Peach Crumb Pie Bites

With it finally feeling like fall here, this week anyways, we did have a few days last week with temps back near 90. I wanted to have one last taste of Summer and these hit the spot. With them being two bite size, just grab and go, only I grabbed and went several times! Although I went with peach filling, you can always change up the fruit filling..apple, cherry, pear..whatever your tastebuds are calling for!

There are a couple of things I will tell you about the recipes. The dough recipe makes 24 mini pies. The filling recipe makes about double of what you need..so make it and freeze half, or double your dough and make more of these babies...I am sure you won't get any complaints. :) And the crumb topping makes double of what you will need too, so you may want to half that recipe.

Peach Crumb Pie Bites

Dough:
1/2 cup butter, softened
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powder sugar
1 cup flour

Filling:
4 large peaches, peeled, pitted, and finely chopped
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

Crumb topping
1/2 cup flour
1/4 sugar
2 Tbs. brown sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, room temperature

Crust:
Beat the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Add the powdered sugar and beat until well incorporated. Add the flour and mix scraping down the sides until just combined. The dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Scoop and roll into small 1 inch balls and place in the cups of an ungreased mini-muffin tin. Press in the bottom and up the sides of the cups in the muffin tins. Set aside the shells. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Filling:
Put the peaches, brown sugar, butter, vanilla, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until peaches are tender, about 30 minutes. Set aside.

Crumb topping: Mix the flour, sugars, cinnamon and salt together in a bowl with a fork. Cut the butter in using two butter knives until it resembles small peas.

Place a small scoop of the peach filling into each mini shell, filling to the top. Sprinkle on a good amount of the crumb topping pressing slightly to adhere. Place in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes or until the top is slightly browned and the shells are a golden brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool in the pan for 3 minutes. remove them from the pan and let them cool on a cooling rack.

Blackberry Pie Bars

Blackberries are in season here right now, and since I have a great hubby that works outdoors...he finds the best blackberry patches that are just there for the picking. There is just something calming to me about berry picking or any kind of picking for that matter. I could pick for hours and I did just that with these berries. It makes me happy! :)

We had a cookout with our church this past Sunday and had so much fun! I made these to take. I don't know..but when we have a get together and I need to take something, bars always come to mind. They are easy to just pick up and go.

These bars have a sweet crust with a moist, gooey filling and then the crunch on top. I will make them again and probably try different berries in them or maybe peaches!

Blackberry Pie Bars

For the dough:
1 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
Zest of one lemon
Pinch of salt

1. Rub zest of lemon into sugar using the back of the spoon creating a lemon scented sugar.

2. In the bowl of your mixer, dump in flour, sugar/lemon zest mixture, butter and salt. Beat with the paddle attachment for a couple of minutes until the dough comes together in small chunks.

3. Press half of the dough into the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 pan. Set aside the remaining dough.
4. Bake the dough for 10 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven. Let cool for 10 minutes.

For the filling:
2 large eggs1 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup all purpose flour
3 cups blackberries (if using frozen, thaw and drain first)

1. Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add sugar, sour cream and flour to the eggs. Mix well and then fold blackberries.

2. Pour blackberries over baked crust and spread evenly.

3. Sprinkle the reserved dough on top of the blackberry mixture and bake for 50-60 minutes.

4. Let cool one hour before serving.

Deep Dish Crumb Topped Caramel Apple Pie

I think that I will just let the title of this speak for itself on this one! Remember the stack of recipes that I had talked about before, you know, the ones that you just print off, or rip out of a magazine? Well, this is one of them and the date is 1/03!!! I can't believe that I haven't made it before now!!

Deep Dish Crumb Topped Caramel Apple Pie

Crust:
2 cups pecans, chopped and divided--I used Walnuts
2/3 cups all purpose flour
1 pkg (18 oz) refrigerated sugar cookie dough

Filling:
3 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp cinnamon
8 individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped and quartered

Crumb Topping:
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup butter or margarine, melted
2 tsp vanilla
1 cup confectioner's sugar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spread pecans on ungreased baking sheet. Bake until lightly browned, 2-3 minutes, cool.

Crust: Coat bottom and inside of 9 inch springform pan with cooking spray. In food processor process 1 cup pecans until finely ground, or finely chop with a knife. At medium -low speed beat flour into dough until combined. Stir in ground pecans. Press dough onto side and bottom of pan, creating scant 1/4 inch thick crust, refrigerate 20 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 350 degrees. Bake crust 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Filling: Toss apples with sugar, flour, cinnamon and remaining pecans; spoon into pan. Sprinkle with chopped caramels. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes.

Crumb Topping: Meanwhile, at low speed combine flour, sugars(except confectioner's sugar) and cinnamon. Increase speed to medium; gradually add butter and vanilla, beating until wet crumbs form. Remove pie from oven; uncover. Using hands press tablespoonfuls of crumb mixture together to form large crumbs; place over filling, covering the entire surface. Bake, uncovered, 45 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on rack, remove sides from pan.

Stir together confectioner's sugar and 4 tsp. water until smooth. Drizzle over top of pie.

Apple Crumb Top Pie with Whole Wheat Crust

I love aprons. I love the designs, I love how they make you feel when you put them on. I love the nostalgia of them. I almost feel like June Cleaver when I wear them. Today was one of those days. It was cloudy and a little chilly, I needed something warming, something to warm the soul. So, I came home and donned my newest apron that was given to me by a good friend. So, my apron and I set out to make apple pie.

This is just not some regular pie. This pie is a little healthier, made with a whole wheat crust and a whole wheat crumb topping, I didn't feel so bad with a scoop of caramel swirl ice cream on top.

I saw this recipe over at Fun Foods on a Budget and have been wanting to make this ever since. The instructions on the crust are different from pie crusts that I have made before. This crust is mixed right in the pie plate. I loved it, one less bowl to clean!

Apple Crumble Pie with Whole Wheat Crust

Crust:

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1/2 cup cooking oil

3/4 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. cold water or milk

Filling:

1/2 cup sugar

2 tbsp. flour

6 cups thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples

3 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp cinnamon

Crumb Topping:

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/4 cup butter or margarine

To make crust: Dump flour in an ungreased pie plate. Add the oil, salt, and sugar, and stir well. Pour in the water or milk, and mix with a fork into a stiff dough. Press into shape in the pie plate. Set aside (or if you need a baked crust for an unbaked pie: bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes).

In a mixing bowl stir together 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tbsp. flour; set aside. Sprinkle apple slices with lemon juice. Toss apples with sugar mixture to coat. Turn apples into pastry-lined pie plate.

Combine the crumb topping dry ingredients. Cut in the butter or margarine till crumbly; sprinkle atop the apple slices.Bake pie at 375 for 1 hour or till topping is golden. Serve pie warm with vanilla ice cream!

Chocolate Silk (Tofu) Pie

Yes, you read correctly, the title does include "Tofu". I had never used tofu in anything before, especially not in a pie. But, Megan made this pie and begged us not to be scared. Honestly, I was scared, I kept thinking, who in their right mind would do this? I didn't even know what part of the grocery store you would find this stuff, curiosity got the best of me! Needless to say, this pie was really, really good and you wouldn't know that it was made with tofu, if you weren't told. I made this for our small group that we meet with every week and didn't tell them until after they ate a piece what the secret ingredient was. They didn't even know it, well, Mary Jo did...only because she used to sneak tofu into her kids food! Ha!

So, I would say if you are wanting to be healthy, and just need that piece of chocolate pie..make this one. You really won't be disappointed!

Moo-Less Chocolate Pie
Recipe courtesy of Alton Brown

2 cups chocolate chips
1/3 cup coffee liqueur, I used Bailey's Irish Cream
1 block silken tofu
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon honey
1 prepared chocolate wafer crust

Place a small metal bowl over a saucepan with simmering water. Melt the chocolate and coffee liqueur in the bowl. Stir in vanilla.Combine the tofu, chocolate mixture, and honey in the blender jar. Liquefy until smooth.
Pour the filling into the crust and refrigerate for 2 hours, or until the filling is set.

Pie and a Movie...

I know that you are saying, shouldn't that be dinner and a movie? Normally, yes it would, but not in this case. You see, this is the first go round of You Want Pies With That? blog event. The first round theme just happened to be "I love that movie!" Pick your favorite movie and create a pie from it.

I chose the movie Chocolat starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp, my favorite pirate who is coming back for Pirate's of the Caribbean 4!! OK, so back to the movie and pie. I could watch this movie again and again, right after the other. I just love it, but all through the movie, she serves her hot chocolate with a pinch of chili powder. So, I give you Chocolat's Chocolate Chess with a pinch of chili powder pie. I know it is long, but that's OK! Don't want the chili powder added? Just leave it out.

Chocolate Chess with a Pinch of Chili Powder Pie:

1/2 cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted (I used half bittersweet and half semisweet)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 Tbsp yellow cornmeal
1 tsp chili powder (add more if you want it a little stronger)

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Remove from heat and add sugar, mix until combined. Add melted chocolate and mix until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, cornmeal, and chili powder. Mix until all combined. Pour into pie shell and bake 50-55 minutes.

I use this pie shell when I need one in a pinch. It is from Gale Gand's book, Butter Sugar Flour Eggs.

Crumbly Pie Crust:

1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
8 Tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces and lightly softened
1 egg yolk

Put the flour in a large bowl. Add the sugar and mix. Make a well in the center and place the butter pieces and egg yolk in the well. Using your fingers, work the butter and egg yolk together until well combined. Using your fingers, work the butter-egg mixture into the flour mixture until combined but still loose. The dough will be crumbly, but when you squeeze a handful in your hand it should hold together.

Sprinkle the dough into a 10-inch pie or tart pan. Press the dough firmly and evenly onto the bottom and sides of the pan, making sure not to let the crust thicken at the corners. It should make a clean right angle where the sides meet the bottom.

Chill the crust at least 30 minutes or, covered, up to 3 days.

Nut Pies for Blake!

These are little Pecan Tassies, or in my house knows as nut pies. Blake has always called pecan pie this, I am not really sure why though. He loves this pie and every Thanksgiving and Christmas my parents always buy 2 frozen pecan pies and gives 1 to him. So, it really was no surprise that this week when I asked him what he would like to bake, it was nut pie. Then he asked if he could make mini nut pies so that he could take them in his lunch to school.

These little tassies are really easy to make and quick to throw together. They are perfect if you need a finger food to take somewhere.

Pecan Tassies:

Tart Shells:
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup all purpose flour

Filling:
2 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup pecan halves, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. For tart shells, beat butter and cream cheese until well blended. Add flour, mix until a soft dough forms. (Blake did this in the KA with the paddle attachment.)

Shape dough into 1 inch balls and place into ungreased cups of mini muffin pan. Press dough into the bottom and up the sides of the muffin cups.

For filling, mix melted butter with the brown sugar, egg and vanilla until combined. Add the pecans and mix.

Fill each tart shell with filling, do not overfill. Bake 20-25 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Remove from oven, cool in pan for 3 minutes. Transfer tassies from muffin tin to cooling rack. Cool completely.

Makes 2 dozen.

Abby bakes Key Lime Pie!

Abby decided this week that she wanted to make key lime pie. I was really excited about it, because I love it, but the hubby was even more excited. This has to be his favorite dessert, other than strawberry shortcake!

Have you ever tried to juice and zest a key lime? They are tiny! Abby squeezed the whole bag of key limes to get 1/2 cup of juice and it took about 4 key limes to get 1 Tbsp of zest. But it was worth it in the end. It is a great tasting pie!

We will make this pie again and again. It is really that good!

Abby's Key Lime Pie:

1 9in. graham cracker pie shell--we used store bought

1/2 cup key lime juice

1 14oz can of sweetened condensed milk

1 Tbsp key lime zest

4 large egg yolks

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Mix all 4 ingredients until combined. Pour into graham cracker pie shell and bake for 15-17 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then put into the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.

**If you make your own graham cracker crust, make sure to bake it first before you pour in the filling.**

TWD-Florida Pie

This weeks recipe was chosen by Dianne of Dianne's Dishes. If you are looking for a quick and easy treat, this would be the one to choose! You have a graham cracker crust, with a layer of coconut cream and then topped with your key lime curd. I chose not to top with the meringue, I am not a huge meringue girl.

Next week we are doing madelines chosen by Tara of Smells Like Home. Check out the TWD chicks to see their creations of Florida Pie!

9-inch graham cracker crust (page 235), fully baked and cooled, or a store-bought crust

1 1/3 cups heavy cream

1 1/2 cups shredded sweetened coconut

4 large eggs, separated

1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

1/2 cup fresh Key (or regular) lime juice (from about 5 regular limes)

1/4 cup of sugar

Getting Ready:Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Put the pie plate on a baking sheet lined with parchment of a silicone mat.

Put the cream and 1 cup of the coconut in a small saucepan and bring it to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring almost constantly. Continue to cook and stir until the cream is reduced by half and the mixture is slightly thickened. Scrape the coconut cream into a bowl and set it aside while you prepare the lime filling.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl beat the egg yolks at high speed until thick and pale. Reduce the mixer speed to low and beat in the condensed milk. Still on low, add half of the lime juice. When it is incorporated, add the reaming juice, again mixing until it is blended. Spread the coconut cream in the bottom of the graham cracker crust, and pour over the lime filling.Bake the pie for 12 minutes. Transfer the pie to a cooling rack and cool for 15 minutes, then freeze the pie for at least 1 hour.

To Finish the Pie with Meringue:Put the 4 egg whites and the sugar in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan and heat over medium-low heat, whisking all the while, until the whites are hot to the touch. Transfer the whites to a stand mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, or use a hand mixer in a large bowl, and beat the whites at high speed until they reach room temperature and hold firm peaks. Using a rubber spatula, fold the remaining 1/2 cup coconut into the meringue.Spread the meringue over the top of the pie, and run the pie under the broiler until the top of the meringue is golden brown. (Or, if you've got a blowtorch, you can use it to brown the meringue.) Return the pie to the freezer for another 30 minutes or for up to 3 hours before serving.