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Thursday, November 4, 2010

Marie Callender's Lemon Cream Cheese Pie

I finally found it! I have looked on more than one occasion for this recipe or something closely related to it because it's so good!  It's fabulously indulgent and creamy, this pie combines the fresh flavor of  lemon with the comfort of cheesecake perfectly. Try it and let me know what you think. Now I just need some kind of special occasion sooner than Thanksgiving to make it!

Marie Callender's Lemon Cream Cheese Pie
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Crust:
1 1/4 C. graham crackers crumbs
1/4 C. sugar
4 Tbs. butter, melted

Cream Cheese Layer:
12 oz. cream cheese
1/3 C. sugar
1/3 C. sour cream
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. Knox gelatin
1 Tbs. cold water

Lemon Layer:
1 1/2 C. water
1 C. sugar
1/2 C. fresh lemon juice
4 egg yolks beaten
5 Tbs. cornstarch
1 Tbs. grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbs. butter

Whipped Cream

Method

Crust: Mix all the ingredients together and shape in a 9" pie pan. Bake a t 375 for 7-8 minutes then remove from the oven and cool. 

To make cream cheese layer, combine cream cheese, sugar, sour cream and salt in medium sized pan and cook on a very low heat stirring constantly until mixture starts to boil lightly. Mix gelatin with water and dissolve. When dissolved add to mixture along with vanilla and stir well. Cook until mixture reaches a light boil and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cool off. When it's luke-warm layer cream cheese on crust and refrigerate until cooled.
To make lemon topping, place water, sugar, lemon juice, cornstarch, salt and lemon peel in a saucepan and whisk until mixture comes to a boil at medium heat. Cook for 2 minutes until thick. Pour 1/2 hot mixture in beaten eggs slowly and stir constantly. When the mixture is completely blended pour egg mixture in to the hot pudding stir and cook until the pudding reaches boiling stage. Stir and let boil slowly for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat add butter and vanilla stir and set aside until cooled off. When lemon mixture reaches room temperature gently smooth it over the cream cheese mixture and chill for several hours before serving. 
Fresh whipped cream tops this pie off perfectly.

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Home Made Pumpkin Puree

What am I doing today? Well I decided that it was time to cook up the unused pumpkins we had on hand, before they went bad, so that we could have plenty pumpkin puree on hand for the Holidays.  Although it's not a glamorous job- someone needed to do it and besides homemade pumpkin puree is arguably much better than the canned version. Yes- I could go to all the trouble of recounting my tales of triumph over the pumpkins today but again Ree Drummond has produced what I think is hands down the best instruction I have found.

Here are my favorite recipes that we use pumpkin puree in:

Pumpkin Pie Bran Muffins
Pumpkin Bread
Pumpkin Cheesecake
Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
Pumpkin Fruit Dip
Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Monday, November 1, 2010

Pumpkin Dip

I went to a fun play group with several of my friends that I grew up with on the day before Halloween. We had yummy lunch and my friend Mel brought this wonderful dip and I've been craving it ever since.

Pumpkin Fruit Dip

1  8oz box of cream cheese
2  7oz jars of marshmallow creme
15oz pumpkin puree
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp vanilla

In a medium bowl beat together the cream cheese, and marshmallow creme until smooth. Fold in pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Serve with sliced fruits like apples or pears and gingersnaps and Nilla wafers.