Old Fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie!

There is nothing better to me when the weather gets warm than cool, lemony treats.  Lemon desserts are just some of my favorites.  I have had a lot of requests for an "Old Fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie" recipe.   Now, sometimes I am not sure everyone is thinking of the same thing when we talk about lemon icebox pie.  

There seems to be some confusion about lemon pie, even among some food sites.  Lemon Icebox pie is not the same thing as Lemon Meringue Pie.   Lemon Meringue Pie has a custard that is cooked before you pour it in the prebaked shell and it is topped with, well, meringue.  This is Lemon Meringue Pie:

Lemon Meringue Pie!

Lemon Icebox Pie comes in two varieties nowadays.  The no bake version that is made with sweetened condensed milk, whipped cream, lemon juice, and sometimes cream cheese.  It is a more frozen type of pie and while it's really tasty, it's not really what is the old fashioned type.   

The old fashioned pie has egg yolks in it and it's just really creamy and has just the right lemony zest to it.  Some recipes do not bake the pie after it's filled, but I know from past experience that so many of you have issues with raw eggs that this recipe does bake the filling.  It also does not have a meringue topping, but is topped with whipped cream. 

Here is what you will need for this "Old Fashioned Lemon Icebox Pie":

1 graham cracker pie shell ( you can used the premade one or make your own)

1 (14 oz.) can of sweetened condensed milk (like Eagle Brand)

3/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice (5-6 lemons juiced, depending on the size and juiciness)

zest of 1 of the lemons

4 egg yolks

1 tsp. vanilla

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk the sweetened condensed milk and the lemon juice together.  In a separate bowl whisk the lemon zest and the egg yolks together until light yellow.  You can save the whites of the eggs for another use.  Actually they freeze well and can even be thawed and brought to room temp to make meringue for another dessert on another day.

Add the yolks to the lemon juice and milk mixture.   Add in the vanilla and pinch of salt. 

 Pour into the graham cracker crust and bake for 15 minutes in the 350 degree oven.  Remove and allow to cool completely on the counter.  Cover the pie loosely, not allowing plastic wrap to touch the top of the pie, if you happen to use plastic wrap to cover it.  Refrigerate for 3-4 hours before serving.  This pie will keep for several days in the fridge (3-4) or you can even freeze it.  Just be sure to thaw it before serving for the best results.

Serve with a dollop of whipped cream on top! 







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!

Hershey Bar Pie!

This is a really easy 'no bake' pie, that is so yummy!   It tastes sort of like a chocolate milkshake to me in pie form!  This is a really good pie to have for company or holidays, because you can make it ahead of time and freeze it.  Here is what you will need:

4 regular size Hershey Bars with almonds (use plain Hershey bars is you don't like the nuts)
16 regular size marshmallows
1/2 cups milk
8 oz. frozen whipped topping or 1 cup heavy cream, whipped
1 graham cracker or chocolate cookie crumb crust ( I used graham cracker)

Place the marshmallows, milk and broken up candy bars in a mixing bowl and microwave for about 2-3 minutes, stirring after each minute until it is all melted and blended.  Set aside and cool to room temperature.

Fold in the whipped cream and stir until blended.  Pour into the pie crust.  Place the pie in the freezer and freeze for at least 2-3 hours.  Remove from freezer and allow to sit out for 10-15 minutes, before cutting. 

Garnish with whipped cream and a cherry and serve! 

Caramel Pecan Delight Pie!

This is one of those pies that you just have to make and once you do make it, you will be asked to make it every time someone has something and needs a dessert.   You won't mind making it though, because it's surprisingly easy.  You don't even have to turn on the oven and the recipe makes two pies...one to take to a friend's and one to leave at home!  These freeze great also so it's great to freeze one to have on hand for when company pops in unexpected.  Here is what you will need:

2 cups rough chopped pecans

2 cups flaked coconut

1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

1 (8 oz.) cream cheese softened

1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk

1  (16 oz.) frozen whipped topping

1 jar caramel ice cream topping

2 graham cracker pie crusts

In a skillet lightly brown the pecans and coconut in the butter.  Set aside to cool. 

With an electric mixer blend the cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk and whipped topping

. 

Divide evenly between the two pie crust

 Top each with half of the pecan and coconut mixture.  Drizzle the entire jar of caramel ice cream topping over the tops of both pies. 

Refrigerate or freeze for at least 3 - 4 hours.  I think they cut best if you freeze them.





Key Lime Pie!

I really love key lime pie as a summer dessert.  Not the frozen concoction that you find sometimes in restaurants that tastes a lot like lime Jello, but a real homemade key lime pie.  It should be mildly lime flavored, not lock your jaws lime flavored.  The key is using real lime juice and preferably "key limes"  that you take the time to squeeze the life out of one by one. 

 Have you ever seen a key lime?  Well, I have seen what they sell for key limes in the super markets here and I don't think those are a good representation of the key lime species.  They are like little bright green marbles and hard as a rock.  Key limes, when ripe, are supposed to be turning a yellowish green color.   I am sure if you were in Florida in the Keys area...get it key limes, they would be more on the ripe side and not so small and hard.  

 Therefore, I used regular limes  for the lime juice in this pie and even though regular limes are not as tart and acidic as key limes, they were plenty tart for us.   I just didn't have the time or patience to squeeze a teaspoon of lime juice at a time out of each tiny key lime and they cost twice as much.

This is such a simple pie to make and has just a few ingredients, but the results are really good. This is all you need:

Graham cracker crust (I just used a premade one, but if you prefer feel free to make your own). 1 can sweetened condensed milk. 2 egg yolks, 1/2 cup lime juice, 1 Tbs. lime zest

Separate the eggs and just use the yolks.  With an electric mix, beat the eggs, sweetened condensed milk and the lime juice until it is whipped.  Add the zest and beat it in well.

Pour that into the graham cracker crust and place in a preheated 350 degree oven for 15 minutes. 

 

The pie will look set when you take it out, but it's not ready to serve.  Cool it on the counter and when it's cool, place it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving.

, Garnish with whipped cream and a thin slice of lime!     Voila, you have "Key Lime Pie"!