Pi Day

*****(oh crappy pic!)*****

Yep, you got that right- today is Pi Day. As in Math. In honor of my daughter Lindsay, who earned her BS in Mathematics, we shall have pie, which is especially fortunate since she is in town for the weekend!
This is a pie I have made for years, the filling is from an old cookbook, Betty Crockers' Good and Easy(1954). It is our family's favorite pecan pie- we don't care for the usual goo made with corn syrup. I use double the pecans that this recipe calls for.

Southern Pecan Chess Pie

1 unbaked pie crust for 10 inch pan
1 c brown sugar ( packed)
1/2 c superfine sugar
1 T flour
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1/2 c butter, melted
1 c pecans

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together sugars and flour. Beat in thoroughly butter eggs, vanilla, milk. Fold in pecans. Pour into pastry lined pan. Bale for 40-50 min. Directions are to serve slightly warm, with whipped cream or plain. Mark likes to eat the pie best COLD.

Peanut Butter Smoothie Pie

I needed an easy dessert tonite and thought a peanut butter pie sounded good. But alas, someone (Lacey) ate the milk chocolate, and semi-sweet didn't sound right to me. So I decided to honor a favorite candy from days of olde- the Smoothie. It's a peanut butter cup that uses butterscotch instead of chocolate.
Yes, yes, I know. Chocolate and PB are the best. (You could swap out the butterscotch chips for 3 oz. of milk chocolate.) But this is really good, too! Tastes somewhat like a butterfinger. I cheated and used a prepared graham crust.

Peanut Butter Smoothie Pie

Use your favorite graham cracker or shortbread crust

3 oz. butterscotch chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Place butterscotch chips in a medium bowl. Place 1/2 cup cream in a small saucepan over medium heat, and bring to a boil. Pour over chips, and set aside for 5 minutes to yield ganache. Whisk to combine. Set in ice bath until ganache is cool, whisking constantly. Once cool, remove from ice bath, and whisk until ganache is just thick enough to hold its shape; do not overbeat. Spread in the bottom of the prepared crust, and return to the refrigerator until set.

8oz. cream cheese
3/4 cup powdered sugar
Mix together until smooth.
Add
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup peanut butter
Mix until well blended.
Fold in
2 cups whipped cream lightly sweetened with sugar OR 1- 8 oz. container whipped topping

Spoon mixture over prepared pie. Top with crushed butterscotch chips. Chill until ready to serve.