The Diva Sweetens the Pie

by Krista Davis

  Note: This can also be made by hand with butter that is cold but not frozen.

  Combine the flour with the salt. Cut the butter into small pieces and add to the flour. Work in with your hands, sprinkling with ice water as needed to make a ball. Cut off ⅓. Wrap the two pieces in wax paper and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before rolling out.

  Roll out the larger piece of dough and lay it on the bottom of a metal pie pan.

  Filling

  8 large apples (not crisp Fujis or MacIntosh)

  juice of 1 lemon

  2 teaspoons apple pie spice (or 1 teaspoon cinnamon and

  a pinch of nutmeg)

  pinch of coarse salt

  ¼ cup heavy cream*

  ¼ cup sugar*

  ¼ cup dark brown sugar*

  2 tablespoons unsalted butter*

  1 whole egg

  1 teaspoon water

  1 tablespoon coarse sugar

  ½ teaspoon coarse salt like Maldons

  Preheat oven to 450. Peel the apples and slice them as thin as possible. In a large bowl, toss them with the juice of one lemon and the apple pie spice.

  Combine cream, sugar, dark brown sugar, and butter in a tall microwave-safe container. (I use a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup.) Microwave at 30 second bursts, stirring in between, until it bubbles up and the ingredients are combined. Pour ½ of it onto the apples and toss. Pour half the apples into the prepared pie pan, sprinkle lightly with a pinch of coarse salt. Pour in the rest of the apples and pour the remaining caramel sauce over them. Add lattice dough strips across the top, crisscrossing them.

  Whisk the egg with 1 teaspoon water. Brush onto the lattice and the edge of the dough. Sprinkle with sugar. Sprinkle with coarse salt.

  Bake 15 minutes, and check the top. Cover it with aluminum foil to prevent it from burning or getting too dark. Bake another 60 minutes (for a total of 1 hour and 15 minutes). Allow to rest at least 4 hours before cutting.

  Make another batch of the caramel (marked on recipe with an *) just before serving. Top each slice with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and pour a little bit of caramel over top to dress it up!

  Ice Cream Pie

  1 9-inch pie plate that can go from oven to freezer

  Gingersnap Crust

  40 gingersnap cookies

  6 tablespoons butter

  Filling

  1 pint chocolate ice cream

  1 pint dulce de leche ice cream

  1 pint coffee ice cream

  Melt the butter. Pulse the gingersnaps in a food processor until they are fine crumbs. With the food processor running, pour in the butter. Press into the pie pan with your fingers. Bake 8–12 minutes. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

  Soften the ice cream slightly at room temperature. Slide them out of their containers. Slice off the wide end of the dulce de leche in a 1-inch-thick round for the center. Slice the remaining dulce de leche and place around the piece in the center. Slice the coffee ice cream into 1-inch-thick pieces and place around the dulce de leche. Slice the chocolate ice cream into 1-inch pieces and place around the coffee. Smooth the top. Freeze immediately.

  Toppings

  Cheat and use store-bought caramel and fudge sauces or make your own!

  Caramel Sauce

  ¼ cup heavy cream

  ¼ cup sugar

  ¼ cup dark brown sugar

  2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  Combine cream, sugar, dark brown sugar, and butter in a tall microwave-safe container. (I use a 2-cup Pyrex measuring cup.) Microwave at 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until it bubbles up and the ingredients are combined.

  Fudge Sauce

  1 can sweetened condensed milk

  1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

  2 tablespoons butter

  1 teaspoon vanilla

  Place all milk, chocolate chips, and butter into a pot and heat until the chocolate chips have melted and are smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.

  TiJuana Odum’s Easy Chicken Pot Pie

  9x9 casserole dish

  2–3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast

  1 can cream of chicken soup

  1 can of chicken broth

  ½ cup frozen peas

  ½ cup frozen corn

  salt & pepper

  1 cup milk

  1 cup flour

  1½ teaspoons baking soda

  ½ teaspoon salt

  1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter

  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

  In a large bowl, mix cream of chicken with chicken broth. Add the chicken breast and vegetables. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour into a greased 9x9 casserole dish.

  Melt the butter and mix with the milk. Mix the flour with the baking soda and salt. Whisk into the butter mixture and pour over the chicken in the casserole.

  Bake for 45 minutes until the crust is golden brown.

  Grilled Cheese BLT

  Sandwich bread

  Butter

  Mayonnaise

  Dijon mustard

  Salt

  Cheddar cheese, shredded or sliced

  Lettuce

  Tomato

  Cooked bacon

  Tip: For easy cleanup, spread the countertop with a sheet of wax or parchment paper or aluminum foil and build the sandwiches there.

  * * *

  Butter four slices of sandwich bread on one side and lay that side down in sets of 2 (top and bottom for each sandwich).

  On one piece of bread for each sandwich, spread a light layer of mayonnaise, followed by a small amount of Dijon mustard. Salt to taste. Top that with cheddar cheese. Add a lettuce leaf, a slice of tomato, and just enough bacon to have some in every bite.

  Top with the remaining slices of bread and grill in a Panini machine or cook in a pan at medium heat. Turn the heat down so it doesn’t burn. Cook on each side about 6–9 minutes.

  Strawberry Bourbon Lemonade

  2 cups strawberries plus extra for garnish

  1 cup sugar

  ½ cup fresh lemon juice

  2 cups water

  ½ cup bourbon

  In a pot, mash the strawberries with the sugar and bring to a boil. Cook until sugar is dissolved. Allow to cool. Pour into a large pitcher with the lemon juice, water, and bourbon. Stir.

  Cut a slice in the tip of the strawberry about halfway up and slide onto the rim of the glass as a garnish.

  S’mores Cocktail

  Chocolate syrup

  Graham cracker crumbs

  2 ounces marshmallow vodka

  4 ounces chocolate liqueur

  Dip the rim of the glass in the chocolate syrup and then into the graham cracker crumbs. Pour the vodka and liqueur into the glass and stir.