Pie of the Month

It’s creamy smooth and has deeper, richer flavors than pumpkin.  A very satisfying pie and easy to make.  Be sure to serve it with whipped cream!  This is an updated recipe, which happened to win a blue ribbon for a Pie Pal at the NM State Fair Pie Contest.

When you’re looking for a special dessert, here’s one that brings together the best of the season:  apples, caramel and nuts. Sweet & nutty, just like the holidays!

Cherry pie is good, any cherry pie!  And this one, blessed by a layer of chocolate ganache under the flavorful cherries and topped by a crust designed to look like a sunflower, is exceptional.  One fan said, 'This recipe is a national treasure!'   It won a blue ribbon at the New Mexico State Fair.

Smash those peaches!  Really.  Get the best ones, the tree-ripened ones, and smash a few to cook up as a glaze that will hold the remaining fresh, uncooked slices together in a crisp crust.  Oh!  So good.

If you are lucky enough to have boysenberries, you are one lucky baker!  And here's a recipe to make you feel even luckier.

It's made with fresh apricots, those delicate, sweet gems of June and July.  They shine in this pie!  It's also an easy pie to make.

It's got that tangy yet creamy thing going, highlighted by the gingersnap crust.  It's a nice change from most citrus pies.  And it won a blue ribbon at the state fair pie contest in the "Citrus" category!

Combine two favorites -- blueberries and lemons -- and what do you get?  A new favorite!  The blueberries are nestled in a sweet-tart lemon custard, all enthroned on a buttery crust.  

Blueberry pies can be unpredictable -- either runny or too much thickener.  Not this one, though!  It takes advantage of the thickening power of pectin and creates beautiful slices every time.  This recipe uses less sugar than most recipes, which is also great.

It's part cookie, part pie and part tart.  The crust is flavorful and brings out the best in the fruit -- in this case, apricots and raspberries.  It's very amenable to a combination of fruit that you like!

For those of us who like coconut, this is a winner!  In fact, a variation of this -- a meringue version rather than cream-topped -- won "Best of Show" at the NM State Fair Pie Contest.  It's an extravagent dessert, one that makes people happy.  (Doesn't all pie make people happy?)

In a charming twist, this recipe brings a pretty red flare to your apple pie and the red hots add a subtle crispness.  The result is stunning!  

I love the tartness of the fruit with the flaky pastry. And since you can get frozen cherries and raspberries, you can make it anytime!