1. Blueberry Pie

Serves 10/Points per serving: 5

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon table salt
8 tablespoons reduced-calorie margarine, stick, chilled, and cut up
8 tablespoons fat-free margarine, tub, chilled
5 tablespoons cold water
5 cups blueberries
1/4 cups cornstarch
2 teaspoons lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg white

Description

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine flour, 1 teaspoon of sugar, salt, and both kinds of margarine. Mix with a fork (or both hands) until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add 4 tablespoons of water and mix until dough can be formed into a ball, adding more water if necessary. Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface and divide into two equal portions. Roll each portion into a 12-inch round.

Press one round into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate, allowing the dough to hang over sides; set aside. In a large bowl, combine blueberries, 1/3 cup of sugar, cornstarch, zest, and vanilla extract. Toss to combine. Pour mixture into pie crust. Place second pie crust on top of blueberries and pinch two crusts together to form a seal. Using two fingers, pinch around edges to form a decorative rim.

Whisk together egg white and 1 tablespoon water. Brush mixture over the surface of the pie. Sprinkle with a remaining teaspoon of sugar. Prick top crust all over with a fork or sharp knife to allow steam to escape during cooking. Transfer pie to a baking sheet, bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling out of holes, about 1 hour and 15 minutes. Cool on a rack, about 10 minutes, before slicing into 10 pieces.

2. Chocolate Raspberry Jam

Source: Procrastinators Gifts

6 cups prepared fruit (about 7 pints fresh raspberries)
3 squares unsweetened chocolate
4 cups granulated sugar
1 box Sure Jel (for lower sugar recipes pectin)
1/2 teaspoon margarine or butter

Crush berries thoroughly, 1 cup at a time. If using frozen berries, use both liquid and solids; they all were part of the original fresh berry. (Sieve 1/2 of the pulp to remove some seeds if desired. You can sieve it all if preparing for those with dental problems. Removing seeds causes waste, so be sure you have enough berries.) Measure 6 cups of crushed fruit into a 6- or 8-quart heavy saucepan. Break the chocolate squares into smaller pieces and add them to the saucepan.

Measure sugar into a separate bowl. Mix 1/4 cup sugar from the measured amount with pectin in a small bowl. Stir pectin-sugar mixture into the fruit in saucepan. Add butter. Bring quickly to a full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim foam and ladle into pint or half-pint jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace, and process 10 minutes in boiling water canner.

3. Mile High Coconut Pie

1 (9-inch) baked pie shell

Filling

3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flaked coconut

Meringue

4 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup granulated sugar

Description

For the filling: Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt and mix well. Add egg yolks and stir. Add milk. Cook slowly until thick, stirring constantly. After pudding is thick, add butter, vanilla extract, and coconut. Pour into baked pie crust.

For Meringue: Beat egg whites with baking powder until stiff. Add 1/2 cup sugar and blend well. Cover Pie with meringue, making sure to seal the edges. Brown in 325 degrees F oven for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

4. Vanilla Creme Pie

1 baked pastry shell
2 cups milk
1/3 cup flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Scald milk. Mix dry ingredients, pour milk over them, and stir constantly. Cook until smooth and thick. Beat egg yolks, adding some hot mixture to them. Combine yolks with the custard, cook for 1 minute. Add butter and vanilla extract. Cool slightly and pour into baked pastry shell. Cool thoroughly before serving.

BUTTERSCOTCH PIE: Use brown sugar in place of granulated sugar.
CHOCOLATE CREAM PIE: Add 2 1/2 tablespoons cocoa to the dry ingredients.
COCONUT CREAM PIE: Add 1/2 cup shredded coconut to the filling, cover with meringue, sprinkle with 1/4 cup coconut. Bake 20 minutes at 325 degrees F.

5. Butterscotch Meringue Pie

1 (9-inch) pie shell, baked
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup water
1 2/3 cups milk
1/3 cup butter
3 egg yolks (reserve whites)
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 egg whites
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
6 tablespoons granulated sugar

Description

Mix brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Gradually stir water and milk into ingredients in a saucepan. Add butter (NOT margarine) to ingredients in the saucepan. Cook the mixture over medium heat (stove burner set to medium), stirring constantly, until it thickens and boils. After it reaches the boiling point, boil it for one minute. Remove the saucepan from the burner.

Slightly beat egg yolks. Gradually stir at least half of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks. Blend this mixture into the remaining mixture in the saucepan. Boil the mixture for one minute, stirring constantly. Remove the saucepan from the burner. Blend vanilla extract into the mixture in the saucepan. Pour the mixture into the baked pie crust.

Make a meringue with the leftover egg whites. Add cream of tartar to the egg whites. Beat the egg whites and the cream of tartar until they are frothy. Gradually beat in the sugar, a little at a time. Beat the mixture until it is stiff and glossy.

Spread the meringue over the hot pie filling. To prevent weeping or shrinking, tightly seal the meringue to the edge of the crust. Bake the pie in a 400 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes to brown the meringue.

6. My Better Half Pie

2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups half-and-half
3 eggs, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup flaked coconut
3 tablespoons powdered cocoa
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons half-and-half
1 baked 8-inch piecrust

Layer bottom of piecrust with 1/2 cup chopped Macadamia nuts before baking. In a medium saucepan, stir together 2/3 cup sugar, cornstarch, salt, and 3 cups half and a half; blend in eggs. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture boils; boil and stir 1 minute.

Remove from heat; stir in butter and vanilla extract. Pour 1 1/2 cups cream filling into a small bowl. Stir in 1/2 cup coconut. Pour coconut filling into baked pie crust. Stir together cocoa, 3 tablespoons sugar, and 2 tablespoons half-and-half; blend into remaining filling in saucepan. return to heat; heat to just boiling, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat; cool slightly. Pour over coconut filling. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate until cold. Just before serving, top with whipped cream and sprinkle with toasted flaked coconut and chocolate curls. Enjoy!

7. Mellowscotch Pie

1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons water
2 cups cold milk, divided
1/4 cup cornstarch
2 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 baked pie shell

Brown Sugar Meringue

2 egg whites
4 tablespoons brown sugar, divided
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Description

Combine brown sugar, salt, and water on top of a double boiler. Boil over direct moderate heat to a thick syrup, about 5 minutes. Mix 1/4 cup milk with cornstarch to make a thin paste. Add remaining 1 3/4 cups milk, then combine very gradually with hot syrup. Place over hot water and cook until thick and smooth, stirring frequently.

Once the mixture is thick, cook, stirring constantly, for 15 more minutes. Stir a small amount of the hot mixture into the egg yolks, then stir yolks into the hot mixture. Set again over water; cook 3 minutes more, stirring. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla extract. Cool to room temperature before pouring into a cool, baked pie shell. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

To make meringue: Beat egg whites until they hold a stiff peak. Add brown sugar 2 tablespoons at a time, beating constantly. Add vanilla extract. Pile lightly on filling. Bake until firm and delicately browned, about 20 minutes. Yield: 8 servings.

8. Apple Pie Filling

Source: University of California Cooperative Extension

Makes about 8 quarts.

The best apples for this recipe are firm and crisp types such as Rome, Pippin, or Granny Smith. Each quart makes one 8-inch pie. To use the filling, just pour it into an unbaked pie shell. Add a top crust if desired, and bake the pie at 350 degrees for about an hour.

6 tablespoons Fruit Fresh
4 quarts water
10 pounds apples
1 cup minus 2 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup bottled lemon juice
4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water

Add Fruit Fresh to 4 quarts of cold water. Wash, peel, and core apples. Cut apples into 1/2-inch slices, and drop the slices into the Fruit Fresh mixture as you slice. In a small bowl, combine the tapioca, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and lemon juice. Set this mixture aside.

Drain the apples and place them in a kettle with 4 cups sugar and 1/2 cup of water. Heat the apples to 190 degrees, stirring constantly to prevent sticking. Add the reserved lemon-juice mixture and reheat to 190 degrees F or until the tapioca is clear and cooked.

Sterilize the canning jars and lids according to the manufacturer's directions. Using a funnel, pack the apple mixture into clean, hot jars, leaving 1-inch headspace. Wipe the jar rims clean with a damp cloth. Put the lids and screw bands in place.

As each jar is filled, place it in a water bath canner filled with boiling water. When the canner is filled, place the lid on the kettle and keep the water in the kettle boiling for 10 minutes. Remove the jars from the canner and place them, lid side up, on a cooling rack. When cool to room temperature, test each one for a seal by pressing the center of the lid. The lid should not flex up and down. If it does, refrigerate the jar and plan to use the contents in a few days. You can remove the screw bands for storage. Store the jars in a cool, dry, dark place for up to a year.

Per 1/2 cup: 116 cal.; 0 g pro.; 30 g carb.; 0 g fat; 0 mg chol.; 0 mg sod.; 1g fiber; 25 g sugar

9. Butterscotch Pie

1 can sweeten condensed milk
1 1/2 cups butterscotch morsels
1 cup granulated sugar, divided
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 eggs, separated
1 baked pie shell

Combine milk with 2/3 can water in a saucepan. Heat to simmer. Add butterscotch morsels. Stir until melted. Add 2/3 cup sugar and cornstarch to egg yolks in a bowl. Beat well. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks. Stir egg yolks into the hot mixture. Continue cooking, stirring until thickened. Pour into pie shell. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add remaining sugar gradually, beating until stiff. Cover pie mixture. Seal edges. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes.

10. Reese's Mousse Pie

1 (9-inch) pie crust, baked and cooled
1 2/3 cups (10-ounce package) Reese's Peanut Butter Chips, divided
3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk, divided
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatine
1 tablespoon cold water
2 tablespoons boiling water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 cup cold whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Peanut Butter Mousse Layer: Melt 1 1/2 cups peanut butter chips. Beat cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, and 1/3 cup milk in a medium bowl until smooth. Add melted chips; beat well. Beat in the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk. Spread into cooled crust.

Chocolate Mousse Layer: Sprinkle gelatine over cold water in a small bowl; let stand 1 minute to soften. Add boiling water; stir until gelatine is completely dissolved. Cool slightly.

Combine granulated sugar and cocoa in a medium bowl; add whipping cream and vanilla extract. Beat at medium speed until stiff; pour in gelatine mixture, beating until well blended. Spread evenly over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for several hours. Garnish with remaining chips. Makes 6 to 8 servings. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

11. Blackberry Pie Filling

6 quarts of fresh blackberries
7 cups granulated sugar (can make slight adjustments for the tartness of berries)
1 3/4 cups Clear Jel
1 teaspoon cinnamon
9 1/3 cups water
1/2 cup bottled lemon juice (this is for safety, do not decrease amount)

Description

Select top-quality, firm, ripe berries. Rinse berries and set them aside. Measure lemon juice and set aside. Combine Clear Jel, sugar, and cinnamon in a large saucepan. Add water and mix until smooth. Stirring during the thickening process is critical for a smooth end product. Heat, stirring mixture constantly until it bubbles.

Quickly add lemon juice and boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. (you may add more water at this point if you wish to have a berry topping instead of pie filling). Remove from heat and fold in berries. Fill 7-quart jars, leaving 1 to 1 1/2 inches of headspace. Process in a boiling water canner for 30 minutes at sea level, 35 minutes at 1001 to 3000 feet, and 40 minutes at altitudes 3001 to 6000 feet. Each quart of pie filling will make an 8- or 9-inch pie.

Let me know if you try this and how it turns out. I plan to pick my blackberries this weekend. I used tapioca instead of Clear Jel. It turned out just fine.

12. Crystal Light Lemonade Pie

1 graham cracker crust
8 ounces cream cheese
1/4 cup milk
1 container Crystal Light Lemonade mix
8 ounces Cool Whip

Mix cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add Crystal Light Lemonade mix. Blend well then add Cool Whip; blend well. Pour into crust. Chill for at least 3 to 4 hours.

13. Pumpkin Pie Pudding

1 (15 ounces) can solid pack pumpkin
1 (12 ounces) can evaporate milk
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup Bisquick baking mix
2 eggs, beaten
2 tablespoons melted butter
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

Description

In a large bowl mix together all ingredients. Transfer to crockpot coated with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 7 hours. Serve garnished with whipped cream.

14. Gobble It Up Pot Pie

2 (15 ounces) cans mixed vegetables, drained
1 pound (2 cup) cooked turkey, shredded
1 (12 ounce) jar turkey gravy

Topping

1/4 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped celery
1 (6 ounces) package instant turkey stuffing mix
1 2/3 cups water
1/4 cup dried cranberries

Description

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine vegetables, turkey, and gravy; mix well. Pour into a greased 2-quart casserole.

To make topping: In a skillet, melt butter. Add onion and celery and cook until tender. Add seasoning packet from stuffing mix and water. Bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in the stuffing. Cover and let stand 5 minutes; stir in dried cranberries. Spread stuffing evenly over vegetable mixture. Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or until heated through. Serves 4 to 6.

15. Fluffy Strawberry Pie

Servings: 6

1 (4 serving size) box strawberry gelatin
3/4 cup boiling water
1/2 cup ice cubes
1 small box vanilla instant pudding
3/4 cup cold milk
3 1/2 cups Cool Whip, thawed
1-pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 baked 9-inch pie shell, cooled

Description

Completely dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Add ice cubes and stir until melted. Prepare pie filling mix with 3/4 cup milk as directed on package fad about 2 minutes. Blend in gelatin. Chill, if necessary, until thickened. Fold in 2 cups of the whipped topping and strawberries. Pour into crust. Freeze 1 hour or chill in the refrigerator 3 hours before serving.

Garnish with remaining whipped topping and additional strawberries, if desired.

16. Chocolate Cherry Cream Pie

22 graham crackers
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons butter, melted
1 small box instant chocolate pudding mix
1/2 container Cool Whip
1 can cherry pie filling

Description

Crush crackers into fine crumbs. Combine well with sugar and butter. Press firmly into 9-inch pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 minutes. Cool before filling.

Prepare pudding as directed for pie filling. Chill for 30 minutes, then spread into crust. Spread Cool Whip carefully on top. Spoon cherries on top. Chill for 2 hours before serving.