No Bake Apple Butter Pie

Hope all of you had a happy and thankful Thanksgiving.
For this Thanksgiving along with with pumpkin pie and the pecan pie, I thought of making a lighter no-bake pie.
Here is the result of my experiment. We loved this and  I am planning to make this next year too or the next time I have craving for a pie. This is an entirely home made version because I think home-made is always better as you can make it to your liking. But if you are pressed for time, you can easily put this together using store bought crust and apple butter of your choice. Apple being a fruit available year-round, this is something you can make any time of the year.
 So enjoy!

For the Pie crust:
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (from about 9 whole graham crackers)
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
Pinch of salt
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Method:

If you’re using whole graham crackers, finely crush them in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and roll with a rolling pin.
Stir graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt together in a large bowl. Add melted butter and stir with a fork.
Press mixture  into each ramekin or serving dish  to form a even layer along the bottom. Set the prepared crusts aside while you prepare the filling. I prefer chilling the  pie crust for at least one hour before filling. Cover if chilling longer.

For the Apple Butter:
Ingredients
2 lbs of good cooking apples (we use Granny Smith or Gravenstein)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (or substitute with water)
1/2 cups water
Sugar (about 2 cups, see cooking instructions)
Salt
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon allspice
Grated rind and juice of 1/2 lemon
1/4 cup Butter
Method:
Pressure cook cored and peeled apples along with apple cider vinegar and water for 5 minutes. Puree the apples and add rest of the ingredients into a wide thick-bottomed pot(the wider the pan the better, as there is more surface for evaporation) and cook on medium low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Scrape the bottom of the pot while you stir to make sure a crust is not forming at the bottom. Cook until thick and smooth.

Final assembly:
Spoon in the apple butter to the chilled crust and smooth out the top. Serve along with a dollop of whipped cream with a sprinkle of left over cookie crumb. Or if you are not a fan of whipped cream you can leave that out and serve with just the  left over cookie crumbs.

Buttermilk Pie

Today being the pie day (3/14, Aishwarya wanted a pie to be baked since that would give her some extra credits for her maths home-work. As we are always looking for an excuse to make a pie I was all for it. As usual I wanted to try something new so I went on a pie searching spree and finally decided to try this one. Off course, I made a few changes to suit our taste. It turned out one of the best pies I have ever made.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup Buttermilk
1 & 1/2 cups Sugar
3 Eggs
3 Tbs&1TspFlour
1Tbs Lemon Juice
pinch of salt
1 stick butter  melted
1 Tsp Vanilla
1/8Tsp Nutmeg

Method:
Mix everything together and pour into an unbaked 9" pie shell.  Sprinkle the top lightly with fresh nutmeg.  Bake 15 minutes at 400 degrees in a preheated oven. Reduce to 350 degrees and bake about 45 minutes longer.
Cool to allow the filling to set.

Caramel Spiked Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving without a pie or two is not complete. So here is a pie from our home to yours. This year, as always, we made both the pecan pie and the pumpkin pie. Aishwarya made the pecan pie which turned out perfect and I was all the more challenged to make a perfect pumpkin  pie. Luckily for me it turned out perfect and had all my pie tasters asking for more. It was light, smooth and the best part was it was not mushy like most pumpkin pies are. And the addition of caramel takes this pie to a whole new level. Try this out with some whipped cream and caramel sauce, and its even more irresistible. So if you are still in search of that perfect pumpkin pie with a an extra oomph do try this.
Recipe source:Annie's eats

Yield: 1 9-inch pie

Ingredients:

1 (9-inch) partially baked pie crust

1 cup sugar, divided

¾ cup heavy cream, warmed

1 tbsp. dark rum (optional)

2 tbsp. butter, cut into 4 pieces

1 cup pumpkin puree

1¼ tsp. ground cinnamon

¾ tsp. ground ginger

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Pinch of ground cloves

2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 large eggs

Method:
To blind-bake a pie crust, preheat the oven to 400˚ F.  Roll pie dough out on a lightly floured surface to a 12-inch disc.  Place it in a 9-inch pie plate, trimming away the excess and creating decorative edges as desired.  Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with the tines of a fork.  Line the crust with a piece of aluminum foil or parchment paper and fill with baking beads.  (If you don’t have baking beads, dried beans or rice also work.)  Bake 25 minutes.  Remove the baking beads and foil and bake about 5-10 minutes more, until light golden.  Transfer to a wire rack and let cool. While pie crust is baking take a medium saucepan, spread ½ cup of the sugar out in an even layer over medium-high heat.  Once the sugar begins to melt and change color, gently mix together so that the sugar is evenly melted.  Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the sugar has turned a deep amber color (keep a careful eye on it to be sure it doesn’t burn).  Once it has reached the desired color, remove the pan from the heat.  Add in the cream in a slow steady stream down the inside edge of the saucepan, stirring or whisking constantly to incorporate evenly.  (If any lumps remain, return the pan to the burner over medium heat and cook just until melted.)  Continue mixing in the cream in this manner until it has been completely incorporated.  Stir in the butter and the rum and mix just until smooth.  Set aside the caramel and let cool for at least 15 minutes.

In a bowl, combine the pumpkin puree, remaining ½ cup of sugar, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and vanilla.  Whisk to blend.  Whisk in the eggs one at a time.  Blend in the caramel.  Pour the filling into the partially baked crust.

Place the pie plate on a baking sheet and transfer to the preheated to oven 350 F.  Bake 45-50 minutes, or until the center is just set and the edges are puffed.  Transfer to a wire rack to let cool at least 30 minutes. Serve with freshly whipped cream and caramel sauce as desired.

Aishwarya's 1st  Pecan Pie :-9

French Coconut Pie

Today being the Pi Day (3/14), Aishwarya wanted a pie. As it was not a holiday, I didn't have much time to work on anything complicated. So I searched for the simplest recipe possible and came up with this one.I could whip this up in no time as the filling was super easy and I used a store brought pie crust. I  would definitely make this easy and tasty pie again.

Recipe Source:Tasty Kitchen
Ingredients
3 whole Eggs, Beaten
1-½ cup Sugar
1 cup Flaked Coconut (unsweetened)
1 stick Butter, Melted
1 Tablespoon White Vinegar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1 pinch Salt
1 whole 9" Uncooked Pie Shell / Homemade crust
Method:
Mix filling ingredients well and pour into the pie shell. Bake at 350F for 1 hour.

Spanakopita-Greek Spinach Pie with Feta

I love Mediterranean cuisine. Most of the Mediterranean dishes I tried can be made ahead of time and kept frozen for later use. If you make this as a family, as we do, it would provide you with some excellent bonding time too. You can share the work and do it in an assembly line fashion, while talking to each other.
Typically this Greek snack is made in the triangle form (like the Indian Samosas), or made in a pan and cut into squares (like Baklava or Lasagna). But  I made it into the roll form as it is easier to make and eat.

Recipe adapted: greekfood.about.com
Ingredients:
1 lb spinach, chopped (I used  frozen, thawed and squeezed out of all water)
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large onions, diced
1 bunches green onions, diced (incl. 4 inches green)
1/4cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup fresh dill, chopped (substitute 3 tbsp. dried)
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 green chilli minced fine (optional)
1 cup. feta cheese, crumbled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup. ricotta or cottage cheese
1/8 cup butter, melted
1/8 cup olive oil
18 sheets phyllo pastry
Method:
Wash and drain the chopped spinach very well. If using frozen spinach, thaw completely and squeeze out excess water. Spinach should be dry.
Heat the olive oil in a deep saute pan or large dutch oven. Saute the onions and green onions until tender. Add the spinach, parsley,chilli and dill and cook for 5 to 10 minutes until the spinach is wilted and heated through. Add the nutmeg and season with salt and pepper.
If using frozen spinach, you will want to cook until excess moisture evaporates. Spinach mixture should be on the dry side.
Remove from heat and set the spinach aside to cool.In a large mixing bowl, combine the feta, eggs, and ricotta (cottage) cheese. Add the cooled spinach mixture and mix until combined.Combine the melted butter with the olive oil in a bowl. Carefully remove the Phyllo roll from the plastic sleeve.Take one sheet at a time,to prevent the rest from drying, cover with wax paper and a damp paper towel while working with the other.Fold the phyllo sheet length wise thrice to to get a three-fold rectangular piece.Apply the melted butter and olive oil mix well using a brush. Place  about one or two tablespoon of spinach mix at one end of the prepared phyllo sheet and roll the sheet with the filling inside into a almost tight roll. Place this on a baking sheet with the seem side down. Brush a little of butter olive oil mix on top of the roll.Repeat with the rest of the sheets.Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven until the pita turns a deep golden brown. If the pita is frozen when you put it in the oven, you will need approximately 45 minutes cooking time. If fresh, plan for approximately 20 minutes of cooking time.

Creamy Oreo Pie

My aunt  was telling me about their Thanksgiving lunch and she mentioned about the Oreo Pie that they had for dessert. It was made by her daughter - my cousin, Aswathi ; making desserts being one of her many talents. This was the first time I was hearing about an Oreo pie, though I knew about using Oreos to make cheesecakes. On my request she shared the recipe with me - to be shared with all of you.  This is a no-bake recipe, so easy to put together. This can be easily made even by those budding cooks. And the final product is guaranteed to be delicious. 

This can also be made as a single big pie in a 9" pan, in which case the only change you may need to make is to double the ingredients.

Hope you will all enjoy this as we did.
Thank you my dear sis for sharing this wonderful recipe. Looking forward to more such delicious contributions from you.

Ingredients

4-ounce whipped cream/cool whip(about 1 cup)

1/2 package Oreo cookies (about 20 cookies)

1/2 a  package of cream cheese,4-ounce softened

1/6 cup sugar

1/8 cup butter (1/4 stick), melted

4 individual cups/bowls

Method:

Crush 12 Oreo cookies in your food processor. (You can also put them in a ziplock bag and smash them).

In a  bowl, mix the crushed Oreos with melted butter. This is the bottom layer (crust). Divide the crust evenly among your 4 cups. Press the cookie crumbs down firmly.

Crush 6 more cookies and set aside.

In your food processor, or with your mixer, combine softened cream cheese with sugar. Mix until light and fluffy.

By hand, mix in whipped cream or cool whip, and the 6 crushed cookies . When everything is mixed well, divide the mixture among the 4 cups.

Crush the remaining cookies, or cut them in half to garnish each cup.

Allow the Oreo Pie Cups to rest in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Pie

Thanksgiving celebration without a pie, especially a Pumpkin pie, is incomplete. If you want to get that taste of the home made pie, but is pressed for time with all the Thanksgiving dinner preparations going on, you may resort to a pre-made pie shell and make your own fillings. This will cut the time and effort for making a pie into half.  You can still enjoy a scrumptious semi-home made Pumpkin pie.
Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Ingredients:
Two 8-inch pie shells
3 eggs
2 3/4 cups pumpkin puree
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 1/4 cups milk
For serving:
Whipped cream
Method:
In a large mixing bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add pumpkin puree, sugar, salt, and spices and mix well. Add cream and milk and beat on low until combined.
Pour filling into pie shells. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake pies on middle rack for 15 minutes.
Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for about 40 minutes longer, until filling is thickened, tops are lightly browned, and/or a knife inserted in the center comes out clean (or mostly clean). If you're making a bigger pie, or an especially deep pie, you will need to increase the baking time. Cool finished pies on a wire rack.
Serve cooled pie with whipped cream on top!
Store leftover pie in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!
Here is one of the perennial thanksgiving favorites - the pecan pie with a twist.
Hope you would enjoy this one.
Once again, Happy Holidays to you all!
Recipe adapted from Tyler Florence
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into medium cubes (about 16 pieces)
3 tbsp. ice cold water

Filling:
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate
3 large eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup dark corn syrup or sugar cane syrup (such as Steen's)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
11/2 cups pecan halves

Method:
To make the crust, combine the flour, sugar, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix briefly to combine.  Add the cubes of butter to the bowl and mix on low speed until the texture resembles coarse cornmeal and the largest chunks of butter are not much larger than peas.  Add the water to the bowl and mix on low speed just until the dough comes together.
Form the dough into a 1 " thick disc, wrap  with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 30 minutes or until chilled.
Heat the oven to 350 degree F .Roll the dick on a lightly floured work space into a 12 " circle.Fit this into the bottom of a 9 "pie pan .Trim the excess and crimp as desired.

To make the filling: melt the butter and chocolate in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, remove from heat and let cool. Beat the eggs in a large mixing bowl until frothy and then blend in the sugar. Stir in the syrup, vanilla, salt, and the melted butter mixture until well blended.
Arrange the pecans on the bottom of the pie crust and carefully pour the egg mixture over them. Bake until the filling is set and slightly puffed, about 45 minutes. Test for doneness by sticking a thin knife in the center of the pie, if it comes out pretty clean, you're good to go. Transfer the pie to rack and cool completely before cutting.

Keylime Pie

I have mentioned before that I am a dessert person; for me the dessert is more  important than  the main course. So when I plan a dinner I plan the dessert first. During summer my first choice dessert is always keylime pie due to the ease of its making and the refreshing feeling it leaves behind after the meal. If you're planning a get together this weekend give this a try and enjoy all the lovely comments that are sure to come your way.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup fresh lime juice (used 2 lemons and 1 lime)

4 teaspoons grated lime zest(used 2 lemon and 1 lime zest)

2 Eggs

1 - 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk

14 graham crackers

3 tablespoons granulated sugar

8 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Method:

It's easier to remove the lime zest from whole limes so I would start with that. Then I would cut the limes in half and squeeze out the juice being careful not to include any pits.

Process the graham crackers in a food processor or blender and then melt the butter and have it at the ready.

Whisk the eggs and lime zest together in a bowl until tinted light green. This takes about 2 minutes

Beat in milk, then juice and set aside at room temperature till it thickens.( whipped everything in the blender)Preheat oven to 325 degrees.Mix graham cracker crumbs and sugar in another bowl. Add butter and stir with a fork until well blended. Pour this mixture into a 9-inch pie pan and press over the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Try using the bottom of a measuring cup to make sure the graham cracker mixture forms a firm crust on the bottom of the pie pan. Bake on the center rack for about 15 minutes until the crust is lightly brown, remove and let cool to room temperature. Pour the lime filling into crust, spread evenly, and then bake for 15 minutes until the center sets, but still wiggles when shaken. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for at least three hours until well chilled.

Some of you might like to serve it with a whipped cream topping or a meringue topping, but I prefer keeping it simple. If the pie seems to be sticking to the pan when serving, try dipping the pan into a bowl of warm water to loosen it

Source:THE RELUCTANT GOURMET

Blueberry Pie

I love pies - for that matter, anything that is sweet. Blueberries were on sale at the Safeway supermarket that I frequent - two packs free when you buy one. An offer I couldn't resist. For all its nutritional benefits these where not a big hit at our household and I found them sitting uneaten in the refrigerator after a week. So I thought of putting good use of it (or should I say making them bad by adding sugar and fat:-) ) by making these pies so that these get consumed. But the final verdict - as the proof of the pudding is in eating - we three finished a 9" pie in a day. Not a bad achievement considering all the goodness of blueberries that went into our system!
Ingredients:
All purpose flour- 1 1/4 cup
Wheat flour - 3/4 cup
Vegetable shortening - 1 cup
Sugar - 1/2 cup
Salt - 1/4 tsp
Cold tap water - 1/4 cup
Method:
Put all the above ingredients except water in a food processor and pulse it till they are mixed well .Add water and mix it well to form a uniform dough .Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 15 minutes.Roll out half the pie dough and drape it over a 9- or 10-inch pie pan to extend about 1/2-inch over the rim. Don't stretch the dough; if it's too small, just put it back on the board and re-roll it.Use flour while rolling out the dough so that it doesn't stick.
Ingredients for the filling:
Fresh blueberries, washed- 1 quart
Cornstarch -3 tablespoons
Sugar-3/4 cup
Ground cinnamon-1/8 tsp
Dash of freshly grated nutmeg
Lemon juice-1 teaspoon
Butter-4 teaspoons

Method:
Add to the washed berries corn starch, sugar, cinnamon, and freshly grated nutmeg. Stir gently.
Place the berry mixture in the prepared pie crust and sprinkle lemon juice over it. Spread1/2 teaspoons soft butter evenly over the top of the berry filling. Roll out the other half of the dough and place it over the filling. Crimp and flute the edges.Cut slits for the steam to escape. I like sprinkling some sugar over the pie crust before baking. Bake in a preheated oven(400 degree F ) for 30 mts and further 12mt at 450 degree F.

Sending this over A.W.E.D-British by DK hosted by Revathi

Pecan Pie

Happy Thanksgiving! In our house we get into the Thanksgiving mood only when we make this Pecan Pie (not that we are thankless people without it :-). This is that dish that I make only for Thanksgiving ; not because its a dish that requires lots of effort or anything but because I wanted my daughter to associate something  with each celebration. And as vegetarians we since can't have a turkey, I choose Pecan Pie to embody the Thanksgiving spirit.This recipe is originally from  Food.com and I have been using this recipe for the past 4 years with a few minor changes.
Ingredients:

3 eggs
1 cup corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups pecan halves
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown Sugar
1/3 cup butter (melted)
Pie crust(I use a 10 and 1/2 deep dish pie pan)

Method:
Beat eggs lightly with an electric mixer or fork until combined.Stir in corn syrup, sugar, butter and vanilla extract.Chop the pecans.Pour chopped pecans in an even layer on the bottom of the unbaked pie shell.  Pour the syrup mixture over the top of the pecans.  Allow to stand about 20 seconds to let pecans float to the top.Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven, for 50minutes or until knife comes out clean. Cover edge of pie crust with aluminun foil for first 25 minutes of bake time, then remove for remaining 25 minutes, to prevent the crust from burning.

Enjoy!