Summer Pink Lemonade Cream Pie

Submitted by Heather Sheehan
(Sorry for the photo; this pie was actually a very pretty pink)

1 graham cracker crust
8 oz. cream cheese (softened)
1/2 cup sugar
1 regular sized cool whip
1 pkg Pink Lemonade unsweetened Kool-aid (for less tartness, only add 1/2 pkg)
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 drops red food coloring

Whip together everything but the crust. Pour into the pie shell & chill.

Moist Pie Crust Mix (from Make-A-Mix Cookery)

5 lbs all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp salt
1 (3 lb) can vegetable shortening
3 cups cold water (I use milk to make the crust stronger)
extra flour for rolling

Combine flour and salt in a very, very large bowl. Mix well. With pastry blender, cut in shortening until evenly distributed. Mixture will resemble cornmeal in texture. Add cold water all at once and mix lightly until the flour absorbs all the water and texture resembles putty. If dough is too sticky, add more flour, until the dough barely clings together in the bowl.

(Here is where I modify the recipe) Divide the dough into 16-18 balls. You can wrap each ball/loaf in plastic wrap and aluminum foil at this point for freezing, or prep them a little more (as follows) before freezing. Roll each ball into a pie crust large enough to fit a pan. Place a slightly larger piece of wax paper over the crust and roll both together. Place the finished rolls into a large bread or freezer bag (or wrap in aluminum foil) and freeze for later use. Use within 12 months.

If you have disposable aluminum pie plates, I like to actually line the pie pans with the dough and crimp the edges, ready for baking; and then place each pan in a gallon sized freezer bag and stack the bagged pans in each other for freezing. The pan freezing method is the most convenient way when you're ready to actually cook a pie with them. However, I would also freeze some rolled for those recipes that don't use a pie pan. (i.e. hot dog roll ups)

You then always have frozen pie crusts available for pies (see the pumpkin pie recipe that follows), quiches (Abigail submitted a great recipe that follows) or anything else you care to use it for. Try cutting a crust into triangle wedges (pizza style), brush with brown mustard, and roll a hot dog up croissant style in the crust for a tasty, easy, meal/snack (Bake until flaky and browned).

Pumpkin Pie (Libby's)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (or use 15 oz fresh/frozen cooked pumpkin; but you might have to bake the pie longer depending on how moist your pumpkin is)
1 can (12 fl. oz) evaporated milk
1 unbaked 9-inch deep dish pie crust
whipped cream (optional)

Combine sugar and spices in a bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk with eggs. Stir in pumpkin and sugar/spice mixture. Gradually add the evaporated milk, stirring constantly.

Pour into pie shell.

Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees; bake for 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. (May be significantly longer if you're using fresh pumpkin.) Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Chicken Pot Pie

Submitted by Abigail Rich

3 whole chicken breasts
2 potatoes, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 celery stalks, diced
1 package sliced mushrooms
2 yellow squash, diced
1/2 cup peas
2 cups chicken broth + 4 Tbsp
2 Tbsp flour
1 pkg ready-make pie crust (top & bottom)
1/2 tsp thyme, tarragon, and sage each

Preheat oven to 375. Cube chicken into 1 inch pieces and saute in olive oil with herbs. Add all vegetables except peas to pan. Add chicken broth. Simmer until potatoes are tender. Add peas. Mix flour with 4 Tbsp chicken broth and add to pan to thicken sauce. Pour into prepared pie dish. Cut vent holes in the top of the pie crust, and place pie dish on a baking pan before placing in oven. Bake for approx. 45 minutes until crust is golden. (be creative with the vegetables you use - sweet potatoes, zucchini, etc. are also delicious.) Enjoy!

German Chocolate Pie

Submitted by Abigail Rich

8 oz German chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cups crushed pecans
1 10 inch graham cracker pie crust

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In microwave, melt chocolate and butter on a low setting, stirring several times to prevent burning.
When chocolate/butter is melted, stir in sugar, salt, vanilla, cornstarch, and eggs until well blended.
Stir in evaporated milk and stir until smooth.
Pour into pie crust and bake for 15 minutes.
Mix coconut and pecans together and add to the top of the pie.
Continue baking another 30 - 35 minutes until center is set. Enjoy!

Best of the Best Lemon Meringue Pie

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2/ cup cornstarch

1/4 Tsp. salt

2 1/2 cups water

1 Tbsp grated lemon rind

4 egg yolks

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (about 3 lemons)

3 Tbsp butter

9"-10" baked pie shell

Directions

Mix first 5 ingredients together and bring to a boil on medium high heat. Cook until thickened and no longer cloudy. Stir slowly and constantly. In a small bowl, beat egg yolks until creamy. Add 1 cup cooked mixture and mix thoroughly. Add yolk mixture slowly to cooked mixture, stirring constantly, and bring back to a boil. Cook 1 minute and remove from heat. Slowly stir lemon juice and butter into cooked mixture and set aside to cool. Then pour into a 9"-10" baked pie shell.

Meringue
4 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 Tsp. cream of tartar

Whip egg whites and cream of tartar on high speed until fluffy and peaks hold their shape. Slowly beat in sugar. Mound lightly on top of pie. Using the back of a large spoon, press lightly onto meringue and lift up to create curls.  Bake at 450° until meringue is golden brown.

Double/Triple Layer Pudding Pie

This was originaly a double layer pumpkin pie recipe. The pumpkin layer was just instant vanilla pudding with a can of pumkin and 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (just in case you'd like to try it). We weren't so fond of the pumpkin layer, but we loved the cream cheese layer, so I modified the recipe to make it all enjoyable. It's not a very exact recipe, so play with flavors and amounts and have fun with it.



1 Cookie pie crust (previous recipe)(I used vanilla wafers in the pie pictured above)
1 12 oz cream cheese softened
1 Tbsp milk
1 Tbsp sugar
1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping or whipped cream
Milk per pudding package
1 (6 serving) package of instant pudding of choice OR 2 (4 serving)packages instant pudding of choice (pictured above is a layer of chocolate mint, and a layer of chocolate.)

Mix cream cheese, 1 Tbsp milk, and sugar in a large bowl with wire whisk or beaters until smooth. Gently stir in whipped topping/cream. Spread on bottom of crust. (I found this made enough for 2 pies actually. I saved half of this layer in a bowl in the fridge for several days until I was ready to make another pie. It kept very well.)

Mix the pudding according to the pudding PIE directions on the package. Beat for a minute and then pour on top of cream cheese layer. If making a triple layer, chill pie until set before repeating this step for the third layer.

Refrigerate for several hours or until set. Garnish with additional whipped topping, if desired. Refrigerate leftovers.

Graham Cracker/Cookie Pie Crust

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (or cookie crumbs)
3 Tbsp sugar (not necessary for Oreo cookie crust)
1/3 cup butter, melted

Mix all together and press into the bottom and sides of a pie pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes.

Perfct Pie Crust

This recipe is a mixture of Mom's recipe and one from The Pampered Chef:

Sorry no picture yet. I burnt my pie this Christmas. But it really does make a great crust that tastes fabulous and rolls really well. If you use this before I do, take a picture to post, please.

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbsp sugar
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vinegar
3-4 Tbsp cold milk

Combine flour, slat, and sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Evenly cut shortening into flour mixture with a pastry blender. Combine egg and vinegar in small bowl and add to flour mixture. Add milk a little at a time until dough is moist enough to form a ball. Makes 2 pie crusts, or 1 double crust pie shell.