lady finger pineapple pie

 Super easy no-bake pie!

Ingredients 

2 packages of pre-made lady fingers
16 oz. Cool Whip, defrosted
16 oz. cream cheese
1 cup sugar
3 cans crushed pineapple, drained well

Directions

1. Using a stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream sugar and cream cheese together. On a low speed, stir in cool whip until cream cheese is incorporated.
2. Line the bottom and sides of a spring form pan with the lady fingers. Spread 1/2 of the cheese mixture over the bottom layer of lady fingers and top with 1/2 of the pineapple. Repeat making a second layer and top with remaining pineapple. Chill overnight.

* Recipe passed down to me from my Mom!

key lime pie

Ingredients

Filling:
4 large egg yolks
4 tsp. grated lime zest
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lime juice (5 limes)

Crust:
1 1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
5 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
2 tbsp. sugar

Topping:
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Instructions

1. Move oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. For the filling: Whisk the yolks and zest together in a medium nonreactive bowl (stainless steel, glass, or ceramic) until the mixture has a light green tint, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the milk until smooth, then whisk in the lime juice. Cover the mixture, then set aside until thickened, about 30 minutes.
3. For the crust: Toss the graham cracker crumbs, butter, and sugar together thoroughly with a fork. Pour the crumbs into a pie plate. Use the bottom of a measuring cup to press the crumbs into an even layer on the bottom and side of the pie plate. Bake until the crust is fragrant and beginning to brown, 15-20 minutes. Leave the oven at 325.
4. Pour the thickened filling into the warm pie crust. Bake until the center is firm but wiggles slightly when jiggled, 15-20 minutes. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, then refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours.
5. For the topping: Just before serving, whip together the cream and sugar in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream attractively over the top of the pie.

*From America's Test Kitchen

apple pie

Ingredients

For the crust:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling out the dough
2 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2-inch pieces nd chilled
12 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch pieces and chilled
6 to 8 tablespoons ice water

For the pie:
2 pounds (4 to 6) McIntosh apples, peeled, cored, and slice 1/4-inch thick
1 1/2 pounds (3 to 4) Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 recipe Double-Crust Pie Dough, bottom crust fit into pie plate
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Instructions 

Make the crust:

1. Process the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined. Scatter the shortening over the top and process until the mixture has the texture of coarse sand, about 10 seconds. Scatter the butter pieces over the top and, using short pulses, process the mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses. Transfer to a bowl.
2. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of the ice water over the mixture. Stir and press the dough together, using a stiff rubber spatula until the dough sticks together. If the dough does not come together, stir in the remaining water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it does.
3. Divide the dough into two even pieces and flatten each into a 4-inch disk. Wrap the disks tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Let the chilled dough soften slightly at room temperature before rolling it out and fitting one of the pieces into the bottom of a pie plate.

*The dough can be refrigerated, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 2 months. Let the frozen dough thaw on the countertop until malleable before rolling.

Make the pie:

1. Roll one dough disk on a lightly floured surface into a 12-inch circle. Fold dough in quarters, then place dough point in center of 9-inch pie pan. Unfold dough. Gently press dough into sides of pan leaving portion that overhangs lip of pie plate in place. Refrigerate while preparing fruit.

2. Adjust an oven rack to the lowest position, place a rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 500°F. Toss the apples with cup of the sugar, the flour, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and spices, and set aside.

3. Roll out the top crust to a 12-inch circle. Spread the apples in the unbaked pie crust bottom, mounding them slightly in the middle. Loosely roll the top crust around the rolling pin, then gently unroll it over the apples. Trim all but 1/2-inch of the dough overhanging the edge of the pie plate with scissors. Seal the edge by pressing the top and bottom crusts together, then tuck the edges underneath. Crimp the edges, and cut four vent holes in the top. Brush the crust with the egg white and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar.

4. Place the pie on the heated baking sheet and lower the oven temperature to 425°F. Bake until the top crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Rotate the baking sheet, reduce the oven temperature again to 375°F, and continue to bake until the juices are bubbling and the crust is deep golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes longer. Transfer the pie to a wire rack and cool to room temperature before serving.

*From America's Test Kitchen