Easy Apple Pie - adapted from allrecipes.com

2 refrigerated 9” pie crusts
3 pounds granny smith apples., approximately 6 cups
12 oz  apple juice concentrate
3 T corn starch
1 T ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350.

Line a 9”metal or ceramic pie pan with one pie crust. Set aside.

Whisk together 1/2 c apple juice with cinnamon and corn starch in a small bowl. Set aside.

Peel and core apples, then thinly slice. Place apples in large saucepan with remaining juice concentrate and simmer over medium high heat for 10 minutes. Add corn starch mixture and stir until thickened.

Pour apple mixture into prepared pie pan and cover with second pie crust. Flute and vent as desired.

Bake 45 minutes and cool completely before slicing.

Kentucky Derby Pie Bars ~ adapted from 'all day I dream about food'

crust
1 1/4 c almond flour
1/4 c butter, softened
2 T honey

Preheat oven to 325. Mix all ingredients well, press into a 9x9 pan. Bake 12 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn golden. While crust is baking, prepare filling.

filling
1 c pecans
1/4 c coarsely chopped good quality dark chocolate, recommended Ghiradelli 86%
1/2 c butter
1/4 c honey
2 t vanilla
1/2 c heavy cream
2 large eggs

Place pecans in cast iron skillet and roast over medium-high heat until well browned and fragrant. Stir often taking care not to burn.

While pecans toast, melt butter over medium heat. Remove from heat and add honey and vanilla. Whisk until completely incorporated. Add cream and eggs.

Sprinkle pecans and chocolate over hot crust. Pour over cream and butter mixture, return to oven. Bake an additional 20 minutes or until center is just set. Cool 30 minutes minimum before slicing.

Best served completely chilled from the refrigerator, topped with unsweetened whipped cream and chopped pecans.

Flag Slab Pie ~ adapted from delish

3 pints fresh strawberries, stems removed and sliced in half

1 pint fresh blueberries

2 T cornstarch 

1 package refrigerated pice crusts
1 egg

Preheat oven to 400. 

Remove pie crusts from packaging. Using a rolling pin, shape one crust into a large rectangle. Transfer to rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan and form crust up sides of pan. Place in refrigerator. 

Roll second pie crust to same size as pan. Cut several star shapes from long end of crust, then cut remainder in strips. Place on plate and refrigerate. 

In small bowl, combine blueberries and 1 T cornstarch. Make a right angle out of small strip of aluminum foil  and place in one corner of pie crust. Place blueberries inside. In medium bowl, combine strawberries and 1 T cornstarch and spread in pie crust. Remove aluminum foil strip. Place crust stars on blueberries and stripes on strawberries. Beat egg in small cup and brush on crusts.

Bake 40 minutes or until golden. Cool 30 minutes to 2 hours before slicing. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

Lemon Icebox Pie

This is the same basic recipe as my Key Lime Pie but this recipe uses lemon juice instead of key lime. Both are delicious but there is a very subtle difference in taste with the lemon being slightly sweeter than the lime.

1 14 oz can sweetened-condensed milk
3 eggs, separated
1/2 c lemon juice
1 T lemon zest
3 T sugar
1/4 t cream of tartar
1 prepared 9 inch graham cracker crust, recommended: Keebler Ready Crust

Preheat oven to 325°. In medium bowl, blend milk, egg yolk, lemon juice and zest. Pour into prepared crust.

Combine sugar and egg whites in a heat-proof bowl and set over simmering water. Stir until egg whites are warm (approximately 120°). Remove from heat and add cream of tartar. In bowl of standing mixer, beat egg whites on high gradually adding sugar. Beat until glossy and stiff peaks form. Pile meringue gently on top of lemon filling and spread to edge.

Bake 15-20 minutes or until meringue peaks are golden brown. Cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate until fully chilled before slicing. Store covered in refrigerator. Serves 8.

Chef's Note: I wouldn't recommend making your own crust from scratch for this recipe. Pre-made pie crusts are delicious plus the pan protector on the crust can be used to cover the pie for refrigeration. Just be sure to wash it before putting it over your pie.

Key Lime Pie

1 9" graham cracker crust, prepared
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 c key lime juice
1 t lime zest
3 eggs, separated
1/4 t cream of tartar
3 T sugar

Preheat oven to 325°. Blend milk, lime juice, zest and egg yolks until thoroughly combined. Pour into prepared crust. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium high two minutes. Gradually add sugar and beat on high until glossy and stiff peaks form. Pile meringue on filling and bake 15 minutes or until meringue is browned. Cool 30 minutes and refrigerate minimum 4 hours. Serves 8.

Chef's Note: Traditional Key Lime pie is not baked because the acidity of the lime juice reacts with the milk and thickens the pie filling without baking. While this holds true for tradition, it is widely known that raw egg consumption puts you at great risk for bacterial contamination. This short cooking time is probably enough to kill any bacteria lurking in your pie.

Mango Pie

2 1/2 c peeled and sliced ripe mango
2 T cornstarch
3/4 c sugar
1/4 t salt
1 T melted butter
pastry for two-crust pie, 9-inch

Heat oven to 425.

Combine mango, cornstarch, sugar, salt, and melted butter. Toss to combine; let stand 15 to 20 minutes. Roll out half of the pastry very thin; line a 9-inch pie pan; trim edge. Roll out remaining pastry very thin. Fill shell with fruit mixture. Place top crust on filling, make several slits in top to vent steam. Trim top crust leaving a little larger than the pan. Press top and bottom crust edge together; fold excess top under bottom edge. Flute all around rim. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until top is well browned.