Easy as Pie when bored
When I’m looking at daily life and being just a little bored, my thoughts always lead me into the kitchen. Cooking or baking always seems to give me comfort and take my thoughts away being bored or out of sorts. Tackling a new recipe or even just making something we’re hungry for always makes me feel good. Besides we can satisfy our cravings. And men, these recipes are so easy, you can whip one up and serve it for “date night”.
So this brings me to PIE. My mother was a fantastic pie baker. Her crusts, especially, were always flaky and delicious. When Rita & I got married, Rita told me that she would cook and bake anything but pie, because she couldn’t match my Mom’s. And so, several times over the years, I’ve tried to match Mom’s pie crust, but with not much success. Could be because Rita never appreciated having our kitchen dusted with flour, as Mom’s was?
The consequence of this, led me to the use of graham cracker crusts. With these, I found I could whip up a pie in no time and most of them were pretty good. Rita’s favorite is Coconut Creme, mine is Mixed berry and of course, we had to try Pumpkin for Thanksgiving. The +1 cake is a pumpkin roll turned into a Bushe de Noel (Yule log).
All these pies can be made with graham cracker, cookie crumb or regular premade pie shells (bake before filling).
Coconut Creme Pie
2 boxes (3.4oz) instant vanilla or instant coconut pudding mix.
3 1/2 cups milk
1 carton frozen whipped topping, thawed, divided in half
1 1/2Cups shredded coconut reserve 1/2 c to toast for top, if desired
Beat pudding mix & milk with whisk for 2 minutes
Stir in 1 c. cool whip and 1 c. coconut, pour into pie crust
Refrigerate 4 hours until firm. Meanwhile, toast remaining coconut in oven. Watch carefully.
Top pie with remaining Cool Whip and toasted coconut just before serving.
YUMMY!!
Blue Berry & fresh Pineapple Pie
2 crust packaged pie crust – unroll and place 1 into pie tin
3 cups fresh Blueberries
2-3 cups chopped fresh pineapple (or drained, canned)
3/4 c. sugar
2Tablespoons Cornstarch
zest of 1 lemon
2 Teaspoons lemon juice
pinch salt
Mix fruit together together & cook until thickened – about 2 minutes – cool
Pour cooled fruit mix into pie shell.
Cover with other shell, & crimp edges
Bake in preheated oven 425 degrees for 15 min.
Reduce heat to 375, bake for additional 30-40 min.
GREAT WITH FRENCH VANILLA ICE CREME!!
Pumpkin Pie
1 graham cracker crust or unbaked single pie crust
1 can pure Pumpkin 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 can Evaporated milk 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 Cup granulated sugar 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
Beat eggs in large bowl. Add all other ingredients and beat well. Pour into prepared pie shell.
Bake in Preheated oven 424 degrees for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 and bake additional 30-40 min. until a knife inserted near center, comes out clean.
EASY, PEASY THANKSGIVING PIE!
Pumpkin Cake roll
3 Eggs – Beat on high for 5 min
1 cup Sugar – beat in gradually
2/3 cup pumpkin – stirred in
1 teaspoon Lemon juice – stirred in
3/4 c. flour 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons Cinnamon 1 teaspoon Ginger
Mix all dry ingredients together & fold into pumpkin mixture
Place into a well greased cookie sheet with edges. Line with waxed paper so that there are pieces of the paper above the pan edges.
Bake at 375 degrees for 13 minutes Short time because it is thin
Sprinkle a clean tea towel (thin, not a terry towel) with powdered sugar. Using edges of paper, take cake out of pan, turn upside down onto powdered tea towel. Remove the waxed paper carefully. Roll up the cake inside the towel. Leave until completely cooled. Carefully, unroll the cake and frost with following icing:
1 cup Powdered sugar 6 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 Tablespoons Butter 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla
Beat until smooth. Spread on cake (there should be some left over).
Reroll the cake in Saran.
When ready to serve: dust with powdered sugar
DELICIOUS BUT RICH!
This freezes well so when we have leftover we turn it into Bushe de Noel, below
Bushe de Noel - quick and easy
Bushe de Noel or Yule Log is usually made from a chocolate cake with heavy whipped cream filling & decorated like a log.
Our version uses the leftover Pumpkin cake roll from the freezer.
Remove roll from freezer and unwrap. Use leftover Cream Cheese frosting to coat the log. If you don’t have enough or want whipped cream on the log, purchase chocolate whipped cream (RediWhip or Cool Whip) to coat the log with.
Drag a fork horizontally down the length of the log, decorate the top with candied cherries and sift cocoa powder over.
VOILA!!!! INSTANT BUSHE DE NOEL!
HAPPY BAKING and SHARING!!
Don’t forget, “the way to ANYONE’S HEART is through their STOMACH !
Ron