Double Chocolate Pie

Ingredients

1 9-inch pie crust, baked
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk
3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
4 egg yolks, beaten
1 tablespoon vanilla extract


Directions

Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Stir in milk gradually. Add chocolate chips and unsweetened chocolate. Place over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute (at least that long so that the sugar fully dissolves, otherwise pudding gets a gritty feel).

Place egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl. Gradually pour half of chocolate mixture into egg yolks, whisking constantly.

Whisk egg yolk mixture back into mixture in saucepan. Place over medium heat and bring back to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute. Remove from heat; stir in vanilla extract.

Pour mixture into baked pie shell. Press a layer of plastic wrap onto filling. Refrigerate at least 4 hours but no longer than 48 hours. Remove plastic wrap before serving and top with whipped topping.

Irresistible Pecan Pie

Ingredients

3 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons dark corn syrup
3/4 cup light brown sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1 pinch salt
recipe for a 9-inch single crust pie
1/2 cup pecans, finely crushed
1 cup pecans, quartered
1 cup pecan halves


Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a medium bowl, mix together eggs, light and dark corn syrups, brown sugar, butter, salt and finely crushed pecans. Spread quartered pecans over bottom of refrigerated pie crust. Pour syrup mixture over top of pecans, then arrange pecan halves on top of pie.

Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) oven for one hour or until firm; let cool for one hour before serving.

Key Lime Pie

1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
3 cups sweetened condensed milk (approx 2 cans)
1/2 cup sour cream
3/4 cup key lime juice (approx. 20 limes)
1 tablespoon grated lime zest


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

In a medium bowl, combine condensed milk, sour cream, lime juice, and lime rind. Mix well and pour into graham cracker crust.

Bake in preheated oven for 5 to 8 minutes, until tiny pinhole bubbles burst on the surface of pie. DO NOT BROWN! Chill pie thoroughly before serving. Garnish with lime slices and whipped cream if desired.

Rhubarb Meringue Squares

Ingredients

CRUST:
2 c all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 c cold butter

FILLING:
2 c sugar
4 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
5 egg yolks, beaten
1 c whipping cream
5 c sliced fresh or frozen rhubarb

MERINGUE:
5 egg whites
1/2 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 c sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract


Directions

In a bowl, combine the flour and sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Press into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack while preparing filling.

In a bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Stir in egg yolks and cream. Add rhubarb. Pour over crust. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until set.

In a bowl, beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. Gradually beat in sugar, a tablespoon at a time, until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla. Spread over hot filling.

Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.