Week Pie: Raspberry Lime

So I went a little cavalier with this week's pie. I wanted something relatively light after last week's Pecan Date that was super fattening so I decided to make a cold pie. I found a raspberry pie recipe on Taste of Home's web site but I really wanted to do something with lime jello, and since the only recipes I found with raspberries and lime jello also had a ridiculous amount of whipped cream, I took Taste of Home's recipe, which called for raspberry jello and used lime instead. I also grated a little lime zest in the jello mix and a little bit of pulp too. We're having a "House" party tonight, so we'll see how it goes over. It looks a bit odd, and that's why I've decided to call it (and Tinka will get this joke) "The Marriage of Easy Bake Oven and Creepy Crawlers" (because it totally looks like Plasti-Goop) or "Happy Birthday, Slimer" (Ghostbusters). I have a feeling this pie would go over really well at a 10 year boy's birthday party (see picture).

Ingredients:

* 1/4 cup sugar
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 1 cup water
* 1 package (3 ounces) raspberry (or lime!) gelatin
* 4 cups fresh raspberries (I used mostly frozen on the bottom layer, and fresh on the top)
* 1 graham cracker crust (9 inches)

Directions:

In a small saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and water until smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in gelatin (and zest and pulp!) until dissolved. Cool for 15 minutes.

Place raspberries in the crust; slowly pour gelatin mixture over berries. Arrange fresh berries on the top of the jello. Chill until set, about 3 hours. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Week Pie: Pecan Date

So this week's pie was a Pecan Date. It turned out really well, but it is super RICH! (Which, on the plus side, means I will eat less of it). I am thinking of pulling a "Waitress" and start naming pies my way (or rather, her way). So this one will be called "Spent the Afternoon Exercising So I'm Not Going to Think Twice About That Cup of Corn Syrup Pie." Enjoy!


"The unexpected addition of dates to this classic pie gives the filling more body and a smooth sweetness. Don't use packaged chopped dates, which are rolled in sugar. Instead, use moist and sticky whole dates. Coat your knife with cooking spray for easy chopping."

Filling:

* 1/2 cup whole pitted dates, chopped
* 1/3 cup chopped pecans
* 1 cup dark corn syrup
* 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
* 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 4 large eggs

Directions: Preheat oven to 325°. So I used Mom's crust recipe again from last week. See the other note for the how-to. Press dough into bottom and up sides of pan. Fold edges under; flute.

To prepare filling, sprinkle dates and pecans evenly over bottom of crust. Combine corn syrup and remaining ingredients in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended. Pour mixture into prepared crust. Bake at 325° for 55 minutes (mine took well over an hour) or until a knife inserted 1 inch from the edge comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.

Week Pie: Pear/Apple, Walnut, and Maple Syrup Pie

My goal this year is to make a new pie every week and on top of that I plan to tell you all about them, recipes included.

My inaugural pie, my first in Canada, is Pear/Apple, Walnut, and Maple Syrup Pie. It was originally just supposed to have pears in it, but I'm not the biggest fan of pears, so apples it is!

I used my mom's wonderful pie crust instead of what the recipe said. Her instructions are:

Melt 1 Tblsp. butter in one cup measuring cup

Fill 2/3 with canola oil

Fill the rest with water and zap in microwave until butter melts

In bowl mix 2 cups flour with 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp salt

Add the contents of the measuring cup

Roll out dough between 2 pieces of wax paper, invert into pie shell.

Filling:

* 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
* 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
* 3 tablespoons cornstarch
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 4 large Comice pears (about 3 pounds), peeled, cored, and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices
* 1/4 cup maple syrup
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* Cooking spray
* 2 teaspoons water
* 1 large egg

Directions: Preheat oven to 450°.

To prepare filling, combine brown sugar, walnuts, and cornstarch in a large bowl. Combine lemon juice and pears in a medium bowl, and stir in syrup and vanilla. Stir pear mixture into sugar mixture. Remove 1 sheet of plastic wrap from the 12-inch circle, and fit dough into a 9-inch pie plate coated with cooking spray, allowing dough to extend over edge of plate. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap. Combine 2 teaspoons water and egg in a small bowl, and stir well with a whisk. Spoon pear mixture into prepared crust, and brush edges of piecrust lightly with egg mixture. Remove 1 sheet of plastic wrap from the 11-inch circle, and place on top of pear mixture. Remove top sheet of plastic wrap. Press edges of dough together; fold edges under, and flute.

Place pie on a baking sheet; cut 5 (1-inch) slits into top of pastry using a sharp knife. Bake at 450° for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350° (do not remove pie from oven); bake an additional 45 (I did 30) minutes or until browned. Cool on a wire rack 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Mom's Refried Bean Soup

This is a family favorite. Great in winter, especially when served with hush puppies!

Ingredients:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 large onion (for one cup chopped)
1 medium gr. pepper (for one cup chopped)
2 tsp. bottled minced garlic
1 can (14 1/2 oz) vegetable broth or chicken broth
1 can (14 1/2 oz) mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 can (15 1/2oz,) black beans
1 can (15 1/2 oz.) red kidney beans
1 can 16 oz.) fat-free refried beans
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
Cilantro and black pepper to taste

Heat oil in a dutch oven over medium heat. Chop onion , coarsely chop
pepper and add to oil. Raise heat to medium high and cook for 2-3
minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Add garlic, broth, and stewed
tomatoes, stir. Raise heat to high. Rinse and drain black and kidney
beans and add to soup pot. Stir in refried beans and cumin, stir well.
cover and let soup come to a boil. Reduce heat to low and stir
occasionally for 5-7minutes or until ready to serve. Add pepper as
desired and sprinkle fresh cilantro over the top.