Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie

This is my husband's FAVORITE pie, and I made it for him last week after he passed his comprehensive oral exam (one of the last requirements for his doctoral degree).  The crust is my mom's fabulous recipe, the pie is one of her specialties (my dad's favorite), and Brian likes it with cream cheese filling inside (because how could that ruin a pie!?).

Crust:

1/2 c shortening (we use All-Vegetable Crisco - blue container)

1 1/3 c flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c cold water

4 ice cubes

1 T vinegar (trust me...this is the zinger that makes this crust amazing!)

Mix shortening, flour, and salt together with a pastry cutter (or fork) until it balls together into pea-sized chunks.  

In a separate bowl, combine water, ice cubes, and vinegar.

Add 2 TBSP vinegar water to pastry mixture and mix.  Repeat until dough is soft and pliable (6 TBSP or so was enough for mine).

Roll out onto a floured surface.  Cut into a circle, put in a 9" pie dish.  Press edges if desired.

Bake at 400° until edges are slightly golden, usually somewhere between 6-10 minutes.

Allow to cool completely before filling.

Cream Cheese Filling:

1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/2 c powdered sugar

1 c Cool Whip

Whip cream cheese with mixer until smooth.  Mix powdered sugar in.  Fold Cool Whip in.

Pour filling into cooled pie shell.

Strawberry topping:

2 (1 lb.) cartons strawberries

1 container strawberry glaze 

Wash and slice strawberries, then mix with strawberry glaze.

Pour glazed strawberries over cream cheese filling into pie crust.

Chill until serving, and refrigerate leftovers promptly.

Comments from the cook:  It had been quite a while since I last made this pie...and I couldn't quite remember how I'd done the cream cheese filling before.  This time, I just used cream cheese and sugar...and later realized that Cool Whip was in our earlier versions.  It makes for a fluffier filling, and I won't forget it next time :)  

Originally made by my fabulous mom, Alane Sleight

Butterfinger Pie

I found this recipe on Pinterest recently.  As I've mentioned before, I am powerless to resist a Butterfinger recipe.  And, as it turns out, I'm basically powerless to resist the finished product too!

8 fun-size Butterfinger bars, chopped
1 (8oz) bar cream cheese, softened
12 oz whipped topping (3/4 of a large container)
1/2 c powdered sugar
1 graham cracker crust

Whip cream cheese with mixer until fluffy.  Add powdered sugar and whip until smooth.  Mix in whipped topping.

Add all but about 1/4 c Butterfingers and whip just until combined.

Pour into graham cracker crust.  Top with remaining Butterfinger pieces, and allow to chill for 3-4 hours before serving.


Comments from the cook:  It may be more appropriate to call this Butterfinger no-bake cheesecake.  This quick and easy recipe is delicious, and would be great to take to a party or get-together.  It's best when served very cold, and I'm excited to make it for my Butterfinger-lovin' younger brother when I see him later this month!    


As you can tell from the pictures, I made my own graham cracker crust instead of using a pre-made one.  I used about 1 1/2 pkgs of graham crackers (crushed in a freezer bag with my rolling pin), about 3 1/2 TBSP of melted butter, and a couple of teaspoons of sugar and mixed them together.  I pressed the mixture into my pie dish, then allowed it to chill and set up in the fridge while I made the filling.  It turned out a little bit crumbly, and was even a little thicker than it needed to be (no complaints here, of course), but worked perfectly for what we needed.  A store-bought crust is easier, but nothing beats a homemade crust, in my opinion :)

Originally found on Pinterest, which linked back to this blog (note to self: visit again for more recipes!).

French Silk Pie

3 oz. unsweetened chocolate (3 - 1 oz. squares)
3/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1/2 pint whipping cream
1 TBSP sugar
1 deep-dish pie shell, prepared as directed
1 Hershey chocolate bar

Melt unsweetened chocolate and allow to cool 5-10 minutes (or use pre-melted, squeezable packets).

Cream butter and sugar. Add unsweetened chocolate and vanilla. Mix on medium speed until blended.

Add eggs one at a time, beating with electric mixer for 5 minutes after each one.

Pour chocolate mixture into fully-cooked deep-dish pie shell.

Beat whipping cream with 1 TBSP sugar until firm.

Top pie with whipped cream and refrigerate at least 4 hrs before serving.

Decorate with chocolate curls if desired. (Grate Hershey bar with carrot peeler, running peeler down the edge of the bar to form curls.)

Comments from the cook's wife: This pie. Ohhhh, this pie. French Silk Pie is one of Brian's absolute favorites, and this recipe came from a family friend of his (and now mine), Vicki Luker. While our preference is always to go with a pastry crust, Vicki's original recipe calls for an Oreo or chocolate graham cracker crust.

This pie is one of Brian's favorites to make, and I've never discouraged him! While you're at it, you may even want to make two of these babies. They are sure to disappear in the blink of an eye! Some recipes discourage doubling, but this one doubles without any problem.

Originally shared by Vicki Luker, the Minnesotan Queen of Dessert.

Coconut Cream Pie

1 large box vanilla pudding
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 bag flaked sweetened coconut
2 8oz containers Cool Whip
1 TBSP butter
pie crust


Add butter to medium saucepan. Add flaked coconut and brown over medium heat. Stir as you go, to allow for even cooking.

Allow coconut to cool on a plate (covered with a paper towel). Should take half an hour or so.

Prepare vanilla pudding according to pie filling directions. Cool in fridge for 5 minutes.

Stir in flaked coconut (saving 1/2 cup out for topping) and one small container of Cool Whip.

Pour mixture into pie crust (my favorite homemade one can be found here, or bake a pre-made one according to the directions) and top with other container of Cool Whip and leftover 1/2 cup of coconut.

Best when prepared the night before...or after at least a few hours of refrigeration.

Comments from the cook: My FAVORITE. Not lying. Not exaggerating. My ALL TIME FAVORITE PIE. Even better when made in my mom's homemade crust. But, from what I've learned, most people aren't interested in making crust from scratch. So, just go ahead and settle with the store-bought kind. Granted, you won't know the full extent of the delicacy, but you'll get close enough to know what I've been ranting and raving about. MY FAVORITE.
Originally shared by my mom, a fellow ultimate-lover-of-all-things-pie.