Easy as Pie

by Vickie Myers
photography by Elisabeth Nixon Photography

Chocolate cream and “lemon meringue” pies

Chocolate cream and “lemon meringue” pies

1 box pie crust
1 box chocolate pudding
1 box lemon pudding
Whipped topping

Follow directions for pie on the pudding boxes. Use a round cookie cutter to cut circles in the dough. Gently press into muffin tins. Bake according to the pie crust box until lightly brown. Cool completely. Fill with pudding and top with whipped topping.

How to use your Thanksgiving leftovers

Individual turkey pot pies

Individual turkey pot pies

Cut out circles of pie dough. Press into muffin tins. Fill with leftover mashed potatoes, turkey, gravy and some frozen peas and carrots. Put another circle of pie dough over the top and press the dough together at the edges to seal. Bake at 400 for 15 to 20 minutes or until the top of pot pies are lightly brown.

Individual turkey quiche

Individual turkey quiche

Cut out circles of pie dough. Press into muffin tins. Fill each cup with 1 tablespoon of grated cheese; use your favorite kind, and 1 tablespoon of leftover turkey chopped in small pieces. Pour 2-3 tablespoons of egg whites mixed with ½ tablespoon of half and half or light cream over the cheese and turkey. Bake at 400 for 15–20 minutes or until the egg mixture is set.

Cranberry apple crisp

Cranberry apple crisp

8 cups of tart apples, peeled and sliced
1 can whole berry cranberries
½ cup sugar
1 Tablespoon flour

Place apples into a 9” x 13” baking dish. Mix flour with sugar and sprinkle onto apples. Pour can of cranberries onto the apples.

Topping:
1 cup of oats
1/3 cup of butter
½ cup brown sugar
¾ cup of flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
¾ cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Mix together and sprinkle over the apple and cranberry mixture. Bake at 350 for 25 to 30 minutes.

Raspberry lemon meringue cobbler

Raspberry lemon meringue cobbler

1 16-oz package frozen raspberries
¾ cup of sugar

Evenly spread the raspberries into a 9” x 13” pan. Sprinkle the berries with sugar.

1 ½ cup of sugar
1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon corn starch
1 ½ cup of water
3 egg yolks
3 Tablespoons of butter
1/3–1/2 cup lemon juice (depends on how tart you like things)

In a saucepan mix the sugar with the cornstarch and add the water while stirring. Cook over medium heat until mixture is boiling. Stir and boil for one minute. Add half the hot mixture to the egg yolks, stirring until blended. Add the egg mixture back into the sauce pan and bring back to a boil. Boil and stir for one minute. Remove from heat and add butter and lemon juice. Stir until blended. Pour lemon mixture over the raspberries.

½ cup of butter softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup flour
¼ cup milk
3 egg whites, beaten until stiff

Mix together butter, sugar and flour. Fold in the beaten egg whites. Evenly spread over the raspberry and lemon mixture. Bake at 350 for 30 to 45 minutes or until top is golden brown.