Smores Slab Pie – S’mores get a sheet-pan makeover in this summery treat loaded with marshmallow crème and chocolate pudding atop a buttery graham cracker crust.
S’mores first appeared in a 1920s US cookbook as a recipe called the ‘Graham Cracker Sandwich’ where a toasted marshmallow and half a chocolate bar were sandwiched between Graham Crackers – a sweet biscuit made with graham flour and flavored with honey or cinnamon.
Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 15x10x1-inch pan with cooking spray.
In medium bowl, mix Crust ingredients with fork until well blended. Press evenly in bottom and up sides of pan. Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until set. Cool 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, in 4-quart saucepan, cook milk and pudding mixes over medium heat 10 to 14 minutes or until mixture comes to a full boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add chocolate chips; stir until melted and smooth. Pour into baked crust; spread evenly. Cool at room temperature 15 minutes, then cover filling with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 2 hours or until set.
When ready to serve, remove plastic wrap from filling. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and marshmallow creme with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in whipped topping. Drop by spoonfuls over chilled pudding layer; spread evenly over top.
In small microwavable bowl, microwave frosting uncovered on High 10 to 15 seconds or until thin enough to drizzle. Using a fork, drizzle warmed frosting and sprinkle 1/4 cup graham cracker pieces over top.
Cut into 4 rows by 4 rows. Cover and refrigerate any remaining pieces.
Georgia Peach Cobbler – I have a soft spot for southern food. This is TRULY the most amazing, most delicious and seriously the easiest peach cobbler recipe you will EVER stumble upon!
Peach cobbler is a popular dessert in the southern United States. American settlers invented peach cobbler because they didn’t have the proper ingredients and tools to make peach pie. The Georgia Peach Festival created National Peach Cobbler Day in the 1950s to promote the sale of canned peaches.
Now living in Georgia, We have a soft spot for southern food. This is TRULY the most amazing, most delicious and seriously the easiest peach cobbler recipe you will EVER stumble upon!
Pour melted butter into center of 9×13-inch baking dish, do not spread butter around pan.
In a separate bowl, combine flour, 1 cup sugar, salt, and baking powder. Slowly pour in milk and vanilla extract,and stir to combine. Pour batter over butter, but do not stir.
Add brown sugar, peach slices, and lemon juice to a saucepan on high heat. Stir frequently until sugar is completely melted and peaches have released their juices.
Pour peaches over top of batter. Do not stir.
Bake for 40-45 minutes or until top of cobbler is a golden in color.
Serve warm or cold, or with a scoop of ice cream. Enjoy
Although the general idea of a cream pie may be able to trace its roots back to Europe, the Coconut Cream Pie may actually be an American invention. In the 1800s, as Americans were enjoying tropical fruits such as bananas and pineapple, coconuts also became more accessible in the United States.
Combine sugar, flour, and salt in top of double boiler, add milk and egg yolks; mix well. Place over rapidly boiling water & cook 10 minutes stirring constantly, remove from boiling water and add 1 cup of coconut and vanilla.
Cool slightly, then turn into pie shell.
Beat egg whites until foamy. Add sugar 2 tbsp. at a time, beating after each addition until whites stand in peaks.
Spoon your meringue on top and spread out to the edges of the crust. Then, use a knife or spatula to form peaks on pie. Add a small amt of coconut on top and bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) 10 minutes, until browned.
Take out of oven and let cool completely then refrigerate.
According to Food52, apple pie originated in England. It arose from culinary influences from France, the Netherlands, and the Ottoman Empire as early as 1390—centuries before the Pilgrims set foot on Plymouth Rock. Eventually, apple pie was brought to the colonies by European settlers, where the dish quickly caught on.
Toss sliced apples with lemon juice and set aside.
In a saucepan or a pot combine cornstarch, sugar, browned sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and water. Stir well and bring to a boil over medium-high heat whisking constantly. Let it boil 2 minutes until thick, then stir in apple slices.
Reduce heat to low, cover the pot and let it simmer about 10 minutes. Apples should be soft but not mushy (cooking time depend on sort of apples). Remove apples from heat and leave them covered to soften and cooled.
When it’s cooled take out the apples from the sauce and chop into small pieces, set aside.
Assembly
Preheat the oven to 350 F, line cookie sheet with parchment paper, spray with non-stick spray and set aside.
Spread the caramel sauce onto one pie crust.
Spread chopped apple pie filling over caramel and gently tap the filling with your palms.
Cut second pie crust into 1/2 inch strips and create a lattice top over the filling.
Using round cookie cutter (about 2.5 inch) cut out the cookies and place them onto baking sheet.
Beat the egg with a fork and brush the top of cookies.
Combine cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle the cookies generously.
What many folks don’t know is that lemon meringue pie is actually a Philadelphia invention born out of the Victorian-era, courtesy of Mrs. Elizabeth Goodfellow, a 19th century pastry shop proprietress who ran America’s first cooking school. This classic pie of contrasting sweet-tart layers evolved from one of Mrs. Goodfellow’s signature desserts, a rich lemon pudding. At some point she cleverly thought to top her famous pudding with fluffy meringue. Although there are recipes for decorating cakes, tarts, and custards with sweetened and flavored egg whites starting in the 1600s, adding meringue to a pudding (pie) doesn’t appear until the nineteenth century.
Whisk egg yolks in medium size mixing bowl and set aside.
In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, water, sugar and salt. Stir constantly over medium low heat until mixture comes to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from the heat and reduce the heat to low.
Pour half of this mixture into the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream, whisking constantly. Now, pour the "hot" egg mixture back into the saucepan, whisking constantly.
Return to the stove and cook for an additional 3 minutes stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and stir in lemon juice and lemon zest. Finally whisk in butter one tbsp at a time. Stir occasionally until cool. (Setting in the bowl and placing in a larger bowl of ice will speed this up.).
Crust
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Grease and flour (or use nonstick cooking spray) a mini-muffin pan. Set aside.
Roll the dough or pie crust out on a floured surface with a floured rolling pin. Using a round cookie or biscuit cutter (approximately 3 inches diamater) cut at least 24 rounds out ( or 12 rounds of each pie crust, if using store bought)
Carefully press each round into the mini-muffin pan. Use your fingers to round the ends into a pie crust.
Brush egg wash from one egg to the top edges of each pie.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden around the edges.
Remove from oven and let the crust cool. Once cooled, use the tip of a knife to loosen the crusts from the mini muffin cups, but keep them in the pan.
Spoon the lemon filling into each baked and cooled mini pie crust almost up to the top.
Meringue
In a large bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Add the cream of tarter and salt and gradually beat in sugar until glossy, about another 10 minutes. Fill a pastry bag with the meringue and top filled mini pies.
When ready to serve, preheat the broiler to high. Place mini-muffin pan under the broiler until the meringue is evenly toasted, about 2 minutes, or brown the merinque with a kitchen blow torch.
Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.
Elizabeth Goodwell, an American Cook in Philadelphia, who wrote down the first Lemon Pie recipe in 1806. According to some historians, the first recipe for lemon pie with a pastry base and lemon custard filling was written down in 1806 by Elizabeth Goodwell, an American cook in Philadelphia.
Preheat oven to 325°F. Line a 9×9 square baking pan with foil or parchment paper. Grease it well, set aside.
Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar for 1-2 minutes, until smooth and combined. Add flour and salt and beat until just combined (the mixture will be crumbly, but it should hold together if you squeeze it with your fingertips).
Dump the dough into the prepared pan and press it gently into an even layer. Be careful not to pack it in too tightly, or the crust will be hard to cut through. If necessary, moisten your fingers or palm with water to keep the dough from sticking. Bake the crust for 10 minutes. While the crust is baking, prepare the filling.
Filling
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment (or with a hand mixer), beat cream cheese until smooth and combined. Add sugar and flour and beat until well combined. Add eggs, lemon zest and vanilla and beat until combined. Slowly add the lemon juice (I like to do this with the mixer running), beating until the lemon juice is fully incorporated.
Pour the batter into the crust and return to the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the filling is set. Place the pan on a cooling rack, cool to room temp, then cover and refrigerate until completely chilled (several hours).
Notes
It is good to serve these slightly chilled. Remove them from the fridge 30 minutes before serving to allow the crust to soften up a bit. Serve topped with whipped cream.
