Project Pie: Weeks 18 & 19

I’ve been slacking on the pie posts. We have continued to make pie, but I’ve been lacking the enthusiasm in this whole pie project. Maybe it’s because the holidays are coming up. The next 4 weeks have a lot for us: thanksgiving, Charlie's bday, my bday and Christmas. So I’m a little distracted.

But on week 18 Adam found himself in the chapter that held both Pumpkin and Pecan pie. So he decided to make both. Yep, he made two pies in one week. The pecan pie was so good our daycare provider asked if he’d make her one for her thanksgiving dinner. The pumpkin pie was also good, but I’m not a huge pumpkin pie fan so I’m not a good judge. Adam said it was good. Tomorrow he’ll be making more pecan pies. Last week I was on refrigerator pies and since Publix had a sale on fresh raspberries I chose Raspberry Chiffon pie.

I asked Adam to make my crust since he’s really good at it and I didn’t feel like making one (and my lack of enthusiasm).  The pie itself was pretty simple. Just a lot of cooling and chilling and things like that. I really enjoyed licking the spoon too…it was yummy!

When it was finally ready to eat I was pleasantly surprised how much it tasted like my grandmas go to Christmas dessert: Raspberry Fluff (insert grandma “do you know how expensive raspberries are getting? I don’t think I can make it next year” but she did)

The pie probably could have been a little more set. I may have not cooked the Jell-O as much as I should or got it hot enough, but it was still edible without making a huge mess and we all enjoy it!

This week I reminded Adam it was his turn to make a pie and he’s on Ice Cream… I have a feeling we might be skipping this week since he’s already making pecan pies! Besides I’m pretty sure an ice cream pie would be perfect for Charlie’s Birthday week!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Project Pie:Week 17

I got to chose the cream pie this week and my choice?

S’moreIt looked pretty easy to make so I tackled it one morning before I left on a business trip.

I bought the crust (I know I’m such a cheater) And I planned to use the Hershey's bars Charlie got from trick or treating so there wasn’t much I needed to get.

Well of course when you think something will be quick and easy, It never is. First off one of my yokes broke. So I was trying to get yoke out of my whites. Second I realized as I was mixing in the vanilla pudding we had at the house the word “regular” was italicized and it made me think, what do they mean. Well one quick glance at my instant pudding mix box I realized that in 1978 they probably had a choice…cooktop pudding or instant. So 15 minutes later I’m still stirring and waiting for my mixture the thicken. In the end I figured I could deal with it when I got back from my trip and thicken it up with some tapioca.

Flash forward 2 days I get home and the pudding is pretty think and chilled in my fridge. So I decide I’ll just use it and I assemble my pie and start to beat the egg whites.

And I’m beating and beating and beating. While I’m beating I see the Tips section for making meringue. 1. Use room temperature eggs (pulled mine right out of the fridge) 2. Any small amount of yoke could ruin the meringue (we all know how that went)

Finally after a good 20 min my whites formed stiff peaks and I was able to get the pie in the oven. Then I cooled it before I put it in the fridge to chill.

Charlie went to bed and we cut into it looking forward to some gooey goodness. It wasn’t really gooey, you call it runny.

Overall the flavor was there. But the chocolate and the marshmallows hadn’t melted at all. And because there were only chocolate pieces some bites didn’t even have any. The pudding mix basically took over.  In the end I couldn’t finish mine and Adam though it was ok, just not the S’mores taste he wanted.

So will we make it again? Maybe, but with a lot of tweaking!!

Next week Adam is going to skip ahead so that Pumpkin Pie falls on Thanksgiving week. 

Project Pie: Week 16

Wow. 16 weeks of pie and my pants still fit!
This week brought us back to the beginning and fruit pies. Adam chose French Crunch Peach pie.
Peach pie is my all time 2nd favorite pie (behind blueberry) And this recipe is one for the books. It’s not as good as mom’s but it’s good!
Of course he made the perfect crust.
Mixed it all and up and dumped it in.
Charlie helped with the topping:

Baked it
And ate it warm!

mmm good!
Crunch on top isn’t too overpowering and the egg gives it bit of a custard flavor, but it all works well together. It’s not too sweet so adding ice cream is a welcomed topping.

Project Pie-Week 15

I had ice cream pie this week and since my folks were in town I thought I’d let them choose. So my dad picked out a mocha pie. I nixed that since adam won’t touch anything coffee and decided on Banana Split pie. Dad was fine with the choice.

First thing, I didn’t feel like making a pie crust so I bought a gram cracker crust. The rest was pretty simple. Just a lot of waiting for things to freeze.

When it came time to do the chocolate topping (at 10pm) I found out that in fact I didn’t have a bag of marshmallows like I thought I did. So we just used Hersey's syrup. (I know I’m really failing on this easy pie)
But mom and dad both liked it!
Dad didn’t want to share. I only cut one piece because it wasn’t quite set yet.
Adam and I thought it was ok. It was easy, but it won’t be going on the “top 10” list.

Project Pie: Week 14

Adam made his pie late last week due to work schedules…and I think I’ll be doing the same this week!

His refrigerator pie turned out great! we had a friend over for dinner and my parents visiting so this is not our opinions only this week!

Pineapple Fluff Pie

The main thing that made Adam choose this pie was the coconut crust. It was pretty simple to make. Mix the coconut with melted butter and press it into the pie pan.

The rest of it was pretty straight forward.

Mix and cook:

Pour and chill:

Our friend Kristi loved it so much she had a second piece. Charlie devoured her piece. My mom and dad both raved. Adam and I though it was the perfect mix of sweet and sour. A nice light fresh tasting pie. No tweaking needed on this recipe and it moves up to our top 5!

Project Pie: Week 13

When I got back (LATE) from NH Sunday night the last thing I wanted to do on Monday was bake a pie. I was ready to just throw in the towel. But by Tuesday I had got some sleep and didn’t want to disappoint Adam (who was salivating for pie). And when I found this recipe in our book for a pie that didn’t have a crust I was all over it!

Miracle Custard Pie:

As you can see…no crust! And you make it in a blender! It took me about 5 minutes to put all the ingratiates in.

10 seconds later…

I mixed the coconut right in the blender (with a spoon) then into the pan it went. Topped it with some nutmeg and done. Total time…maybe 10 min.

40 minutes later…

The pie needed to chill so the next day we had it for desert.

It cut easily and we had no issue getting it out of the pan.

Charlie inhaled her piece and started getting fussy when she couldn’t get it on her fork fast enough. Adam and I thought it was ok. It definitely tastes like custard. And that’s about it. We don’t love it, but we don’t hate it. I think with some tweaking (adding a little flavor) it could be something special and an easy go-to-pie.

Project Pie: Week 12

This week for his cream pie Adam chose Lemon Meringue. And boy was it an improvement on the lemon Alaska. Even his dad, who was here visiting, said it reminded him of his mothers and brought him back.

By know you should know what making a pie looks like, so we’re cutting back on the photos unless there’s something tricky going on. The one thing that probably could have improved on the presentation was another egg white for the meringue. You want the the meringue to seal with the crust and Adam didn’t have quite enough to get a good seal. If this happens, its not ruined, but the pie will start to separate from the meringue and it’s not as pretty.

But again…it was a great pie. It didn’t take him to long to make, but it does have a chilling period so you do have to wait a bit to eat it.

Next week is custard and I’ve got my eye on a few…

(NOTE: If you’ve been following along and want the recipes for the past few pies I’ve went back and updated the posts to include them)

Project Pie: Week 11

We’re back at the beginning of the book and where I started: Fruit Pies. Being as it’s Fall everywhere else in the country except Florida, I thought I’d make an apple pie.

I chose to go with Gala apples, after of course consulting with mom on which apples where best.  I made the crust following the books recipe for a double pie. I’m still not sold on it. It just doesn’t roll out nice for me and I find it kind of flavorless. I might have to go back to my tried and true recipe.

To cut the apples I used my fancy schmancey apple-corer-peeler machine. Charlie wasn’t as impressed as her daddy had been when he first saw it, but in her defense she was sick and mommy was making her help make a pie.

I mixed all the dry ingredients first then added them to the apples and it all went into my first crust.

The top crust was a hot mess and I really need to take a class in fluting. And not the kind you play-I mastered that in High School.  For some reason (I’m blaming the crappy crust) I can never get my edge nice and pretty. But in the end I guess all that matters is if it tastes good, right?

The pie was tasty,not as good as moms, but it was good.  It might have been the apples (they are so flavorless down here!) or maybe it needed more cin/sugar. 

I think there is room to improve, but in the mean time…Apple Pie for breakfast!