Another yummy pie is calling to me! This time I will try coconut pie with a gluten free crust and less sugar, of course.
The pie is Easy Coconut Pie from Taste of the South magazine.

I am expecting some family members who have been on a gluten free regime (and feel it is more "free" than "regime" once you get the hang of it!) They report that they are feeling better than ever.
[More products are available in gluten free versions all the time. EVEN BISQUICK now has a gluten free variety!]

So, I will try this pie crust recipe from Gluten Free Girl's blog.

Ever since last Sunday's purchase of a Chocolate Cream pie, I have been thinking of making a Coconut Cream pie ...something I have never done before, ...and of course I didn't "NEED" to do it. Still, I bought my coconut and eggs today.
Soon, I was home, ready to bake, when I remembered that my pie plate (a birthday delight a few years back), a Homer Laughlin Oven Serve piece from the 1930's (see small photo)....



Was now awaiting use in a mosaic, as it had fallen and had broken about 6 weeks ago!

I almost ran out to buy a pie pan....THEN I remembered that I had brought home a very worn enameled pie tin from my Mom's. I am using it under a potted plant, as a saucer. Great! A good washing and we were ready for the next step. [Mom tells me that this pie tin is older than she is!]

Pillsbury ready-made pie crust. Here after it was baked, you can see it shrank and broke a little.

That's OK, this pie-making is about fun, not about perfection!

I follow the recipe and make the coconut cream filling, put it in the baked crust.

Next, making the meringue is a hoot! [Tip: separate the eggs when they are cold, but let the whites warm to room temperature before beating into meringue!]

I love how light and fluffy and airy it is!

I was so happy playing with the meringue ( be sure it touches the edges of the crust!) that I almost forgot to sprinkle the shredded coconut over the meringue!

Finally out of the oven and cooling on the counter. It had to cool in the refrigerator for another hour or two before eating.....



[Cooling made the meringue shrink down some.....but we cut some slices...]

The fastest pie eater in our town, Mr. P. He ate at such lightening speed, that the photo was blurry!

Finally, a happy smile from a guy full of pie!

YUMMMMM!

Baking (and raking) on Sunday, again!


Above, the baked crumb crust and the fruits for the pie. Below, the finished pie!

~~~~~~~~~The recipe I used~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Pear Cranberry Yogurt Pie
1 baked pie shell*
2 eggs
1/2 c. granulated sugar
3 T all Purpose Flour
12 oz Plain Yogurt
1 tsp of Vanilla Extract
Ripe Pears and Cranberries




Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place sheet pan in oven. Place eggs and sugar into a bowl and whisk together. Add flour and mix with whisk until smooth. Mix in yogurt until smooth. Pour into pre-baked, cooled pie shell approximately 3/4 to the top. Add thinly sliced, peeled and ripe pears neatly and decoratively on the top. Add cranberries on top. Place in oven for 35-40 minutes or until it is fully baked. It will puff up and there will be no jiggle. Refrigerate over night and serve.
* Toasted Almond Crust
1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. butter, softened
1/4 c. almonds, toasted and finely chopped
3 T. sugar
1/4 t. salt
Mix well with hands until pliable. Press into bottom and sides of pie plate. Make the top edge as attractive as you can, and bake at 400 degrees 10-12 min. or until golden. Cool completely.

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This recipe was from Claire Murray's newsletter in September. It was impossible to find fresh cranberries here at that time. I found them yesterday. Of course, they add a pretty red touch to the pie, but I wonder if they will be TOO TART!...(groan about the pun...) We have yet to taste the pie which is still cooling. I did glaze it with a little apricot (apple jelly would work too) jam after taking it from the oven. [NOTE: (later) this was delicious! The cranberries were fine, and one could even use a little less sugar. It would still be good!]

It is a cloudy, cool day with light rain from time to time. I will be out raking leaves today (wearing those new boots) to work up an appetite for the pie.

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Mr. Pear is very mobile for having had knee surgery less than a week ago. He is doing great (unless he is supposed to be taking it easy....), he keeps showing off by walking around without the walker or crutches. Of course the pain medicine probably makes him feel invincible!

He walked out to our mailbox, using crutches, yesterday.