You Want Pies With That? – Football Pie

“Fight ’em till hell freezes over, then fight ’em on the ice.” – Leo “Dutch” Meyer, TCU Head Football Coach 1934-1952

Ahhh, College Football. How I’ve missed you. It’s been a long nine months, but it’s so good to see you once again. I even have season tickets to celebrate our reunion. Nice of me, huh?

Admit it. You knew this was coming. There have been sports reports and interviews, emails and polls… heck, even facebook updates. It’s always inevitable. Fittingly, my good friend Amy, of Sing For Your Supper, chose this fine American tradition as this month’s You Want Pies With That? theme.

And since it’s become quite obvious that I’m a big TCU supporter (Class of ’05, baby!! My nickname is ‘Hornedfroggy’, after all.), this theme is perfect. The pie wasn’t too shabby, either. 😉

Riff Ram Pie
Source: My Baking Heart

4 c sliced fresh plums
1/4 c Splenda for Baking
1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp Kosher salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 (9″) unbaked deep dish pie shell

Topping:
1/4 c Splenda for Baking
1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 tsp ground nutmeg
3 tbsp cold butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In a bowl, carefully combine the first six ingredients, then pour into the pie shell. For the topping, whisk Splenda, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg together in a small bowl. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle topping over the filling, then bake for 50-60 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Cover the edges of the crust during the last 20 minutes to prevent burning. Cool on a wire rack before serving.

~

It’s unimaginable, but I know some of you are unfamiliar with our fine traditions. 🙂 So, for those of you out of the loop, here’s our most popular chant (and the inspiration for this lovely pie):

Riff Ram, Bah Zoo
Lickety Lickety, Zoo Zoo
Hoo Wah, Wah Hoo
GIVE ‘EM HELL, TCU!!

See, even SuperFrog likes it…

 

You Want Pies With That? – Personality Pie

What do you say when someone asks you to describe yourself? It’s hard isn’t it? You’ll take all kinds of suggestions from others, but when you have to toot your own horn… it’s overwhelming. At least for me, it is. So, when Branny decided that this month’s YWPWT? theme would be about our beautiful personalities, I was stumped.

My first thought was that I’m sweet. Well, geez, that could be any pie in the world, right (obviously excluding those savory ones)? I also think I’m nice, honest and a good friend. Great! How do you make a pie fitting those attributes?? You can’t. I thought about it for almost a month. I did, however, find something that fit the bill of ‘quick & easy’ (which is always a good thing). I figured if I couldn’t make something that screamed ‘nice’, it could scream ‘chocolate’. 🙂

Chocolate Overload Pie
Adapted from: CakeSpy

1 pre-baked Pie Shell
1 pkg (5.9 oz) instant fat-free, sugar-free chocolate pudding
2 c melted Dorie’s Dark Chocolate Ganache Ice Cream
Whipped cream (for topping)

Beat pudding mix and ice cream with a whisk until fully combined (about 2 minutes). Spoon mixture into pie shell and with an offset spatula, smooth the top so that the mixture is evenly distributed. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until set. If desired, top with a dollop of whipped cream before serving.

There ya go… quick & easy. 😉

 

You Want Pies With That? – Pizza Pies

Happy Cinco de Mayo, y’all! This month’s ‘You Want Pies With That?’ theme is Pizza Pies, chosen by the lovely Erin of Milk & Honey. And what better way to celebrate Cinco de Mayo than with a Mexican Pizza?! A couple of slices of this paired with a Coconut Margarita and you’re good to go! 🙂

‘Cinco de Mayo’ Mexican Pizza
Adapted from: Gourmet Magazine (dough) & TLC

Dough
2 to 2-1/4 c all-purpose flour
1/4 ounce package fast-acting yeast
1/2 tsp sugar
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp salt

In a large bowl whisk together 3/4 cup of flour, yeast, sugar, and 2/3 cup hot water (130 dgrees F). Stir in the oil, 1-1/4 cups of the remaining flour, and the salt and blend the mixture until it forms a dough. Knead the dough on a floured surface, incorporating as much of the remaining 1/4 cup flour as necessary to prevent the dough from sticking, for 5 to 10 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.

Alternatively, the dough may be made in a food processor. In a food processor combine 3/4 cup of the flour, yeast, and sugar. With the motor running, add 2/3 cup hot water, and turn the motor off. Add the oil, 1-1/4 cups of the remaining flour, and the salt and process the mixture until it forms a ball, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, if it is too dry, or more flour, 1 tablespoon at time, if it is too wet. Knead the dough by processing it for 15 seconds.

The dough, prepared by either method, may be used immediately, but for better flavor it is best to let it rise once. Put the dough in an oiled bowl and turn it to coat it with the oil. Let the dough rise, covered with plastic wrap, in a warm place for 30 minutes, or until it is double in bulk, and punch it down. This dough may be used instead of the basic pizza dough.

Pizza
Pizza Crust (recipe above)
Nonstick cooking spray
1/2 small white onion, diced
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1 can reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 can diced green chilies
1 can fat-free refried beans
1 c shredded Mexican-blend cheese
3/4 c diced tomatoes
1/2 c frozen whole kernel corn, thawed
1/2 can sliced ripe black olives, drained
Salsa (optional)
Fat-free sour cream (optional)

Prepare pizza crust. Preheat oven to 500 degrees F.

Spray 2-3 quart saucepan with cooking spray. Place over medium heat. Add onion, chili powder, cumin, cinnamon and 1 tbsp water; stir. Cover and cook 3-4 minutes or until onion is crisp-tender. Stir in black beans and chilies.

Roll dough into a 14″ circle. Transfer dough to pizza pan or stone. Spread refried beans over crust, leaving about an inch around the sides. Top with half the cheese, black bean mixture, tomatoes, corn and olives. Top with remaining cheese. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until the crust is a deep golden brown. Let stand a few minutes before slicing. Serve with salsa and sour cream, if desired.

 

You Want Pies With That? – Spring Pie

Three cheers for the return of ‘You Want Pies With That’!! For April’s “Spring” theme, I chose a tomato, basil & mozzarella pie, better known as a Margherita pie. Totally fresh, and very appropriate for Spring. And don’t forget… entries are due by April 13 at midnight! Hope you join us!! 🙂

Margherita Pie
Adapted from: Pies, Pies & More Pies by Viola Goren

Pastry dough:
2 c all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1/2 tsp salt
1-1/4 sticks unsalted butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1 large egg or 2 large egg yolks
3 tbsp cold heavy whipping cream, milk or water

Filling:
8-10 slices mozzarella cheese, thinly sliced
1/4 lb whole cherry tomatoes
1/2 c heavy whipping cream
3 tbsp sour cream
2 large eggs
1-1/2 tsp minced garlic
10-12 fresh basil leaves, chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Prepare pastry in an electric mixer or food processor. Mix flour, salt and butter just until texture resembles bread crumbs. Add egg and cream, and mix just until dough forms. Shape into a thick disc, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out chilled dough to about 1/4″ thick and cut into a 12″ round. Wrap dough loosely around rolling pin and transfer to 10″ pie plate. Trim edges and freeze for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line chilled pie shell with parchment paper or aluminum foil and fill with raw beans or pie weights. Bake until crust is dry and lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Remove paper and beans and bake until crust is golden and baked through, 10-15 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool.

Increase heat to 375 degrees F and assemble pie. Arrange mozzarella in baked pie shell and top with cherry tomatoes. In a medium bowl, mix together cream, sour cream, eggs, garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Pour cream mixture into shell and bake until filling sets, about 40 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and let cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

 

Tuesdays With Dorie – Soft Chocolate & Raspberry Tart… and a YWPWT announcement!

A few months ago, I was asked to takeover You Want Pies With That?. The original hostesses were becoming quite busy with other things and didn’t have the time to devote to the site. So, my BFF Amy of Sing For Your Supper agreed to help me out, and we’ve slowly been working on plans. Our new banner and badge have been uploaded, so we’re almost ready to start anew! Head on over to check it out, become a fan on our Facebook page and grab that new badge for your blog! 🙂 We’re excited about what’s in store and we hope you’ll join us!!

Now, on to this week’s TWD! I was hesitant to make this… but only because it’s just me around here and I’m reeeeeeally trying hard to eat better. I take a lot of things to work, but most of the gals are on diets as well, so a lot of treats go uneaten. 😦

With that said, this was SO good. Definitely one I’d make again, especially when I need a dessert for an event! It was rich, smooth, almost velvety with a beautiful chocolate finish… two thumbs up! And I only had a tiny slice. Yay, me!!

Thanks to Rachelle of Mommy? I’m Hungry! for this week’s choice! Check her blog for the recipe and TWD for the other bakers’ tarts!

Soft Chocolate & Raspberry Tart (pg. 354)
Source: Baking – From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

 

You Want Pies With That? – Holiday Spirit Pie

This month’s ‘You Want Pies With That?’ theme was to create a pie with true holiday spirit… and spirited it is! For inspiration, I used traditional Christmas eggnog with whiskey, nestled within a gingersnap crust. It’s velvety, rich, spicy and a snap to make (yep, pun intended). 🙂

Whiskey Eggnog Pie with Gingersnap Crust

Crust:
1-1/2 c gingersnap cookie crumbs
1/4 c unsalted butter, melted and cooled

Filling:
4-3/4 oz package Jello vanilla pudding mix
2 c lowfat eggnog
1-1/4 c skim milk
2 tbsp whiskey
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
9″ graham cracker pie shell

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Stir together gingersnap cookie crumbs and butter. Mix well and press firmly & evenly into bottom and up sides of a 9″ pie plate. Bake for 10 minutes, then let cool before filling.

Cook pudding mix using eggnog and skim milk. Stir in whiskey and nutmeg, then pour into crust. Cover surface and chill for several hours before serving.

I’ll leave you with a glimpse of the sweet sign C gave me for Christmas last Friday… seems fitting for this post, huh?? I love it (and I love you, C!!) – it’s an absolute perfect fit for my kitchen. Even though you’re in San Diego, you’re with me while I bake, too. 🙂

 

You Want Pies With That? – Pumpkin Pie with a Twist

One word. Ah-mazing. This is THE perfect day-after-Thanksgiving dessert. Especially when it follows fried turkey and pickles. 😉

Triple-Chocolate Pumpkin Pie
Adapted from: Martha Stewart

For the Graham-Cracker Crust:
2 c finely-ground graham cracker crumbs (about 16 crackers)
6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1/2 tbsp Splenda for Baking
1 tbsp Splenda light-brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
3 oz bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped

For the Filling:
6 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
4 tbsp unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1 can pumpkin
1/2 can condensed milk
1/4 c light-brown sugar, packed
3 large eggs
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1-1/2 tsp coarse salt
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 oz milk chocolate, melted

To make the crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine graham cracker crumbs, butter, sugars, salt and cinnamon in a bowl. Firmly press mixture into bottom and up sides or a deep, 9-1/2″ pie dish. Bake until firm, 8-10 minutes.

Remove from oven and sprinkle bittersweet chocolate over bottom of crust. Return to oven to melt chocolate, about 1 minute. Spread chocolate in a thin layer on bottom of crust and up sides. Let cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees.

To make the filling: In a large heatproof bowl set over a pot of simmering water, melt semisweet chocolate and butter, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.

Mix pumpkin, milk, brown sugar, eggs, cornstarch, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and a pinch of cloves in a medium bowl. Whisk a 1/3 of the pumpkin mixture into the chocolate mixture. Whisk in remaining pumpkin mixture until completely incorporated.

Transfer pie dish to a rimmed baking sheet and pour pumpkin/chocolate mixture into crust. Bake until center is set but still a bit wobbly, about 55-60 minutes. Let cool in pie dish on a wire rack. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 8 hours (preferably overnight). Before serving, drizzle melted milk chocolate on top. Serve immediately.

 

You Want Pies With That? – Nuts About Pie

“I’m late, I’m late! For a very important date!” Yesterday, that is… the 7th. The deadline for July’s ‘You Want Pies With That?’ entries. Holly of Phemomenon (one of our fearless leaders) gave me the go-ahead to enter late and I’m very grateful! Grateful, because I wanted to share with everyone this fabulous pie that Momma G is famous for. It tastes so sinful but isn’t as bad as you’d think! It’s smooth, rich and the dark chocolate peanut butter totally takes it over the top… I love it!

A BIG ‘thank you’ to Jacque of Daisy Lane Cakes for choosing such a yummy theme this month!

G’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie
Source: Momma G

8 oz. container Cool Whip Lite
8 oz. fat-free cream cheese
1 c dark chocolate peanut butter*
1 c confectioners’ sugar
1/4 c heavy cream or fat-free half & half
1 graham cracker crust, store-bought or premade

Mix all ingredients until smooth and fold in cream/half & half until well blended. Pour mixture into graham cracker crust. Drizzle with dark chocolate syrup and sprinkle with chopped salted peanuts on top. Chill for several hours, or overnight, before serving.

*You know how much I love this stuff! If you can’t find it in stores, you can get it here.

 

You Want Pies With That? – Taste of Summer Pie

My buddy Amy is such a cool chick. She always knows when to call, she collects antiques and last April, she convinced me to join Tuesdays With Dorie (by the way, have I ever thanked you, A??). This time, she didn’t have to convince me of anything… I just copied off of her and joined You Want Pies With That? on my own. She’s just that fabulous. 🙂

For my very first entry into YWPWT, I chose a Coconut-Rum Key Lime Pie. For two reasons, actually. A) Our theme was ‘Taste of Summer’ and B) I’ve never tried Key Lime Pie.

I hear you… “What?!” you say. It’s true. So, let me tell you a little bit about it. I think I have a new favorite dessert. I’m not a huge fan of shredded coconut, but I love me some coconut flavoring, so I subbed coconut extract for all the shredded pieces that it called for. This pie combines all kinds of things that I associate with Summer… tropical flavors, alcohol (hee!), fruit and coolness.

Thumbs up to Rebecca of Ezra Pound Cake and Mary of Alpineberry for such a yummy theme! Thanks gals!!

Coconut-Rum Key Lime Pie

Adapted from: Southern Living

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c key lime juice
2 tbsp key lime zest
1 tsp coconut rum
1-1/2 tsp coconut extract
Coconut Crust (recipe follows)

Beat cream cheese and milk with an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add lime juice, zest, rum and coconut extract, stirring to combine. Pour filling into Coconut Crust. If you have any left over, sprinkle a bit of lime zest on top. Cover and chill at least 12 hours or until set.

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Coconut Crust

26 cream-filled vanilla sandwich cookies, finely crushed (about 1-1/2 cups)
6 tbsp butter, melted
2 tsp coconut extract

Combine all ingredients. Firmly press on bottom and up sides of a 9″ pie plate. Cover and chill for 30 minutes. Uncover and fill with Coconut-Rum Key Lime filling.