Making Pies

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Saving Calories for Pecan Pie – Only

My all-time favorite pie is, hands-down, Pecan Pie!  Very rarely will I sacrifice calories to even try another pie – it’s simply not worth it.  I’d even rather save the calories for a future time when I may get an opportunity to eat Pecan Pie again.

Not the rest of the Fam

However, the rest of my family doesn’t quite feel the same way.  We usually have at least 3 (one year even 4) other pies besides pecan. Below you’ll find recipes for Pumpkin, Apple, Sour Cream Raisin and Key Lime Pies.

My secret to easy pies is buying premade frozen deep dish pie crusts.

Easy Pumpkin Pie

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What you need:

• 1 can Libby’s Easy Pumpkin Pie mix
• ⅔ c. Evaporated Milk
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 425°.
2. Mix pumpkin pie mix, evaporated milk and eggs in a bowl.
3. Pour into pie shell.
4. Bake for 15 minutes at 425°, reduce temperature to 350° for 50 – 60 minutes or until knife inserted comes out clean.
5. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours.  Serve or refrigerate. 

Estimated Time:

80 minutes, plus 2 hours to cool.

Sour Cream Raisin Pie

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Personally, I’m not a fan of raisins, but this is Kyle’s favorite pie and a must-have at Thanksgiving.

What you need:

• 4 eggs
• 1 c. sugar
• 1 c. raisins
• 1 c. sour cream
• 1 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. cloves
• 1 baked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell
• For topping:
  • 6 T. sugar
  • ½ tsp. cream of tartar

Steps:

1. Follow instructions on pie crust and bake. Then preheat oven to 350°.
2. Mix ingredients (egg yolks, sugar, raisins, sour cream, cinnamon, cloves) in sauce pan + bring to a boil.  Boil for 2 minutes.
3. Fill in baked pie crust.
4. Make the meringue by beating 4 egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar until stiff and forms peak.
5. Bake for 15 minutes at 350°.
6. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour, and chill for 3 – 6 hours before serving.

Estimated Time:

 90 minutes, plus 3 – 6 hours to chill.

Apple Pie

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I use the recipe from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook 12th Edition, but it seems that there’s a newer edition from 2018 on Amazon that’s cheaper to purchase.  The only difference between the recipe and my application is that I use 2 frozen deep dish pie shells vs. making it from scratch.

What you need:

• 6 c. thinly sliced, peeled apples
• 1 T. lemon juice
• ¾ c. sugar
• 2 T. flour
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ⅛ tsp. ground nutmeg
• 2 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shells

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Peel and slice apples and add lemon juice.
3. Stir together sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Add apple slices and gently toss until coated.
4. Fill mixture in pie crust.
5. Cut slits in 2nd pie crust and place on filling, seal and crimp edge as desired.
6. To prevent overbrowning, cover edge of pie with foil.
7. Bake for 40 minutes at 375°.  Remove foil, and bake for another 20 minutes or until fruit is tender and filling is bubbly.  
8. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours.  Serve or refrigerate. 

Estimated Time:

60 minutes, plus 2 hours to cool.

Key Lime Pie

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Yes, this is not a traditional Thanksgiving pie, but a key lime pie is very delicious.  Sometimes I will “cheat” the meringue and just use cool whip on top instead.  I got this recipe from a postcard when we visited Key West, Florida for New Years Eve on our honeymoon

What you need:

• 4 eggs
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• ½ c. lime juice (key lime if possible)
• For topping:
  • 6 T. sugar
  • ½ tsp. cream of tartar

Steps:

1. Preheat oven to 325°.
2. Beat 4 egg yolks, condensed milk and lime juice until thick, and pour into pie shell.
3. Bake for 15 minutes.
4. Meanwhile make the meringue by beating 4 egg whites, sugar and cream of tartar until stiff and forms peak.
5. Increase oven temperature to 350°, and add topping to pie, bake until topping is golden brown (around ~15 more minutes).
6. Cool on wire rack for 1 hour, and chill for 3 – 6 hours before serving.

Estimated Time:

 60 minutes, plus 3 – 6 hours to chill.

Tell us what you think

While I prefer cool whip with pecan pie, you can serve with ice cream or leave it plain.

What’s your favorite pie?  How many do you make for Thanksgiving?  We’d ❤️ to hear from you.  Please share your feedback in the comments below.

– Kara from Zeke Life

Live like Zeke
You’re such a good boy!