Chocolate Chess Pie

 Chocolate Chess Pie

    This yummy pie is in The Pink Lady Cook Book, a third printing in 1979. It is super easy to make. I would definitely make this again. Try it! I think you'll like it. 

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 stick butter or margarine (the butter would be best), melted and cooled

2 whole eggs

3 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder

5 1/2 oz evaporated milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

whipped cream (optional)

ice cream (optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees. Thoroughly combine cooled butter, sugar, eggs, cocoa powder milk and vanilla. Pour mixture into pie shell. Carefully place pie into oven and bake for 45 minutes. Remove from oven and cool. Serves 8. 

Chocolate Chess Pie

Chocolate Chess Pie w/Powdered Sugar Decoration

Chocolate Chess Pie Slice

Chocolate Chess Pie with Chocolate Habanero Ice Cream

Chocoate-Walnut Pie

 Chocolate-Walnut Pie

    This pie recipe is in the Southern Living Annual Recipes - 2005 cookbook.  I made this pie to take to dinner with a friend and it was a hit! It was easy to make and I would make it again. The recipe calls for a 9-inch pan and I accidentally used a 9.5-inch pan. The pie turned out great, but I did have an extra bit of crust at the top. If you love crust, this is not an issue, so make it with a 9.5-inch pan if you like. I would make sure to try it with the 9-inch pan the next time. 

Pie Ingredients:

1/2  package 15 oz refrigerated pie crust or, one home-made pie crust (below)

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup margarine, melted and cooled

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

1/2 tsp salt

1/3 cup shortening

3-4 tbsp very, cold water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Fit pie crust into 9-inch piepan; fold edges under and crimp as desired. In a large bowl, stir sugar, flour, margarine and eggs until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts. Pour filling into pie crust. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until pie is set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack. Makes 8 servings.

Pie Crust Directions:

Sift flour and salt into a bowl. Cut in shortening until pea sized. Using clean hands or spoon, stir in water a little at a time. Make dough into a ball; roll out into desired size, using dusting of flour to prevent sticking. 

Chocolate-Walnut Pie

Serving Suggestion - Serve wedges of pie with a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream.

Pie Number 24 - Chocolate Brownie Pie

 The Year of Pie

Pie Number 24 - Chocolate Brownie Pie    

    This final pie in the Year of Pie is in the 1967 Betty Crocker's Pie Parade. The recipe says that it is a "rich, chocolatey version of pecan pie", but it didn't occur to me that it was actually going to turn out like it did with two separate layers; a pecan pie type layer on the bottom and brownie layer on top. This pie was easy. I recommend melting the butter and chocolate first, so it can cool a bit before mixing it with the other ingredients. The original recipe says to melt the chocolate and butter together over hot water; you can do this with either a double boiler or by adding the chocolate and butter in a glass bowl, fitted snugly onto a pan with hot water in it. I don't think it's really necessary, because as long as you heat on low, your butter and chocolate won't burn. Remove from heat and cool while you make the crust. 

I made this in a 9-inch pie pan. The pie "puffs" up while baking and you don't want the liquid filling to spill out when transferring to the oven. I thought the 9-inch pie pan was perfect. Finally, the recipe calls for pecan halves. I used chopped pecans, If you have chopped walnuts, that would work well also. 

    I made this pie for my New Year's Eve dessert. I served it with a nice dollop of whipped cream and a shaving of dark chocolate for decoration. This pie was really good. If you like brownies and if you like pecan pie, you really need to try this pie, because it was a delicious combination of the two. 

Ingredients:

2 squares unsweetened chocolate

2 tablespoons butter (I used unsalted)

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

3/4 cup dark corn syrup

3/4 cup chopped pecans (a good substitute would be walnuts)

9-inch pie shell (make your own or use store bought pastry)

dark chocolate bar (optional for decoration)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. In a pan on low, melt butter and chocolate. Prepare pie crust and line pie pan. In a large mixing bowl, beat together eggs, sugar and corn syrup, until just mixed (I used a hand mixer). Add the cooled chocolate mixture (If your chocolate mixture is too warm, it could cook the egg and you don't want that) and blend on low until well incorporated. Stir in chopped pecans or walnuts. Pour filling into prepared pie pan. Bake until set. Remove from oven and cool. Serve while still slightly warm or cold, with ice cream or whipped cream. Shave chocolate over top for decoration.

Chocolate Brownie Pie

Pie Number 22 - Lemonchick's Chicken & Vegetable Pie

 The Year of Pie

Pie Number 22 - Lemonchick's Chicken & Vegetable Pie

    This is my creation! 100% mine! I loved it. I really loved the seasonings I chose. The only two things I would do differently, is to bake at 375 degrees, not 350 degrees and I would make a gravy with 1 cup water, not 2 cups of water (it made too much gravy). I baked the pie for 35 minutes at 350, but ended up adding at least 15 more minutes. The crust never did get golden, but it was still a good crust.  If I'd baked it at 375 degrees for 35-40 minutes, I think the crust would have turned out more like how I wanted it to (golden). The first piece out of the pie pan did not come out very, well, but that was because it was still too hot. The second piece I had (the day after) came out just fine. I thought this creation of mine was really good and I hope you like it. 

Ingredients:

1 chicken breast diced

1 medium/large potato, peeled and diced

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 12oz bag frozen mixed vegetables, use the "steam in a bag" kind

1 cup water

1-2 tsp chicken bouillon (I used a low sodium variety)

3/4 tsp onion powder

3/4 tsp garlic powder, 

3/4 parsley flakes, 

3/4 tsp celery salt

3/4 tsp spicy chili seasoning 

3/4 tsp ground sage 

1/2 tsp salt, plus a sprinkle

1/2 tsp pepper, plus a sprinkle

canola oil

cornstarch

two-crust pie crust (unbaked)

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Drizzle a bit of canola oil in a large heated skillet. In a saucepan, boil diced potato in water until softened, but not mushy. Drain cooked potatoes and set aside. Season diced chicken with a sprinkle of salt, sprinkle of pepper and 1/4 tsp of each of the rest of the seasonings and add to the skillet. Cook completely and remove from skillet. Add chopped onion to the same skillet and cook until translucent. Return chicken to skillet and turn burner to low. In a saucepan, boil 1 cup water and 1-2 tsp chicken bouillon. Use a little bit of water mixed with cornstarch, to thicken the bouillon into a gravy. If it is not thick enough, add a little more water/cornstarch mixture. 

Combine the gravy, potatoes, onion, chicken and vegetables. Pour into unbaked pastry shell, add top crust and crimp edges to seal crusts together. Cut slits into top crust and bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until crust is golden. Remove pie from oven and let cool. Serve pie with a sprinkle of parsley flakes if desired and serve with a garden salad. 

Serves 8

Lemonchick's Chicken & Vegetable Pie
(cooked by not golden)

The first piece of pie that I took out wayyyy too early.

The second piece of pie that came out wayyyy better. 

Pie Number 21 - Beef and Onion Pie

 The Year of Pie

Pie Number 21 - Beef and Onion Pie

    I love the little cookbook that this recipe is in. It is the Tried And True Grit Recipes - 95 Years of Homestyle Recipes. The recipe originally appeared in The Grit Cookbook, on May 4, 1958. The great thing about this pie, is that you can use beef (as in the title), ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork or even ground bison, like I did. The other modification I made was that I added a top crust. The recipe in the book does not call for a top crust, so a top crust is optional. It definitely was more appetizing to look at, with a top crust. 

    I was really happy with how this pie turned out. My crust was good; the texture of the filling was good and "sturdy" and I liked the taste. This was pretty quick and easy to make. You could get up to eight servings from this. You don't need large slices, especially if you are serving the pie with a side salad or vegetable(s) on the side. Try this. I think you'll like it. 

Ingredients:

pastry for a 9-inch pie shell (double crust optional) (I made pastry for a double-crust pie)

1 lb ground beef (or your choice of ground meat; I used ground bison)

2 tbsps butter or margarine

1 large or 2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tsps salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tbsps flour

1 cup sour cream or butter milk (I used sour cream, but I think plain, non-fat Greek yogurt would add an interesting flavor)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (I didn't realize I was out; I used low sodium soy and it was just fine)

2 eggs, slightly beaten

pimiento strips (optional)

parsley flakes (optional)

Directions:

Cook onion in butter until translucent. Add in ground meat  and cook until meat is completely cooked (browned). Pour off any grease. Stir in salt, pepper and flour. Mix sour cream, Worcestershire sauce and eggs into the meat and onion mixture. Pour into pastry lined pie pan. Cover with top crust if desired. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. A knife inserted at the edge of filling should come out clean. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley flakes and/or pimiento strips and a vegetable or garden salad. 

Bison and Onion PIe

Bison and Onion Pie with Peas

Bison and Onion Pie with Peas

Pie Number 14 - Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

The Year of Pie

Pie Number 14 - Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

    From Favorite Eastern Star Recipes - Old Family Favorites - Including Menus comes this yummy pie. A little history for you: the Order of the Eastern Star (OES) is a Masonic organization. It is a primarily a women's organization affiliated with the fraternal organization, the Freemasons. Male members of OES are required to be Freemasons.  There are no female Freemasons; female members of OES simply join the organization. I am a member of OES, but admittedly have not attended in decades. In the event that I ever decided to attend after moving several states away from where I grew up, my late father and now my step-mother, have kept up my dues all these years. 

    This recipe was submitted by Mrs. Amy Sanders, Secretary of Sylvan Hills OES, Chapter 602 in North Little Rock, Arkansas. While the flavor was somewhat similar to cheesecake, the texture was much lighter and creamier. Soooo good with the fresh strawberries I got a great deal on.  Sliced peaches or any kind of berry, would be good with the cream cheese base. This recipe uses a regular pastry crust, but it would be good also in a graham cracker crust. I really liked this pie and plan to make it again. 

Ingredients:

1 8oz package cream cheese, softened

1 cup powdered sugar

1/2 pint heavy cream

1 tsp vanilla

1 9-inch baked pie crust

1 pint fresh sweetened strawberries or 1 10oz package frozen strawberries, thawed and drained (I actually used the bottom of the pie pan to measure my strawberries, by laying halved strawberries in the pan in a single layer, until the bottom was covered; it was perfect!

1 tablespoon sugar (maybe a little more) for sprinkling over strawberries (optional)

Directions:

Use your favorite pie crust recipe and bake pie shell according to directions. Cool your crust. Wash, stem and slice strawberries in half. In a bowl, whip cream cheese with powdered sugar. In a separate bowl, whip cream until thickened (go for those stiff peaks) and add vanilla. Fold the cream and vanilla mixture into the cream cheese mixture (The original directions say to fold in the cream cheese mixture, but I did the opposite and folded the cream and vanilla into the cream cheese mixture. It worked just fine.). Scoop your filling into your cooled pie shell and cover with strawberries or other fruit. Sprinkle sugar lightly over berries. Chill in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serves 8. 

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

Pie Number 12 - Blackberry Pie

 The Year of Pie

Pie Number 12 - Blackberry Pie

    Mmmmm. My first blackberry pie. This recipe comes from  "Recipes Compiled By All Saints Episcopal Church Guild of The Christ Child of Fort Worth, Texas - Kitchen Favorites". There is no date on the book. The cover is light blue in color and by the font type and styling, I am guessing that this is from the 1960's or very, early 1970's. In the book, this recipe is titled "Blackberry, Raspberry, Blueberry or Peach Pie". I'd never made a blackberry pie and I thought this was the perfect time. The original directions are a little unclear, so I'm going to update the directions. I'll say even though it didn't look super appetizing in my opinion (being honest) I did like this pie. It was easy to do and everyone I gave samples to, enjoyed it. It is a single crust pie and would go well with either a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream. 

Ingredients:

4 cups fresh blackberries

2/3 cup sugar

4 tbsp flour

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup cream (I used half & half). 

9-inch pie crust

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Wash berries and drain. You'll want them to be pretty dry, so pat dry with a clean dish towel or paper towels. Prepare a 9-inch pie crust (do not bake). Mix together sugar and flour. Pour berries over the flour and sugar mixture and toss to coat. Turn the coated berries into your prepared pie shell.You'll have a lot of sugar/flour mixture left, so just sprinkle it evenly all over the berries.  Mix salt and cinnamon with cream and pour over the berries. Bake for 35-45 minutes or until crust is lightly browned and the filling is set. Cool and serve with a dollop of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.  Makes 8 servings.

Blackberry Pie

Blackberry Pie with Whipped Cream

Pie Number 11 - Streusel Cream Peach - Pie

 The Year of Pie

Pie Number 11 - Streusel Cream Peach Pie

    Streusel Cream Peach Pie comes to us from The Favorite Recipes of Home Economics Teachers Cookbook, published in 1978 (the Library of Congress catalog number is 78-142015. This book is comprised of recipes submitted by home economics teachers across the United States. This recipe was submitted by Mrs. Linda Frank of Sam Houston H.S. in Arlington, Texas. Dear Mrs. Frank, your recipe turned out delicious. The only change I made was using canned peaches, not fresh pared peaches. And, I did use half & half (the recipe says cream or milk). Anyhow, try this pie, because I was really happy with how it turned out. 

Ingredients:

3 cans (14 3/4 oz or 15 oz) sliced peaches, drained (the original recipe calls for 4 cups sliced peaches)

1 9-inch pastry shell

3/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp nutmeg (the original recipe says this is optional)

1 egg

2 tbsp cream or milk (I used half & half)

1/2 cup flour

1/4 cup butter

Directions:

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare your pie crust and place crust in a 9 inch pie pan. Arrange peach slices on the pastry. Combine 1/2 cup sugar and the nutmeg and sprinkle that over the peaches. Beat the cream and egg and pour this mixture over the peaches. In a small bowl mix the flour, the last 1/4 cup of sugar and the butter until crumbly. Sprinkle the crumbly bits over the peaches and bake for 35 to 45 minutes (The original recipe says "or until brown" and mine didn't get very, brown at all and I baked it for the full 45 minutes; just don't be surprised if it doesn't brown up). 

The original recipe says to serve warm, but I let mine cool until it was only slightly warm, because I wanted to make sure it didn't fall apart. Top with a dollop or shot of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I added a little sprinkle of cinnamon on top. 

Streusel Cream Peach Pie

Pie Number Ten - Bacon Cheese Pie

 The Year of Pie

Pie #10 Bacon-Cheese Pie

Yeah, so finally writing this post for this pie that I made like two or three weeks ago. It's been another period, where life has been getting in the way of my baking. This Bacon-Cheese Pie is from my favorite cookbook, the Pillsbury Family Cook Book, sixth printing in 1970. I think because of the bacon, I would consider using 1/2 teaspoon salt instead of a full teaspoon. And, mine didn't seem to "set" really well, even though I baked it at the designated temperature, for the allotted time. That said, my crust was good and I really liked this quiche-like pie.  I would definitely make this again. 

Ingredients:

8 or 9 inch unbaked pie crust (I did a 9 inch pie crust)

1/2 pound sliced bacon (I chopped mine)

1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese (I used Monterrey Jack)

3 eggs

2/3 cup (6-oz can) evaporated milk

1 1/3 cups milk

1 teaspoon salt 

dash pepper

dash cayenne pepper

1/2 cup baby spinach washed and chopped (optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. Make your favorite pie crust. You can also buy pie crust dough or a pre-made crust. Chop bacon, frying until crisp and drain. Sprinkle into the bottom of your unbaked pie crust. Sprinkle shredded cheese over the bacon. Beat eggs slightly with both milks and seasonings. Pour egg mixture over the bacon and cheese. Sprinkle baby spinach on top, if desired. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a knife inserted into the middle of the pie, comes out clean. Do not overbake. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes. 

You can also add 1/4 finely minced onion in with the egg mixture and you could substitute ham for bacon. 

Serves 6-8

Bacon-Cheese Pie

Bacon Cheese Pie

Bacon-Cheese Pie: Showing that it was thoroughly cooked but still a bit soft. 

Pie Number Eight - Chocolate Crested Coconut Pie

 The Year of Pie

Pie #8 - Chocolate Crested Coconut Pie

    I'm back! It's been another few weeks which have been bonkers and I haven't been baking pies. I've made cookies, banana bread and I've made a simple hamburger gravy, but I haven't made pie. I did try a Cream Pie, but it was such a failure, that I'm not even going to write about it.  This custard pie however turned out pretty good. I made it a about three weeks ago and it was yummy. The recipe comes from Parade - 50 Favorite Desserts.  I can't find an exact publication for this small recipe booklet, but from experience, my best guess is that it was published in the early/mid 1960s.  It was pretty simple to make, so try it out. Especially if you like coconut. 

Ingredients:

4 eggs slightly beaten

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

3 cups milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup flaked coconut

2 tablespoons sugar

1 square, melted unsweetened chocolate 

2 tablespoons hot water

1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees. Prepare your pie crust and set aside. Combine the first six ingredients (eggs, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, milk, vanilla and coconut). Set your pie pan on your oven rack and slowly pour your coconut mixture into the pan. Gently slide the shelf into the oven. I stupidly filled the pie shell at my counter and proceeded to make the biggest, fattest mess. I had to cool and clean the oven and start over a few days later. The second try turned out good. Bake for 30 minutes or until the custard is set; while the pie is baking, combine the 2 tablespoons sugar and melted chocolate. Gradually stir in the hot water. At the end of the 30 minute baking time, remove the pan and pour the chocolate evenly over top (this was difficult for me to spread out, so I chose to do a drizzle design instead and I liked how it turned out).  Turn your oven to 300 degrees and bake  an additional 7 to 10 minutes. If you like, garnish with additional flaked coconut. 

Chocolate Crested Coconut Pie

Chocolate Crested Coconut Pie

Pie Number Seven - To Die For Chocolate Chip Pie

 The Year of Pie

Pie #7 - To Die For Chocolate Chip Pie

    What did I think of this pie? In one word? "Delicious". This recipe comes from Texas Sampler: Handmade, Homemade....Recipes You're Bound To Love. Published by the Junior League of Richardson (Texas) in 1995, it was submitted by Connie Baird (Thank you, Connie!). This pie was really good with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, but you could certainly use a good dollop of whipped cream.  I gave out samples to a few friends and they all liked it. In fact one of my male co-workers I gave a sample to, said as he was wiping crumbs from his face, that I could make that again. Try this pie. It was really good.  

Ingredients:

1 prepared 10-inch pie crust

2 eggs

1/2 cup margarine, melted and cooled

1 cup sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (I used mini chips)

1 cup chopped pecan pieces

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix the eggs, margarine (make sure the margarine is cooled when you mix with the eggs, or you'll cook the eggs and you don't want that), sugar, flour and vanilla in a large bowl. Stir in your chocolate chips and pecan pieces. Pour into your pie crust and bake for 55 minutes to an hour.  Yield: 6 to 8 servings.  

To Die For Chocolate Chip Pie w/a larger scoop of ice cream than I'd planned. 

To Die For Chocolate Chip Pie (Just in to bake)

To Die For Chocolate Chip Pie (Fresh from the oven)

Savory Onion Tart

 Savory Onion Tart

    Last week I invited my friend to lunch on Sunday, at my house. I provided this onion tart, garden salad with the Lime French Dressing (Week 44 of Fifty Two In Twenty Two) and hot croissants. I believe this was the first time I'd made a tart. It was easy to make and turned out great, even though I used the whole small bottle of Italian dressing. The recipe calls for two large onions, thinly sliced and I didn't think the onions I'd bought were huge, but I ended up with way too much onion. That was a blessing in disguise, because I just at the extra onion in other meals. This onion tart recipe is in Wish-Bone Dressing's May 17, 1988 "Favorite Recipes: Wish-Bone Salads Plus Much More" recipe booklet. I really liked this recipe and got compliments from my friend and others I gave samples to. I will definitely make this again. Notes in Italics.

Ingredients:

Pastry for 9-inch single-crust pie: (See below picture)

1/4 cup Wish-Bone Italian dressing

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

2 large onions, thinly sliced

1 cup shredded Fontina or Gruyere cheese (about 4 oz) (I used Gruyere)

2 eggs

1/2 whipping or heavy cream

2 teaspoons fresh sage leaves, finely chopped (I used 1 teaspoon)

1 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves (I used 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, because I didn't have just marjoram)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 425 degrees.  Roll out your crust into a 10-inch circle and press into a 9-inch tart pan. Crimp edges. Pierce the bottom and sides of the crust and bake for 8 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove and cool completely. While your crust is baking, heat Italian dressing with butter and onions over medium heat. Stir occasionally for about 15 minutes until the onions are tender. Sprinkle your shredded cheese over the bottom of your tart shell, followed by the onion mixture. In a small bowl, beat eggs, cream and seasonings. Pour the egg mixture over the mixture in your tart shell. Bake for 35 minutes or until golden. I garnished my tart with fresh basil leaves. Cut into wedges and serve with a nice salad and rolls. Makes 8 servings. 

Savory Onion Tart

Savory Onion Tart and Garden Salad with Lime French Dressing

                                        

            

Week 34 - Salami-Cheese Pie

 Salami-Cheese Pie

Week 34 of 52

Meat/Fish Entree #5

    Well, this was something I never thought of making. I've never even made anything with salami. This recipe comes from the 1979 seventh printing of Better Homes and Gardens All-Time Favorite Casserole Recipes published in 1977. The recipe is on page 12, in the "home-style casseroles" chapter. I don't understand how it qualifies as a casserole and a number of recipes in this section are not casseroles. But, one of my goals of this year's Fifty-Two In Twenty-Two project, was to use recipes from cookbooks in my collection, which I haven't used. The other goal was to try things I've never had before. I couldn't remember if I had used any recipe from this cookbook, but I didn't think I had, so I kept it in the mix of books to choose this week's recipe from. And like I said, I've never made anything with salami. I am really glad I tried this and I'm very, pleasantly surprised at how much I liked it. 

    Would I make this recipe again? Yes. Is it partly also because I bought the biggest sized package of salami at the store yesterday? Also, yes. The recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups of chopped salami and 1 cub cooked & cubed potatoes. You could probably do a 1/2 cup less of the salami and add a 1/2 cup more of potato.  I used fresh basil as a garnish, which isn't called for in the recipe, but I wanted a garnish, Fresh parsley would be lovely also. Serve with a side salad or vegetable and hot bread or rolls. My notes in italics. 

Ingredients:

Plain Pastry (below)

1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup shredded American cheese (I used my standard Colby-Jack)

1/2 pound salami, chopped (1 1/2 cups)

1 cup cubed cooked potato

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 tablespoons chopped pimiento (I drained juice before measuring)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (You will turn the oven down to 350 degrees when you take the pie shell and cutouts out). In a saucepan combine flour and pepper. Blend in milk. Cook, stirring continuously until thickened and bubbly. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese until melted, then salami, potato onion and pimiento. Turn into pie shell and decorate the top with the baked cutouts. Bake at 350 degrees for 35 to 40 minutes (I did 40 minutes). You want the center to be nearly set. Cool for at least 5 minutes. Serve with a garden salad or side of vegetables (I had cauliflower), with hot french bread or rolls and butter. It's a pie, so you could get six nice servings.

Plain Pastry

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup shortening

3 to 4 tablespoons cold water (I used 4 tablespoons)

Directions:

Stir together flour and salt. Cut in shortening until pieces are the size of small peas. Sprinkle a tablespoon of water at a time over the mixture and toss with a fork. You want it all moistened. Form a ball and roll out on a lightly floured baking mat, until you have a 9-inch round or if you are like me and your pastry rolling skills are sub-par, you have a large enough piece to entirely cover your pie pan). Gently lay your pastry in your 9-inch pie pan. Prick the bottom and sides with a fork (I forgot to do this before baking the pie shell by itself, but did when it came out of the oven before adding the filling, and it turned out fine). Mash the trimmings together into a ball, roll out and use mini or regular size cookie cutters (I used a mini heart cookie cutter from Pampered Chef) and set aside on a small baking sheet. Bake the pie shell for 10 minutes and the cutouts for 5 minutes. Remove the pie shell and cutouts, setting aside while you finish making the filling.

Salami-Cheese Pie

Salami-Cheese Pie - Take Two

Salami-Cheese Pie w/Fresh Basil Garnish and Cauliflower

Colorado Cream Pie

 COLORADO CREAM PIE

        So, here's the second recipe I've tried from the cookbook which started this all.  Colorado Cream Pie; recipe submitted by Mrs. Oliver Grimes.  It feels like pie crust has been the bane of my existence.  I've had crust not turn out well. Partly, I think because I'm not good at rolling it out; I've been scared to even try.  This time I used a recipe for a 9 or 10 inch double crust; I only needed one crust but the recipe for the single crust said that if you were doing a 9 inch pie, you should use the bigger recipe.  The pie crust recipe is on page 70 of my copy of the 1960 (1965 5th edition) Better Homes & Gardens "Dessert Cook Book".  I have a zillion dessert books in my cookbook collection, but I bought this particular cookbook, solely because it is exactly like the one my mom had. On a side note, my dad did most of the cooking when we were growing up and mom cooked on her days off. Sometimes she made chocolate cream pie with merengue for my dad (his favorite) and that recipe is in this cookbook.  I haven't been brave enough to make the chocolate pie, because when I make it, it will probably taste like her pie and that will make me cry buckets.  I've only had chocolate cream pie with merengue once in the almost 30 years she's been gone, where it tasted like her pie.  And that was at the old Stone's Restaurant in Marshalltown, Iowa, where some of my family is from.  

    Anyhow, back to my Colorado Cream Pie.  The ingredients are sugar, flour, butter, milk, vanilla, salt and two eggs (separated).  You cream the sugar, flour and butter, add the egg yolks, milk, vanilla and salt; mixing well. The recipe directs you to stiffly beat the egg whites and fold them into the other mixture.  Once that's done, you pour the filling (it was very, thin) into the unbaked crust.  It was the perfect amount for my 9 inch pie pan (Pyrex glass), so if you try this recipe, use a 9 inch pie dish. Much like a lot of recipes in these old cookbooks, pan size, no oven temperature was given and no baking time was given.  It only says "bake in a moderate oven, until inserted knife comes out clean. I used 350 degrees and started with 35 minutes. At 35 minutes, the filling didn't seem anywhere near being set, so I didn't even check it with a knife. I did another 10-15 minutes baking time.  I set the pie pan on a slightly elevated cookie rack, did the knife check and it was perfect.  I used an elevated cookie rack to cool, because I figured it would help it cool faster.   

    I probably could have let it cool a little longer and I don't remember how long I did, except I think it was about 1 1/2 hours or so. When I cut into the pie, I was able to easily remove a slice. The filling was "soft" if that makes sense, but it did not run all over the place, so I consider that a success! The pie crust was the only thing I wasn't super happy with.  It was not 100% cooked all the way through.  Close.  I think if I'd rolled the crust thinner, the crust would have turned out better.  Even with that, I was pretty proud of that crust.  It didn't bubble up anywhere and I thought the texture was fine.  

    Overall, I was really happy with this pie.  It tasted really good. Sweet, but not too sweet and it had a nice, not overpowering vanilla flavor  And, it was good today (of course I had to test that out). I just covered the pie pan and put it in the fridge.  Will I make this again? Another 100%, "Yes"!!!! And, let me know if you try it.