Lemon Meringue Pie...

 For my first Yellow Recipe Box Recipe, I'm picking one of my all time favorites!  I know it was one of mom's favorites too!  If I remember right, not a favorite of my brother Michael... Sorry Mike!

Ted's Chocolate Haupia Pie...

• Baked Regular or Shortbread Crust
• 3/4 C Sugar
• 1/2 C Cornstarch
• 1/2 t Salt
• 1 14 oz Can Coconut Milk
• 1 1/2 C Whole Milk
• 3/4 C Milk Chocolate Chips (or two Hershey bars)
• 3/4 C Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 2 t Coconut Extract
• Coconut Chocolate Whipping Cream for topping/garnish

In a large saucepan combine the dry cornstarch, sugar and salt.  Add milks.  While cold, whisk until the sugar is dissolved.  Turn on heat and cook stirring constantly until mixture boils and starts to thicken.  Cook until it is the consistency of a thick, smooth pudding.  (Be careful to stir constantly to keep the pudding from burning on the bottom.  Try not to scrape "brown bits" off the bottom of the pan.  You want the "haupia" to be as white as possible.)  Remove from heat, stir in coconut extract.

In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips.  30-45 seconds at a time, stir and repeat heating  until completely melted and smooth.  Do NOT burn!

Divide haupia/coconut mixture add about 3/4 of the mixture to the melted chocolate chips.  Fold together until completely blended and smooth.  Spread all but about 1/4 of a cup of the chocolate mixture into the bottom of the baked pie crust.  (Reserve the remaining little bit of chocolate pudding and cool it down until no longer warm.)  Top the chocolate layer with a thinner white haupia layer.  Spread evenly to edge of crust.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until its no longer warm (at least 30 min)  To the remaining (no longer warm) chocolate pudding, fold in about 1-2 C of prepared whipped cream (sweetened with powdered sugar and seasoned with coconut extract) until fully mixed.  Spread over cooled haupia layer.  Cover and refrigerate until completely chilled.  2-4 hours.  

(YUM!  This is a LOT like Ted's Bakery... but that added third layer of chocolate-coconut whipped cream is all mine!)

Cream Pies... (Chocolate & Lemon)

• 1 - 3.4 oz Package of Instant Pudding (Chocolate or Lemon)
• 3/4 Cup Evaporated Milk
• 2 - 8 oz Packages of softened Cream Cheese
• 8 oz Cool Whip
• 1 Cooked Pie Crust of your choice (cookie, shortbread or cooked pastry)

Mix pudding and evaporated milk with an electric mixer. (it will be thick.)  Add cream cheese and cool whip.  Beat until fluffy and well mixed. 

For LEMON PIE - Add to creamy mixture:  3/4 Cup thawed Lemonade Concentrate, 1 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice and optional lemon zest to taste. Mix well.

Fold filling into prepared pie crust and chill for 2-4 hours.  Garnish as desired. 

(I wanted a fluffy, creamy pie... so SURPRISE!  I read some recipes. :) This is a combination of several.  It turned out deliciously perfect for a 4th of July Celebration!)

Chocolate Eclair Cake...

1 1/2 C Water
3/4 C Butter
1 1/2 C Flour
6 Eggs
8 oz. Cream Cheese
4 1/2 C Milk
1 Lg Pkg Chocolate Pudding
Whipping Cream
Chocolate Syrup

Directions:
Bring water and butter to a boil.  Remove from heat and whisk in flour.  Add eggs to hot mixture one at a time.  Mix well between each egg.  Spread in a greased 1/2 sheet baking pan.  Bake at 375 for 30 minutes.  Cool.  Mix cream cheese and milk, blend until smooth.  Add pudding and mix.  Spread pudding layer on éclair.  Top with whipped cream and chocolate syrup.

'Nana Puddin'...

1 C Whipping Cream (Whipped & Sweetened)

1 Can Sweetened Condensed Milk (14 oz)
1 8 oz pkg Cream Cheese (Softened)
2 C Milk
1 Large pkg French Vanilla Instant Pudding
6-8 Bananas (Sliced)
*(Either 2 Shortbread Cookie Pre-made Crusts or 2 Bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies or Vanilla Wafers)

Directions

 Mix milk and pudding mix together.  In a separate bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk and cream cheese.  Blend until smooth using a hand-mixer.  Fold in whipped cream to cream cheese mixture and then add pudding and stir until well blended.  *I usually use 2 cookie crusts... I divide the prepared pudding mixture evenly between the two pies.  Chill overnight.  And when serving, I slice fresh bananas over the top.  If using cookies, layer the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch dish.  Slice Bananas and layer on top of cookies. Pour pudding mixture over cookies & bananas and cover with another layer of cookies.  Chill at least 4-6 hours.

(This recipe is basically derived from Paula Deen...  But, not being a huge banana fan, I like my bananas freshly sliced, this is why I usually make it like a "pie".  If I'm taking it somewhere, I'll do the traditional way with the bananas chilled on top of the cookies.  No matter how I make it, people LOVE it and eat it all...)

Fresh Peach Glaze

4 Tbsp Cornstarch
1 C Sugar
1/2 C Orange Juice Concentrate (undiluted)
1 1/2 C Water
2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
6-8 Large Peaches (peeled and sliced)

Mix cornstarch and sugar in a saucepan with a whisk.  Add liquids and heat until thick and boiling.  Cool to room temperature and fold enough into sliced peaches to coat.  Should be enough glaze for two pies.

(I like to use Aunt Vi's Peach Pie (Crust) Recipe and the cream cheese layer from Raspberry Cream Pies all put together to make an incredible pie...  I LOVE PEACHES!!!)

Strawberry Cream Pie...

25 Oreos

1/4 C Melted Butter

2 C Fresh Strawberries

2 Tbsp Sugar

2 - 6 oz Strawberry Yogurt Cups

1 Small Pkg Vanilla Instant Pudding  

1 C Whipping Cream

Crush the oreos and add melted butter.  Press into a pie plate and bake for 4 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Let cool.  Crush or puree fresh strawberries, add sugar.  In a mixing bowl, combine yogurt and instant pudding.  Mix well.  Add whipping cream and beat for 2 or 3 minutes until the mixture is fluffy.  Fold in the strawberry mixture and pour into prepared pie crust.  Place in freezer for about 20 minutes, then cover with plastic wrap and chill for an additional 2 hours or overnight.

Substitute Raspberries for Strawberries for another amazing treat...

Sweet Potato - Cream Cheese Pie...

1 unbaked deep dish Pie Crust

Cream Cheese Layer:
1 8oz. pkg Cream Cheese
1/3 C. Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1 tsp. grated Orange Peel

Sweet Potato Layer:
1 C. mashed cooked Sweet Potatoes
2/3 C. Half and Half
3/4 C. packed Brown Sugar
1 tsp. Lemon Juice
1/4 tsp. ground Ginger
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1/4 tsp. Salt
1 Egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl combine all cream cheese layer ingredients, beat well. Spread in pie crust. In another bowl combine all sweet potato layer ingredients and mix well with a hand mixer. Spoon over cream cheese mixture in pie crust. Bake on cookie sheet approximately 60 minutes or until set. Cool 30 minutes, then refrigerate until chilled. Serve with whipped cream. Store in refrigerator.

(Found the recipe on the back of a pie crust package and as always, I altered it to my tastes...Forgot to take a picture, so I stole the photo.)

Coconut Pumpkin Cream Cheese Pie...

1 unbaked Pie Shell

Cream Cheese Layer:
1 8 oz. pkg Cream Cheese
1/3 C. Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp. Coconut Extract
1 Tbsp. Grated Coconut

Coconut Pumpkin Layer:
1 15 oz. can Pumpkin
1 1/2 C. Coconut Milk
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 tsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger
1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Grated Coconut (Sprinkle on top)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Mix all ingredients for the cream cheese layer and spread in an unbaked pie shell. Mix all ingredients of the coconut pumpkin layer and pour on top of the cream cheese layer, sprinkle with grated coconut. Bake for 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake an additional 50-60 minutes until knife inserted comes out clean. Top with whipped cream.

(After making a delicious sweet potato pie...I tweaked the recipe to give it an Island/Thanksgiving twist! It worked... Mahalo nui loa!)

Raspberry Cream Cheese Pies...A Geddes Tradition

Raspberry Topping

1 12 oz. Pkg Frozen Raspberries
1 HeapingTbsp. Cornstarch
1/2 C. Granulated Sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

Pour frozen berries into a medium saucepan. Before turning on the heat add the cornstarch and sugar. Mix well to coat the frozen berries. Heat berries until mixture thickens and boils. Remove from heat, add vanilla. Set aside to cool while making cream cheese filling.

Cream Cheese Filling
1 Pint Whipping Cream
1 8 oz. Block of Cream Cheese (softened)
1 tsp. Vanilla
1 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar

With a hand mixer whip the cream until stiff. Separately, blend cream cheese, vanilla and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold together with the whipped cream. Pour into a baked pie shell. Cover with cooled Raspberry Topping. Chill until firm. Makes 2 pies.

(A beloved Geddes family tradition. Probably the most requested, most traded, most used recipe we have. These pies have become a requested addition to Christensen Thanksgivings. I definitely make mine sweeter than the original... My alterations are in italics, otherwise the recipe is unblemished.)

Apple Pie...

5 C. Apples (uniformly sliced;peeled or not)
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
3 Tbsp. Melted Butter
1 1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/3 C. Packed Brown Sugar
1/3 C. Granulated Sugar
1/3 C. Flour
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 Tbsp. Cinnamon
1/2 tsp. Ginger
1/4 tsp. Ground Cloves
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg

Put apples in large mixing bowl. Add lemon juice, toss to coat. Add vanilla to melted butter and pour over apple mixture. Stir to coat evenly. In another bowl, stir sugars, flour, salt and spices together. Add to apples and mix well. Pour in unbaked pie crust and top with a top crust. Flute edges together. Slice "ventilation slits" in top crust. Sprinkle with cinnamon & sugar. Bake on a cookie sheet at 375* for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350* and bake an additional 55-60 minutes.
(James loves apple pie. I love apple pie. I think we are both agreed that Norma makes the best apple pie in the world...but my pie yesterday, using our very own apples, and my own combination of spices, weren't too bad! :) Use Norma or Sylvia's pie crust recipes and either way you can't go wrong.)

Grandma Sylvia's Pie Crust...

3 C. Flour 

1 1/3 C. Lard (Shortening will work) 

2 tsp. Salt 

5 Tbsp. Ice Water 

1 Tbsp. Vinegar 

1 Egg 

 Mix flour, lard and salt with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Combine all wet ingredients together. Stir into dry ingredients. Handle dough as little as possible. Roll out on floured board. Bake pie shells at 400* for 10-12 minutes. Makes 2 large crusts*. 

  (This recipe is the one I grew up with. *My mom was an expert pie maker. It says that it makes SIX crusts! I am sure that my mom could actually get 6 crusts out of it. But with my pastry skills, I got two large very manageable crusts. She always even had enough crust left over to make those yummy little cinnamon/sugar cookies.)

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake...

1 8 oz. Block of Cream Cheese

3/4 C. Sugar

1 C. Pumpkin

1 C. Cool Whip

1 tsp. Vanilla

Your favorite pumpkin pie spices*

Graham Cracker Crust

In a large bowl mix softened cream cheese and sugar until smooth and creamy. Fold in pumpkin, cool whip, vanilla and spices. Pour into graham cracker crust. Chill at least 4 hours. Serves 8.

Crust:

11 whole (4 section rectangle Graham Crackers)

1/4 C. Sugar

6 Tbsp. Melted Butter

1 tsp. Vanilla

Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs, add sugar and mix together. Add vanilla to melted butter and pour over graham cracker crumbs. Mix well until evenly coated. Press into a 8 or 9" (glass works best) pie plate. Bake at 350* for 6 min. Cool completely before filling.

(*My favorite pumpkin pie spices are 1 tsp. cinnamon, 1 tsp. ginger, 1/2 tsp. ground cloves, 1/2 tsp. nutmeg)

Grandma Norma's Pie Crust...

6 C. flour

4 tsp. salt

2 1/3 C. Shortening

3/4 C. Ice Water

Cut the shortening into the flour and salt, add water. Roll out between wax paper.

makes 6 crusts.

(Grandma Norma's Apple Pies are soooo good!)

Aunt Vi's Peach Pie...

Aunt Vi's Fresh Peach Pie

 

3 Egg Whites - 1 Cup Sugar

12 Crushed Soda Crackers - 1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans

1/2 tsp. Baking Powder - 1 tsp. Vanilla

Beat room temperature egg whites until stiff. Beat in sugar. Fold in crackers, pecans, baking powder and vanilla. Pour into greased pie tins. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Turn oven off and open door. (The pie crusts bubble and puff, but will settle into the tin as they cool. Fill with fresh sliced peaches and top with whipped cream. Refrigerate for 4 hours. Enjoy!
(The crust on this pie is amazing. I like to add the cream cheese filling from Raspberry Cream Cheese Pies under the peaches.  I also like to glaze the peaches.  It makes them stay pretty and helps hold the pie together.)