Happy π Day! (That's Pi for those that have forgotten math ☺)

Today is π day!  In case you've forgotten math,  π is 3.1415........ something, something forever on.  So, today being 3/14 makes it the perfect day for pie!  I have been feeling somewhat cut off lately as we've spent way too much time at home with sick kids.  So, I decided to have a pie party.  We had about 35 people over for some pie and visiting.  Since it is Monday night we decided to turn it into Family Night with a few extras :)   I told the story of my ancestor that came across the plains with the Martin Handcart Company. 

The Martin Company left Ohio really late in the season and walked all the way to Utah, pulling all of their belongings and food in a handcart.  They tried to speed their journey by lightening their loads, but ended up getting rid of too much.  By the time this story took place, they were eating just a small amount of gruel (a mixture of flour and water) each day.  There came a point when the mother saw a large rock off the side of the trail, and decided she would go no further than that spot.  When she and her daughter arrived there, she stopped.  She told her daughter to continue on without her, that she was staying there to die.  Her daughter didn't know what to do, other that ask for help through prayer.  The two prayed together, and when they finished their prayer they looked up and saw a freshly baked pie sitting in the middle of the trail.  The ONLY explanation was a miracle, and that gave them the strength to go on.  I am very grateful that God cared so much about them that he answered their plea for help.  It is due to that miracle that I am here....


So really, I have multiple reasons to celbrate pie :)


I got several requests for the recipes of the pies I made, So I figured I would just put them here for all to enjoy.


Easy No Bake Cheesecake (and it is WAY better than the mixes you buy...)


Graham Cracker Crust


8 oz Cream Cheese (can use low fat or neufchatel cheese)
1 can sweetened and condensed milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla


Place cream cheese in a mixing bowl and mix well to get out any lumps.  Slowly add the sweetened and condensed milk beating after each addition to avoid lumps forming.  Add the vanilla and lemon juice, mix well.  Pour into graham cracker crust and chill until set.


Peanut Butter Pie
           (I can't remeber which magazine I got this from, but I think it was either Taste of Home or Southern Living)


2 packages (3 oz each) cook and serve vanilla or chocolate pudding (I used vanilla and it was great)
4 cups milk
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 baked pie shell
whipped cream


In a saucepan, cook pudding and milk over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.  Remove from the heat and cool slightly.  Meanwhile, in a bowl, cut peanut butter into confectioners' sugar until small crumbs form.  (Peanut butter consistency may vary; add additional confectioners' sugar if necessary.) Set aside about 2 Tbsp of crumbs; sprinkle remaining mixture into pie shell.  Pour pudding over crumbs.  Chill until set.  Top with whipped cream; sprinkle reserved crumbs on top.  Yield 6-8 servings.


Buttermilk Lemon Pie
        (from Taste of Home)


Pastry for single-crust pie (9 inch)


1 cup sugar
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups buttermilk (or 2 Tbsp white vinegar and milk to make 2 cups)
4 eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 Tbsp grated lemon peel
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg


Preheat oven to 400.  Line a 9-in pie plate with pastry.  Trim, seal and flute edges; set aside.  In a large bowl, combine suger, flour, and salt.  In a large mixing bowl, beat the buttermilk, eggs, butter, lemon juice, lemon peel and vanilla.  Add to the sugar mixture; mix well.  Pour into crust.  Sprinkle with nutmeg.
Bake at 400 for 10 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 325 bake 40-45 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack.  Store in the refrigerator.  Yield 6-8 servings.