Warm Apple-Buttermilk Custard Pie

So guess what.  Yesterday was my 100th post! Took me long enough ;) but I thought that was a pretty cool accomplishment!

Well.  I have one last pie recipe for you before you finalize your Thanksgiving plans and before you stuff your face on Turkey Day in three days.  Wait that's not just me, is it?  This is really a goodie.  Everyone who tried it said they loved it and that it was better than normal apple pie.  How is it different, you ask?  It's got a creamy, buttermilk custard filling that surrounds the sweet, cinnamon-sugar apple filling and is topped with a crumbly, buttery and sugary topping.  Did that do it for you?  :)

Warm Apple-Buttermilk Custard Pie
from Cooking Light

Crust:

• 1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie dough or refrigerated pie crust (such as Pillsbury)
• Cooking spray  

Streusel:

• 1/3 cup all purpose flour 
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 2 1/2 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces 

Filling:

• 5 cups sliced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 2 pounds) 
• 1 cup granulated sugar, divided 
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 
• 3 large eggs 
• 1 3/4 cups fat-free buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

• Preheat oven to 325º.
• To prepare crust, roll dough into a 14-inch circle; fit into a 9-inch deepdish pie plate coated with cooking spray. Fold edges under; flute. Place pie plate in refrigerator until ready to use.
• To prepare streusel, lightly spoon 1/3 cup flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine 1/3 cup flour, brown sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a medium bowl; cut in butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Place streusel in refrigerator.
• To prepare the filling, heat a large nonstrick skillet coated with cookig spray over medium heat. Add sliced apple, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; cook 10 minutes or until the apple is tender, sitrring mixture occasionally. Spoon the apple mixture into prepared crust.
• Combine remaining 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, salt, and eggs, stirring with a whisk. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla. Pour over apple mixture. Bake at 325º for 30 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300º (do not remove pie from oven); sprinkle streusel over pie. Bake at 300º for 40 minutes or until set. Let stand 1 hour before serving.

Maple-Walnut Pumpkin Pie

 

With Thanksgiving just four days away, it's likely you already have your menu planned out. I don't blame you... I started planning for Thanksgiving about a month ago... and it's not like I'm having it at my house or anything.  Nope I'm just bringing some side dishes along to my parent's dinner AND my in-laws dinner.  Yup we're so lucky to have both of our families within 10 minutes of our home... it means Thanksgiving times two! My husband surprisingly considers this a bad thing, since he doesn't know how to eat small portions at the first dinner, ends up stuffing himself at both dinners and then regrets it.  Typical men.  I, on the other hand, am excited.  Hopefully I can eat small portions... but no promises, I mean it IS Thanksgiving! ;)

If you happen to be looking for a pumpkin pie recipe, this one really is special.  Not your average pumpkin pie, this recipe has a walnut streusel on top that is really delicious and adds to the wow-factor of this pie! I'd be making it again this Thursday if my mom wasn't already gonna make the pies.  

Maple-Walnut Pumpkin Pie

Crust:

1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

Filling

1 can (15 oz) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

2 eggs

2 tablespoons real maple syrup or maple-flavored syrup

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Streusel:

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons cold butter or margarine

Topping: (I just used Cool Whip instead)

1 cup whipping cream

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

Chopped walnuts, if desired

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Place pie crust in 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie. In large bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Pour into crust-lined pan. Bake 10 minutes.  

2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, mix 1/4 cup brown sugar, the chopped walnuts and flour; cut in butter until crumbly. Set aside. 

3. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Sprinkle streusel over pie. Cover crust edge with 3-inch-wide strips of foil to prevent excessive browning.  

4. Bake 30 to 35 minutes longer or until knife inserted 1 inch from edge comes out clean. Cool completely, about 2 hours. Serve or refrigerate until serving time. 

.5 To serve, in medium bowl, beat whipping cream and 2 tablespoons brown sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until soft peaks form. Serve pie with whipped cream; garnish with chopped walnuts. Store in refrigerator.

Apple Streusel Pie Bars

 

Apple Streusel Pie Bars. What could be a better fall dessert? Probably nothing, because these are amazing! I like apple pie, I would never turn it down, but this apple dessert had me swooning! I'm not sure how many pieces I ate... definitely more than I should've... :/ haha but you too will see how good these are if you make them! Definite keeper recipe! And so easy!

Apple Streusel Bars

 

SWEET PASTRY:

2 c. flour

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1 c. real butter, softened (no substitutions!)

1 egg, beaten

 

APPLE FILLING:

1/2 c. white sugar

1/4 c. flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

4 c. (about 3 medium) sliced, peeled baking apples (I've used Granny Smith in the past, although this time around I used Gala and they were fabulous)

 

GLAZE:

2 c. powdered sugar

About 3 Tbsp. milk (whole milk is best)

1 tsp. almond extract

 

To prepare crust, mix flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until you have pea-sized crumbles. Gently mix in beaten egg.

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick cooking spray. Gently pat about 2/3 of the crumb mixture onto the bottom of the dish. Preheat oven to 350 and set aside.

To prepare apple filling, combine flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Toss with apples and spread apples out on prepared crust. Sprinkle reserved crust mixture over apples evenly and bake in preheated oven for 40 minutes. When finished, allow to cool completely.

To prepare glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, almond extract, and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Place glaze in a Ziploc bag and cut off a very small portion of one of the corners. Drizzle glaze over cooled pastry and allow to harden (you can place it in the freezer to hurry things along). Cut into bars and serve.

Strawberry Yogurt Cream Pie

This, my friends, is the easiest pie you will ever make.  Ever! Isn't it so great?

I apologize, I haven't even told you how to make it yet.  So how are you to believe me?  Well let me put it this way.  There are 3 ingredients. And it takes 5 minutes to prepare. Done.  Easiest pie ever.

Even better than that?  There's only about 120 calories per piece, so what's not to love?

Ingredients:
1 homemade or store-bought graham cracker crust
1 container Lite Cool Whip
2-3 (6 oz) Yogurts  (strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, key lime….)
Directions:
Thaw cool whip in microwave for about 30 seconds. Next you will combine the the cool whip and yogurt in a medium bowl. Then place the mixture into the pie crust and spread out evenly. After this you will place in the freezer for about 4-6 hours before serving. You can leave it in overnight, just make sure to leave it out about an hour before serving to let it soften up a bit. That’s it! Easy peasy!

A Cyber Thanksgiving Round-Up

 I cannot believe Thanksgiving is next week!  Honestly... where does the time go?  It is almost 2011.. which means I will be 20 a couple days later!  :) 

I am SO excited for Thanksgiving.  After Christmas, it is probably my favorite holiday.  (So, basically it's my second favorite)  This will be my first Thanksgiving where I am bringing a rather-serious boyfriend to the family get-together (not to mention I get to go to his as well!) which is making me even more anxious for next week to get here so I can fly home to see them all!

Anyway...I've been seeing a LOT of pumpkin pie, green bean casserole, stuffing and other Turkey day recipes on the blog world/Internet ever since it was socially acceptable (that would be the day after Halloween...)  Since all of the foods have already been divvied out to all of my family members, I don't have to worry about new recipes or anything, but I still love looking at the mouth-watering pictures and getting ideas for future holidays... so here is a round-up of some of the yummiest-looking Thanksgiving recipes I've seen.. I think they all sound and look amazing!

 

1.  Very Pumpkin Pie by the Blue-Eyed Bakers

2. Artichoke Parmesan Sourdough Stuffing by Our Best Bites

 

3. Green Bean Casserole by Brown-Eyed Baker

 

4. Deep-Dish Caramel Apple Pie by Sugar Plum

5.  Pecan Pie Squares at MyRecipes.com

 

6. Creamy Spinach Gratin by Mel's Kitchen Cafe

 

7.  Pumpkin Streusel Muffins by The Peppered Pantry 

8.  Cranberry-Lime Galette by My Baking Heart

 

9.  Traditional Sweet Potato Casserole at MyRecipes.com

10.  Cranberry Cinnamon Chip Bars by Our Best Bites

YUM.  Can't wait for Turkey Day!