Week 50: Sweetie Pie

Alas, week 50 and a good one from Sweetie-licious pies. This one is called Sweetie Pie, and it's a recipe from her Grandma.  It was pretty tasty too!  Sweetie-licious does not disappoint! This one is a mix of all things yummy.  The chocolate sinks to the bottom with a sort of custardy layer in the middle with the pecans all rising to the top.  It's not gooey like a pecan pie but more like a thick custard. Then when it's hot out of the oven, you drizzle caramel on top and some chocolate shavings.  We gobbled this one up, especially Aaron and Kate (even had another piece the day after).  The older two boys aren't fans of pecans, so they ate theirs after scraping the pecans off the top (yes, they are crazy)!  Hard to describe the exact flavor of this...totally different from pecan or even chocolate pecan; had a hint of chocolate chip cookie pie but a little more depth to it.  Super good!

Week 49: Samoa Cream Pie

Can you believe it?  Week 49!  Only a few more to go which is really sad!  This week was a Samoa Cream Pie from Our Best Bites, inspired from a great girl scout cookie!  This was a yummy pie.  My coconut haters didn't love it but the rest of us did.  Nice and creamy with whipped cream on top that has caramel and chocolate syrup stirred into it.  I think  a chocolate graham cracker crust would have been yummy too but we stuck with the traditional graham cracker crust.  I didn't realize I was out of coconut extract so ours wasn't as coconutty as it could have been but still pretty yummy.  Here is a link to the recipe:  http://ourbestbites.com/2013/06/samoa-cream-pie/

Week 48: Chocolate Pecan Pie

Chocolate Pecan Pie...so, I didn't think it was possible to improve Pecan Pie but this may have done it.  This was a delicious pie and subtly different to the traditional pecan pie.  The filling set up a bit thicker...not quite as gooey and it wasn't quite as sweet...just different with the chocolate in there.  Super yummy and we gobbled it all up.  Two thumbs up from Aaron; in fact, he had two pieces that night and he and Kate had another piece in the morning, barely leaving a second slice for Patrick.  My other two pecan haters, scooped out all the filling and wanted more.  This is definitely a keeper and one to make over and over again!  The recipe came from Martha Stewart; here is a link to the recipe:  http://www.marthastewart.com/341293/chocolate-pecan-pie

Week 47: Pecan Pie

Week 47 was a delicious Pecan Pie from Sweetie-licious.  It was sooooooo good in fact that we made it again to take to Thanksgiving dinner.  This recipe is yummy.  The filling has heavy cream in it which adds a nice touch.  We all enjoyed this pie...except for two of mine who don't really like pecans but they decided the rest of the pie was yummy and just picked off the pecans.  It really does work better to let it cool all the way before slicing and I actually think it tastes better room temperature than slightly warm.  We had trouble waiting for it to cool all the way but on Thanksgiving, it was all the way cool and I thought even better than the first go round.  The rest of us including Aaron and Kate gobbled it up and ate too much...pie coma afterward!

Week 46: Raw Pumpkin Pie

Week 46 was a total experiment.  The Pie was a pumpkin-maple pie with a baked oat crust.  This recipe was out of a vegan cookbook called, Oh She Glows.  It was surprisingly good.  Not sure what I expected but it was a tasty alternative to traditional pumpkin pie.  The pie gets its creaminess from cashews...you soak them for a few hours and then blend in the blender and poof, they turn into cream.  It's a big like magic!  Anyways, the pie was good.  The crust tasted a bit like lara bars but if you like lara bars, it's a plus.  The recipe has you put the pie in the freezer and serve it cold.  It was a nice alternative to the regular pumpkin pie. We all thought it was pretty good.  P wasn't as keen but Brian really liked it...he likes pumpkin and lara bars, so all around win for him.  I would probably still make a regular pumpkin pie unless I was really watching calories!

Week 45: Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

This was a great addition to the pie challenge and a nice change on regular pumpkin pie.  This was Pumpkin Chiffon Pie and it was delicious...light and airy with good flavor.  The pumpkin custard type part is folded into a meringue and then the mixture is put into the pie shell and chilled to firm up. Here is a link to the recipe:  http://allrecipes.com/recipe/22379/pumpkin-chiffon-pie/print/?internalSource=recipe%20button&referringId=22379&referringContentType=recipe&clickId=recipe%20button.

The grown-ups really liked this one...kids still deciding.  We had to rush it for them so it wasn't all the way chilled yet, so they are trying again tomorrow!  They seemed to like it though even not all the way chilled.

Week 44: Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato Pie...I had visions and dreams for this one and it was good but it wasn't anything too memorable for me.  Perhaps it would have been different/better if I had remembered to add the 1/4 cup of melted butter!  It was good and it was super creamy but it just wasn't memorable for me.  P and the boys liked it plenty fine.  It was one of the few from Sweetie-licious that have just been ok.  Interesting to have a different flavor than pumpkin in the fall but this one wasn't flavorful enough for me.

Week 43: Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie

Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie...so yummy.  What could be bad?!  Another winner from Sweetie-licious.  We've actually made/eaten this pie before, so we knew we wanted it added to the schedule and we were once again happy to eat it!  Everyone liked it.  A great combination of pumpkin pie and cheesecake all in a yummy pie crust. A cream cheesey layer is put in the pie first and then after adding the pumpkin filling, you swirl them together with the knife spreading the cream cheese parts throughout the pie.  Definitely a keeper and a great addition to any thanksgiving dinner dessert table!

Week 42: Pumpkin Pie

The boys have been eagerly anticipating pumpkin pie, so tonight was the night!  I cooked up the actual pie pumpkin last night and blended it in the food processor.  Then today, made the recipe.  The one I like to use is 2 cups pumpkin, a can of sweetened condensed milk, 2 eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt.  Everyone seemed to like it.  I actually liked it too...don't know if the real pumpkin changed the texture for me or what but it tasted much better to me than pumpkin pies of the past.  I love pumpkin things just not usually pumpkin pie, but this pie I liked...especially eating it with all of these people!

Week 41: Pumpkin Caramel Apple Pie

So, this week was another Sweetie-licious and it was going out on a limb for me.  I wanted to mix it up a little from all of the apple pies and my kids love pumpkin and it is October, so I went for the mix of two worlds on this one.  The recipe is The Moms' Pumpkin Caramel Apple Pie.  She said she came up with the recipe as a mix of pumpkin pie and caramel apple pie so a choice between the two wouldn't have to be made.  I was a little uncertain about this one...I don't actually love pumpkin pie but we went with it.  It was ok for me (I was a little nervous it was going to be gross).  I didn't mind the two flavors together but I think I would prefer an apple pie.  The kids and P all enjoyed it however I did find some pumpkin parts left on one plate and the apples left on another plate, so I think overall, we prefer all of one kind of pie at a time!  The bottom layer of this pie is the caramel apple filling and then it is covered by a pumpkin filling and then baked in the oven.  Very different and interesting!

Week 40: Apple Almond Pie

Sweetie-licious hit it out of the park with this one.  P said it might be THE best one of the year.  The name of this one is Mom Hundt's Apple Almond Pie and my oh my was it delish.  The almond/cream cheese mixture on the bottom was superb and added a depth to the pie that made it totally different from regular apple pie.  No actual nuts in this pie but rather almond paste in a crumble mixture on the bottom of the pie and then almond extract mixed in with the apple pie filling.  We all loved this pie, adults, kids and grandma who was in town.  Definitely one that will be made again!

Week 39: Candy Apple Pie

Week 39 was officially called, Daddy's County Fair Candy Apple Pie and it was from Sweetie-licious pies.  This one was just OK for me...tasty and good but not necessarily one I would make or crave to have again.  The kids on the other hand, thought this was pretty awesome.  Even K had a second piece the day after!  The candy part is red hots that you melt in with the butter, cornstarch water and vanilla and then that is poured over the apple filling. It sure makes a colorful pie!  It was good and different but I think I rather stick with a more traditional apple pie.

Week 38: Laura's Sticky Toffee Pudding Caramel Apple Pie

Here we go....Laura's Sticky Toffee Pudding Caramel Apple Pie was DELICIOUS!  A big time winner from Sweetie-licious pies.  P said this might be the best/his favorite so far of them all and he's now had 38 different pies.  He described it as a combination cinnamon roll/apple pie/pecan pie of goodness.  We all liked this one and it was superb.  The boys had theirs without extra pecans on top but oh my...delicious pie with caramel and more pecans on the top.  This was divine...gooey on the bottom with apple pie filling above and then a crumb topping with caramel and more pecans drizzled over the top.  I really liked it too but not sure if it can unseat the fresh peach as the ultimate pie!  Wish you could taste through the pictures!

Week 37: Apple Crisp Pie

This pie was our own invention....my favorite apple crisp recipe baked in my favorite pie crust recipe and voila, a delicious yummy creation.  Both of my recipes are from Martha Stewart. Again, a variety of apples in the filling with some sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon.  The topping is a mix of flour, brown sugar, butter and oats.  Cooked up for about an hour.  Super yummy and gobbled up by all the tasters.  Not much left after we all enjoyed it that first night!  Definitely one to make again.

Week 36: Grandma Ferrell's Caramel Apple Pie

Grandma Ferrell's Caramel Apple Pie was a winner....super delicious. Thanks again to Sweetie-licious Pies.  The apple part was pretty standard...apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon, lemon juice, salt and melted butter.  This was topped with a crumb topping.  The final addition which made this pie so extra yummy, was the homemade caramel sauce that was drizzled over the crumb topping.  All combined for a delicious, yummy pie that was enjoyed by all.  So far, apple seems to be the universal favorite among my children. They haved liked it in any variety.  I think one key is using several types of apples in the filling.

Week 35: Classic Double Crust Apple Pie

This is timeless...it is the apple pie recipe I make every fall when the apples are fresh and straight from the farm.  This recipe is from Martha Stewart.  It's delicious, wonderful and pretty easy.  The top crust can be latticed or all the way covering...we usually do a full top crust.  I like to do a variety of apples for the filling along with some flour, cinnamon, sugar, lemon juice and a pinch of salt.  This one is a winner...everyone loved it, including Grandma Jan who is here to help with the baby.  Not one piece was left at the end of the night.  JP and B indulged with two pieces!

Week 34: Peach Galette

Peach Galette...basically a flat, rustic pie with yummy peach goodness inside!  This pie is baked on a cookie sheet with the edges folded up around the filling.  We did peaches inside since they are in season and are so delicious but any fruit would work.  Super easy to make and delicious to eat.  Liked by all but not as highly rated as the fresh peach pie!  Plus, we were a little distracted this week by the arrival our new little bundle!

Week 33: Peach Raspberry Pie

Can't get enough of these fruit pies, especially peach.  This was a delicious pie. The combination of peaches and raspberries was superb.  Just enough sweet with just enough tart for a tasty combination.  The crust was pressed into the pan and some of the same dough was reserved to crumble on the top.  A definite hit.  Everyone liked this one, kids and all.  Some friends stopped by and we shared and there was not a piece left!  All unanimous that this was good!  Here is the recipe:  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/the-easiest-peach-raspberry-pie-with-press-in-crust-56389627

Week 32: Peach Cobbler Pie

So, the merging to two worlds and boy was it tasty!  Peach Cobbler Pie and it was just like it sounds.  Pie crust on the bottom, peaches mixed in sugar, flour, a little cinnamon and a little lemon juice and then cobbler dough spooned on top.  Put it in the oven and there you go!  We all enjoyed this one.  The kids ate it at room temperature and thought it was yummy.  The grown-ups had it warmed up with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.  Definitely a winner!  Here is the recipe:  http://www.completelydelicious.com/2014/08/peach-cobbler-pie.html