Raspberry Rhubarb Pie

Day 5 - Mission Rhubarb - Raspberry Rhubarb Pie - Everyone has heard of Strawberry Rhubarb pie, but I found this recipe that combines raspberries and rhubarb.  It's a little different because everyone is expecting strawberries.  It is delicious and refreshing.  Not to mention I always have a ton more raspberries than straweberries.  With a scoop of vanilla ice cream this is fantastic.  I didn't put in a crust recipe, just use your favorite.  I've made this with a single crust, with a lattice top, and a double crust.  I prefer the double crust.  If you do a double crust make sure to cut little vents in it.  And as always put a pan on the rack below your pie in the oven.  You'll thank me.  This is so easy to make.  LOVE IT!

Raspberry Rhubarb Pie Filling

For 9-inch pie:

2 c. raw rhubarb, chopped (fresh or frozen)

2 c. raspberries (fresh or frozen)

1½ c. sugar (use less if using presweetened berries)

1/3 to ½ c. flour (if using frozen raspberries which have more liquid, use more flour)

or you can use 1/4 c. Minute Tapioca. 

¼ t. cinnamon

Directions: Mix the above ingredients well.  (If the fruit was frozen, place mixture in the microwave for a few minutes to warm.)  Place mixture in unbaked pie shell.  Dot with butter.  Bake at 425° for 45 minutes.

Cherry Berry Streusel Pie

I have wanted to make this pie for awhile and I finally got to it on Sunday. My son gave this two thumbs “way past up.” My kids are usually not big fans of pie, but they gobbled this up and when given the choice between cookies and pie, the two older ones chose pie. I was shocked because my cookies were pretty good too. A couple of notes on this recipe. It calls for a deep dish pie plate, which I didn't notice until I was too far into it to turn back. I simply didn't put as much filling in and it was still great. Second, if you aren't comfortable with making a lattice-top I am not sure it's necessary. I think next time I'll try it with just the streusel on top and cut the pie crust in half. It looked pretty though, until I tried to cut into it and it all fell apart. I also didn't find it necessary to chill the dough. It was really easy to work with. You can toast your pecans in a frying pan on the stove, just keep an eye on them, they toast quickly. Lastly, don't forget to put a pan on the rack under your pie while it's baking to catch any spills. Serve with a lovely scoop of vanilla ice cream. Let me know if you like it too! By the way, my pie was pretty but it didn't look anything like the picture below.  That's amazing, although maybe easier than lattice top. 

Cherry-Berry Streusel Pie

Prep Time: 30 minutes + chilling

Cook Time: 55-65 minutes

Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients:

2½ c. all-purpose flour

1 T. sugar

1 t. salt

1 c. cold butter

7-8 T. cold water

FILLING:

2 can (21 oz. Each) cherry pie filling

1 c. fresh or frozen raspberries

¼ c. packed brown sugar

¼ t. ground cinnamon

TOPPING:

1 c. yellow cake mix

½ c. chopped pecans, toasted

½ c. flaked coconut

¼ c. butter, melted

2 T. 2% milk

2 T. sugar

Directions: Place the flour, sugar and salt in a food processor; cover and pulse until blended. Add butter; cover and pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. While processing, gradually add water until dough forms a ball.

Divide dough in half so that one portion is slightly larger than the other; wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger portion of dough to fit a 9-in. Deep-dish pie plate. Transfer pastry to pie plate; trim pastry to ½ inch beyond edge of plate. Combine the filling ingredients; spoon into crust. Sprinkle with dry cake mix, pecans and coconut. Drizzle with butter.

Roll out remaining pastry to a 13-inch circle; cut into strips for a lattice top. While creating the lattice top, twist the pastry strips for a decorative effect. Seal and flute edges of pie.

Brush lattice top with milk; sprinkle with sugar. Cover edges loosely with foil. Bake at 375° for 55-65 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.


The recipe and photo are originally from tasteofhome.com and Taste of Home magazine

Pumpkin Praline Pie

Think pecan pie meets pumpkin pie.  Do you know what happens when they meet.  LOVE.  This recipe is a bit involved and to be honest I think the pie would be tasty even if you didn't follow all the persnickety steps.  But my crust was flaky and  it was not soggy, even after being in the fridge for 3 days so I'll let you decide if you need to go to all the work.  The pie itself was smooth with a crunchy sweet topping that made you want more.  Too bad I had to take for Thanksgiving so I couldn't eat all myself.  Just kidding.  I love sharing, that's why I am typing this right now.  Make sure you read all the way through the instructions before you begin.  I hope you like it too.
 

Pumpkin-Praline Pie

Prep Time: 30 minutes + chilling
Cook Time: 85 minutes
Yield: 8-10 servings

Ingredients:

1 (9-inch) pie shell, chilled in pie plate for 30 minutes
 

Pumpkin Filling:

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin puree
¾ c. packed dark brown sugar
2 t. ground cinnamon
1 t. ground ginger
½ t. ground allspice
Pinch ground cloves
½ t. salt
1 c. evaporated milk
3 large eggs
2 t. vanilla extract

Praline Topping:

1 c. finely chopped pecans
1 t. vanilla extract
2 t. granulated sugar
2 t. dark corn syrup
½ c. packed dark brown sugar
Pinch salt
Directions:
1.      For the pie shell: Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°.  Line pie shell with foil, cover with 2 c. pie weights (pennies or dried beans are fine, too), and bake until dough under foil dries out, 20-25 minutes.  Remove foil and weights, poke crust several times with fork, and continue to bake until firmly set and lightly browned, 10 to 15 minutes.  Remove pie shell from oven (keep oven on) and set aside.  (Shell can be cooled, wrapped tightly in plastic, and stored at room temperature for 1 day.)

2.      For the filling: Puree pumpkin, brown sugar, spices, and salt in food processor until smooth, about 1 minute.  Cook mixture in large saucepan over medium-high heat until sputtering and thickened, about 4 minutes, and remove from heat.  Meanwhile, put pie shell back in oven to warm. 

 3.      Whisk evaporated milk into pumpkin mixture, then whisk in eggs and vanilla.  Pour filling into warmed pie shell and bake until filling is puffed and cracked around edges and center barely jiggles when pie is shaken, about 35 minutes.

4.      For the topping; While pie is baking, toss pecan, brown sugar, and salt in bowl.  Add corn syrup and vanilla, using fingers to ensure that ingredients are well blended. 

5.      Scatter topping evenly over puffed filling and sprinkle with granulated sugar.  Bake until pecans are fragrant and topping is bubbling around edges, about 10 minutes.  Cool pie completely on wire rack, at least 2 hours.  (Pie can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.)  Serve pie at room temperature. 

 (This recipe originally came from www.cookscountry.com )

Crumb Topped Apple Pie

Apple pie, mmmm...Apple pie brings back so many memories for me. It is my mother's favorite dessert  and so we had it quite often.  The fact that we had the best apple tree in the backyard was also a factor in the frequency of the dessert.  I used to love sitting on the board as a counterweight to the apple-peeler-corer slicer and watch my mom get the apples ready for the pies plus we got to eat all the peels.  I suppose my mom could have used a clamp but I am glad she didn't because it was a good time to bond with mom.  This is not my mom's recipe which is perfect when you want an honest to goodness simple apple pie.  But this is a variation with a crumb topping that's gives you a little different texture.    Don't be stingy with the apples, they cook down.   As always apple pie is better warm and with ice cream. 

Crumb Topped Apple Pie

Prep Time: 45 minutes + chilling
Cook Time: 1 hour
Yield: 8 servings
Family Friendliness: Some kids like apple pie and some don't, that's all.

Ingredients:

1¼ c. all-purpose flour
½ t. salt
½ c. shortening
¼ c. cold water
FILLING:
5 large tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced
2/3 c. sugar
5 t. all-purpose flour
1¼ t. ground cinnamon
TOPPING:
2/3 c. all-purpose flour
½ c. sugar
¼ c. cold butter (don't use margarine it makes the crust super crunchy and hard to cut through) 
Directions: In a large bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in the shortening until crumbly.  Gradually add water, tossing with a fork until dough forms a ball.  Wrap in plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 1 to 1½ hours or until easy to handle.  Roll out pastry to fit a 9-inch pie plate.  Transfer pastry to pie plate.  Trim pastry to ½ inch beyond edge of plate; flute edges.  For filling, place apples in crust.  Combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon; sprinkle over apples.  For topping, combine flour and sugar in a small bowl; cut in butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle over filling.  Bake at 450° for 10 minutes.  Reduce heat to 350°, bake 50-60 minutes longer or until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbly.  Cool on a wire rack.

 *Tip: Handle your pie crust as little as possible and don't let it sit for a long time or else your crust will be tough. 

 

(This recipe originally came from Taste of Home magazine)

Caramel Pear Pie

Pears are in season right now and so yummy. I love to eat a fresh ripe pear. I have finished canning my bushel or so and now I am ready to put them to work in desserts. I made this pie Sunday night and it is so good. It’s a fun switch from apple. Pears are so delicious in pies and in desserts in general. Just a couple of notes, if you don’t have caramels, caramel ice cream topping would work just fine, just omit the milk. Also it says it takes about 6 medium pears to make 6 cups, well their idea of medium and my idea of medium must be different because it took me about 12 pears to get 6 full cups. Last, don’t forget to put a pan on the rack below the pie to catch any drips. I really do like this pie better cold than warm, which is strange for a cooked fruit pie. Look for pear dessert number 2 tomorrow.

Caramel Pear Pie
6 c. sliced peeled ripe pears (about 6 medium)
1 T. lemon juice
½ c. plus 3 T. sugar, divided
2 T. quick-cooking tapioca
¾ t. cinnamon
¼ t. salt
¼ t. nutmeg
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 in)
¾ c. old fashioned oats
1 T. flour
¼ c. cold butter or margarine
18 caramels
5 T. milk
¼ c. chopped pecans
Directions: In a large bowl, combine pears and lemon juice. In another bowl, combine ½ c. sugar, tapioca, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg. Add to pears; stir gently. Let stand for 15 minutes. Pour into pastry shell. In a bowl, combine the oats, flour and remaining sugar. Cut in butter until crumbly. Sprinkle over pears. Bake at 400° for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, in a saucepan over low heat, melt caramels with milk. (Faster in the microwave at 70% power) Stir often. Stir until smooth; add pecans. Drizzle over pie. Bake 8-10 minutes longer or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool on a wire rack (Better cold with whipped cream or cool whip.)