Peanut Butter Mousse Pie (No-Bake)

We all LOVED this pie. I was looking for a recipe for this pie ever since tasting a similar one at Mo's Seafood Restaurant in Seaside, OR last summer. Four of us shared one slice of Mo's giant pie after our meal and it was SO GOOD!! It took me awhile to find and make this recipe, but I'm so glad I finally did. It was really similar to Mo's and pretty easy to make. This recipe is no-bake. You do have to use the stove to melt butter and later, chocolate. 

Peanut Butter Mousse Pie (No-Bake) 

adapted from Crowded Kitchen

Crust:

22 oreos
5 tbsp melted butter

Mousse:
12 oz cream cheese, room temperature
1 ½ cups smooth peanut butter
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ cups heavy cream, cold

Ganache:
4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
½ cup heavy cream
Peanut butter cups, for topping (optional)

1. To the mixing bowl of a food processor, add the chocolate sandwich cookies and the melted butter. Pulse repeatedly, until a fine crumb forms. Using your fingers first, and then the bottom of a measuring cup, smooth and compress the cookie and butter mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a pie tin. Move the prepared tin to the refrigerator while you make the mousse filling.

2. To a large mixing bowl, add the cream cheese and beat on medium speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add in the peanut butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and salt, and beat on medium speed for another minute. Add in the heavy cream and beat until the mixture is super light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

3. Pour the mousse mixture into the prepared pie tin and use an offset spatula or another long, flat tool to smooth it out. Move to the refrigerator and chill until the mousse firms up, about 2 to 3 hours.

4. On the stove, heat the ½ cup of heavy cream until it's steaming hot, but not boiling. To a small mixing bowl, add the chocolate. Pour the heated heavy cream over the chocolate, and let the mixture sit for 1-2 minutes, then whisk the mixture until the chocolate is fully melted and evenly incorporated into the heavy cream.

5. Pour the ganache over the top of the pie and use an offset spatula or another long, flat tool to smooth out the ganache. Optionally, top with halved or quartered peanut butter cups along the edges of the pie. Move to the fridge and chill until set, about 30 to 60 minutes.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Classic Pecan Pie

I have good recipes for Maple Pecan Pie and Pecan Bars on here, but I've never done a classic Pecan Pie. I finally did for this year's Thanksgiving, and really loved it. I'm not sure why I've never made one before! I was able to find a good-quality frozen pie crust that tasted just like homemade (to me) so that saved me some work this year. (I made 4 desserts the Wednesday before Thanksgiving.) 

Classic Pecan Pie 

adapted from Cooking Classy

1 single-crust pie crust, unbaked*

2 cups (214g) Fisher Pecan Halves, divided
1 cup (220g) packed light-brown sugar
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
1/3 cup (73g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to lukewarm
3/4 cup Karo Light Corn Syrup
3 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1.  For the filling: Chop 1 cup of the pecans then sprinkle evenly into pie crust. Sprinkle 1 cup whole pecans over chopped layer. Set aside. (I could only find chopped pecans and threw them all in there together.) In a mixing bowl whisk together brown sugar, salt and cinnamon. Mix in butter, corn syrup, eggs and vanilla extract (there should be no streaks of egg).

2.  Pour mixture evenly over pecan layer in crust. Transfer pie to a baking sheet. Bake in lower portion of the oven, covering edges or tenting entire top of pie with foil as needed. Bake until pie is set, about 45 - 55 minutes (it should appear set when you nudge the baking sheet, a very light jiggle is fine). Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

*I used a frozen pie crust and did not do any pre-baking. If you are using homemade, you will want to blind bake it first for 15 minutes at 400 degrees, using pie weights.

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Blueberry Crumble Pie

I really loved this pie. We had it for Thanksgiving this year. Usually, I make this old recipe for blueberry pie, but I wasn't 100% happy with the topping the last time. I decided to look for a new recipe that included oats in the topping, because that sounded good. Kind of like a fruit crisp inside a pie crust. 

I used two bags (12 oz. each) of frozen blueberries for this. The original recipe's author says not to do this, but it's November in Italy. I can only get frozen blueberries this time of year, so I just decided to go with it. They were perfect! The author does state that although she prefers fresh, but if you use frozen, you might have to bake it a bit longer. I did this- about 10 extra minutes. I made sure to cover it with foil, so it didn't brown too much. 

I really enjoyed how firm the filling was in this recipe. I'm attributing that to the use of both flour and cornstarch in the recipe. It didn't fall apart upon serving! Score. 

Blueberry Crumble Pie  

adapted from Sally's Baking Addiction 

1 unbaked single-pie piecrust 

5 and 1/2 cups (about 780g) fresh blueberries* (2, 12 oz bags of frozen, unthawed bags are perfect)
1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
1/3 cup (41g) all-purpose flour
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Crumble Topping:

1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
6 Tablespoons (46g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used Penzey's Pie Spice)
6 Tablespoons (85g) salted butter, very cold and cubed

2/3 cup (57g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats

1.  Make the filling: In a large bowl, mix blueberries, granulated sugar, flour, cornstarch, lemon juice, and zest together until thoroughly combined. Place filling in the fridge until needed in step 2. Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). (Do not thaw frozen blueberries first; just use straight from freezer.) 

2.  Roll out the chilled pie dough: On a floured work surface, roll out a disk of chilled dough. Turn the dough about a quarter turn after every few rolls until you have a circle 12 inches in diameter. Carefully place the dough into a 9-inch pie dish. Tuck it in with your fingers, making sure it is smooth. Spoon the cold filling into the crust. Flute or crimp the pie crust edges. Place pie in the refrigerator until needed in the next step.

3. Make the crumble: Mix the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon together in a medium bowl. Using a pastry cutter, cut the cold butter into the brown sugar mixture until coarse crumbs are formed. Stir in the oats and sprinkle over pie.

4. Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes. After the first 20 minutes of bake time, you may want to cover the pie with foil to prevent the edges from browning too quickly. **If using frozen blueberries, you may want to add 10 minutes to the baking time so it can bake and later thicken up thoroughly.**

5. Allow the pie to cool for 3 full hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the filling to thicken up. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. (Can also bake the night before and refrigerate. I did this for Thanksgiving.) 

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Nectarine, Mascarpone, and Gingersnap Tart

This was fun to make, and the end result is beautiful, and tasty. You make a crust using gingersnaps, layer on a creamy mixture, and then top it with nectarines with a jam glaze. A tart pan with a removable bottom is used in this recipe. This recipe comes from Smitten Kitchen. 

Nectarine, Mascarpone, and Gingersnap Tart

adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Crust:
37 gingersnap cookies, coarsely broken (about 9 ounces)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
1 8-ounce container mascarpone cheese
6 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
4 to 5 small nectarines, halved, pitted, cut into thin slices
1/4 cup peach jam, warmed

For crust: Preheat oven to 350°F. Finely grind gingersnaps in processor. Add butter and blend until crumbs are evenly moistened. Press mixture over bottom and up sides of 9-inch-diameter tart pan with removable bottom. (Use a cold metal measuring cup to get a nice, clear distinction between the base and sides.) Bake crust until color darkens, pressing sides with back of spoon if beginning to slide, about 8 minutes. Cool completely.

For filling: Beat first 6 ingredients in medium bowl until smooth. Spread filling in prepared crust. Cover loosely and refrigerate at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.

For topping: Overlap nectarine slices atop filling in concentric circles. Brush with jam. Serve, or refrigerate up to 6 hours.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Southern Tomato Pie

I love this savory tomato pie. I've only had a tomato pie once before, when I was a teenager. I found a recipe for it in one of my mom's old church cookbooks (I think) and asked her to make it. She did and I really enjoyed it. I had forgotten all about tomato pie until the Kitchn posted this recipe on their Facebook page. I'm glad they did- this pie was so tasty- if you've never tried tomato pie, but you enjoy tomatoes, don't hesitate to make this.  This recipe uses bacon, which is a nice addition, but it wasn't present in the recipe from my youth. Oh, I was able to find Duke's mayo for this recipe- the original recipe mentions that you should use it if you can get it, because it's popular in the South, where this recipe originated. 

Southern Tomato Pie 

adapted from the Kitchn

1 single-crust pie dough, homemade or store-bought (use half the recipe linked)
6 slices bacon
1 1/2 pounds red tomatoes, ripe, thickly sliced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves (or 1 tsp dry)
3 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (about 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup butter cracker crumbs (about twelve 3/4-inch crackers), such as Ritz

1. Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and heat to 350°F. Roll out the pie dough to an 11-inch round, then transfer to a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie plate. Roll the edges of the dough about 1/2 inch over on itself, then crimp or flute. When the oven is hot, blind bake the pie crust for 20 minutes- line the chilled pie shell with parchment paper, then fill with dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 20 minutes.

2. While the pie crust bakes, arrange the tomato slices in a single layer on a double layer of paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Leave them to drain for at least 10 minutes, or more if you have time. Pat the tomatoes dry with another double layer of paper towels. Place the bacon in a large skillet over medium-high heat and cook until crisp, 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from the pan to paper towels to drain. Finely chop the crisped bacon.

3. Cool the pie crust-place the crust on a wire rack and carefully remove the parchment and beans or weights. Set aside to cool for a few minutes while you gather the remaining ingredients.

4. Reserve 3 to 4 slices of tomato for the top of the pie. Arrange 1/3 of the remaining tomato slices evenly in the pie shell. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the bacon and 1/3 of the thyme. Continue layering the tomatoes, bacon, and thyme for a total of 3 layers.

5. Place the cheese, mayo, and pepper in a small bowl and stir to combine. Spread the cheese mixture on top of the tomatoes in an even layer. Sprinkle with the cracker crumbs, then place the reserved tomatoes on top. Bake until the pie is golden-brown and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes. Remove the pie to a wire rack and cool at least 15 minutes before slicing. Serve hot or at room temperature.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Penzey's Buttermilk Pie

I really enjoyed this old-fashioned buttermilk pie.  It was really easy too, since I used a pre-made pie crust I had on hand.  I just unrolled the crust, mixed the filling (which took about 5 minutes), filled the pie, and baked it.  The filling forms a firm eggy custard in the oven.  I want to try more of these type of old-fashioned pies in the future.  Using my own crust would make the flavor even better.  

Penzey's Buttermilk Pie

adapted from Penzey's

1 single unbaked pie crust
Pie filling:
13/4 Cups sugar
1 TB. (heaping) flour
1 stick butter, melted
3 eggs
1/2 Cup buttermilk
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. Penzey's pie spice (or cinnamon)

1.  Preheat oven to 350°. For the filling, combine the sugar and flour. Add the melted butter and eggs and mix. Add the buttermilk, vanilla and pie spice and mix well. Pour into the pie shell and bake at 350° for 50-60 minutes until there is very little movement when you jiggle the pie. (You still want a little jiggle; will set up as it cools.)  Remove from oven and cool well before slicing, at least three hours. Great chilled as well.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Fresh Strawberry Pie

I already have two other recipe on here for strawberry pie, and this is similar to this one, but there's one difference, plus these pics are a bit better (but not perfect).  I use mascarpone on the bottom of the crust now instead of cream cheese.

Fresh Strawberry Pie
from here

Mom's Pie Crust:
1 cup vegetable shortening (can use organic)
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour, stirred and measured
1/4 cup cold water

1.  Measure shortening into bowl. Add salt and half of flour. Stir with a spoon until ingredients cream together and mixture is smooth and satiny. Add water and remaining flour. Stir with spoon until mixture clings together in ball. Roll out as desired on a generously floured board. Don't be afraid to handle or overmix. Makes 2 (9-inch) pastry shells or enough for 1 double pie.

2.  To use this pie crust as a filled (pre-baked crust), roll out, place in pie pan, prick with a fork, and bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

*If desired, wrap in plastic wrap to freeze. I have frozen these (unbaked, in a ball) for 3 months, and then just thaw on the counter. It still rolls out very well and, after baking, tastes just like you made it fresh.

Pie:

1 pre-baked pie shell (single crust)
1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) strawberries, hulled
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/3- 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese, softened (can sub cream cheese)

1. In small bowl, mash enough strawberries to measure 1 cup. In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup water and mashed strawberries. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute; cool.

2. In medium bowl, beat cheese until smooth. Spread evenly in pie crust. Top with remaining strawberries. Pour cooked strawberry mixture over top. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours. Store in refrigerator.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Pear Crostata

We have two pear trees in the yard (surprise! never saw them last year!) and although they are not producing a ton, they are producing more than we can eat, so I needed a way to use up more.  I've been giving some away too, which helps.  I have always wanted to try a crostata so I did just that.  In case someone doesn't know, a crostata is just fruit filling folded up free-form into a pastry or pie crust and baked. Less work and a lot more rustic than a usual pie.

Pear Crostata 
adapted from relish

1 recipe pastry for single-crust pie (recipe suggestion follows)
1 1/2 pounds firm-ripe pears, peeled, halved, cored and quartered, each quarter cut in 3 slices

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup plus 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar, divided

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1 pinch freshly ground nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1.  Take pastry or pie dough and roll out on a sheet of parchment paper to a 12-inch circle.  Slide parchment onto a baking sheet and chill 30 minutes in refrigerator. (optional... I forgot this and it was fine.)

2.  Preheat oven to 400F.  Toss pears with lemon juice in a medium bowl. Combine 1/2 cup sugar with flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Sprinkle over pears; toss gently. Add vanilla; toss again.

3.  Arrange pear filling in center of pastry to within 1 1/2 inches of the edges. Working quickly, fold and pleat edges of dough up and over pears. Dot pears with butter and sprinkle remaining 1½ teaspoons sugar over top of pastry and pears.  Bake 40 minutes, or until pastry is golden and pears are tender. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing.

Mom's Pie Crust
from my Mom... obviously

1 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour, stirred and measured
1/4 cup cold water

1. Measure shortening into bowl. Add salt and half of flour. Stir with a spoon until ingredients cream together and mixture is smooth and satiny. Add water and remaining flour. Stir with spoon until mixture clings together in ball. Roll out as desired on a generously floured board. Don't be afraid to handle or overmix. Makes 2 (9-inch) pastry shells or enough for 1 double pie. (Will only use half for the pear crostata, unless you want to make two crostatas.)  

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Sweet Cherry Pie!

This is another dessert I made with cherries from my cherry tree.  The cherries are sweet, not pie cherries, but a friend pointed out this recipe to me, and I tried it, and loved it!!  The cherries I used were similar to Bing cherries.  (But we used them before they turned really dark... they were still sweet though.)  I've also made freezer jam and cherry crisp with my cherries, and will share those recipes later.

Some reviewers complained about an overly-juicy pie.  Mine was juicy when I cut into it a few hours after baking, but I thought that was normal for fruit pies.  We stuck the leftover pie in the fridge and it firmed up really well.  Pic below is of "first cutting".  Lol.  The first pic on this post is after being in the fridge overnight.  I use my mom's pie crust recipe for this, but you can use your favorite recipe.

Our cherry blossoms in April; pics above and below.

Sweet Cherry Pie
adapted from Simply Recipes

Pie crust for double crust pie, recipe follows (or use own recipe)
5 cups sweet cherries, pitted (I measure after pitting)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 Tbsp lemon juice
3 Tbsp corn starch
1 Tbsp of butter, cut into small pieces

1.  In a large bowl, combine the pitted cherries, sugar, almond extract, lemon juice and corn starch. Toss until the cherries are well coated with everything.

2.  On a lightly floured counter or large cutting board, roll out the bottom crust. Place it into a 9 or 10-inch pie pan. Trim the edges, if needed, so that they extend beyond the edge of the pie pan by about 1 inch.

3.  Roll out the top crust to about the same size as the bottom crust.  Place the filling on top of the rolled crust in the pie plate. Dot with small pieces of butter. Cover with the top crust. Trim the edges. Crimp to seal the edges together. Cut slits in the top crust so that the steam can escape while the pie is cooking. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes before cooking.

5.  Preheat the oven to 425°F. Bake the pie in the middle rack, with a baking sheet on the rack below to catch any drippings. Bake for 15 minutes, then reduce the temp to 350°F and bake for 35 to 45 minutes longer, or until the crust is nicely browned and the filling is thick and bubbly.  Allow to cool completely before serving. (A few hours.... to firm up the filling, refrigerate overnight.)

Mom's Pie Crust

from my Mom... obviously 

1 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour, stirred and measured
1/4 cup cold water

1.  Measure shortening into bowl. Add salt and half of flour. Stir with a spoon until ingredients cream together and mixture is smooth and satiny. Add water and remaining flour. Stir with spoon until mixture clings together in ball. Roll out as desired on a generously floured board. Don't be afraid to handle or overmix. Makes 2 (9-inch) pastry shells or enough for 1 double pie. (Will use the whole recipe for the cherry pie.)

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Fresh Strawberry Pie with Coconut Oil Crust

First of all, I hope everyone has had a peaceful and meaningful Memorial Day today.  I grew up on military bases, and am still around them and their families on an almost daily basis.  I'm honored to know so many great military members.  

It seems like Memorial Day means it is finally summertime, so I wanted to share this strawberry pie with you. These delicious strawberries were not local, but imported from Spain.  (So, as "close" as we can get to local....lol!  Just a few hundred miles away by plane....)  Anyway, they were delicious, and strawberries have been scarce here this year, so I'm just happy to see them from anywhere at this point.  Can't wait for the local ones though; they are so good!!  I hope I don't miss the small window for them.

Since we're moving, I didn't replace my usual organic shortening when I ran out, so I couldn't make my usual pie crust; my mom's recipe that is my go-to.  I made the same filling recipe as in that post; just a different crust; I used coconut oil instead of shortening! And we all loved it.  My boys aren't crazy about coconut in things, but they had no idea there was coconut oil in here, and I used virgin oil (has a stronger coconut flavor).  You can see my pie crust shrank some while blind-baking it, but I nobody really cares about that; this is delicious.  (I'm a rebel and never use pie weights- oh my!)

Fresh Strawberry Pie with Coconut Oil Pie Crust

adapted from here and Baking Bites

1 baked coconut oil pie crust (single), recipe follows
1 1/2 quarts (6 cups) strawberries, hulled
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, softened (I just used 1/2 block- 4 oz.)

1. In small bowl, mash enough strawberries to measure 1 cup. In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in 1/2 cup water and mashed strawberries. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute; cool.

2. In medium bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Spread evenly in cooled pie crust. Top with remaining strawberries. Pour cooked strawberry mixture over top. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours. Store in refrigerator.

Coconut Oil Pie Crust
One 9-inch single crust
from Baking Bites

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup coconut oil, room temperature
4-7 tbsp water, cold

1.  Whisk together flour, salt and sugar in a large bowl.  Rub in coconut oil with your fingertips or a pastry blender, pressing it into the flour mixture and breaking it up, until mixture resemble very coarse sand and no pieces larger than a pea remain.

2.  Using a fork, stir in cold water until dough almost comes together into a ball. Add water gradually, a tablespoon or two at a time. Press dough into a ball with your hands and wrap in plastic.  Chill for at least 60 minutes before using.

(To bake crust for Strawberry Pie, roll out on a floured surface to fit a 9-inch pie pan.  Bake at 425 F for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned.  Cool before proceeding with recipe.)
*Makes crust for one 9-inch pie.  Recipe can be doubled for a double crust.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **

Pi Day 2014

Happy Pi Day!  (3.14)  I think this is the 7th Pi Day our fam has celebrated.  We love it- we make pizza and pie every year.  :)  Pictured above is Crispy Thin-Crust pizza, with leftover Alfredo sauce instead of red sauce, a mix of Italian cheeses, bacon sprinkled around the edge, and green pepper strips making the Pi sign. Below is our cool Pi plate; thanks to a friend for pointing this out to me a while ago; I got it for my husband, who loves math.  

Pictured above is Caramel-Pecan Cheesecake Pie with my mom's crust recipe.  This one is so delicious, and pretty easy, as well!  The hardest part is making the pie crust, which isn't even that hard.  (Recipes posted at the bottom of this post.)

Pictured above (and below) are mini Key Lime pies.  For this recipe, I just use a 6-pack of mini graham cracker crusts, and cut the pie recipe in half- it's perfect for six minis.  This is the kids' fave pie; it's a little too sweet for me.  

Thin-Crust Crispy Pizza

adapted from here, via Lauren's Latest
makes two 14-16 inch pizzas (I double this)

Dough:
1 cup warm water
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey (or sugar)
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons olive or canola oil
3 cups bread flour (give or take 1/2 cup…depending on humidity)

Pizza Sauce
Toppings like mozzarella & Parm cheese, red onions, red peppers, olives, pepperoni

1. In a large mixing bowl, preferably that of a stand mixer, stir yeast and honey or sugar into warm water. Sit for 5-10 minutes or until bubbles form and mixture starts to foam. Pour in salt, oil and half the flour and mix. Once that flour is incorporated, start adding flour in bit by bit until you get the pizza dough to the consistency you want: slightly tacky, but when you touch it it doesn’t stick to your hands.

2. Once you reach this stage, turn the mixer on high to knead for about a few minutes, adding bits of more flour if needed. The dough should be smooth and easy to work with. And the bowl should be clean. Lightly grease the bowl & the dough so it doesn’t dry out, cover with plastic wrap and let it rise 1-2 hours.

3. During the last 30 minutes or rising time, preheat your oven to 425-450 F or the hottest it will go. Before turning on the oven, place your pizza stone inside. (An upside down cookie sheet is supposed to work in place of a pizza stone, but I've never tried it....)

4. Tear off two pieces of parchment paper that fit your cookie sheet. Divide dough in half, and roll/stretch each piece of dough thinly over each piece of parchment. I try to go to the edges of the parchment, getting the dough as thin as I can.

5. Spread each raw pizza with your favorite pizza sauce, and then a layer of cheese, and then any toppings you want. Make sure to use a lighter hand with the toppings so the pizza doesn't get weighed down and soggy under them. What is shown in the photos above was a perfect amount.

6. Bake pizzas one at a time for 9-12 minutes in the hot oven. Do this by carefully removing the hot pizza stone from the oven and setting it on hot pads. Working quickly, slide one pizza, complete with the parchment, onto the hot stone and place the whole thing in the oven and shut the door. When pizza is done, crust and cheese will be browned and golden.

Mom's Pie Crust

(makes 2 single crust pies or one double; will only need half recipe for pie below)

1 cup vegetable shortening
3/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour, stirred and measured
1/4 cup cold water

1.  Measure shortening into bowl. Add salt and half of flour. Stir with a spoon until ingredients cream together and mixture is smooth and satiny. Add water and remaining flour. Stir with spoon until mixture clings together in ball. Roll out as desired on a generously floured board. Don't be afraid to handle or overmix. Makes 2 (9-inch) pastry shells or enough for 1 double pie.

To use this pie crust as a filled (pre-baked crust), roll out, place in pie pan, prick with a fork, and bake at 450 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until lightly browned.

*If desired, wrap in plastic wrap to freeze. I have frozen these (unbaked, in a ball) for 3 months, and then just thaw on the counter. It still rolls out very well and, after baking, tastes just like you made it fresh.

Caramel-Pecan Cheesecake Pie
from Taste of Home

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)
1-1/4 cups chopped pecans
1 cup caramel ice cream topping

1.  Preheat oven to 375.  In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, sugar, 1 egg and vanilla until smooth. Spread into pastry shell; sprinkle with pecans. In a small bowl, whisk remaining eggs; gradually whisk in caramel topping until blended. Pour slowly over pecans. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until lightly browned (loosely cover with foil after 20 minutes if pie browns too quickly). Cool on a wire rack for 1 hour. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight before slicing. Refrigerate leftovers. Yield: 6-8 servings. Editor's Note: This recipe was tested with Smucker’s ice cream topping.

Mini Key Lime Pies

adapted from Allrecipes.com

1 6-pack prepared graham cracker mini pie/tart shells
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt (light sour cream works)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons key lime juice
1/2 tablespoon grated lime zest, optional

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. In a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime rind. Mix well and pour into mini graham cracker crusts.

3. Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until tiny pinhole bubbles burst on the surface of pie. DO NOT BROWN! Chill pie thoroughly before serving. Garnish with lime slices and whipped cream if desired.

**This post and photos are property of http://dishingwithdish.blogspot.com/ **