Lattice Pie Crust

Pictured above is an apple pie. Directions below were made with a cran-blueberry pie.

First, start by placing the bottom pie crust into a 9-inch (or whatever size the recipe calls for), greased pie pan. Fill the pan with filling; in this case, cranberry blueberry pie (YUM).

 

If you feel inclined, take some of that extra pie crust and dip it right into the filling. Insert into mouth. Go ahead, you know you want to.

Next, roll out the second pie crust into at least a 12-inch round. Using a pizza cutter or this thingamajigger (yeah, it's a word ..), cut the crust into 1/2-inch sized strips. No need to measure or be precise.

Place half of the strips vertically on top of the pie spaced apart.

Fold back every other strip to the halfway point on the pie.

Place a new strip of crust onto the pie perpendicular to the strips you have just placed on there.

Fold the vertical strips back flat again Then, fold back the other vertical strips (not the ones you just did) and place another strip horizontally across the pie, being sure to space it however far apart from the previous strip that you'd like it to be.

And you guessed it, fold the vertical strips down again. Repeat this process until you get to the end of the pie and repeat for the other half of the pie.

The easiest way I remember (once you get that first horizontal piece down) is to always fold the strips that are underneath the previous strip. If that didn't make much sense, my husband will attest to the fact that I tend to give  way too much detail and information whether it be baking or directions. Psshh.

Anyways..

When you are finished, a little trick my mom taught me with any pie crust is to trim the excess off. Kitchen scissors work great for this.

Then, fold over the top and bottom pie crusts and pinch together with your fingers.

To make the beautiful fluted pattern on the edge, take your fingers as seen in the picture and form the edges. I don't really know how to explain that better, but you've made a pie before, right!? Well, if not, it doesn't take much to do this.

As with almost all pies, cover the crust with foil either the full baking time or at least the first half. Less browning, crunchy crust and more doughy, golden deliciousness.



Classic Apple Pie, revisited

Apple pie is the quintessential all-American dessert; in my eyes it is anyways. Pumpkin pie just doesn't do it for me, even after an amazing Thanksgiving dinner. This year what was I elected to bring? Pumpkin pie. *shudder*

What am I bringing in addition to (yes, I follow directions) the pumpkin pie? THIS! It's my mom's recipe handed down from generations who've made this amazing dish before. I made it last year for the Fourth of July and my husband's friends were amazed it was completely homemade. Needless to say, it was eaten quickly and next time I'll have to make three pies. If you're looking for a classic and delicious pie for Thanksgiving or any occasion (ah hem, week night cravings), this is it!!

Classic Apple Pie
Kelly's Kitch original
Yields: 8 slices; 1 9-inch pie

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
7 medium to large apples, peeled and sliced (or chopped)
3 tbsp butter or margarine
3 tsp lime or lemon juice
2 nine-inch pie crusts

Grease a 9-inch pie plate and place an unbaked pie crust  into it. Stir together sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl. Mix in apples until mixture is paste-like. Place mixture into greased pie pan lined with pie crust.

Cut the butter into pea-sized portions and lay on top of the apple filling. Squeeze a little lime juice on top. Cover with the second pie crust and fold edges over and make into zig-zag (crust) pattern. Cut 6-8 slits in the top of the pie crust about an inch long. Sprinkle top crust with cinnamon.

Cover the edges of the crust with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 425°F. Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes, until crust is golden brown.

Berry Pie Pops

Happy Labor Day to everyone! I am enjoying a very relaxing day at home with my two-month-old son and husband. We had a lovely pancake breakfast, but we really needed something festive to snack on today. I have been watching more Cooking Channel lately and found my new favorite chef, Kelsey Nixon. I absolutely love her show and she makes the most wonderful things! I have only seen two episodes and have 3 foods already bookmarked! At any rate, this was one of the foods I just had to make right away.

With as many pies as I've made over the years, it's surprising that I have never thought to make these cute individual pies. Sometimes when I have to slice pie myself I get a little generous with the portion. These are perfect in that they will always be the perfect portion; no need for guessing! They were absolutely scrumptious, a beautiful presentation, and very easy to make. I wouldn't do the sticks again as I think they would make for fantastic "finger food" at our next family gathering. Hello, these little pies just SCREAM Fourth of July! You've got to try them. You won't be disappointed! The best part is that you can always change the filling to another fruit very easily, too.

Berry Pie Pops

Adapted from: Kelsey Nixon (Cooking Channel)

Yields: 8 individual pies

Ingredients

For the dough

1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold, chopped into pea-sized cubes

5-6 Tbsp cold water

For the filling

1 1/2 cup strawberry & raspberry mix, large chopped

1/4 cup plus2 Tbsp sugar

1 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp lemon juice

1 egg beaten

1 Tbsp water

turbinado sugar, for dusting

8 lollipop sticks (optional)

Directions:

To make the dough, combine flour and salt in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix briefly and while on low speed, add the butter pieces until a coarse mixture develops. Add the water 1 tablespoon at a time until dough forms and is slightly tacky. Roll dough into large ball and wrap in plastic wrap. Keep refrigerated for at least 30 minutes.

While the dough is cooling, make the filling by placing the berries in a small saucepan on medium-high heat. Stir in the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Mix well until liquid forms. Bring mixture to a slight boil and reduce heat to low. Continue to stir mixture occasionally for about 10 minutes, or until a spoon is coated with the liquid. Remove from heat and allow to cool (or place in tupperware and refrigerate for faster cooling).

When ready to assemble and bake, preheat oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper. Roll out pie dough onto a well-floured surface. Cut out 16 circles with a large, round cookie cutter (or 28-ounce can). Place 8 rounds on baking sheet.

Mix egg and water in small bowl. Scoop 1 tablespoon of berry filling onto the center of the rounds on baking sheet being sure to leave a small 1/4-inch edge all the way around. Brush edges with the egg mixture. Place a lollipop stick in the middle, if using, and be sure the stick goes almost to the top of the inside of the pies.

Stretch out one of the extra rounds a little bit and then place on top of the round with filling. Press edges together. Using a clean fork, press the edges slightly to be sure they are sealed well. Take a paring knife and cut several slits in the top of the pies for ventilation. Repeat with remaining rounds making a total of 8 individual pies.

Brush the tops with the egg wash mixture and sprinkle the turbinado sugar on top. Bake, uncovered, for about 20 minutes or until golden brown on top. Allow to cool. Filling will be very hot!

Basic Pie Dough

It's a beautiful and sunny day here in Indiana today so I thought it would be a great time to post the pie dough I use for all my pies. It's almost berry season! Also, the pictures turn out 100% better when the sun is shining. It's a great motivator because I miss the sunshine (and summer for that matter). So below is the recipe and step-by-step instructions for the dough to make a 9-inch pie crust.

First, Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix briefly to combine.

Add the butter pieces into the bowl a little at a time on medium-low speed.

Mix until the dough looks like coarse sand. The butter shouldn’t be larger than the size of a pea.

Mix in the cold water, adding more if necessary, on low speed just until dough comes together. Repeat if you need two 9-inch pie crusts.

Shape the dough into a ball and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Remove dough from fridge and roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface to desired size.

If necessary, patch uneven sides with excess pieces of dough. Pinch together.

To transfer easily, wrap dough loosely around rolling pin.

Unroll dough onto the bottom of a pie pan.

If needed, patch the sides again to be sure that the dough is as even as possible on each side.

Fill the dough and place another layer of the prepared dough on top if necessary for recipe. Bake as indicated with specific recipe.

Basic Pie Dough
Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally Williams-Sonoma
Yields: One 9-inch pie crust

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp sugar
¼ tsp salt
8 Tbsp cold, unsalted butter, chopped into small pieces
3 Tbsp very cold water

Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix briefly to combine. Add the butter pieces into the bowl a little at a time on medium-low speed. Mix until the dough looks like coarse sand. The butter shouldn’t be larger than the size of a pea. Mix in the cold water, adding more if necessary, on low speed just until dough comes together.

Shape the dough into a ball and chill in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. If you prefer, you may freeze in plastic wrap and a Ziploc bag to preserve for up to 3 months. To thaw, simply place in fridge a day or two ahead of time or set out in the sink the morning of. Remove dough from fridge and roll out the dough onto a lightly floured surface to desired size. Use as directed for your pie recipe. Repeat steps if you need two pie crusts.

Some of my favorite pies:
Chicken Pot Pie
Classic Apple Pie
Cran-Blueberry Pie

New York Cheesecake

Cheesecake is one of my (many) weaknesses when it comes to food. I am willing to try almost any type or flavor of cheesecake. I’ve had several versions but there is always one classic that never gets old: New York Style. Up until recently I’ve not had any springform pans to be able to try this classic at home. I purchased some right after Christmas and forgot about them until now. I am so incredibly glad that I remembered them. I made this cheesecake for my mom’s birthday this year and everyone just loved it!

New York Cheesecake
Adapted from: Annie’s Eats, originally Baking Illustrated
Yields: 1 9-inch cheesecake

For the crust:
5 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
4 oz graham cracker crumbs
1 Tbsp white sugar
1 Tbsp butter, melted, for greasing the pan

For the cheesecake:
2 ½ lb cream cheese (5 8-oz packages), chopped roughly at room temperature
Pinch salt
1 ½ cups white sugar
1/3 cup sour cream
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 large egg yolks plus 6 large eggs, at room temperature

To make the crust, preheat oven to 325 degrees and adjust an oven rack to the lower-middle position. Brush the bottom and sides of the pan with ½ of the tablespoon of melted butter. In a separate small bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, butter and sugar. Mix well and pour into the springform pan. Press the crust firmly onto the bottom of the pan in an even layer. Using your fingers has always been the best method for me. Bake until fragrant and it begins to brown around the edges, around 13 minutes. Cook on a wire rack while preparing filling.

Increase oven temperature to 500 degrees. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cream cheese at medium-low speed to break up and soften slightly, about 1 minute. Scrape the beater and bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the salt and half of the sugar and continue to beat on medium-low until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl again. Beat in the remaining sugar until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and add the sour cream, lemon juice, and vanilla. Beat on a low speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the bowl and add the eggs and yolks one at a time until thoroughly combined. Scrape the bowl in between each addition.

Brush the sides of the springform pan with remaining ½ tablespoon of melted butter. Set the pan on a rimmed baking sheet in case the pan leaks (mine were new so luckily they didn’t leak). Pour the filling onto the baked crust in the pan. Bake 10 minutes, turning often, and then reduce the heat to 200 degrees. Continue to turn about halfway through baking time. Bake until the cheesecake reads about 160 degrees on an instant read thermometer. Do not bake less than 1 hour and 45 minutes. I baked mine for about 1 hour and 30 minutes and it wasn’t finished yet so I had to bake it a little more later. I would say that 2hours is a great time frame to aim for. Note: The temperature of the cheesecake might exceed 160 degrees, but this is okay.

Transfer cake to wire rack and cool until barely warm to the touch, about 2 ½ hours. Run a paring knife between the cake and the springform pan sides. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge until ready to serve, at least 3 hours. To unmold the cheesecake, remove the sides of the pan and slide a thin metal spatula underneath the crust to loosen. Slide the cake onto a serving plate and let it stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Note: Use a long, thin and sharp knife that has been run under hot water and dried for slicing. Wipe the blade clean and rewarm in between slices.

To make the strawberry sauce, simply mix 1 pint of strawberries roughly chopped with 1/3 cup sugar in a covered bowl or tupperware container and leave in the fridge for 3+ hours.

Chicken Pot Pie, revisited

I've made this pot pie before. It is one of our favorite dinners of all time! I just wanted to share it again just so that it doesn't get lost in the archives. We really do have to restrain ourselves from eating it more than once a month. Yup, it's that good! One thing both my husband and I will not eat (ever) is peas. Normal chicken pot pie contains peas, but I substituted the corn and it has been a fantastic replacement. If I were to reccomend any weeknight dinner, this would be at the top of my list. One thing I might experiment with in the near future is purchasing some large rammekins and making individual pot pies.

Chicken Pot Pie

Adapted from: All-Recipes

Yields: One 9-inch pie

1 lb boneless, skiness chicken breasts (cubed)
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup celery, chopped
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup chopped onion, minced
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp celery seed
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 unbaked pie crusts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a stock pot, combine chicken, carrots, corn, celery and add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. About halfway through, heat a medium sauce pan over medium heat cooking the butter and onions until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Then, slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thickened, about 8 minutes.

Unfold one pie crust into greased pie pan and place chicken mixture in. Then, pour liquid mixture on top making sure nothing overflows. Place second crust flat on top and cut off excess dough from edge of pan. Then, fold top and bottom crusts together and into a zig-zag (fluted) pattern. Cut slits on top crust for ventilation and bake for 25-30 minutes, until crust is golden brown.

Traditional Crust Pizza

I know I haven't been the most consistent blogger lately and I sincerely apologize! I have lots of great recipes in the near future coming though. We have already tried a bunch and they are delicious! Pizza, however, is always a favorite in this household. I love that you can put anything on top and make it specific to your taste. My husband prefers simply meat and extra cheese. I prefer veggies of all sorts and a little meat here and there. One topping I've come to love is mild pork sausage. It gives the pizza some extra kick and tastes much better than traditional, tasteless sausage (make note, Hungry Howies). This recipe is very simple and the hardest part is waiting for the dough to rise.

Traditional Crust Pizza

Adapted from: Annie's Eats (crust)

Yields: 1 large, 8-slice pizza

1 pizza crust

1/4-1/3 cup tomato sauce

1 tsp sugar

4-5 cups mozzarella cheese

toppings of your choice (sausage, peppers, etc)

Preheat the oven with a baking stone in it to 350 degrees. While the oven is heating up, roll the pizza crust out onto a well-floured surface into a circle so it's about 1/2-inch thick. Place the crust on top of the heated pizza stone. Pour the tomato sauce on top of the crust and spread evenly leaving around a 3/4-inch diameter around the edges for the crust to rise. Sprinkle the sugar on top of the sauce. Sprinkle the cheese on top of the tomato sauce being sure to cover evenly and completely. Add toppings of your choice and bake for 15-18 minutes for a soft, but firm crust. Allow pizza to cool slightly. Cut and enjoy!

Cran-Blueberry Pie

I’ve never really liked cranberry sauce because of its tanginess. If they are mixed with a very sweet berry, however, they taste absolutely wonderful. I think that is what makes this pie irresistible. I made it a few weeks ago and I loved it so much I’m going to make another one for my family Christmas dinner (that my dad volunteered me to host this year). The main problems with my hosting a big family dinner is: stress and picking out food. I don’t know what everyone will like and I want to go out of the ordinary but I’m afraid people won’t eat anything or will complain. This year I’m going traditional with a few out of the ordinary extras. This will be something my family has never eaten and I can’t wait to see their faces!

Cran Blueberry Pie
Adapted from: Annie’s Eats, originally Bon Appétit
Yields: one 9-inch pie

For the filling:
16 oz frozen blueberries (do not thaw)
12 oz frozen cranberries (do not thaw) *
1 ¼ cup sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
2 cinnamon sticks, or 2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp lemon juice
½ tsp finely grated lemon zest

For assembling:
2 9-inch pie crusts
ground nutmeg, for sprinkling

To make the filling, combine the blueberries, cranberries, sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon sticks (or ground cinnamon), lemon juice and zest in a large saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat until the mixture has thickened and begins to boil, stirring constantly, about 14 minutes. Once the mixture begins to boil, continue to boil for an additional 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Transfer the mixture to a bowl and allow it to cool completely before proceeding.

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Roll out one of the pie crusts to a 12-inch round. Line a 9-inch pie plate with the crust. Remove cinnamon sticks, if using, from the cooled mixture. Then, spread the filling onto the bottom crust in the pie plate. Roll out the second piece of pie crust into a 12-inch round and either cut strips for a lattice crust or place loosely on top of pie and cut slits in the top. Cut off excess crust and pinch the edges together and use your fingers to make a fluted pattern. Sprinkle nutmeg on top crust and bake in the oven for 60-70 minutes, rotating halfway. Be sure to place a drip pan underneath in the oven because this pie will get messy towards the end of the baking time. If the crust is browning too quickly, place foil around it and continue baking normally. Allow pie to cool on a wire rack and serve warm or at room temperature.

*If you can't find already frozen cranberries like I couldn't, then you can buy a 12 ounce package of cranberries in the produce section of your local store and keep in the freezer for this recipe.

Caesar Salad Pizza

Caesar salad is my number one favorite kind of salad. It's usually pretty consistent on the toppings and the wonderful flavor of the dressing is amazing, too. I have made other pizza crusts before but this one is very doughy and tastes just like bread you would serve with a normal side caesar salad. It's not like my deep dish pizza crust or anything close to it. I did roll these crusts out thinner because they looked too thick compared to the picture on the website. They did, however rise a little more than I would have hoped so I will probably make them even thinner next time. Don't be afraid to roll the dough thinner than you normally like it; it will turn out perfect! Also, feel free to add or omit toppings you like on your salads. I added chicken to make this a more wholesome dinner.

Caesar Salad Pizza

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally The Pastry Queen
Serves:6-8

For the crust:

1 ½ cups warm water
5 tsp instant yeast
2 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for brushing
2 tsp honey
4-5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
½ tsp red pepper flakes
¾ cup coarse cornmeal
freshly shredded parmesan cheese

For assembly:
Caesar dressing
1 large head Romaine lettuce, washed and chopped
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
garlic croutons
Parmesan shavings

To make the crust, combine the water, yeast, oil, honey and 3 cups flour in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook attachment. Add the salt and red pepper flakes. Mix on low speed until combined. Add 1 more cup of the flour and mix until soft. Mix on low speed for 5 minutes to knead. Add the rest of the flour 1-2 Tablespoons at a time (as needed) until the dough is smooth and tacky but not sticky.

Coat 2 baking sheets with olive oil (or preheat a pizza stone, unoiled). Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Sprinkle baking sheet(s) with cornmeal. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces (use only those needed, freeze the rest in plastic wrap and a ziploc bag). Cover the dough with a damp towel and let sit for 10 minutes, until the oven heats up.
With a rolling pin, flatten dough ball into 10-inch circle on well-floured surface. Brush each dough with olive oil and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Transfer to prepared baking sheet or stone and bake until lightly golden and crisp, about 10-15 minutes.

To assemble the salad, combine lettuce, tomatoes and dressing (as desired) in large mixing bowl. Toss to coat evenly and place a generous amount on cooked, warm pizza crust. Top with parmesan cheese and croutons as desired.

Classic Apple Pie

Apple Pie and Independence Day go together like .. Santa Clause and Christmas! This is the first completely homemade pie I have ever made! I absolutely loved it and my husband's friends were in shock I think, since they don't eat anything that can't be nuked. (Side note: they all work for Whirlpool so they get all kinds of Kitchen Aid gadgets on a weekly basis but don't use them. Don't cry about this like I did. Haha). At any rate, this was a huge success. I did make the homemade crust and that recipe will be posted later this week. For now, I will re-highlight my mother's (and grandmother's) amazing Apple Pie!

Classic Apple Pie

Adapted from: Kelly's Kitch original

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
7 medium to large apples (I used 3 granny smith and 4 fuji), peeled and sliced
3 tbsp butter or margarine
3 tsp lime juice (or lemon juice is a great substitute)
2 nine-inch pie crusts

Stir together sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl. Mix in apples until mixture is paste-like.

Add mixture into greased pie pan lined with one pie crust. Cover with the second pie crust and fold edges over and make into zig-zag (crust) pattern. Cut 6-8 slits in the top of the pie crust about an inch long. Sprinkle crust with cinnamon.

Cover edges of crust with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 425 degrees (conventional). Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza

My husband and I have recently been trying to plan a weekend trip to Chicago, Illinois. One of the many places we want to experience is their famous deep-dish style pizza they are famous for. Thankfully we were able to try it out at home first. This just makes it that much more prudent that we plan this trip. Just so you know, this is not the first homemade pie crust I have made, but it certainly was the softest and tastiest. However, this is the very first deep dish my husband and I have ever had (restaurant or otherwise). Even though we have no comparison, we do know what we like .. and this is it!! It is so weird to put the toppings on the pizza dough and top with the sauce but really it was delicious. It did make the pizza a little unamageable by hand and we ended up with forks, but all in all it tasted fantastic!

Chicago-Style Deep-Dish Pizza

Adapted from: Annie's Eats, originally Cooks Illustrated January-February 2010

For the dough

1.5 cups plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/4 cup yellow cornmeal *
dash salt
1 tsp sugar
1 1/8 tsp instant yeast (not quite 1 packet, although next time I will use the entire packet)
1/2 cup plus 2 tbsp water, at room temperature
1.5 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter, softened
 
For the sauce
1 tbsp butter
2 tbsp onion, very finely chopped
pinch dried oregano
dash salt
1.5 cloves garlic, minced
1 can crushed tomatoes (14 oz)
pinch sugar
2 tbsp basil
1.5 tsp extra-virgin olive oil
pinch ground black pepper
 
For assembling and topping
2 tbsp olive oil
6-8 oz mozzarella, shredded
2-4 tbsp parmesan cheese, grated
pepperoni and sausage (or any other toppings you like)
 
To make the dough, combine flour, cornmeal, salt, sugar and yeast in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment on low speed. Mix for about 1 minute (until well blended) and add the water and butter and mix an additional 1-2 minutes until blended. You may scrape the sides of the bowl occasionally. Increase speed to medium-low and knead for 4-5 minutes until the dough will easily pull off the hook and sides of the bowl. Using hands, coat a medium bowl with 1 tsp (do not use more than this) of olive oil and coat the dough with the oil. Cover bowl with saran wrap and allow to rise for 1 hour at room temperature. Dough should have nearly doubled.
 
While the dough is rising, you may prepare the sauce mixture. Melt butter in medium saucepan over medium heat and add the onion, oregano and salt. Cook, stirring occasionally until liquid has evaporated and onion is golden brown (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook about 30 seconds to allow to become fragrant. Stir in tomatoes and sugar and increase heat to medium-high. Bring mixture to a slight simmer and then lower heat to low and continue to simmer until liquid is reduced (about 25 minutes). Remove from heat and add basil and oil and mix well. Season with salt and pepper to desired taste.
 
To laminate the dough, turn the dough out onto a dry work surface that is slightly floured. Roll into a 8x6 inch rectangle. Using an offset spatula, spread the softened butter over dough surface, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge. Starting at the shorter end, roll the dough into a tight cylinder and leave the seam side down. Flatten the cylinder into a 9x2 inch rectangle. Fold into thirds (similar to a business letter) and pinch the seams closed to form a ball. Return to oiled bowl, cover tightly with saran wrap and let rise in the refridgerator until nearly doubled in size (50 minutes).
 
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. To begin to put pizza together, coat a 9-inch round cake pan (or we used a 9x9 baking dish, square) with 2 tbsp olive oil. Transfer dough ball to dry work surface that is slightly floured. Roll into a 13-inch disk about 1/4-inch thick and transfer to the pan. Lightly press the dough in the pan, working into corners and 1 inch up the sides. If dough resists stretching you may let it sit for 5 minutes and try again.
 
Sprinkle mozzarella cheese onto pizza dough. Place any toppings you desire on top of that (pepperoni, onion, sausage, etc). Top with the tomato sauce mixture and sprinkle with parmesan cheese. Bake for 20-30 minutes until crust is golden brown. remove from oven and allow to sit 5-10 minutes before slicing and serving.
 
 
* Not sure if it is a real substitute but I used Jiffy's Cornmuffin Mix instead of buying a $5 bag of yellow cornmeal (no thank you). Worked fine for me.

Key Lime Chiffon Pie

I made this for myself on my birthday last weekend. My oh my was it worth it! I have tried this recipe before I had the Kitchen Aid stand mixer and it never turned out right. I think you just can't get the speed you need from a hand mixer to make the whipping. This was my all-time favorite key lime pie thus far! It is much lighter than most key limes I have tasted and less tangy too. Keep in mind, though, it is not a traditional pie, it is a chiffon pie. It is soft, low fat (oh yeah) and light enough to not make you feel over-full after dinner.

 

It was at this point I knew I had to control myself. I didn't realize that I was making basically my own whipped cream. I don't put together ingredients and think to myself "oh this is making a whipped cream" because I don't know these things yet. You experiment and you learn. Let's just say that attachment went to the sink pretty darn clean! ;) It was so good! I also had a store-bought crust because I wasn't sure if this would turn out the same as last time (liquidy) or correctly like it did. Thankfully I can rest assured that next time the crust will be just as home-made.

Key Lime Chiffon Pie

Adapted from: Essentials of Healthful Cooking, Williams-Sonoma

1/2 cup key lime juice

1 tbsp unflavored gelatin (one packet) *

3/4 cup sugar

3 large egg yolks, beaten (keep the whites)

grated zest of 1 lime (about 1.5 tbsp)

1/4 cup nonfat condensed milk

4 large egg whites, at room temperature

kosher salt

Pour the lime juice into a small, nonreactive saucepan and sprinkle the gelatin over top. Set aside about 5 minutes until gelatin softens. Add 1/4 cup of the sugar, egg yolks, and 1 tbsp of the zest. Place pan on medium heat and constantly stir until mixture steams but does not boil. This will take about 5 minutes and you can test that its done by dipping a spoon into the mixture and pulling it out. Run your finger down the back of the middle of the spoon. Your finger should leave a clean path that the filling does not flow back onto. Remove from heat, pour into a small glass dish and cover. Place in the fridge for 15-20 minutes stirring with a spatula a few times to make sure it doesn't congeal to the sides.

Towards the last 5 minutes of the lime juice mixture being in the fridge, take the 4 egg whites and pour into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whip attachment (shown above). Beat the egg whites on medium speed until very frothy, about 1-2 minutes. Add a pinch of salt and continue beating until soft peaks form, about 2-3 minutes. Increase speed to high and gradually add the 1/2 cup of sugar 1 tbsp at a time. Allow the sugar to completely incorporate each addition, waiting about 10 seconds in between. When all the sugar has been added continue to beat an additional 2 minutes longer to form stiff peaks (picture shown above).

Using a rubber spatula, gently stir 1/4 of the egg white mixture into the gelatin. Then pour that mixture back onto the remaining egg white mixture and continue to fold with the spatula until no white streaks remain. spread the filling into pie crust and level with the spatula. I had quite a bit extra filling so you might not need all of it. Refrigerate 1-2 hours until filling has set and serve the day of. The recipe book notes that chiffon pies are best served the day that they are made.

* Unflavored gelatin is found with the jello packets in the baking isle. IT IS NOT VANILLA GELATIN! It says on the package "unflavored gelatin" and it is a common mistake for those who have never used it before. Take some time and look around for it.

Chicken Pot Pie

Who doesn't love warm pie for dinner? This is the very first pot pie I have ever made. I have tasted some before but they almost always have peas in them. Anything with peas in it (even just one) makes me cringe. It must be their soft texture. It took me a very long time to warm up to beans for that very same reason. Instead of peas I used corn and loved the texture it had.

My husband didn't tell me before I made this that he doesn't like pot pies either. I was really asking for it making something neither of us have ever liked before. I think with age comes culinary maturity and taste, however. To quote my husband as he devoured his first and second pieces within minutes, "I don't like pot pie but this was great!" I call that a sweet victory.

Chicken Pot Pie
Adapted from: All-Recipes

1 lb boneless, skiness chicken brests (cubed)
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1/2 cup sliced celery
2 tbsp butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 tsp celery seed
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 unbaked pie crusts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a stock pot, combine chicken, carrots, corn, celery and add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. About halfway through, heat medium sauce pan over medium heat cooking onions and butter until soft, about 5-7 minutes. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Then slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thickened, about 8 minutes.

NOTE: You may pre-heat the bottom pie crust (as suggested on the all-recipes site) but it shrunk the crust so I wouldn't suggest it.

Unfold one pie crust into greased pie pan and place chicken mixture in. Then, pour liquid mixture on top making sure nothing overflows. Place second crust on top, flat, and cut off excess dough from edge of pan. Then, fold top and bottom crusts together and into a zig-zag pattern. Cut slits on top crust for ventilation and bake for 25-30 minutes, until crust is golden brown.

Easy Cherry Pie

Have you forgotten about that pitch-in at work or a family gathering you volunteered to bring dessert to? No need to worry because here is the solution. Easy as pie!

My mom has been making this and taught me a long time ago how to master the art of a beautiful crust. Moms are the best and I plan to pass this talent onto my children some day.

Easy Cherry Pie

Adapted from: the recipe on the cans of cherry filling at local grocery

1 package pie crusts

2 21oz cans cherry pie filling

2 tsp sugar

Preheat oven to 425 degrees and lightly grease pie pan. Unroll one pie crust and lay into pie pan making sure all sides are an even height. Pour pie filling into crust and cover flat with second crust. Take a dull knife and cut excess crust that hangs over the edge of the glass pie pan.

Fold top layer of crust over top bottom layer's edge of crust and press together. When finised make into a desired "crust-like" zig-zag pattern. Cut 12-16 slits in top of crust with dull knife for ventilation and sprinkle with sugar.

Cook pie at 425 degrees for 15 minutes and then turn heat down to 350 degrees for remaining 30 minutes. I like to put foil over top of my crust to prevent browning and hardening too much. I usually remove after the first 20-30 minutes.

Perfect Apple Pie

Everyone has one. An old family recipe that is just perfect. Well, this is mine. Totally perfect and impossible to mess up. Trust me, if it could be done .. I would have somehow done it by now. I made this pie for my friend at work who was leaving. On her last day I brought this in and every single person that had a piece told me how amazing it tasted. One guy even said that it tasted like grandma's apple pie after Thanksgiving dinner.

Trust me, it is exactly that.

Perfect Apple Pie

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
7 medium to large apples (I used 5 granny smith and 2 gala), peeled and sliced
3 tbsp butter or margarine
3 tsp real lemon
2 nine-inch pie crusts

Stir together sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in large bowl. Mix in apples until mixture is paste-like.

Add mixture into greased pie pan lined with one pie crust. Cover with the second pie crust and fold edges over and make into zig-zag (crust) pattern. Cut 6-8 slits in the top of the pie crust about an inch long. Sprinkle crust with cinnamon.

Cover edges of crust with foil and bake for 30 minutes at 425 degrees (conventional). Remove foil and bake another 15-20 minutes until crust is golden brown.

Homemade Pumpkin Pie, Trial 1

So for this recipe I used my grandma's cookbook circa 1942. I don't think you can buy this at any Border's. Hopefully old-fashioned recipes are the best.

Cut the pumpkin down the middle with a serrated knife and scoop out the entire middle: seeds and "goop" as I call it. I didn't get it all and after I steamed it, it was really stringy so MAKE SURE YOU SCRAPE IT REALLY GOOD!

Steam the finished product. You can also bake or microwave them. Baking takes the longest. They are done when the skin almost peels off itself. Steaming took about 15 minutes or so. My mixture of the filling ingredients was frothy and more liquidy than I had anticipated but then again I don't like pumpkin pie so I never make it and had no idea what to expect.

Edit: My husband tried this pie the day after I made it. I don't know the best way to store it. Any ideas? Stovetope with or without celophane? In the fridge? Either way the crust was soggy and he said the texture was not right. Ehh I'll do Libby's for now then. =)

Pumpkin Pie:
1/8 t salt
2 t pumpkin spice **
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1 2/3 C milk
1 1/2 C mashed cooked pumpkin
1 pastry shell

Sift dry ingredients and stir in eggs. Add milk and pumpkin mixture. Line pie pan with pastry shell and pour in filling. Bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then turn down to 325 for 35 minutes. NOTE: I turned it up to 350 and still had to bake an extra 40-45 minutes or so. It is done when filling doesn't stick to toothpick.

**Use 1 t cinnamon, 1/4 t nutmeg and 1/2 t ginger for an alternative to pumpkin spice.