When you see the ingredients you might think....WHAT!!...all that processed food! Yes, yes it is. I know I'm all about local ingredients and natural foods, but I'm not militant about it. And it's dessert for gosh sakes, a treat, something not eaten everyday (although I eat a dessert everyday, it not always pie). It's all about balance.
Besides, I've been thinking of how I can make this pie a little less processed. I think I can change around a couple of the ingredients, I will explain as I show you how I made it.
Peanut Butter Pie (a recipe from The Pioneer Woman)
Here are the shocking ingredients.....well, maybe not so shocking.
Oops...I almost forgot this.
I was excited that I could get my food processor out and use it. I don't use it as often as I should and only because I'm too lazy to clean it out when I done. I crushed up 25 oreo cookies, then added 4 tbl. of melted butter and mixed to make the crust.
Instead of using a pie pan I used a tart pan. I've had this pan for over a year now and never have used it so this seemed like the perfect opportunity. Bake the crust in a 350 degree oven for 7-10 minutes, then let cool.
The recipe calls for 1 cup of smooth peanut butter but I substituted crunchy instead. I like the texture. Blend this with 8 oz. of softened cream cheese. Then mix in the powdered sugar. It calls for 1 1/2 cups but I only used 1 cup because when I tasted it, it was sweet enough. Then you fold in an 8 oz. container of thawed Cool Whip. Add this mixture to the crust and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
This is an easy dessert and quick to fix. My neighbor said it was rich but light.
I've been thinking of ways to use some less processed ingredients to make this next time. The powdered sugar and cream cheese has to stay. I think the peanut butter will have to stay also, because I've tried substituting all-natural peanut butter to recipes and it just doesn't set right.
So that leaves the crust and the whip cream. I thought maybe next time I make some chocolate/white chocolate chip cookies I could save some of them to use for the crust. Now for the whip cream. Some people have said that they have used real whip cream instead of the Cool Whip, but others say it doesn't set up right. I may try that, but if I don't I won't beat myself up over using the Cool Whip.
Another good way to serve this dessert would be, after the crust comes out of the oven, spoon alternating layers of crust and filling into parfait glasses.
On a really exciting note, my tomatoes are popping out like crazy. I've got 9, in different stages of growth, on one plant and 7 on the other. I'm so anxious to eat some homegrown tomatoes. Hopefully soon, if the squirrels don't steal them first. They have a habit of pulling a tomato off the stem, taking one bite and leaving it. What a waste!!
There are some "baby" ones on there that you can't see.
Kathy
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