mini peach pie party!

 

I’m a sucker for PIES AND I’m a sucker for anything mini..SO with that combination, I’m turning into a MINI-PIE-MAKING-FOOL! These little pies are SO fun to make AND eat! I grew up living for that occasional Saturday morning trip to the Hostess outlet where my mom would always buy me a fruit pie (had to be cherry). And these are about 1,000 times yummier.

 My daughter bought me THIS Wilton mini pie press at Bed Bath & Beyond (never shop there without a 20% off coupon) for about $5 & I LOVE it. You could easily make mini pies without it though, see note at bottom of post for directions. They are super easy & SO DARN CUTE. You basically cut pie crust into rectangles, fill, press & bake. YUM!

I made homemade pie crust but you could DEFINITELY use a store bought refrigerated pie crust. I made a double recipe of my usual pie crust & it made the perfect amount for 8 mini pies.

I have a list of pies I’m planning to make with this little gadget including ham and cheese hot pockets, pepperoni and cheese pizza pies, apple pies, cherry pies & chicken pot pies. I also want to experiment with freezing them before baking so we can have fresh hot pie at a moment's notice. I’m pretty sure it’ll work. And I probably shouldn't admit this but I'm going to FRY some!

Mini Peach Pies

click HERE to print recipe only

makes 8 mini pies

ingredients

Pastry for two standard 9 inch pies, rolled out but not baked (I doubled THIS RECIPE)

Fresh peaches, peeled, sliced and cut into bite sized pieces to measure 3 cups (about 4 small to medium peaches)

½ cup sugar (add an extra tablespoon if your peaches aren’t very sweet)

1 ½ tablespoons all purpose flour

½ to 1 teaspoon cinnamon, depending on taste

½ teaspoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons butter

1 beaten egg to seal the edges of your pies

3 tablespoons sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon cinnamon to sprinkle on top of pies.

directions

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper for baking your pies. Have your pie crust dough prepared and rolled out but not baked. I rolled out half my crust, made 4 mini pies then rolled out the other half & made 4 more.

2.  In a medium bowl stir together the peaches, sugar, flour, cinnamon and lemon juice. Place in a strainer. Save the juice to drizzle over the vanilla ice cream you serve with your pies.

     

3.  Cut pie crust into 4 1/2" x 3" rectangles. I cut it with a pizza cutter. You need two pieces of pie crust dough for each pie (top and bottom). I doubled the recipe of my pie crust and it made 16 pieces so 8 mini pies, perfectly.

4.  Press one piece of pie crust into the side of the mold with the crimped edges. (See the P.S. below if you don't have the mini pie press.)

5.  Top with 2 tablespoons of peach mixture. Place a little pat (less than a teaspoon) of butter on top of the peach filling.

6.  Brush edges of dough with beaten egg and lay second piece of dough on top. Close the pie press to crimp edges and seal pie. Trim excess dough if necessary.

7.  Remove mini pie from pie press and place on prepared baking sheet. Piece with a fork or cut slits into top crust to vent. Sprinkle with a teaspoon of cinnamon sugar mixture.

8.  Bake for 15 to 18 minute or until golden brown. Serve with vanilla ice cream drizzled with drained peach juice.

P.S. If you don't have the mini pie press just assemble the mini pies on your baking sheet: place a piece of pie crust on the baking sheet, spoon filling in the middle of the crust, add pat of butter, brush edges with egg, cover with top crust and seal edges with a fork all the way around. Vent, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar & bake.

chicken pot pie party!

Remember the frozen pot pies from the 70’s? They were a big treat at our house. I loved the individual servings in the mini pie tins & I loved that I could bake them myself. After they baked, I always tried to turn mine upside down on a plate without any of the gravy spilling out. Then I would carefully eat the very outside edge of the crust, that was usually a little burnt, still trying to keep the pie intact. Then I would stick my fork right in the middle. I can just see all of the steam coming out as I break it open to find the gravy as hot as lava & turkey, carrots, peas & potatoes. My favorite part was the gravy & the potatoes. There was something special about those little pies.

This recipe is reminiscent of those 50 cent pies but so much better. It has all of the same basic ingredients that qualify it for comfort food and it’s definitely on my list of favorites. What’s your favorite comfort food?

We'll be having this again soon with leftover turkey from Thanksgiving!

Chicken Pot Pie

ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1 cup chopped celery
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups turkey or chicken broth
1 cup milk
3 cups cooked seasoned turkey or chicken, cut into bite sized pieces
1 1/2 cups carrots, cut into bite sized pieces
2 medium potatoes, peeled & cut into bite sized pieces
1 cup frozen peas
1 tablespoon dried parsley flakes, if desired
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme, if desired
Double recipe of pastry crust FOUND HERE or use 2 unbaked refrigerated pie crusts.

directions

1. In a small saucepan, cook the cut up carrots in about a cup of boiling water. After simmering for a few minutes add the cut up potatoes & simmer for 5-7 minutes. I cook them together but the carrots take a couple of minutes longer to cook than the potatoes. You just want the carrots & potatoes to be PARTIALLY pre-cooked, since they will finish cooking while baked in the pot pie. Drain carrots & potatoes & throw in the frozen peas. The heat from the cooked carrots & potatoes will be enough to thaw the peas. Set aside.

2. In large saucepan, heat butter over low heat until melted. Add onion & celery & saute for 2 minutes. Add flour, salt & pepper. Cook, whisking constantly, until mixture is bubbly. Stir in broth and milk. Heat to just a simmer. Boil and stir 1 minute. Stir in chicken, vegetables, parsley & thyme.


3. Prepare pastry. Roll 2/3 of the pastry to fit the shape & size of the pan you are using. You can use 9x9 square or a 10" round pie pan. Today I used an 8x11 rectangle & had the perfect amount of crust.

4. Pour chicken mixture into pastry lined pan.


5. Roll remaining pastry into the size & shape of your pan and place over filling. Turn edges under & flute as desired. Cut slits into the top of the crust to vent.

6. Bake in 425 degree oven until golden brown, about 35 minutes.


P.S. Feel free to use a box of frozen peas & carrots or frozen mixed vegetables.

peanut butter pie party!

 
Today I made a peanut butter pie & shared it with people I love. Then I hugged them like there's no tomorrow, to celebrate life, because some things can't wait!


Peanut butter pie has always been one of Mark's favorites & I make it very rarely. After reading this post FOR MIKEY from food blogger, Jenny Perillo, I knew that it was past time for a peanut butter pie at our house. I adapted Jenny's recipe shown in her post. This recipe sounds much more complicated than it is. Don't be intimidated by my wordy recipe.


Peanut Butter Pie

Yield: 10 servings

pie ingredients:
8 ounces Oreo cookies
2 tablespoons butter, melted
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
additional chopped peanuts, optional for garnish
Reese's peanut butter cups, chopped, optional for garnish

directions for pie:

1. Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well. Press mixture into the bottom of a 9-inch spring form pan.
2. Melt the chocolate in the microwave on half power until melted. Stir in butter & corn syrup. Pour over bottom of cookie crust and spread to the edges using an off-set spatula. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the melted chocolate. Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
3. Pour the heavy cream into a bowl and beat using an electric mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a small bowl and store in refrigerator until ready to use. Place the cream cheese and peanut butter in a mixing bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar. Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and filling is smooth.
4. Fold 1/3 of the whipped cream into the filling mixture (helps lighten the batter, making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream). Fold in the remaining whipped cream. Pour the filling into the prepared spring form pan.
5. Put your ganaches in separate sandwich bags or decorating bags, snip the tip & drizzle over the entire pie. Top with chopped Reese's peanut butter cups and additional chopped nuts. Serve with whipped cream.
Drizzle ganaches on top, if using. I put my garaches in separate sandwich bags or decorating bags, snip the tip & drizzle. Refrigerate pie for three hours or overnight before serving. I like it served frozen. In the freezer it stays about the consistency of ice cream.

Chocolate Ganache (optional for garnish)

1/2 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon light corn syrup
Prepare chocolate ganache by barely heating cream in microwave, it only takes a few seconds & pouring it over the chocolate chips. Let sit to melt the chocolate for a few seconds. Then stir until melted & shiny. Stir in the corn syrup.

Peanut Butter Ganache (optional for garnish)

1/2 cup peanut butter chips
1 1/2 tablespoons heavy cream
3/4 teaspoon light corn syrup
Prepare the peanut butter ganache exactly the same as the chocolate except using peanut butter chips.

Whipped Cream (optional for garnish)

1 cup heavy whipping cream
3 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a chilled small mixing bowl, beat cream until soft peaks begin to form. Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until soft peaks form. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

*I used all of these optional garnishes: Chocolate ganache, peanut butter ganache, additional chopped peanuts, chopped Reese's peanut butter cups & whipped cream