Lemon Cream Cheese Tarts

Cool idea use a flower shaped cookie cutter
for a really cute tart shape

Recipe via:http://jamiecooksitup.net/2010/04/lemon-cream-cheese-tarts-for-my-dear-mom/#

Yield: 24 tarts

Time: 1 1/2 hours + 1 hour refrigeration
Crust recipe from Julie Thomson
Filling Recipe from Taste of Home

Crust: (this crust recipe makes 24 tarts, or 2-3 pie crusts…depending on how thin you roll it!)
3 C flour
1 t salt
1 1/3 C shortening, butter flavored
2 T sugar
5 T cold ice water
1 egg, beaten
1 t vinegar

Lemon Filling:
1 1/2 C sugar
6 T cornstarch
1/2 t salt
1 1/4 C water
2 T butter
2 t grated lemon peel
6 drops yellow food coloring
1/2 C fresh lemon juice

Cream Cheese Topping:
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 C powdered sugar
1 1/2 C cool whip
1 T fresh lemon juice

PASTRY SHELLS

1. For the crust, put the flour, salt, sugar and shortening in your stand mixer and mix with the whisk attachment just until it starts to form a crumb like mixture. If you don’t have a stand mixer you can just put the ingredients in a bowl and mix with a fork, or pastry blender.

2. Turn the mixer on to low and add 5 T cold ice water. Don’t add any of the ice….just the cold water. I just fill up a bowl with water and ice and then measure out the 5 T.
 

3. Add one beaten egg.
 

4. Add 1 t vinegar. Mix the dough until all ingredients are combined. Don’t over mix here folks. Just get them combined and you are good to go.
 

5. Divide the dough into 4 pieces. Flour your counter top just a bit and then roll each section out. It helps to flour your rolling pin and your dough as well. You don’t want it to stick to the counter top.

6. Cut out the tarts with a large star or flower cookie cutter. You could also use a large cup, or small bowl.




 

7. Gently place the cut out dough in regular sized muffin tins. Use a fork to poke some holes in the bottom of each shell.

8. Bake at 400 degrees for about 10 minutes. You don’t want them to get too brown. Keep and eye on them and take them out just when the tips of the shells start to turn a golden color.
 

9. Take the pans out of the oven and set them on cooling racks for about 10 minutes. Don’t remove the shells yet. They need time to sit and cool in the muffin tins. This will help them keep their lovely form. After the 10 minutes are up carefully take them out of the tins and let them continue to cool on the wire racks.

 

LEMON FILLING

1. Zest your lemons and squeeze the juice. Set both of these aside.

2. In a sauce pan combine 3/4 C sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in the water and bring to a boil over medium heat.

3. Reduce the heat and add the remaining sugar.

4. Cook until the mixture is thick and bubbly.

5. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter, lemon peel, and food coloring. When these are combined gently stir in the lemon juice. Do not over mix.

6. Let the filling cool for about 10 minutes. Then pour into the pastry shells. Refrigerate for about 1 hour.

 

CREAM CHEESE TOPPING

1. Beat your softened cream cheese and powdered sugar together. Add the cool whip and lemon juice and beat for another minute.

2. Pipe the topping onto the tarts and enjoy!

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

 

Cream Pie (using Ice Cream)

Recipe via: http://www.thesisterscafe.com/2012/05/ice-cream-pie#

It really is the perfect summer dessert! and I especially love that the possiblities are endless! Depending on the ice cream and pudding you choose, you can make any type of pie your little heart desires…coconut cream topped with toasted coconut, chocolate cream with chocolate shavings, lemon cream with raspberries, banana cream with fresh banana slices, vanilla bean garnished with strawberries and the list goes on! If you keep these simple ingredients on hand (ice cream, COOL WHIP whipped topping, boxed pudding and either graham cracker crusts or frozen pie shells) you can make a stunning dessert in minutes just chilling in your fridge for a refreshing summer treat! This pie is so easy to make that you will find yourself making an extra one to share with a neighbor or friend. If you do, be prepared to share the recipe, it is always a big hit! I usually make two pies from one container of ice cream. Yum!

1 small package instant pudding
1 cup milk
1 pint ice-cream, softened
1 pie shell (ready made or homemade graham or pastry, cooked and cooled)

Beat pudding mix and milk for 2 minutes.
Blend softened ice cream into pudding.

Pour into a prepared shell that has been baked and cooled. I usually use a graham cracker one because I prefer it over pastry, but either one will work!

Chill for at least 2 hours in fridge–I have chilled is quickly in the freezer for 30 minutes-1 hour with great results!

You can vary the flavors of pudding and ice cream to get different pies.

Always top with a dollop of COOL WHIP and the garnishes you choose.

Here are a few ideas to get you started…

*Coconut Cream Pie: coconut pudding, vanilla ice cream, and toasted coconut
*Chocolate Cream Pie: chocolate pudding, chocolate ice cream, and chocolate shavings
*Banana Cream Pie: banana pudding, vanilla ice cream, and fresh banana slices with drizzled caramal topping
*Lemon Cream Pie: lemon pudding, vanilla ice cream, and fresh berries

The sky is the limit! Really with all the ice cream and pudding flavors, you could really get creative!

Comment

I made 3 of these for mother’s day. The coconut, lemon and a chocolate. The coconut was jello brand and it set up beautifully. The lemon (generic brand ) was set up, but when served, spread. The chocolate (generic brand) didn’t set up at all and we ended up having to freeze it for an hour to even be able to put it on plates, but then it still spread. Does it matter what type of ice cream or pudding you use? Or maybe my ice cream was too soft when I mixed it in with the pudding? Does that make a difference? None the less, it was delicious!! I could have eaten the chocolate one as soup. It was the best of the 3.

Creamy Strawberry Jello Pie

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups crushed pretzels (about 3 1/2-4 cups small pretzels; they can be easily crushed in a blender or food processor)
1/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. melted butter
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
1 small can crushed pineapple, drained
3/4 c. sugar

1 8-oz. tub thawed Cool Whip or 8 ounces sweetened whipped cream

2 cups water

2 3-oz. packages strawberry Jello

1 14-16-ounce package frozen sliced strawberries

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Combine the crushed pretzels, 1/4 c. sugar, and melted butter in small mixing bowl and then gently press into a 10″ springform pan. Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes, then remove and allow to cool completely.

When the crust is completely cool, place the cream cheese, 3/4 c. sugar, and pineapple in a medium mixing bowl and beat with an electric mixer until the cream cheese is smooth. Fold in the Cool Whip or prepared whipped cream and then gently spread over the cooled crust. Refrigerate for at least an hour.

When the creamy layer has cooled for an hour, boil 2 cups of water, then stir in 2 3-ounce packages of strawberry Jello. Stir in the frozen sliced strawberries and continue stirring until the strawberries have thawed.

Gently pour over the creamy layer and then refrigerate until the Jello is set (at least 2 hours).

When ready to serve, gently run a butter knife between the edge of the pie and the pan and then slowly loosen the edge of the pan. Cut into wedges. Serves between 12-14.



**This recipe can also be made in a 9×13″ pan**

Recipe via: http://www.ourbestbites.com/2011/12/creamy-strawberry-jello-pie/

Fresh Strawberry Pie

1 pie crust, pre baked

1 pint ripe strawberries

1 ~ 3 oz pkg strawberry jello

2 TBSP cornstarch

2 cups hot water

½ cup sugar (or less)

Whipped cream

Pre-bake pie crust ~ Cool

Slice the strawberries into the pie crust

In medium saucepan mix the package of jello with the cornstarch.

Add the water and the sugar.

Cook over medium heat until boiling.

Stir occasionally.

Pour the boiling mixture over the strawberries. (I let the mixture cool a bit first)

Place the pie in the refrigerator.

Chill for 3-4 hours until the jello glaze sets.

Serve with big dollops of whipped cream over the pie.

It also works fantastic with fresh peaches or raspberries, just substitute peach or raspberry Jello powder for the strawberry.

Delicious, outstanding pie, I added a layer of cream cheese [about 4 ozs] mixed with 3 TBSP of powdered sugar first then added strawberries and Jello

I didn't use a crust just poured it in a 9x13 pan and served with or w/o cool whip. yum yum.. I also added some vanilla as someone else suggested and I doubled the recipe I love it!

A great recipe and a wonderful dessert.

Chicken Pot Pie

Recipe via Cheryl

8 cups of cubed cooked chicken

6 cups of chicken stock

10 diced carrots

diced potatoes

2 zucchnini, diced

24 oz frozen peas

Parsley

Salt & pepper

6 TBSP cornstarch

Method:

Dice precooked chicken and vegetables.  In large pot heat stock to boil, add vegetables and simmer five to ten minutes.  With slotted spoon remove vegetables and add chicken to them.  Mix cornstarch with water and shisk into chicken stock.

Stir until thickened.  Remove stock from heat, add to chicken and veetable mixture.  Add parsley, salt and pepper.  Spoon into serving dish and top with pastry.  Bake in 400* oven for 40 - 60 minutes

This recipe should be enough filling for about 4 pies?  Adjust amounts for your needs.