Easy Karo Pecan Pie

I’m not sure it’s possible to have a holiday meal without Pecan Pie. At least not in the Deep South. It’s one of those staples we always see. Of course, that doesn’t mean that every Pecan Pie is good. This recipe is from a Karo advertisement a long time ago. Karo syrup makes a big difference in pecan pies so be sure to give this recipe a try.

Easy Karo Pecan Pie

3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup Karo light or dark corn syrup
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups pecan halves
1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

In large bowl, stir together eggs, Karo syrup, sugar, margarine and vanilla until well blended. Stir in pecans. Pour into shell.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Cool.

Makes 8 servings.

Chocolate Pecan Pie

Follow recipe for Easy Karo Pecan Pie. Melt 4 squares (1-oz. each) semisweet chocolate with margarine.

Chocolate Lime Pie

Love the mixture of chocolate and lime. It’s wonderful! This is from another newspaper clipping. I can’t wait to give it a try!

Chocolate Lime Pie

One 12-oz. can evaporated milk
One 3-oz. package lime gelatin
½ cup boiling water
¼ cup lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar
Chocolate wafer crust

Chill can of evaporated milk, then whip until thick.

Blend gelatin with boiling water; add lemon juice and sugar. Let chill until firm. Beat mixture, then add to whipped milk. Whip again and pour into pie crusts. Top with reserved chocolate crumbs.

Chill before serving.

Chocolate Cookie Crust

2 cups crushed chocolate wafers
1/3 cup melted butter or margarine

Mix wafers and butter. Pat into two 8-inch pie plates, reserving some crumbs for topping. Chill.

Fred MacMurray's Pumpkin Pie

Found this clipping and was intrigued by it -- again. I’ve tried many Pumpkin Pie recipes but never one with rum or coconut. This recipe has both. And it is that time of year for Pumpkin Pie.

Fred MacMurray’s Pumpkin Pie

1 2/3 cups gingersnap crumbs
¼ cup melted butter
½ cup brown sugar, packed
2 envelopes unflavored gelatin
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 cup milk
4 eggs, separated
1 ½ cups canned pumpkin
1/3 cup rum
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup flake coconut

Combine crumbs with butter in 9-inch pie plate. Press firmly on bottom and around sides.

Thoroughly mix brown sugar, gelatin, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger in heavy saucepan. Stir in milk, egg yolks and pumpkin, blending well. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, about 10 minutes or until mixture begins to bubble and gelatin is completely dissolved.

Let mixture cool at room temperature, then stir in rum. Chill until mixture thickens enough to mound slightly when dropped from spoon.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Beat in sugar, small amount at a time, then beat until smooth. Fold egg whites into pumpkin mixture. Ladle into prepared crust and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.

Meanwhile, spread coconut on baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees 5 to 10 minutes, until browned. Stir once or twice to brown evenly. Sprinkle toasted coconut over pie.

Makes 1 9-inch pie.

Cream Cheese Brownie Pie

Some desserts are meant to be savored. This is one. It's another fabulous recipe from the folks over at Pillsbury. Enjoy!

 

Cream Cheese Brownie Pie

Crust

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

Cream Cheese Layer

1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened

3 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 egg

Brownie Layer

1 box (15.8 oz) Pillsbury® double chocolate brownie mix

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon water

2 eggs

1/2 cup chopped pecans

Topping

 

Reserved chocolate syrup packet from brownie mix

3 tablespoons hot fudge topping 

 

Heat oven to 350°F. Place pie crust in 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie.

 

In medium bowl, beat cream cheese layer ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth; set aside.

Reserve chocolate syrup packet from brownie mix for topping. In large bowl, place brownie mix, oil, water and eggs; beat 50 strokes with spoon.

 

Spread 1/2 cup brownie mixture in bottom of crust-lined pie plate. Spoon and carefully spread cream cheese mixture over brownie layer. Top with small spoonfuls of remaining brownie mixture; spread evenly. Sprinkle with pecans. Cover crust edge with 2- to 3-inch-wide strips of foil to prevent excessive browning; remove foil during last 15 minutes of bake time.

 

Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until center is puffed and crust is golden brown (pie may have cracks on surface).

 

In small bowl, mix chocolate syrup from packet and hot fudge topping. Place mixture in small resealable bag. Cut small hole off corner of bag. Drizzle topping over pie. Cool completely, about 3 hours, before serving. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pie.

 

Cherry Cheese Pie

Here’s another wonderful recipe from the folks over at Eagle Brand. This was doesn’t require baking and is super simply to make. Just allow time to thoroughly chill in the refrigerator.

Cherry Cheese Pie

1 (9-inch) graham cracker crumb crust or baked pastry shell
1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14-oz.) can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1/3 cup ReaLemon Lemon Juice from Concentrate
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (21-oz.) can cherry pie filling, chilled

In large mixer bowl, beat cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla. Pour into prepared crust.

Chill 3 hours or until set. Top with desired amount of pie filling before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Pie Crust Tips

I wanted to pass on these tips for making a wonderful pie crust. The Crisco Pie Hotline offers lots of help. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions, as reported in Country Living magazine.

Is there a trick to making my crust extra-flaky?
Cold ingredients. Refrigerate everything -- from flour to shortening to your rolling pin -- for at least an hour before you start.

What can I do to prevent my crust from shrinking too much in the oven?
Roll our the dough two inches larger than your pie plate, the position it in the plate. Let the unbaked crust settle for 10 to 15 minutes before you trim. Then leave a half-inch border to fold over the edge of the pan.

How can I avoid a soggy pie crust?
Well, it's going to happen to some extent because of the fruit juices. It helps to thicken up your filling by cooling it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before using it.

Peppermint Dream Pie

Got this recipe from the Dixie Crystals website. It looked so yummy, I just had to share it.

Peppermint Dream Pie

Crust

½ cup butter, softened
2 tablespoons Dixie® Confectioners Powdered Sugar
1 ½ cups chocolate wafer crumbs
(You can also cheat and use a ready chocolate crust from the store.)

Cream 1/2 cup butter with 3 tablespoons powdered sugar.


Mix with 1 1/2 cup chocolate wafer crumbs

Pat into pie pan and chill.


Filling

1 package gelatin
1/4 cup cold water
3 egg whites (beaten stiff and dry)
1 cup heavy whipped cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup crushed peppermint stick candy, loosely packed
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

Soften gelatin in cold water and dissolve over hot water.


Beat egg whites until stiff and fold in the sugar gradually.

Combine the gelatin with the egg whites.

Fold in whipped cream, flavoring, and crushed candy.

Pour into crumb crust and chill for one to two hours.


Decorations
Crushed peppermints
Round peppermints
Sweetened heavy whipped cream
Chocolate for molding into leaves
Mint sprig

Chocolate Leaves


Select either plastic or real leaves as your mold. If you use real leaves, be careful to select non-poisonous leaves. Good examples are rose leaves or lemon leaves. Wash and dry thoroughly. Make sure to leave the stem on so you can peel the leaf off when the chocolate is hardened. Plastic leaves work well too.

Melt your chocolate in a double boiler.

Using a pastry brush, spread your chocolate over the underside of the leaf all the way to the edges. Keep the thickness to about 1/8".

Put the leaves on a wax or parchment paper-lined tray and put the tray into the refrigerator for about 20 minutes until the chocolate hardens.

When you are ready to decorate the pie, carefully peel off the leaf from the chocolate. Try not to handle the chocolate too much, as the warmth from your fingers will melt the chocolate.

Makes one 9-inch pie.

Pumpkin Pie

This is the famous Libby's Pumpkin Pie recipe. It is easy and really quite delicious.

Libby's Pumpkin Pie

3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
2 large eggs
1 can (15 oz.) Libby's 100 % Pure Pumpkin
1 can (12 oz.) Carnation Evaporated Milk
1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell
Whipped cream

Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves together in small bowl. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

Pour into pie shell. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate. Top with whipped cream before serving.

Makes 8 servings.

Key Lime Pie

Carnation Sweetened Condensed Milk is one ingredient every Southern cook should always have in her pantry. Not doing so can result in a quick trip to the local (and expensive) nearby market. Been there, done that. This recipe comes from Carnation. Give it a try!

Carnation Key Lime Pie

1 nine-inch prepared graham cracker crust
1 can (14 oz) Carnation Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/2 cup (about 3 medium limes) fresh lime juice
1 teaspoon grated lime peel
2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
6 thin lime slices (optional)

Beat milk and lime juice in a small mixer bowl until well-blended. Pour into crust. Spread with whipped topping. Refrigerate 2 hours or until set. Use lime slices for garnish.

8 servings

Pecan Pie

In the Deep South, pecans are part of everything. Okay. I exaggerated. We do cook some things without nuts. It's just that pecans and peanuts are everywhere. They're both big crops in this part of the world. Most of us have pecan trees and some folks -- not us anymore -- grow peanuts. It's that old adage of using what you have.

This recipe came from my Mother's Mother. Gran was a wonderful cook. Pecan Pie is a staple but not everyone can make a pie you want to eat. I know. It's shocking. This recipe is wonderful.

Pecan Pie

1 cup corn syrup

1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup chopped pecans
3 eggs
1 tablespoon flour
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
4 tablespoons milk
one unbaked pie crust

Beat the eggs until they are well blended. Gradually add all the other ingredients. Pour into an unbaked pie crust.

Bake 40 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Enjoy!

German Sweet Chocolate Pie

This pie is scrumptious! You have to eat it slowly so you can savor each bite. My Mother found the recipe years ago on the back of a package of chocolate. Sometimes the company's that sell products have the best recipes. Yes, I know. They're just trying to sell more of their products. In this case, it works.

Have you ever thought about those folks who do nothing but cook and eat all day. They develop recipes so that the rest of us can eat well. I wonder how many dishes of food they throw out before they get it just right. Or maybe they're so good at what they do, that everything is wonderful. I admit that I've thrown out a few things over the years. I made pies one time. I don't even remember what kind they were. I just remember they were awful. Some things the dogs like. I once made a Chicken Pot Pie that I hated. I don't know why I was surprised that it tasted so awful. I don't even like pot pies. But it sounded good so I figured I would try it. Bad mistake. But the dogs loved it so nothing went to waste.

You won't have that trouble with this recipe. Just don't wait for your slice. This pie goes fast.

German Sweet Chocolate Pie

1 package (4 oz) Baker's German Sweet Chocolate
1/4 cup butter
1 14 1/2-oz can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 unbaked 10-inch pie shell OR 2 unbaked 8-inch pie shells
1 1/3 cups coconut (Baker's Angel Flake Coconut works great)
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Melt chocolate with butter over low heat, stirring until blended. Remove from heat; gradually blend in the evaporated milk.

Mix the sugar, cornstarch and salt thoroughly. Beat is the eggs and vanilla. Gradually blend in the chocolate mixture. Pour into pie shell.

In a separate bowl, combine the coconut and nuts. Sprinkle this over the pie filling.

Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Filling will be soft but will set while cooling. Cool at least four hours before cutting.