Easy Candy Bar Pie

Sometimes you just need "easy".  This pie is one of those that yields an awesome product.  Too bad Izzy can't have a slice. . .I guess I'll just have to eat her slice too! Thanks, Carol for this one from Pie Night!

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1- 1/2 c. powdered sugar

1/2 c. creamy peanut butter or 1/2 c. chunky peanut butter

3 regular sized candy bars (snickers or Heath)

16 oz Cool whip, thawed (plus more for garnish)

2 - 6 oz Oreo cookie pie crust or 2 - 6 oz graham cracker pie crust

In a large mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter until creamy.  Stir in chopped candy bars.  Gently fold in the Cool whip just until mixed.  Pour into crusts and refrigerate overnight.  top with more whipped cream.

Killer French Silk Chocolate Pie (literally)

Lori Pierce arrived in Columbus, MS the same time I did.  We had a few things in common-- our husbands were employed at Kerr-McGee, we both had newborn babies and we both were new to the Columbus ward.  Now Lori is the kind of person who knows a lot about a lot of things.  She also loves a good "argument", and because of this, not many people appreciate her wisdom.  This is one of her awesome recipes.  She also makes wonderful rolls and "ovaltine and toast", but I'll save that for another post.

According to Lori, this is the pie that put her grandmother into a diabetic coma.  So you have been warned!  It is so delicious, but a slice is best shared-- for happiness as well as your health!

Pastry Pie Crust:

3 c. flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp baking powder

1 egg beaten with 1 tsp vinegar

1 c. oil

1/4-1/2 c. ice water

Mix dry ingredients, then add wet ones.  Mix well.  This crust is very oily and difficult to roll out.  You can just press it into the pie pan with your fingers.  If cooking unfilled, bake at 350 degrees just until the top edges turn a light brown.

French Silk Chocolate Pie (Pillsbury bake-off winner)

3 oz unsweetened chocolate, chopped

3/4 c. butter, softened (do not substitute margarine)

1 c. sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

3/4 c. cholesterol-free egg product

Prepare and bake crust.  Cool.  Melt chocolate and cool.  In a small bowl, beat butter until fluffy; add sugar gradually beating until light and fluffy.  Blend in cooled chocolate and vanilla.  Add egg product 1/4 c. at a time, beating at high speed for 2 minutes after each addition.  Beat until mixture is smooth and fluffy.  Pour into the cooled, baked pie shell.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.  Garnish with whipped cream and chocolate curls.  Store in refrigerator.

Per slice:  Calories: 400; Fat 28g

Pecan Pie

Pecan pie is a favorite to my brother, Kyong, and my husband, Ty.  I thought I had a few good recipes, but this one is AWESOME!


We had a most excellent RS activity where we simply brought different pies and ate them.  I tell ya, it was my kind of evening!  Rachel Jolley who is a most excellent cook brought this pie and recipe (from "The Best Recipe" by the editors of Cooks Illustrated,  so I had to post it.  She even gave us some great tips to help make a soft and smooth pecan pie without a soggy crust.  Here it is. . .
1) Take the pie out of the oven before it is completely done (it will continue to cook after being removed from the oven and the butter in the pie will solidify as it cools).
2) Cook at a low temperature to avoid curdling
3) By adding hot filling to an already hot crust, you can reduce the cooking time and avoid a soggy crust
4) Pre-toast the pecans


1 pie crust
6 TB unsalted butter, cut into 1" pieces
1 c. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
3 large eggs
3/4 c. light corn syrup
1 TB vanilla extract
2 c. pecans, toasted and chopped


Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.  Partially bake pie shell (lightly golden brown).


Meanwhile, melt butter in medium heatproof bowl set in skillet of water maintained at just below simmer.  Remove bowl from skillet; mix in sugar and salt with wooden spoon until butter is absorbed.  Beat in eggs, then corn syrup and vanilla.  Return bowl to hot water; stir until mixture is shiny and hot to the touch (about 130 degrees).  Remove from heat, stir in pecans.


As soon as pie shell comes out of the oven, decrease oven temperature to 275 degrees.  Pour pecan mixture into hot pie shell. 


Bake until center feels set yet soft, like gelatin when gently pressed, 50-60 minutes.  Transfer pie to rack; let cool completely, at least 4 hours.  Serve pie at room temperature with whipped cream or ice cream.

Mostly Blueberry Pie

I love the fruit I can get here in Mississippi during the summer months.  It's like the silver lining in a most hatefully humid and hot summer.  I get strawberries from Mayhew Tomato farm, wild blackberries picked by the dam, and blueberries and muscadines from the Robertsons.  Thanks to a most wonderful couple in our ward, I am blessed to have hundreds of blueberries stocked in my freezer and though we do ration them. . . we still enjoy a great blueberry pie or cobbler.  

This is a yummy blueberry pie recipe that I found online and modified.  The thing about it is that it's not too runny and it doesn't require much at all!

¾ cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup water

2 ¾ cups blueberries (or just 2 cups blueberries)

¼ cup blackberries

1 tablespoon fresh orange juice  (or lemon)

double pie crust

Prepare double crust.

Combine sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and water. Add to a saucepan and heat rapidly until thickened. Once filling starts to bubble, remove from heat and cool Once cooled add the berries and orange juice.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

Pour filling into dough lined pie pan, and sprinkle the lemon juice over the filling. Adjust top crust, cut vents and flute rim. Sprinkle top lightly with sugar. Place pie onto a baking sheet and into the oven for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool, cut and enjoy!

Key Lime Pie

This recipe was given to us by Ty's Mom, Carolyn.  Key lime pie is one of my favorite desserts (I believe it's also Jared Wilson's favorite).  Ty usually makes this for my birthday "cake" (my other favorite is his delicious cheesecake).  He's done some awesome variations to it too-- ask him about the Twix crust!


I can still remember eating key lime pie for the first time with my sister at Flounders in Pensacola Beach. Jean always introduced me to great food.  I can also remember eating this pie at a restaurant in Key Largo during my last Spring Break from College.  I went on a fun trip with Amy Foldes and Claire Bessire to south Florida.  What an amazing pie!  What an incredible sunset!  What an awesome trip!


1-9" pie crust, completely baked and cooled
4 egg yolks
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c. key lime juice (yes, those small limes or in a pinch, key lime juice in the little green bottles)

Pie crust:
5 TB butter, melted
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 c. slivered almonds

For the crust:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine ingredients and pat down into a 9" pie pan.  Bake for 5-10 minutes.

For the filling:  In a medium bowl, combine the milk, lime juice, blend in the egg yolks.  Pour the filling into the crust.  Bake for 12-15 minutes.

**optional:  garnish with fresh whipped cream, lime slices and Ty's raspberry sauce

Carolyn's Tender, Flaky Pie Crust

Ty's Mom makes the BEST pies.  I haven't had a pie of hers where the crust didn't melt in my mouth.  This is her recipe.  For some reason, though, I still can't get them to turn out as well as hers.  It's probably because of all the love she pours into them (and all that great experience since her husband is certainly a pie lover)!  


One of my greatest memories-- Ty hit a dog on the motorcycle the summer of 2010 and after a ride in an ambulance and 2 emergency room visits, we returned home to the smell of Beef Stew and Homemade Apple Pie.  It was so delicious!  Partly because we were so exhausted and partly because it felt like she poured herself and all her good wishes and prayers into that meal.  I was ever so grateful for that meal and the help they provided watching the kids all day.


Typing this recipe makes me want to go make one right now!


2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup + 2 TB shortening (or 2 TB butter)
1 tsp salt
4-5 TB very cold water


Measure flour and salt into bowl.  Cut in shortening until particles are "pea-sized".  Sprinkle in water carefully.  After first 3 TB are mixed in, slowly add the last 1 or 2 TB, JUST until the dough cleans the sides of the bowl.  Cover and refrigerate 30 minutes (no more).  Divide in two pieces and roll out flat on flour-covered surface.

Pecan Pie (2 ways)

1st way:
1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup karo syrup
3 eggs, beaten
1 cup chopped pecans
1 unbaked 9" pie shell

In a saucepan, melt butter but don't let it brown.  Mix in the sugar and corn syrup and cook, stirring over med. heat until the sugar dissolves.  Stir in the eggs.  Mix well.  Stir in the pecans. Pour into the pie shell and bake for 1 hour @ 375 degrees or until firm when shaken.



2nd way: Golden Pecan Pie
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp. all purpose flour
1/2 cup light corn syrup
3/4 cup dark corn syrup
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 3/4 cup pecan halves or broken pecans
2 tbsp butter or margarine melted
pie crust

Heat oven to 375 deg F.  Place pie crust in 9" glass pie pan .  In a large bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, corn syrups, vanilla and eggs until well blended.  Stir in pecans and butter.  Pour into crust lined pan.  Bake 40-50 minutes or until filling is puffed and pie crust is golden brown.


*Ty likes this recipe the best.  He also likes to add a few extra pecans (chopped and halves, about 2 cups total) and a handful of chocolate chips.