Thursday, October 3, 2013

Life is better with a slice of PIE!!!



I know I promised this post a few days ago, and I am very sorry to those of you who were anxiously awaiting it! Hahaha! I was at a career fair and intern interviews for a few days this week so that is my excuse, lame I know! 

Now that I have given my proper excuse lets talk some pie! 

During the Fall Festival the Lions club hosted a pie contest and auction. With the proceeds benefiting our pool toward the purchase of a new slide. I decided this was most definitely a worthy cause and I had entered pie contests before. For this contest I chose to make a pie I had one time on a work trip with the hubs in this tiny cafe in southwest Missouri. A Black Bottom Butterscotch. Now the original had a regular pie crust and whipped topping, but I needed to change it up a bit. I went with a graham cracker crust and because I knew the pie needed to be stable a room temperature for a bit I went with a marshmallow meringue.

The morning of the contest I got up to put the meringue on the top of the pies I had made the night before. It was a nice cool morning so the meringue actually worked(this does not always happen!) things were looking up.
The Lions club members had a good turn out and I am very pleased to say that I took home first prize in the single crust category and momma Linda received second for her apple!!!! 

The very next weekend was the state Cornhusking pie contest! And you bet you booty I was entering but I need a neutral audience to try the pie I had in mind. I was think about making a banana cream pie with an Oreo crust. I decided the most honest and hungry people I could think of we're my co-workers! I prepared the pie and headed to work with it. It received mixed reviews, some liked the chocolate crust some thought it was too sweet. But they all loved the filling which I had made to have more of a banana cheesecake flavor!

With these reviews and some discussion I decided to change the crust to the same crust I use for my cheesecakes! So what was born...a Nutty Nutella Banana Cream Pie with Marshmallow Meringue! Oh yes it is a mouthful but it is delish! And I guess the judges thought so too, because it took home the top prize in ther meringue category! 

I was really excited and surprised about these wins! But truly I just really enjoy creating and testing new pie ideas! Below are the recipes if you would like to give them a try!

Black Bottom Butterscotch

Crust:
11/2 cups crushed graham crackers
1/2 cup melted butter
1/4 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
Mix all ingredients until they appear like wet sand and then press into a pie pan and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Let cool while you create the filling!

Filling:
1 + 1/4 cups packed dark brown sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cornstarch
2 cups whipping cream
3 egg yolks
3 tablespoons butter, diced
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
In a medium saucepan combine 1/2 cup of the brown sugar and 1/4 cup butter set over low heat. Stir until butter melts and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. In a small bowl stir together the remaining 3/4 cup brown sugar with the flour and cornstarch. Add this mixture to the butter mixture and stir until combined. Stir in the whipping cream a little at a time. Place the pan over medium heat and continue stirring until thick and bubbly then reduce heat to low and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Set a wire strainer over a bowl and strain the mixture pushing it through with a wooden spoon. Return the strained mixture to the saucepan. In a small bowl lightly beat the egg yolks and gradually whisk in about 1 cup of the hot filling. Whisk the yolk mixture into the saucepan. Set over medium heat and stir constantly until it starts to boil, reduce heat to low and cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in the 3 tablespoons butter and the vanilla. Place chocolate chip in pie shell and the pour on the warm filling. Cool in the fridge overnight with plastic wrap over it.

Marshmallow meringue:
5 egg whites
1 jar of marshmallow fluff
3 tbsps powdered sugar

Whip egg whites and sugar to soft peaks the gradually add in the fluff and beat to stiff peaks! Top your pie and bake at 350 for ten minutes or until browned.



Nutty Nutella Banana Cream Pie!

Crust:
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup finely chopped almonds
3/4 cup finely chopped vanilla wafer
2 tablespoons melted butter
1heaping tbsp Nutella 

Combine nuts wafers and butter to a wet sand consistency. Press into pie pan and bake at 350 for 10 minutes. While it is still warm spoon in the Nutella and spread it thin. 

Filling:
4eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 1/2 cups half and half
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp vanilla
4 oz cream cheese
3 bananas sliced

In a medium saucepan combine sugar and cornstarch. Gradually stir in half and half. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly; reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Remove from heat. Slightly beat egg yolks. Temper egg yolks with the cream mixture. Slowly stir in the egg mixture to the remainder of the cream. Bring to a gentle boil. Cook and stir for two minutes more. Remove from heat, add butter vanilla and cream cheese.
Layer the bananas into the bottom of the crust top with filling. Chill over night. 

Use the same meringue recipe!

Wow that was a long post thanks for sticking with me!!!

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