No Bake Strawberry Lemon Cookie Pie

I am in a book club and what else is better than getting together with friends and talking about a book?.....getting together with friends and talking about a book and having a yummy dessert.  

Last book club my friend Wendy made this amazing dessert!  I could not stop thinking about it the next day so you know it was that good!  First I texted Wendy to see if the recipe was on her Pinterest board or where I could find it?  Found the recipe and I think I went to the store that day and bought all the ingredients.  I couldn't make it that day because it has to sit in the fridge for a bit.  So I made it the next day!  It is just so delicious and you wouldn't believe how simple to make!  This will defiantly be a go to dessert of mine.  Oh and the book was good also....Between Shades of Gray by Ruta Sepetys

Here are the layers of cookie, strawberry, cool whip yumminess.

No Bake Strawberry Lemon Cookie Pie

Ingredients

Crust

2 cups graham cracker crumbs

3/4 cup butter, melted

Filling

1 1/2 15.25 oz packages lemon cream cookies (I used lemon Oreos)

1 cup milk

8 oz cool whip

16 oz carton strawberries

Instructions

1. Grease a 9 inch pie pan.

2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and melted butter. Press into the bottom and up the sides of the greased pie pan.

3. Put milk into a small bowl that will allow for dipping the cookies.

4. Dunk cookies, one at a time, and add to the pie pan to make a single layer of cookies on the bottom of the crust. I needed just more than half of one package for the first layer.

5. Add half of the Cool Whip and spread evenly over the cookies.

6. Slice about half of the strawberries and make a single layer of strawberries on top of the Cool Whip.

7. Dunk more cookies, one at a time, and add to the pie pan to make a second layer of cookies on top of the strawberries.

8. Add remaining Cool Whip and spread evenly over the cookies.

9. Slice remaining strawberries and spread on the top of the pie.

10. Add cookie crumbs or graham cracker crumbs on top to finish it off, if desired.

11. Cover and chill for about 8 hours before serving.

Recipe adapted from Life Love and Sugar

Happy Pie Day!

Today is National Pie Day!  

Here are some of my favorite recipes. Enjoy! 

Link for recipe is below each picture.

Peanut Butter Pie

Bing Cherry Pie

Berry Cheesecake Pie

Paper Bag Apple Pie

Heart Tarts

Since Valentine's Day is coming quick and this is like a little pie, I added this one in for fun.

Peanut Butter Cup Pie

I think I could eat this pie all by myself...... Peanut Butter Cup Pie
1 pkg. (8 oz.)Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup plus 1 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter, divided
1 cup cold milk
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
2-1/2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, divided
1 OREO Pie Crust (6 oz.)
3 squares BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate (or semi-sweet chocolate chips)

BEAT cream cheese and 1/2 cup peanut butter in medium bowl until well blended. Add milk and dry pudding mix; beat 2 min. Whisk in 1 cup COOL WHIP; spoon into crust. Refrigerate until ready to use.

MEANWHILE, microwave remaining COOL WHIP and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute. Cool completely.

SPREAD chocolate mixture over pudding layer in crust. Microwave remaining peanut butter in small microwaveable bowl 30 sec.; stir. Drizzle over pie. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

Recipe adapted from Kraft Foods

Paper Bag Pie

This apple pie recipe has been in my family for years and my Dad makes it every year for Thanksgiving and now I make it for my family. The interesting thing about this pie is that you really cook it in a big paper sack, strange I know, but it works and no the paper does not burn. What is also great about this pie is that it is a no roll out crust and the top is a crumble like a dutch apple pie. This is my most favorite apple pie!
Paper Bag Apple Pie

Bottom Crust

1 1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

2 Tbsp Milk

Mix well. Pat into bottom and up sides of 9 inch pie pan.

Filling

5-6 cups sliced apples (I use Granny Smith)
1/2 cups sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Toss lightly and place in unbaked shell.

Topping

1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup cold margarine
1/2 cup sugar

Mix with fingers until crumbly. Sprinkle over apples. Place pie in paper bag, fold edge once and staple in place. Bake 1 1/2 hours at 350 degrees. No Peeking!!

Parade, Pie Recipe and Fireworks!

Saturday was filled with lots of fun for us.

I grew up in a very small town that has a little 4th of July celebration. The festivities start early in the morning with a flag ceremony and then breakfast served by the Boy Scouts. After breakfast there is the parade that goes around TWICE, so we get double the candy, YES! I try to make it every year for at least some of the party.

After getting back from the park I made a pie..........

This pie starts out with the easiest crust on earth(no rolling out required)! And then filled with a yummy cream cheese filling.

You then could top this pie with a topping of choice. I choose strawberries and blueberries for a patriotic color scheme. With some leftover pie dough you cut and bake little stars to add some sparkle.

Berry Cheesecake Pie

yield: 1 pie

8 oz Cream Cheese
1/2 cup Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 eggs
2 cups Strawberries, sliced
1 cup Blueberries
1 TBS Light colored Jam (any flavor such as orange, apricot, peach, etc)
Pie Dough Stars, pie dough star cut outs, baked 15 minutes

preheat oven to 350 degrees

1. Press pie dough into a 9 inch pie pan. Reserve a small piece of pie dough, about 1/4 cup full and set aside for pie dough stars if using. Press dough up the side of the pie pan, and use your finger to press indentions to create a border. Place unbaked pie crust in the fridge.

2. Place the cream cheese and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat until creamy and fluffy. Add vanilla. With mixer (or hand mixer) on low speed, add eggs one at a time fully incorporating before adding the second egg.

3. Remove crust from the fridge and pour cheesecake batter into crust. Bake for 25- 30 minutes until firm and set in the center, and the crust is lightly tanned. Sprinkle cinnamon over the cake and crust immediately after removing from oven. Sprinkle over the stars (if using). Let cheesecake pie cool completely.

4. Rinse and pat dry the berries. Remove the stems from the strawberries and cut in quarters. Gently place the berries on top on the cheesecake.

5. Boil some water (in the microwave is easiest) and pour over the jam a tablespoon at a time until it has melted and is thick and syrupy. Use a pastry brush to brush the glaze over the berries. This will create the shiny, glossy look.

6. Place the stars on the pie up to three hours in advance to avoid them getting soft or stained. The pie can be made 24 hours in advance.

Grammy’s Perfect Pie Dough

1/3 cup Milk
2/3 cup Vegetable Oil
2 1/4 cup Flour
1 tsp Salt

1. Measure the milk and vegetable and combine.

2. In a large bowl add the flour and salt. Pour the wet mixture over the dry and mix with a spoon.

3. Use this pie dough for any sweet or savory pie! Simply press in the pie pan rather than having to roll.

Recipe adapted from Natalie's Killer Cuisine

Perfect night for Fireworks.
This was Audrey's first time for fireworks. Audrey was more patient that Aria, but I don't think Audrey really knew what she was waiting for.

It was a great day! Happy 4th of July!

Bing Cherry Pie

In the my first house I owned, I had two huge bing cherry trees in my yard. I had all these cherries and did not know what to do with all of them besides get a bellyache. I started looking through my cookbooks and found a recipe in my Joy of Cooking cookbook. It was actually one of the first pies I had ever made. Since then I always make a bing cherry pie once a year.

Bing Cherry Pie

Roll out your favorite pie dough or use the recipe I have provided below, into 13 inch round, fit it into a 9 inch pie pan, and trim the overhanging dough to 3/4 inch all around. Refrigerate. Roll the other half into a 12 inch round for the top crust and refrigerate it.


Position a rack in the lower third of the oven. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.


Combine and let stand for 15 minutes:


5 cups Bing Cherries (2 to 2 1/2 pounds)
3/4 cup sugar
3 to 3 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 to 2 drops red food coloring (optional)


Pour the mixture into the bottom crust and dot with:


2 to 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces


Brush the overhanging edge of the bottom crust with cold water. Cover with the top crust then seal the edge, trim and crimp or flute. Cut steam vents. Bake the pie for 30 minutes. Slip a baking sheet beneath it, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake until thick juices bubble though the vents, 25 to 30 min. more. Let cool before serving.

Flaky Pastry Dough


Using a rubber spatula, thoroughly mix in a large bowl:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp white sugar
1 tsp salt


Add:


1 cup solid vegetable shortening or 1/2 cup shortening and 8 tablespoons cold butter.

Break shortening into large chunks; if using butter cut into small pieces, then add it to the flour mixture. Cut the fat into the dry ingredients by chopping vigorously with a pastry blender. As you work, periodically stir dry flour up from the bottom of the bowl and scrape clinging fat off the pastry blender. When you are through, some of the fat should remain in peas-sized pieces; the rest should be reduced to the consistency of coarse crumbs or cornmeal. The mixture should seem dry and powdery and not pasty or greasy. Drizzle over the flour and fat mixture:


1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon ice water


Using the rubber spatula, cut with the blade side until the mixture looks evenly moistened and begins to form small balls. Press down on the dough with the flat side of the spatula. If the balls of dough stick together, you have added enough water; if they do not, drizzle over the top:


1 to 2 tablespoons ice water


Cut in the water, again using the blade of the spatula, then press with your hands until the dough coheres. The dough should look rough, not smooth. Divide the dough in half, press each half into a round flat disc, and wrap tightly in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 min. and preferably for several hours or for up to 2 days before rolling. The dough can also be wrapped airtight and frozen for up to 6 months, thaw completely before rolling.

Hint: If you have any leftover dough from trimming the sides. Put all leftover dough in a ball and roll it out like sugar cookies. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Cut into squares and put on cookie sheet. Bake in oven with the pie for 10 min or until lightly browned.