Recipes Cooking

If you follow my blog regularly, you know that I enjoy combining recipes to get an end result that suits us. Thats what I did with this cherry pie recipe.

The first cherry pie recipe I tried tasted OK, but there was a watery liquid in the bottom of the pie that seperated from the filling...not a good thing.

Next, I tried a recipe that used flour as a thickener, but it left a cloudy filling ... not what I wanted.

Next I tried tapioca to thicken the filling and it eliminated the cloudy fruit filling problem, but it was hard to guage just how much tapioca was enough and how much was too much; it also produced inconsistent results...not good.

So, as usual, I took a little bit of this recipe and added it to that recipe and then threw in a couple of my own ideas and came up with todays recipe. I served it on Fathers Day and picky-picky husband actually said  "This is THE best cherry pie Ive ever eaten!!"  After I picked myself up off of the floor (not literally, lol) , I knew I had a winner!!!

The filling is sweet and the crust is unbelievably flaky and delicious.  Some people freak out with a pie crust that uses shortening, however, not only does shortening produce a flakier crust, but it has HALF of the saturated fat of butter!! NOTE: I always us butter flavored Crisco in my crusts.

CHERRY PIE FILLING

(2) 14 ounce cans unsweetened tart pie cherries
1 1/2  cups granulated sugar     DIVIDED
4 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons corn starch
pinch of salt
1/2 teaspoon almond extract  (do not leave out)
2 teaspoons butter, room temperature

Drain the cherries but SAVE THE LIQUID.  Put one cup of the liquid into a heavy saucepan with the corn starch, salt and HALF OF THE SUGAR, mix well.

Bring this mixture to a boil, while stirring, and cook until it gets VERY THICK (only takes a minute or so once it starts to boil (keep stirring fast).

Remove from heat and stir in the butter, almond extract and the OTHER HALF of the sugar, mix well.  Gently fold in the drained cherries.  Let cool while you make the pie crust.


This is the all time best pie crust I have EVER made and Ive made tons of them.  This dough handles beautifully (no need to chill the dough) and makes either 3 single crusts or a large 2 crust pie with some left over. Everyone Ive served this crust to is wild about it.

PIE CRUST

4 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4  cups butter flavored Crisco shortening
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup ice cold water

Cut the shortening into the flour with a pastry cutter (or a couple of forks) until the shortening is about half the size of a green pea.

Mix the sugar, salt, egg, vanilla and ice water together, until well mixed, then add it all to the flour-shortening mixture. Work it with your hands until everything comes together in a big ball. Try to do this fairly quickly so that the heat of your hands doesnt melt the shortening. No need to chill this dough.

Roll out a bottom crust, on a floured counter,  to fit a 9" pie pan.  Put the cherry filling into the bottom crust and then brush the edges of the crust with a little egg white that has a few drops of water whisked into it (this will help "glue" the bottom crust to the top crust).

Roll out a top crust, on a floured counter, and lay it over the filled bottom crust.  Cut off the extra dough that hangs over the rim of the pie plate (see note). Pinch the top and bottom crust edges together (or use a fork). 

After you have pinched the two crusts together, brush the top pie crust with more of the egg white wash (the same that you used to "glue" the edges ) and then sprinkle the whole surface, lightly, with granulated sugar.

Cut several small vent holes in the top crust.  Bake in 375 preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown (I usually leave it in for 45 minutes). COOL PIE COMPLETELY BEFORE CUTTING.

NOTE: When you are trimming the excess unbaked crust from around the rim of the pie pan, leave it just a little long so that you can tuck under the edge before you pinch the pie edge into a design.

NOTE: I bake all of my pies on a cookie sheet just in case they spill over.

Every family holiday dinner, I make way too many desserts. There is usually a cheesecake, a cream/pudding type pie, a fruit pie, cookies and something "experimental". That just means it is a recipe that I really want to make but I know picky-picky husband wouldnt touch it, so I need my family to "step in" and try it. 

As fun as it is to try new recipes, the old classics are always a hit; this banana cream pie is a tried and true family classic; it is the "real deal". It has a baked graham cracker crust, cooked vanilla custard, bananas and the most delicious whipped cream topping Ive ever tasted (it has cream cheese in it)

GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST
1½ cups finely crushed graham crackers
¼ cup white sugar
6 tablespoons melted butter
Mix everything well and pat into a 10" pie plate. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes.

PIE FILLING
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 and 1/3 cups water
1 14 oz. can sweetened condensed milk (see note)
3 egg yolks, beaten
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 medium ripe bananas (cubed)

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, dissolve the cornstarch in the water; stir in the sweetened condensed milk and egg yolks. Cook until thickened and bubbly remove from heat; add butter and vanilla. Set aside to cool slightly. Cube the bananas and fold into the slightly cooled pudding. Pour into cooled crust and lay some plastic wrap on the surface of the filling so that it doesnt form a skin. Chill in the fridge for about 3 hours. Frost with whipped cream topping.

WHIPPED CREAM (Stabelized)
I hope you do not skip this step because it really is delicious and "makes" the pie. This is my new "go to" whipped cream recipe.

(1) 8 ounce cream cheese (room temperature)
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups heavy cream

With your electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, sugar and extracts in a large bowl until smooth (scrape sides to make sure you dont have any cream cheese sticking to the interior of the bowl). While the beaters are still running, slowly add the whipping cream (stop a couple times and scrape the bowl). Beat until you get stiff peaks. This makes enough topping to cover a 10" pie generously.

NOTE: Make sure you use sweetened condensed milk in the pie filling (and not evaporated milk).

 Chicken Pot Pie - comfort food at its finest.  I never was a huge fan of chicken pot pie as a kid, but shortly after I had my 3rd baby, my dear friend Amber offered to bring me dinner and what did she bring?  Chicken Pot Pie - and it blew me away, it was so delicious.  And it wasnt just because I was in the post-baby fog!  The crust is buttery and flaky, and the filling is hearty and delicious - chicken and vegetables all swimming in a smooth flavorful sauce.  This is a great way to use chicken you have cooked previously and your own homemade stock!  You can play around with the vegetables too - Amber added about a cup of finely chopped broccoli, which I didnt have the day I made it, but I loved it in there.  I think mushrooms would make a delicious addition as well, or you can keep it exactly as written and you wont go wrong!  Let me know what you try!


Chicken Pot Pie

Filling:
6 T. butter, divided
1 1/4 c. onion, diced, divided
1 c. carrots, diced
1 c. celery, diced
3/4 c. frozen peas
1/4 c. flour
2 c. chicken broth
2 c. cooked chicken, diced or shredded
1/4 tsp. celery salt
1 tsp. salt, plus more to taste
1/2 tsp. pepper, plus more to taste

Crust:
1 1/4 c. all-purpose or whole white wheat flour
1/4 tsp. salt
8 T. (1/2 cup) cold salted butter, diced
up to 1/4 c. ice water

For the crust: combine flour and salt in mixing bowl or food processor.  Add butter and pulse a few times if using a food processor, or blend into the flour with a pastry blender, fork and knife, or your hands until well-distributed.  Butter should be pea-sized or smaller.  Slowly drizzle in the ice water, tossing with your hands or pulsing in the processor until the dough starts to come together easily without crumbling.  Gather into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

For the filling: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large skillet, melt 2 T. butter over medium high heat.  Add 1 cup onion, along with the carrots and celery, and cook, stirring often, until soft, about 5-7 minutes.  Add peas, and stir until warmed through.  Season with celery salt, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 tsp. pepper.  Remove vegetables to a plate and set aside.

Add remaining 4 T. butter to skillet.  Add remaining 1/4 c. onion and cook for about 3 minutes, until slightly softened.  Add flour, stirring constantly for about 1 minute. Whisk in the chicken broth slowly.  Continue to cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 5-7 minutes.  Season with salt and pepper, to taste (start with about 1/4 tsp. of each).

Remove from the heat and add the vegetables back into the skillet along with the cooked chicken.  Stir until well-coated.  Transfer to a pie dish or an 8x8 baking dish.

Remove pie crust from the refrigerator and place on a floured surface.  Roll out the dough until large enough to fit the top of your pan.  Roll up with your rolling pin, and unroll over the filling in the pie dish.  Trim, tuck, and crimp the edges.  Cut a few slits in the crust to allow air to escape.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 30-35 minutes, until top is golden brown and filling is bubbling.  Remove from the oven and let cool about 5 minutes before serving.

Source: My friend Amber Thompson & King Arthur Flour pie crust

The holidays are QUICKLY approaching and we all will be making pies at one time or another.  Yes, you can buy ready made crusts, but they just are not as flaky and flavorful as a homemade crust.

This is BY FAR the best crust recipe I have ever made (and Ive made a billion or two). This recipe makes enough pie dough for THREE single crust pies.  It is VERY easy to work with and it has a little sugar and vanilla in it, so it has almost a sugar cookie flavor PLUS it is VERY flaky.




PIE CRUST

4 cups all purpose flour
1 3/4 cups BUTTER FLAVOR Crisco shortening
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup ice cold water

Cut the shortening into the flour with a pastry cutter (or a couple of forks) until the shortening is about half the size of a green pea (seeing small chunks of shortening in the dough is a GOOD thing). 

Mix the sugar, salt, egg, vanilla and ice water together, until well mixed, then add it all to the flour-shortening mixture. Work it with your hands until everything comes together in a big ball. Try to do this fairly quickly so that the heat of your hands doesnt melt the shortening. No need to chill this dough, but it handles better if you let it sit covered on the counter for 10-15 minutes before rolling out.

If you are making a single crust pie, roll out a bottom crust, on a floured counter,to fit a 9" pie pan (makes 3). Make sure you dock the pie crust...that just means poke holes in it, like this: 


Docking will help your pie crust lay flat as it bakes and you shouldnt get any big "bubbles". Some people use dry beans or raw rice in a foil "bag" to weigh down the pie crust and to keep it from bubbling up, but Ive never done that....your choice.

Bake at 375° for 15-20 minutes or until lightly golden, it should look like this:


If you are making a two crust pie, put the fruit filling into the bottom crust and then brush the edges of the crust with a little egg white that has a few drops of water whisked into it (this will help "glue" the bottom crust to the top crust).

Roll out a top crust, on a floured counter, and lay it over the filled bottom crust.  Cut off the extra dough that hangs over the rim of the pie plate. Pinch the top and bottom crust edges together (or use a fork). 

After you have pinched the two crusts together, brush the top pie crust with more of the egg white wash (the same that you used to "glue" the edges ) and then sprinkle the whole surface, lightly, with granulated sugar.

Cut several small vent holes in the top crust.  Bake in 375° preheated oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until the crust is golden brown (I usually leave it in for 45 minutes).

COOL PIE COMPLETELY BEFORE CUTTING if you want "perfect" slices. If you dont care if your slices are picture perfect, GO FOR IT, theres nothing like warm pie and ice cream.


NOTE:  You can probably use butter instead of shortening, although I have never done it and I have no clue what the result would be.

NOTE: Some people freak out about using shortening, however, shortening is vegetable based and has less calories and cholesterol than butter (plus it "bakes better").