Make-A-Mix by Karine Eliason (best novels to read for beginners TXT) 📕

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 tablespoon butter or margarine

3 to 4 cups sliced fresh peaches

2 cups sweetened whipped cream or 1 (8-oz.) container nondairy topping, thawed, for garnish

Prepare pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate; set aside to cool. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup crushed peaches and 1/3 cup water. Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture begins to boil. Cook and stir about 2 minutes longer. Remove from heat.

In a medium bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, 1/4 cup water and lemon juice, beating with a wire whisk to blend. Stir into cooked-peach mixture. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened. Stir in butter or margarine until melted. Set aside to cool.

Arrange 3 to 4 cups sliced peaches in prepared pie crust. Spoon cooled mixture over peaches. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours. To serve, cut in wedges and garnish each wedge with a dollop of whipped cream or topping. Makes about 8 servings.

If you want the filling a bit more colorful, add 1 or 2 drops of red food coloring to water.

SOUR CREAM & RAISIN PIE

To change the pie, top it with Mile-High Meringue, page 310.

Single Freezer Pie Crust, baked, page 309

2/3 cup VANILLA PUDDING & PIE-FILLING MIX, page 29

2-1/2 cups milk

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/3 cup raisins

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup dairy sour cream

2 cups sweetened whipped cream or 1 (8-oz.) container nondairy whipped topping, thawed

Prepare pie crust in a 9-inch pie plate; set aside to cool. In a medium saucepan, combine VANILLA PUDDING & PIE-FILLING MIX, milk, nutmeg, cinnamon and raisins. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat.

Stir in butter or margarine and vanilla until blended. Cover with plastic wrap. Cool. Fold in sour cream. Pour into baked pie crust. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours. Top with sweetened whipped cream or topping. Makes about 8 servings.

VANILLA CREAM PIE

Creamy pie filling has no eggs—reducing the fat content.

Single Freezer Pie Crust, baked, page 309

2/3 cup VANILLA PUDDING & PIE-FILLING MIX, page 29

2-1/2 cups milk

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Variations

Banana Cream Pie—Slice 2 ripe bananas into pie crust before adding filling.

Strawberry Cream Pie—Stir 2 to 4 tablespoons sugar into 2 cups sliced strawberries. Let stand 1 hour. Drain off juice. Spoon sweetened strawberries into baked pie crust. Pour chilled filling over strawberries. Top with whipped cream.

Coconut Cream Pie—Fold 3/4 cup shredded coconut into cooled filling. Garnish with whipped cream and 1/4 cup toasted shredded coconut.

Prepare crust in a 9-inch pie plate; set aside to cool. In a medium saucepan, combine VANILLA PUDDING & PIE-FILLING MIX and milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture thickens and begins to bubble, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter or margarine and vanilla until blended. Cover with plastic wrap. Cool.

Pour into baked pie crust. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours. Makes about 8 servings.

CHESS TARTS

Serve these Southern favorites at a holiday buffet.

1 pkg. CREAM-CHEESE PASTRY MIX, page 50, thawed

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1-1/4 cups sugar

3 eggs, separated

3/4 cup raisins

3/4 cup chopped nuts

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 400F (205C). Divide CREAM-CHEESE PASTRY MIX into 10 pieces. Shape into balls. Place each ball in a medium muffin cup. With your thumbs press dough over bottom and sides of each cup, keeping dough at an even thickness; set aside. In a large bowl, cream butter or margarine and sugar. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition. Stir in raisins, nuts and vanilla.

In a medium bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form. Fold into creamed mixture. Fill each pastry shell about 3/4 full with batter. Bake 15 minutes in preheated oven. Reduce temperature to 325F (165C). Bake 10 to 15 minutes longer until golden brown. Makes 10 tarts.

LIME TARTS SUPREME

Creamy chiffon filling is topped with a dollop of whipped cream and grated lime peel.

1 pkg. CREAM-CHEESE PASTRY MIX, page 50, thawed

Lime Filling, below

Lime Filling

2 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 cup lime juice

1 teaspoon grated lime peel

1/4 cup butter or margarine

2 drops green food coloring, if desired

1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Preheat oven to 400F (205C). Divide CREAM-CHEESE PASTRY MIX into 10 pieces. Shape into balls. Place each ball in a medium muffin cup. With your thumbs press dough over the bottom and sides of each cup, keeping dough at an even thickness. Bake in preheated oven 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.

Prepare Lime Filling. Carefully remove cooled tart shells. Spoon filling into shells. Garnish with reserved whipped cream and reserved lime peel from filling. Makes 10 tarts.

Lime Filling

In a small bowl, beat eggs until light and pale. Beat in sugar, lime juice and half of lime peel. Pour into top of double boiler. Add butter or margarine. Cook and stir over hot water until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in food coloring. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Reserve 3 tablespoons whipped cream. Fold remaining whipped cream into chilled egg mixture.

For a tropical treat: Omit pecans and vanilla extract. Substitute macadamia nuts and orange or coconut extract.

PECAN TARTS

Miniature pecan pies are always a welcome treat.

1 pkg. CREAM-CHEESE PASTRY MIX, page 50, thawed

2 eggs, slightly beaten

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1-1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1-1/4 cups chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 325F (165C). Divide CREAM-CHEESE PASTRY MIX into 10 pieces. Shape into balls. Place each ball in a medium muffin cup. With your thumbs press dough over bottom and sides of each cup, keeping dough at an even thickness; set aside.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, butter or margarine, brown sugar, salt and vanilla, beating with a wire whisk until blended. Stir in pecans. Fill each pastry shell about 3/4 full. Bake 25 minutes in preheated