Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with Oat Crumble Topping

Our CSA farm provided us with 12 ounces of rhubarb this week, so I turned it into this wonderful pie. You can serve this pie warm or cold with a scoop of ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream. It was my first time making this type of pie from scratch, and it got rave reviews. Take this basic recipe and make it your own. Ingredients Pie: 1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell. Use your favorite recipe or a prepared refrigerated one from the store. 12 ounces rhubarb stalks 12 ounces frozen strawberries slightly thawed and sliced 1/3 cup water … Continue reading →

Happy National Pie Day

I just got back from the supermarket where the cashier wished me a “Happy Pie Day!” At first I thought she was being sarcastic because I didn’t have a single item in my cart that was pie-worthy. Then, she flashed a smile, pointed to her cherry pie-shaped lapel pin, and explained that January 23rd was National Pie Day. Thanks American Pie Council. A day to celebrate pie? Yum! Then again, who needs an excuse to eat pie? If you are looking for a way to honor the great American sweet and flaky dessert today, then consider making my daughter’s favorite … Continue reading →

Cool Thanksgiving Pies

Growing up in a small town on the Big Island of Hawaii, Thanksgiving dessert consisted of traditional fruit pies and little more. Which is not to say that I don’t love fresh fruit pies, but when I moved to the “mainland” in the late 1980s to attend college I was introduced to a whole new Thanksgiving dessert option: Ice cream pie. To this day I make sure that at least one frozen (or refrigerated) pie is featured on our Thanksgiving buffet. Decadent chilled pies are much cheaper to make than to buy. What’s more, they offer guests a chocolaty option … Continue reading →

Simple Thanksgiving Pies

Thanksgiving is just two weeks away, and while this year might not be your turn to cook the bird, there’s a good chance that you will be responsible for contributing at least one dish to the Turkey Day feast. If that’s the case, consider one (or all) of the following dessert recipes. They are easy as pie to make, but so incredibly delicious that your family and friends will never know that you didn’t slave away in the kitchen preparing them. PUMPKIN SUPREME PIE Ingredients for the Crust: 1/2 cup butter, melted 2 cups graham crackers (crushed) 1/4 cup sugar … Continue reading →

Beyond the Pumpkin Pie: Other Sweet Treats for Your Thanksgiving Feast

If you aren’t hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year, but you don’t want to show up to your loved one’s home empty handed, consider bringing along one of these fabulous fruit pies. They are the perfect addition to a Thanksgiving dessert table and will be warmly embraced by other guests who don’t particularly care for traditional pumpkin pie. EASY CARAMEL APPLE PIE Ingredients: 6 to 8 medium Granny Smith apples 1 cup sugar 1 tablespoon cinnamon 1/2 tablespoon nutmeg 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 pre-made pie crust Pie crust scraps 1 jar caramel topping 1 tablespoon brown sugar 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon Directions: … Continue reading →

Kicked Up Thanksgiving Pies

Kick up your Thanksgiving dessert table this year with these jazzed up pie recipes. It’s not hard to go beyond traditional pumpkin and apple pies by experimenting with additional ingredients. If you’re a bit apprehensive about breaking with tradition then consider the first recipe for Pumpkin Praline Pie. Your family members will still get their pumpkin fix, but the sweet and crunchy praline topping will provide added texture and flavor that ordinary pumpkin pie lacks. The second dessert option is for the chocoholics in your family. The recipe for Easy Chocolate Pudding Pie is so simple your kids could make … Continue reading →

Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

Not all birthdays are celebrated with cake. Just ask my mom. She hasn’t commemorated her birthday with cake for as long as I’ve been alive. Rather, on her special day she requests Banana Cream Pie… and not just any Banana Cream Pie. Each fall my mom celebrates another year on earth with at least two slices of Mile-High Banana Cream Pie with an Oreo Cookie crust. Yes, it’s as decadent as it sounds. In honor of my mom’s upcoming birthday I thought I would share the recipe for her special pie. I’d love to say that it is an ancient … Continue reading →

Tantalizing Tropical Treat

Recently, I posted recipes featuring popular summer fruits including peaches, watermelon and strawberries. All are abundant this time of year and each has its own uniquely delicious flavor. Still, for me summer is just not summer without making at least one guava dish. I grew up on the Big Island of Hawaii where tropical fruits such as guava and lilikoi can be found in practically every backyard. We had a guava tree in our yard (actually, it’s still there and still bearing fruit) and my brothers would often help my grandfather pick the juicy round fruit with the light pink … Continue reading →

My Husband’s Favorite Dessert: Key Lime Pie

Dads deserve the best on Father’s Day for all they do. While many women are going out of their way to buy tools, ties and t-shirts, I’m going out of my way to teach my kids how to squeeze limes and make whipped cream from scratch. Truth be told, my husband’s favorite dessert is key lime pie. So I’ve mastered the preparation. And yes, you have to squeeze the limes fresh. And yes, they have to be Key limes. Store bought juice will be easier, but it will also yield a noticeable difference in the taste of the finished product. … Continue reading →

Coconut Cream Pie Makeover

I love coconut cream pie. I actually love anything with coconut in it. . .but I’m especially fond of cream pie. However, I am no longer young and ahem. . .I can’t eat whatever I want anymore! With that said, I offer you two coconut cream pie recipes. . .the old version with all the fat, sugar and calories a coconut cream pie could offer (you know, for special occasions), and a newer lighter version. If you’re daring–take the challenge and see if you can tell which one is the almost fat free version and which one is not. Fannie … Continue reading →