Peppermint Pie with Sugar Cookie Crust

The holiday season ended, my grown girls returned to their own homes, and several unused food items stared at me accusingly for a couple of days. Then I combined them to create a creamy dessert with a touch of crunch and a taste of Christmas. Grab the last peppermint ice cream in the dairy case today, or save this recipe to enjoy next winter.

Peppermint Pie with Sugar Cookie Crust

Makes 2 pies, 8-10 servings each

1 package pre-made sugar cookie dough

3 1/2 cups peppermint ice cream, thawed to soupy consistency

8 ounces heavy whipping cream

12-14 round peppermint hard candies

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease two pie pans. Cut cookie dough into 1/8th-inch pieces and then pinch together and press into each pie plate creating 'crusts' for the filling. Bake crusts 12-14 minutes until golden brown. When slightly cooled, use your fingers or a rubber spatula to gently press down the center crust to create a space for the filling.

VOE - The pastry will puff up in the oven and then fall some after removed, but still require pressing.

While crusts cool completely, whip cream until slightly firm but not stiff. Fold gently into thawed ice cream. Then pour filling evenly into two crusts.

Place in freezer until slightly hardened so filling retains its shape when touched. As the filling hardens, grind peppermint candies finely in food processor to a coarse 'dust' texture. Completely cover the top of each pie with peppermint dust. Return to freezer. Thaw about 20 minutes on counter, before serving.

Freezer Fun

Sometimes, it pays to rummage through your freezer. On Sunday, I found a bag of cranberries and put them in the refrigerator to thaw. Yesterday I pretended it was the middle of fall, turned on my oven, and played in my kitchen for a couple of hours. The result was this luscious pie in which cranberries become a purple-red mash of tartness, apples retain a touch of crunch, and a crumb topping adds another dose of sweetness. Perfect for fall, or any time your freezer yields this unexpected treasure.

Cranapple Pie
Serves 12-16

1 ½ cups cranberries, washed and sorted

2 cups water

¾ cup sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 1/2 cups of apples, peeled and diced in one-inch pieces

½ cup water

2 tablespoons cornstarch

½ cup apples, peeled and diced in one-inch pieces

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup all purpose flour

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 ½ teaspoons cinnamon

1 baked, deep dish pie shell

Topping:

4 tablespoons butter or margarine

½ cup packed light-brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

In a large, non-reactive, non-stick saucepan, combine cranberries, water, sugar and cinnamon over medium heat. Bring to a boil and cook, covered, for 10 minutes.

Blend cornstarch thoroughly in water. Add mixture and 1½ cups of apples to cranberry mixture and combine well. Bring to a boil and simmer 10 more minutes. Add remaining ingredients to the pan and simmer, uncovered, for 10 more minutes. Allow mixture to cool slightly and then pour in piecrust. Refrigerate while making topping.Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in sugar and flour, cover with a lid and microwave on high for 2 to 2 ½ minutes, stirring twice, until slightly browned and bubbly. Spread out on foil until cool enough to handle and then crumble all over top of pie. Cool pie at least three hours before serving.