Cream Cheese Pecan Pie!

This is a delicious spin on the classic southern pecan pie.   Some people say a pecan pie is too sweet or too rich for them...I am not one of those people by the way...lol!!!   This pie has a yummy cream cheese layer to it with a pecan pie filling on top and it is a little less sweet than the traditional pecan pie.  

This is a wonderful pie for the holidays, but it's good year round.  Your cheesecake lovers will love it!  It's also really quite easy to make.

Here is what you will need for this pie:

CREAM CHEESE LAYER

1  (9") deep dish pie crust, unbaked

1 egg 

1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened to room temperature

PECAN PIE FILLING LAYER

2 eggs

1/2 cup corn syrup

3/4 cup sugar

4 Tbs. butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

2 cups chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a bowl beat the egg, sugar, vanilla and cream cheese until smooth.   Place the pie shell on a cookie sheet.   This makes it easier to transfer to the oven and will catch any spills.  Pour the cream cheese layer in the shell and bake for 15 minutes.  Remove from oven while you mix up the pecan pie layer.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs, corn syrup, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt together.  Stir in pecans.  Carefully, pour over the cream cheese layer.   Reduce the oven heat to 325.   Bake for 40 -45 minutes or until set. 

It should be lightly browned, but not too brown.  Allow to cool on the counter before you slice it.

This pie is a 100 on the yummy scale!!!  It's fantastic!!! 

Buttermilk Pecan Pie!

This takes two great southern pies and combines them into one.  The texture is more like the traditional Kentucky Buttermilk Pie,  but the addition of pecans really enhances the overall flavor.  This is also a really easy pie to make!   It's a dessert you can whip up without a lot of extra planning, because you usually have these ingredients on hand.  Here is what you will need:

3 large eggs

1 1/2 cups sugar

2 Tbs. all purpose flour

pinch of salt

1/2 cup butter, melted 1 stick

1/4 cup buttermilk

2 tsp. vanilla

1 cup pecans, chopped

1 (10 inch) unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Whisk the eggs lightly.  Add the sugar, flour, and pinch of salt.  Add the melted butter, buttermilk and vanilla.  Beat well.

Place the unbaked pie shell on a cookie sheet.  This prevent spills and the pie just bakes more evenly.  Sprinkle the chopped pecans in the bottom of the shell. 

Pour the filling over the pecans.  Place the pie on the center rack and bake for 55 to 60 minutes or until just brown.  If it starts to crack on top, it's done!

Serve with ice cream or whipped cream!





Pumpkin Cheesecake Pie!

 This is a great pumpkin pie recipe if you are looking for something a little different from the traditional baked pumpkin pie!   It's also a really good pumpkin dessert for those people who think they don't like pumpkin.  Even the kids will love this one!   It's sort of pumpkin pie meets cheesecake.   

Here is what you will need for this one:

1 large graham cracker crust (the one that says 2 extra servings or if you make your own, make a deep dish crust)

1 (8 oz.) pkg. of cream cheese, softened

1 cup, plus 1 Tbs. milk, divided

2 Tbs. powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 (8 oz.) container frozen whipped topping, thawed and divided

2 small (3 oz.) boxes of instant French vanilla pudding (be sure to get instant)

1 (15 oz.) can of pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Beat cream cheese with 2 Tbs. powdered sugar, 1 Tbs. milk and vanilla until smooth.  Fold in 1/2 of the frozen whipped topping.   Pour into the graham cracker crust and smooth to the edges.

Beat the remaining 1 cup milk with the pudding mixes. Beat in the pumpkin, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.  Spread over the cream cheese layer.  Refrigerate for 3-4 hours before serving. 

 

Serve topped with a dollop of the remaining whipped topping, sprinkled with a little pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon!

Old Fashioned Raisin Pie!

If you like raisins, you will love this "Old Fashioned Raisin Pie"!  It's a pie that not many make anymore, but those who remember it, ask me for a good recipe quite often.  It's actually very hard to find a good recipe for this pie!  

Raisins are one of those things you really like or you hate.  When I was growing up, I actually thought raisins were a special snack.  Contrary to what most people think of southern people and their bad eating habits, my mother was always very strict about our eating habits when we were young.  As we got older, we had a little more freedom of choice. We were not allowed many snacks between meals and when we were, it was usually something fairly healthy, like fruit, raw vegetables like carrots and celery, or sometimes raisins.  I loved the raisins, because, of course, they were sweet!

 Sometimes, we got cookies, but not everyday and not between meals very often.  We had this annoying cookie jar and let me tell you, you could not lift the lid on that jar without Mama hearing it!  I don't care if she was outside, that woman could hear that lid rattle.  Now, Daddy was another story, because Daddy napped and when he napped he heard nothing and even Daddy might have been known to sneak a cookie every now and then himself!  My point is, we taught much better eating habits then.  

Here is what you need for this "Raisin Pie":

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. allspice
4 eggs
3 Tbsp. vinegar
1 cup raisins
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)
1  9 inch deep dish pie shell

Cream sugar, butter, cinnamon and allspice together.  Add eggs, vinegar, raisins and walnuts (if using).  Place the pie shell on a cookie sheet and then pour the mixture into the shell.  

Bake at 350 degree for 30 minutes uncovered.   Place a sheet of foil loosely over the top to keep from over browning and bake for 30 more minutes.  You will bake for a total of 1 hour.  Remove and allow to cool before slicing.

Pineapple Pie!

In the South, we use a lot of pineapple and coconut in our holiday cooking... sometimes together and sometimes on their own. I am sure this originated, like so much does in the food traditions of a region, with the availability of these wonderful food items.  This is just a simple pineapple pie and it's delicious.  If you are a pineapple lover, this pie is for you! 

Now, supposedly, this is Johnny Cash's mother's pineapple pie recipe.  Pineapple pie was said to be Johnny Cash's favorite.  I don't really know if this is her recipe for sure, but it came from someone who might know, so I will go with it! 

  Here is what you will need:

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)
1 cup crushed pineapple (drained slightly, but not dry)
3 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

2 large eggs
1 Deep Dish pie shell, unbaked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, beat all ingredients until well blended.   Place the unbaked pie shell on a cookie sheet.   Carefully pour the ingredients into the pie shell.  Place on the center rack in the oven.  Bake for 45-50 minutes. 

 The top should just be starting to brown.  Remove and cool slightly before serving! 

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream or without!  It's delicious either way!