Chocolate Refrigerator Pie

4 Hershey Almond bars
1/4 cup milk
20 lg Marshmallows
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup whipped cream
1 baked pie shell

Melt hershey bars, milk, marshmallows and salt in double boiler. When chocolate mixter has cooled, fold in whipped cream. Pour into baked pie shell. Refrigerate for several hours. Garnish with additional whipped cream and almond slivers.

Cherry Yum Yums

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 sticks margarine - melted
2 envelopes dream whip
1 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg 8 oz cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
2 cans cherry pie filling (or your favorite)

Mix graham cracker crumbs and melted margarine. Line a 9" x 13" x 2" dish or pan with 1/2 of the graham mixture.

This is a 5 layer no bake dessert. A great hit at covered dish dinners.

Beat the dream whip and milk until stiff, then add vanilla. Cream the cheese (softened) and sugar until creamy, add to the dream whip, beat well. Spread 1/2 cream mixture over the graham cracker crumbs. For the third layer, spread the cherry pie filling over the dream whip/cream cheese layer. Add the remaining dream whip/cream cheese over the pie filling. Top with the remaining graham cracker crumbs. Chill several hours (best if chilled overnight).

Chewy Squares

This recipe is from my sister. I think she came by it from a grandmother on her husbands side. Anyway, it is delicious.

Mix 1 2/3 sticks margarine (softened) and 1 box light brown sugar in a large bowl.

Add 3 eggs, beat well.

Add 1 3/4 cups self rising flour - beat well.

Add 5 tablespoons vanilla flavoring and 1 cup chopped nuts.

Mix well. Pour into a 9 1/2" x 13" oblong greased pan or oven safe dish. Place in preheated 300 degree oven for approximately 50-60 minutes.

Try to wait until cooled to eat!

Cobblers

One of the easiest and most tasty of desserts is a cobbler. There was a time when there was always a cobbler sitting on the stove top at my Grandmother's house. Below are two variations for a good cobbler.

Old Time Peach Cobbler

2 cups fresh peaches (sliced) - or your favorite fruit
2 cups sugar (1 cup if using canned or frozen beaches)
3/4 cup flour
a Pinch of salt
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
Sift flour salt and baking powder. Mix in sugar, stir in milk. Melt butter in baking dish. Pour batter over the butter - DO NOT STIR! Pour peaches over batter - DO NOT STIR! Bake one hour at 350 degrees.

I do this recipe with 1 cup each of flour (self rising), sugar, milk - without the salt and baking powder - works great!
The batter rises through the fruit and crusts on top, infusing the fruit with a flavorful cake filling. Quick, Easy and Delicious!

Cherry Cobbler

1 cup Bisquick
1/2 cup Sugar
1 Egg
1 can Cherry Pie filling

Mix Bisquick and sugar. Break Egg into mixture and mix with 2 tined fork until crumbly. Pour pie filling in baking dish or pie plate, pour batter over pie filling and bake at 350 degrees until brown.

This recipe is quick and easy but yields a different texture of batter which absorbs moisture from the pie filling.

Aunt Kitty's French Coconut Pie

1 cup shredded coconut
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter milk
1/2 stick of butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

Beat eggs thoroughly, mix with other ingredients. Pour into uncooked pie shell and bake for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, reduce heat to 300 degrees and bake until golden brown.


Can't be beat!

Dinner on the Ground

Our church would have "dinner on the ground" about once a month. The ladies Bible class that met every week at my grandmother's house was always wanting to cook and show off their skills, so they would plan a "Dinner on the Ground" or "Covered Dish Sunday". They were so funny talking about the up coming dinner. Everyone tried to keep it a secret as to what they would be bringing so the others wouldn't have a chance to show them up. They would hem haw around - maybe potato salad or fried chicken. Gimme a break - potato salad and fried chicken were a given at every dinner we ever had as were lima beans, green beans and corn.

Well some of the recipes I will be posting in the next few weeks are recipes these same women gave me at a bridal shower in 1969. Some had probably never been written down before and probably not written down after, but I was the little angel they bestowed their beloved secrets upon. I have gone back to my treasure box over and over during the past 40 years and still can't get some of them to taste like they did when made by these dear women. The funny thing - they wouldn't let each other see what they had written down at the shower, so I alone hold their secrets. These women will always be dear to me. Their devotion to God and family was astounding and if the women of today would follow in their footsteps we would have a better world. And I am talking about myself, too.

Here is a true masterpiece of a pie. Time consuming, it is rich, flavorful and just wonderful. I remember my Mother making it twice - it was too much trouble, but for those with the time to spend give it a try. This was an extra special company pie.

Peacheesy Pie

The Crust

2/3 cup Shortening
2 cups Pillsbury's Best Flour
1 tsp Salt
6-7 tbsp Peach Syrup
2 tbsp Butter

Cut shortening into flour and salt until the mixture is size of peas. Sprinkle peach syrup over mixture, stirring until dough holds together. Roll our half of the dough on flour surface to 1/8 inch thickness. Line 9 inch pie pan with dough crust. Note - this works best with a deep dish pie pan.

Peaches 'N Cheesecake Filling

1 lb 13 oz can sliced cling peaches
1/2 cup + 1/3 cup sugar
2 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp corn syrup
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs slightly beaten
1 tbsp lemon juice
3 oz package cream cheese
1/2 cup dairy sour cream

Drain peaches reserving the syrup (use syrup in pie crust). Combine peach slices, 1/2 cup sugar, corn starch, corn syrup, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla.

In a small saucepan, combine eggs, 1/3 cup sugar, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons peach syrup. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thick. In a separate bowl soften cream cheese. When soft blend in sour cream and add hot mixture slowly blending until smooth.

Fill Pie crust with peach mixture, dot with butter, then add cheesecake topping. Roll out remaining dough, cut out circles or lattice strips, brush with remaining peach syrup and place on pie.

Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes then cover edge with foil and continue to bake at 350 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes until deep golden brown.


Enjoy!

Egg Custard Pie

Here is an old, old recipe that makes just about the best basic pie around. Before the advent of the cheese cake, variations of this pie was always at the Sunday table and made for special occasions.

Egg Custard Pie

3 eggs or 6 egg yokes (If you use just the yokes, save the egg whites for whipping into a meringue)
1/3 cup of sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups of milk ( I use one can of evaporated and one can of water)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Lightly beat eggs, milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla together (mix on medium for 2-3 minutes) or until the eggs start frothing. Pour into pie plate (I use purchased) and bake at 425 for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 350 and bake until custard is firm.

If you want to add meringue - beat 3 egg whites, 3/4 cup of sugar, and 1/4 tsp of cream of tartar until egg whites are stiff. Pour onto pie and bake at 350 until meringue browns lightly.

This is a really easy pie and doesn't tie you to the kitchen all day! Delicious to boot!

ADD ON:

Add cinnamon or nutmeg a different taste. Some substitute buttermilk for a firmer consistency and slightly different flavor.