TWD: Caramel Pumpkin Pie

I’m just going to come right out and say it. I hate making pie- specifically pie crust. I have had issues with just about every step of making pie crust at one time or another (with the majority issues involving rolling it out). Give me a tart any day! I thrive on recipes that are flexible and forgiving and tart crusts have always been good to me!

This time, the pie gods were looking out for me! Everything, and I mean everything was working according to plan! I use the Cuisinart recipe for pie pastry and for a change- it just worked! Even rolling it out, I had plenty of overhang to trim and then fold back and for the first time ever, I had a real looking pie crust! (There were many pictures taken to commemorate the occasion).

The caramel pumpkin filling came out beautifully although I was surprised at how noticeable the dark rum flavor was. The pie was delicious (even without whipped cream). If we hosted Thanksgiving I would absolutely make this 🙂 Thanks to Janell of Mortensen Family Memoirs for this delicious (and successful!) selection!

YWPWT? Key Lime Pie

 

 

 

This month’s theme, Taste of Summer Pie, was chosen by Rebecca and Mary. The challenge was to come up with a pie that just tastes like summer!

My selection? Key lime pie!! Yum!

As soon as it starts to get warm I crave key lime pie and I made my pie for a 4th of July BBQ (it was perfect with the swordfish, mango salsa and rum cocktails!). This was also my 1st attempt at making a key lime pie. I used the filling recipe from the Nellie & Joe’s Key Lime juice bottle and made the graham cracker crust recipe from Dorie’s Baking from My Home to Yours.

The pie was incredibly easy to make (especially since a graham cracker crust means I don’t have to wrestle with dough!) and a great pie to make during the summer because it didn’t have to bake in the oven for too long (the thermostat liked that too!). I will definitely make this pie over and over again!

YWPWT? Strawberry Pie with Mango Rum Whipped Cream

This month’s theme, as selected by Ellen at Kittymama, was childhood memory pies!

I selected a strawberry pie to represent my childhood, although it wasn’t an easy choice! Reflecting back on my childhood brought up so many wonderful summer memories and to me- summer = strawberry (especially when they are fresh local berries from Long Island!).

So I used a variation of Martha Stewart’s strawberry icebox pie from the June issue of Everyday Food. I used 2 pounds of really fresh & tasty strawberries from Whole Foods (love that you could sample them before buying). I made a regular pastry pie crust instead of the graham cracker crust and the my favorite twist to the pie- was changing the whipped cream topping to a mango rum whipped cream!!! (YUM!!!!) Seriously, I think the whipped cream may have been better than the pie! I had some Cruzan mango rum left over from our vacation last summer to USVI. What a glorious combination! I think I will make the whipped cream again just to eat it out of the bowl (as demonstrated by my husband)!

YWPWT? Shoo Fly Pie

Jacque & Natashya chose this month’s there- Pies for the Rich and Famous. How much fun! After careful consideration… I decided to bake a Shoo Fly Pie just in case Bernie Madoff or any of the AIG execs dropped by for a visit. I’m sure they are all used to much more decadent desserts, but given my current financial state, a more modest Pennsylvania Dutch treat will have to do! 🙂

In all seriousness, I’ve never had a Shoo Fly Pie so I really didn’t know what to expect and like the other PA Dutch items I’ve attempted to make- the directions were very limited with no picture! But my husband is originally from eastern Pennsylvania and thought the pie looked like ones he’s seen at the farmers markets 🙂 I had read that shoo fly pies tasted similar to pecan pies but without the nuts, but I just wasn’t a big fan of all the molasses! Oh well- I had such a blast planning this pie to go with the theme, it was so worth it!

If you’d like to take a stab at a shoo fly pie this is the recipe that I tried! Check out the rest of this month’s round up!