Blueberry Apple Pie

Happy “pie” day. I actually made this one a few days ago, inspired by my trip to the Pagosa Springs  Bakery. The hubby loves blueberry and who doesn’t like apple? I also, for the first time used an old fashioned crust recipe that uses shortening (I use butter flavored Crisco). The hubby said it was the best crust he’s ever had. I’m posting the recipe I used from the internet for the basic ingredients but I made a few changes. I used one Granny Smith and one pink lady apple. I also used tapioca instead of cornstarch.

My mom was the true pie queen. Happy to bake such a delicious pie in one of her dishes. <3

Attached is my picture before we devoured it!

https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sunny-anderson/simple-blueberry-apple-pie-recipe-2014863

Apple Butter Pumpkin Pie

Well, after this one, I'm never going to want plain old pumpkin pie. I used homemade apple butter from my last batch of canned apples (which were tart in variety) and boy did it add an awesome tang that regular pumpkin pie is missing. Yum!

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/apple-butter-pumpkin-pie/

Pumpkin Pie Crumb Bars

I have continued my quest to make pumpkin treats as often as I can. In the past week, I have made a few more. This one is by far my favorite for ease and deliciousness. I actually prefer it over pie because the "crust" is so much better. The hubby and I "gobbled" this one up quickly. :)

Dark Chocolate Cream Pie

Chocolate, chocolate and more is one of my favorite go-to's for decadent but simple desserts. I like to use my neighbors as guinea pigs for my baking therapy experiments. I ended up doubling the recipe and will be handing it out to a birthday girl and at a housewarming. This dessert is very rich, so I recommend smaller pieces. Also, when giving away desserts, I like to use disposable dishes so I bought pre-made graham cracker crusts. However, in the future, I'm planning to stock-up from thrift stores for 13x9s and pie crusts so I can give away real dishes (which actually end up being cheaper than aluminum). :)

https://chocolatechocolateandmore.com/dark-chocolate-cream-pie/

Lemon Supreme Pie

I was excited to make this one, however, I'm not able to comment on the finished product. I loved both the made-from-scratch lemon curd and the cream cheese layer, but, since I made this for a neighbor as a "get-well" treat, I hope it turned out yummy. I cheated and used a pre-made graham cracker crust instead of baking a pie crust--it saved me a ton of time and seemed to go well with it. I also omitted the extra whipped topping and just left the 2 layers. If you want a quick, easy (but overnight) pie, this is perfect for spring, Easter and summer. I am hoping to make this one again later this season. I love Taste of Home because I know I can always trust their recipes.

https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/lemon-supreme-pie?pmcode=&_cmp=Holiday&_ebid=Holiday3272018&_mid=206673&ehid=dfef5f62f666e299097ce5854fb7aea035676b6b

Pumpkin Pie Crunch

I saw this recipe last week and couldn't get it off my mind. I finally got the opportunity to try it last night. This is one that will blow your mind considering how easy it was to make. The only way to serve/eat this is hot from the oven over ice cream. It felt like Thanksgiving had come early. Sooooo yummy. It does make a whole 13x9, so I suggest freezing or having guests over. :)

https://www.spendwithpennies.com/pumpkin-pie-crunch/

Apple Butter (Crockpot)

A friend of ours up the road "Yellow Transparent" apples for sale so I bought a box. Yellow Transparents don't have a long shelf life, so I had to prepare them right away. I ended up making applesauce, apple butter and apple pie filling. For those who like a tart apple, this one is ranked 10/10. I really enjoyed the flavor, but I feel I need to make people who try it aware of the tartness. Overall fun and easy to make.

http://www.food.com/recipe/crock-pot-apple-butter-93886

Pressure Cooker Taco Pie

Last night was all about crunch time and comfort food. I saw this recipe on facebook and couldn't wait to try it. I think next time I'll use tostadas or chips. Overall this was a very good recipe, but I could tell it would have been better baked to crispy in the oven. The boys topped it with homemade salsa, lettuce and sour cream, so it was really more like an open-face burrito. Again, only 5 minutes for the pressure cooker to heat up and pressurize and 10 minutes to cook. I think in the future, I'll start keeping pre-browned meat in the freezer to make it even faster.

http://by-pink.com/instant-pot-taco-pie/

Thanksgiving Menu 2016

Thanksgiving morning started with welcoming 2 rescue donkeys to our 4 legged family. Then our meal was planned and enjoyed by the members of Taste of Home; my selections were based on the requests of the boys. I really like their recipe box and shopping list feature. It makes it easy to get what you need from the grocery store and pull up all the recipes at once. The only exception were the 2 pies from my "Baking at High Altitude" cookbook, Noble Pig's Dill Pickle Dip and Rachael Ray's White Cheddar Mac and Cheese. As have many in the past, this was a truly blessed year.

Gouda Melt with Baguette Slices

Dill Pickle Dip

Thyme Roasted Turkey

Grandma's Turkey Gravy

Wild Rice Stuffing

Rachael Ray's White Cheddar Mac and Cheese

Oven Roasted Carrots

Green Beans with Bacon

Peas-a-la-Francaise

Texas Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Calico Beans

Contest Winning Fresh Strawberry Pie

Honey Pecan Pie

Cranberry Pie (from Baking at High Altitude)

Blueberry Pie (from Baking at High Altitude)

Fluffy Key Lime Pie

I referenced this recipe in the "real" key lime pie blog. It's an easy no-bake alternative that can be quite a bit healthier. I think if people don't think of it as key lime, rather, just lime, it's a fresh, delicious pie for summer.

http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/fluffy-key-lime-pie

Key Lime Pie with Gingersnap Crust

I've been with the hubby for 7 years now and had never made him Key Lime Pie, even though it's his favorite. I had also never eaten Key Lime Pie in my 39 years of life. I made a similar (easier/healthier) version a couple of weeks ago, but he stated it was "good" but not the same. So, I took to google and discovered that gingersnap cookies are a popular crust for this pie--another favorite of his. I quite enjoyed this recipe, but again, he wasn't a fan of the lime zest (noted for next time). The link is for "Santa Cruz Organic" and pushes their lime juice, but I just bought the key lime juice off the shelf at the store. I think it made the pie a little sour so maybe I won't use quite so much next time. Overall, I would use this recipe again, omitting the lime peel. Also didn't use the whipped cream topping. It was just fine without it. Probably would go great with lime sherbet. :)

http://www.santacruzorganic.com/recipes/desserts/classic-key-lime-pie-with-gingersnap-crust