What's Cooking at the Smiths: A Little Slice of Heaven

That's what we had with our Thanksgiving dinners! I made 3 pies for dessert. Britt requested a pecan pie {which I am allergic to} for my dad's and and I found a really delicious looking Black Bottom Pumpkin Pie in Southern Living for my mom's. Since I couldn't eat indulge in the pecan pie at Dad's I also made a Cream Cheese Pie Cherry Pie. I thought they all turned out great!

I found the pecan pie recipe in my Joy of Cooking cookbook. First I had to made the pie shell, so I used the Pat-in-the-pan-butter-dough recipe {also from Joy of Cooking}. This was my first go around at pecan pie so I was nervous about how it would turn out!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 stick unsalted butter {cut into 8 pieces, softened}

2 to 3 tbsp heavy cream

Whisk together flour and salt.

Add the softened butter and mash with the back of a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Add the cream and stir until the crumbs are damp and hold together when pinched.

Shape into the pie pan. Bake at 425 degrees F for 18-22 minutes. Glaze with one egg yolk and bake for 1-2 minutes.

While the crust was cooking I made the filling. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Brush the crust with one egg yolk.
Ingredients:
4 large eggs
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
5 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

Whisk in a bowl: the eggs, sugar, corn syrup, unsalted butter, vanilla, and salt.

Stir in pecans

Pour the filling into the crust. Bake for 30-35 minutes at 375 degrees F. Let the pie cool on a wire rack for at least 1 1/2 hours, then enjoy! Britt and Dad approved, so I guess it turned out good!

While the pecan pie was baking I whipped up the Cream Cheese pie. I got the recipe from Calling All Cooks {an ATT, formerly known as Bellsouth} Cookbook. This one was seriously so easy.

Ingredients:
1 (6oz.) graham cracker pie crust
1 (8oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14oz.) cab sweetened condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp. vanilla
1 (21oz.) can cherry pie filling

Whip room temperature cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl. Add the condensed milk and stir together.

Add the lemon juice and vanilla extract and stir.

Pour mixture into the pie crust. Let stand in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours until firm.

When ready to serve, top pie with cherry filling.

For such and easy recipe, I thought this pie was delicious!

On Thanksgiving morning I made the Black Bottom Pumpkin Pie while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade! Here are the ingredients.

Crush the graham crackers and ginger snaps in a plastic bag.

Melt the butter and add it to the crushed mixture. Stir until it is mixed well.

Pour mixture into a pie plate and press on the bottom and up the sides to make the crust. Bake at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes then let cool for 30 minutes.