Cranberry Apple Pie

I have two things to confess today. The first is that I LOVE pie. It just simply rocks my world! The second confession is that I am such an amateur about making pie crusts. They terrify me! My mom could make such wonderful tasting pie crusts that also looked so pretty. I have friends who have made amazing, flaky pie crusts, but not me! I am so intimidated by the whole crust thing. So this pie recipe is for what goes on the inside, not the crust. Use your amazing crust recipe, I just bought a pre-made crust which was just fine.

Cranberry Apple Pie
1 1/2 cups chopped cranberries
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. grated orange zest
2-3 Tbsp. finely chopped crystallized ginger
1/2 Tbsp. flour
1/3 cup cranberry juice
3 firm apples sliced 1/4 in. thick
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbsp.  butter

Preheat oven to 425°. In a saucepan, stir together cranberries, sugar, orange zest, flour and juice until slightly thickened. Place your bottom crust in your pie pan. Place your apples neatly in your pie pan. Sprinkle with cinnamon and dot with butter. Pour cranberry mixture over the apples and cover with a latticed top. Brush the top of the pie crust with milk and sprinkle sugar on the crust. Bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden.

Strawberry Pie

I have been watching the prices drop on strawberries, and this week they hit a decent price, and they looked really good. I am so excited because that means Strawberry Pie time!! This recipe was my mom's and it is the best recipe in the world. I look forward to this every year! My sister-in-law has perfected this recipe, and I usually just wait until we have some at her home, but this year, her home is to far for me to go and grab some pie! I had to give it a try. Go grab some strawberries and give yourself a treat tonight! You will be so glad that you did!

Strawberry Pie

1 baked pie shell
Sliced strawberries to fill pie shell
3 TBSP strawberry jello
3 TBSP cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water

Combine jello, cornstarch and sugar. Add boiling water, stir well. Bring to a boil. Set aside to cool, then chill well after pouring over strawberries in pie crust. Chill for 2-3 hours and serve with whipped cream.

Malt Shop Pie

A chocolate malt reminds me of what I like to drink in the summer. Cool, creamy and very refreshing. To put it in a pie is wonderful, that way you can share with your family and friends- or not, I won't tell!

Malt Shop Pie

1 1/2 cup chocolate cookie crumbs

1/4 cup butter, melted

1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened

1/2 cup malted milk balls, crushed

2 Tbsp. milk- divided

3 Tbsp instant chocolate malted milk powder

3 Tbsp marshmallow creme

1 cup whipping cream

Garnish: whipped cream and malted milk balls

Combine cookie crumbs and butter, press into a 9" pie pan. Place in freezer while preparing pie filling. Blend together ice cream, milk balls and 1 Tbsp milk. Pour into pie crust and freeze for one hour. Mix together malted milk powder, marshmallow creme and remaining milk. Fold in whipping cream and whip until peaks form. Spread over pie filling and freeze overnight. Garnish with whipped cream and malted milk balls.

One of my favorite things about this dessert is that you don't have to turn your oven on- something I look for in my summer recipes as we don't have air conditioning. This recipe is just one of many over at Life as Mom who hosts the Ultimate Recipe Swap. Check it out!