Pecan Tassies

These little darlings are great to add to your holiday cookie plate.  The crust is light and flaky and there is just enough filling to fix your sweet tooth without going overboard.  They are freezable so you can make them ahead and not be in a time crunch closer to the holidays.  

Warning though, if you think that freezing them will keep you out of them, I can tell you from experience that they are pretty tasty, and edible right out of the freezer.  I didn't even break a tooth trying to eat one. 

Pecan Tassies          makes 24                       Printable Recipe (with doubled ingredients)

Pastry:

4 ounces light cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup (1 sticks) butter, softened

1 cups all purpose flour

Filling:

1 egg

1 cup chopped pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 Tablespoon butter, softened

3/4 cup brown sugar

Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

My family loves pie and I usually use a box of pudding to make the filling.  I had been using a sugar-free version for a while but we've made the decision that eating sugar (in moderation) is better than the SF stuff.  

I bought regular pudding in a box and it was good. Then I decided to try and make my own and get rid of another pre-measured boxed helper. It's so easy to make! Even if you don't want a pie, the pudding is fantastic alone and even yummy slightly warm.  The egg yolks add a lovely richness and color.  I see many more pies in our future. 

Old-Fashioned Banana Cream Pie

1 baked pie crust
2/3 cup sugar *
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2-3/4 cup milk (I  used whole goat milk)
5 eggs yolks
1 Tablespoon butter
1-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-4 bananas
whipped topping or 1 cup heavy whipping cream plus 2 T powdered sugar

Berries and Cream Croustade

Our strawberries are in season and I had some fresh blueberries so I set forth to make a dessert using those fruits. Who doesn't love a nice flaky pie crust bursting with berries?  How about a pie crust with cream cheese and berries?  Yes, please!! 

Berries and Cream Croustade

Croustade:
1-1/3 cup all purpose flour (I used Jovial Einkorn flour)
1 stick cold butter (salted)
1/4 cup ice cold water
(or use your favorite pie crust recipe or store bought)

1 egg white

Filling:
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
8 ounces low fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar 
1 egg yolk
2 Tablespoons flour (I used Jovial Einkorn flour)

Topping:
2-3 cups fresh berries
additional powdered sugar (for dusting.)

Using a food processor, add butter to flour, pulsing until butter is pea sized. 

With the machine pulsing, add ice water just until the dough holds together without being wet or sticky.  It should "ball up." If you need more water add it 1/2 tablespoon at a time. 

Place dough onto piece of plastic wrap.  Flatten dough a little bit into the shape you are going to use.  I used a rectangle shape so I shaped it into a rectangle but you can also make it round. Place in refrigerator for one hour. 

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Place a piece of parchment paper onto a flat cookie sheet.  Be sure it is large enough for your dough piece. Flour the surface you are going to roll the dough out onto. Place dough side down leaving the plastic wrap on top to roll onto.  Roll out dough into shape you need. Your dough should be 1" wider on all sides than the final size you need and be 1/8" thick. If you are using a rectangle shape you can cut off the odd shaped edges to even it out.  

Using your rolling pin dusted with flour roll the dough onto the rolling pin and then unroll it onto your parchment paper. Fold 1" of edges in toward center, forming even border.  If you like, pinch edges to form fluted edges. 

Using a fork, prick holes in the bottom of the crust.  

Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and place on cooling rack while you make the filling.

For filling, beat together lemon juice, cream cheese, powdered sugar, egg yolk and flour until smooth.  Spread onto middle of your croustade.  

Brush outside edge with egg white.  Return to oven for 14-16 minutes or until crust is golden and cream cheese is set. (The flatter you make your cream cheese the less you need to cook it to be sure egg is done.)

Slide parchment and crust onto a cooling rack.  Cool completely.  Slide crust off of parchment onto serving plate. Sprinkle berries on top.  

Dust with powdered sugar and serve.  Refrigerate leftovers

Strawberry Pie

The best way to eat fresh strawberries?  In a pie!  This one is easy to make. Make your own pie crust or buy one (I won't tell!)

Strawberry Pie

1-1/2 cups cool water

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 (3 oz) pkg strawberry Jell-O (or you can use sugar free)

1 pound (or as much as you can fit in your pie crust) strawberries, hulled and halved

1 pie shell

Pre-bake pie shell as recipe calls or as instructed from box or package.  Cool.

Foodie Friends Friday Linky Party #73

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An InLinkz Link-up

Cherry Cheesecake Pie

Cherry Cheesecake Pie

2 refrigerated ready-to-bake pie crusts

1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
2 - 8 oz low fat cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 can (21 oz) cherry pie filling
1 large egg white

Heat oven to 350°F.  Put bottom crust into pie plate. Unroll remaining crust on a cutting board; cut into 1/2-in.-wide strips. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate. Mix sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl. Add cream cheese; beat with mixer on medium speed until smooth. On low speed, beat in egg and extract until just blended  Spread batter evenly in crust; spoon pie filling evenly over top.

Beat egg white with a fork until foamy. Brush on pastry strips. Arrange about 8 strips evenly spaced across pie filing. Place 8 more strips diagonally over first strips to form a lattice (discard remaining strips). Trim and press ends to bottom crust. Brush rim with egg white. Bake 50 to 60 minutes until crust is golden brown and cherries bubble. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Serve warm, at room temperature or cold.  Refrigerate covered.

Oatmeal Pecan Pie

The first time I had this pie was at my mother in laws house. It was so good. The second time I had it, she didn't put nuts in it. I asked her if the pie was supposed to have it and she said she never makes it that way. Ok, so my memory isn't great all the time but I know nuts and I KNOW they were in there. I don't think I ever saw the pie made with nuts again but I was determined to figure it out. After she passed away I decided to check out some church lady cookbooks to find an oatmeal pie recipe that called for nuts. Sure enough I found one. Guess who's name was on it? Yep, my mother in law Pat! So yeah it called for nuts! I don't make it real often but when I do I put the nuts in it and add extra on top! Miss you Pat, LOVE the pie!

Oatmeal Pecan Pie

1/4 cup margarine or butter, melted

1 cup dark brown sugar

2 eggs, slightly beaten

dash of salt

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup milk

3/4 cup light corn syrup

1/2 cup flaked coconut

3/4 cup quick oatmeal

1/4 cup pecans (and some halves for decoration)

1 - 9" unbaked pie shell

Mix together butter, sugar, eggs, salt, and vanilla.  Add remaining ingredients in the order given.  Mix well.  Pour into unbaked pie shell. Add pecan halves on top for decoration. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.  Cool and serve with whipped topping or ice cream.

Caramel Apple Pie

Caramel Apple Pie

1 pastry crust for a deep-dish pie 9-inch (homemade or store-bought)
1/2 cup sugar
3 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
6 cups thinly-sliced peeled apples (I use Granny Smith)



1 recipe crumb topping (see below)
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup caramel topping


Ingredients for crumb topping:
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick cooking rolled oats
1/2 cup butter


Directions for Crumb Topping:
Stir together brown sugar, flour and rolled oats. Cut in 1/2 cup butter until topping is like course crumbs. Set aside.


Directions for pie:
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt. Add apple slices and gently toss until coated. Transfer apple mixture to the pie shell. 

Sprinkle crumb topping over apple mixture. (It will seem really high but it all sinks as it cooks. Place pie on a cookie sheet so the drippings don't drop into your oven. Cover edges of pie with aluminum foil or pie crust shield.

Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 25 minutes. Then remove foil and put back in for another 25 to 30 minutes without foil. Remove from oven. Sprinkle pie with chopped pecans then drizzle with caramel on top. Cool on a wire rack and enjoy warm or at room temperature. We serve with ice cream or Cool Whip.