Pie #30: Just Like Mom's Pie (Peanut Butter Pie)

After a short delay, I bring you Just Like Mom's Pie!  With the help and watchful eye of my MIL, I have finally succeeded with this recipe!  Every time I try this recipe on my own, I have failed miserably and am left with nasty, lumpy pudding!  Not any more though...I have the secrets to success in hand, and have Kathy to thank for a delicious pie!

I have loved this pie for years.  Kathy, knowing this, quite typically makes one when she knows we're coming home!  This weekend we celebrated Christmas with Perry's family - complete with parents, siblings, nephews and grandpa!

Each year we celebrate Christmas with a delicious meal on Marv and Kathy's beautiful sets of dishes.  I always try to locate myself at a setting of American Sweetheart - Monax.  These dishes are white, but when held up to the light, a light blue pattern shines through.

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Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients:
1 blind-baked pie crust (9-in)

peanut butter mix:
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/4 c. peanut butter (smooth)

pudding:
2 c. milk
2/3 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/2 t. salt
2 T. margarine
1 t. vanilla
2 eggs

topping: (doubled on 25 Jan 2013...this pie needed more whipped topping!)
1 c. whipping cream
4 T. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla


Pie Algorithm:
Peanut Butter Mix:
1. With a fork, mix together the peanut butter and powdered sugar until mix turns into small crumbly pieces.  Put most of the mixture in the bottom of the pre-baked shell, saving just a bit for the top of the pie.

Filling:
1. Mix 1/3 c. sugar, the cornstarch, and salt in a small bowl.  Set aside.  Beat eggs, set aside.  Prepare margarine and vanilla to use later.

2. Put milk and the other 1/3 c. sugar in a saucepan.  Heat until nearly boiling, whisking occasionally.  Just before boiling, scoop out approximately 1/4 c. of the warm milk mixture and stir into beaten eggs.  Beat egg mixture together with the sugar/cornstarch/salt mixture - mix until there are NO lumps!

3. As soon as the milk boils, whisk egg mixture into milk.  Whisk like crazy until the pudding heats enough to bubble.  Take away from heat immediately and whisk in margarine and vanilla until margarine melts completely.  Pour hot pudding into shell.  Let pie sit until pudding completely cool.

Topping:
1. Whip cream, sugar, and vanilla until nearly stiff peaks form.  Spread on top of chilled pie.  Sprinkle the remaining peanut butter crumbs on whipped topping.

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It was great to spend the weekend with the Leatherman clan.  Everyone loved the pie (it happens to be several family members' favorite)!  I am excited to try making this on my own soon!

Pie #3: Not Quite Like Mom's Pie (Butter Brickle Banana Cream Pie)

This week there's no formal guest reviewer, but as always Perry is happy to stand in as the unofficial taster!  Knowing his love for bananas, I decided to try a recipe entitled Butter Brickle Banana Cream Pie from Pie, Pie, Pie: Easy Homemade Favorites by John Phillip Carroll.  I don't love banana pie, but the brickle makes me keep coming back for more!

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Butter Brickle Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients:
1 baked pie crust (9-inch)

butter brickle:
1/2 c. sugar
5 T. butter
1/2 c. sliced or slivered almonds

filling:
1/2 c. sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
1/4 t. salt
2 1/4 c. milk
3 egg yolks
3 T. butter
1 t. vanilla extract
2 large, ripe bananas

whipped cream:
1 c. heavy (whipping) cream, chilled
4 t. sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract

Pie Algorithm:
1. (Brickle) Line a shallow baking pan with foil.  Combine the sugar, butter, and almonds in a large skillet.  Place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring almost constantly, until the bubbling mixture turns golden brown, about 5 minutes.  Pour into pan and cool completely; it will harden as it cools.  Break the butter brickle into pieces and chop coarsely in a food processor.  Set aside.

2. (Filling) In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan whisk together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt.  Pour in the milk and whisk until smooth.  Place over medium heat and cook, whisking almost constantly, until the mixture boils.  Cook, whisking constantly, for about 2 minutes, then whisk in the egg yolks.  Bring the mixture back to a boil, reduce the heat, and cook for 1 minute more.  Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.  Set aside to cool for about 20 minutes, stirring 2 or 3 times.

3. (Topping) Combine the cream, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl large enough for whipping, and beat until you have nearly stiff peaks.

4. (Assembly) Spread about 1/2 c. of brickle in baked pie shell.  Peel bananas and slice them about 1/4 inch thick, placing the slices over the brickle as you work.  Cover the bananas with the filling and cool to room temperature.  Sprinkle the filling with another 1/2 c. of the butter brickle.  Spread whipped cream over pie and sprinkle with remaining brickle.

Refrigerate until ready to serve.  For best results, eat within a couple of hours.  If you must wait longer, the brickle will gradually soften, but will not lose its flavor.

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After his first slice was complete, Perry's first words were "It's not quite like my mom's."  He went on to say that the pudding filling was different from what he remembered as a kid, but had a hard time figuring out why because he kept getting distracted with the crunchy, salty, nutty brickle.  While it may not be quite like my mother-in-law Kathy's pudding, I was quite pleased that it turned out!  I had tried to make homemade pudding pie several times in the past, each time without success.  This time there was no scorching, no chunks, and it tasted very similar to what I anticipated!

The recipe listed above has not been altered at all; for once I'm pretty satisfied with the results.  If I were to make the pie again, I would perhaps use Kathy's pudding recipe or Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream's Almond Brittle recipe.  In all reality though, Kathy's recipe is similar to that above and the brickle recipe above is almost too easy not to use.  Perhaps I would simply omit the banana's on my half of the pie!