wasn't fond of this pie. Maybe, we aren't Italian enough? 

I had given a second Easter grain pie to another family for pie-it-forward. They were polite and told me it was good. When I cornered their 11 yr old daughter to ask her honest opinion, she was so sweet and didn't want to reveal her actual opinion. 

I had to make my own candied fruit, but I am sure the packaged candied fruit would taste the same. I found these directions to make candied fruit. I used pineapple, lemon rind, orange rind, and apple. The candied fruit itself was good, but the finished pie did remind me of fruitcake.

Here is the recipe:


Ingredients:

Unbaked Pie crust (bottom and lattice top)
3 cups water
1/4 whole wheat berries (or 1/2 cup pearl barley)
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
4 0z. mixed candied fruit
12 oz. Ricotta cheese
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. grated lemon zest
1 t. grated orange zest
1/2 T. shortening
1/2 t. salt
1 T. powdered sugar, for dusting



Directions:
Good Friday: Soak wheat berries in water. (Barley does not need to be soaked.)

Saturday: Bring 3 cups water to boil in large saucepan. 
Drain wheat berries and add them to boiling water and boil for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, beat eggs. Gradually add sugar to eggs. Mix in fruit, ricotta, vanilla, cinnamon, lemon rind, and orange rind. 
When wheat is ready, drain in a colander and rinse with warm water. 
Place 1/2 cup cooked wheat in a small bowl, and mix in shortening and salt, until shortening is melted. 
Add to ricotta mixture. Spoon filling into bottom crust. 
Cover with lattice strips, and crimp edges. 
Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until crust is golden brown. 
Sprinkle pie with powdered sugar. 
Cool to room temperature and refrigerate.

Easter Sunday: Ready to serve. 

He is risen Indeed, Alleluia!

Next Easter, I plan on making pie again. 

However, it will be one of our tried and true favorites. 

What favorite dessert do you enjoy at your Easter dinner?