Helps Kids and Eat Pie this Weekend!

Every year, I anticipate the National Pie Championships in Orlando, Fla. Our city is so fortunate to host this great event that recognizes national bakers, and is televised on Food Network. The National Pie Championships, which are open to the public, will be held April 29 and April 30 at Caribe Royale Hotel.

This year, the Championships are even better because they include the American Pie Council's "Pie Party" to benefit Give Kids the World. Tickets for the event are only $5 for two slices of pie, plus several fun activities will be held. You can challenge the pros in an Iron Chef-style competition, watch a 200-pound pie being built, and of course, enjoy pie. 

If you go, please post photos and comments of your favorite pies!

Make Your Own Winning Banana Cream Pie

As I promised in yesterday's blog post, here is one of the winning recipes from the recent National Pie Championships in Orlando, Fla.: Peg's Banana Cream Supreme Pie. John Sunvold of Winter Springs, Fla., won "Best in Show - Amateur Division" for this unique creation. Sunvold, a speech communications teacher at Seminole State College, based the pie on a favorite childhood dessert and perfected the recipe over three years!

Peg's Banana Cream Supreme Pie 

Use 9/9.5 inch plate. Serves eight. 

Crust 
1 1/4 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs 
1/4 Finely chopped walnuts 
3 T Sugar 
5 Tablespoons Melted Butter 

Mix all ingredients together and press mixture into pie plate. Bake in a 375 -degree oven for 10 minutes, or until brown. Allow to cool down to room temperature. 

Cream Cheese Layer 
6 oz. Cream Cheese 
1/3 C. Powdered Sugar 
6 oz. Cool Whip 

Beat cream cheese and powdered sugar until smooth. Fold in the Cool Whip and chill. If you are using a smaller pie pan, make sure you get around a 1/2 inch layer of this cream cheese layer (use the rest for a fruit dip). 

Bananas and Cream 
2-4 Bananas* 
2/3 C. Sugar 
1/4 t. Salt 
1/4 C. Corn Starch 
1 C. Heavy Cream 
5 Egg Yolks 
1 1/2 cup Milk 
1 T Vanilla Extract 
2 T Butter 

Mix sugar, salt, and starch in a pot. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and cream slightly. To the pot, slowly add the milk, then the egg yolk and cream mixture. Heat over medium heat, whisking frequently, until thick and bubbling (but not rapidly boiling). Once the cream is bubbling, continue to cook and whisk for 30 more seconds. Finally, add the butter and vanilla and mix until the cream is smooth. Set aside. 

Cut bananas into even pieces. Place a layer of bananas on the cream cheese layer. Try to cover as much as possible as this acts as an insulator and keeps the heat away from the cream cheese. Add a layer of hot cream, a layer of bananas, and then top off the bananas with as much of the cream as possible. Place a plastic sheet over the cream in order to prevent a skin from forming on the cream filling. Place in refrigerator until completely chilled. 

Topping 
2-4 cups sweetened whipped cream 
1/8 cup caramel topping 
1/4 cup nut topping 

Top with your favorite whipped topping (whipped cream recommended, Cool Whip not recommended). Drizzle with (room temperature) caramel sauce and top with a prepared nut topping (such as Fisher Nut Topping). Keep cold. (Tastes better the next day). 

*Bananas should have yellow stems and have a few brown spots. 


Recipe courtesy of the American Pie Council. View all the winning recipes at: http://piecouncil.org/Events/2012EventWinners/

Fla. Teen Wins Pie Competition

Coffee Toffee Crunch a Bunch Pie

I love how more children and teenagers have taken to baking in recent years. Perhaps it is because of hte growth of The Food Network and the popularity of celebrity chefs. However, I believe it is the result of parents who are cooking at home more after the economy went south, and parents who have the desire to share the enjoyment of cooking with their children. 

I was exited that a local teen won "Best in Show" - Junior Chef at the recent annual APC/ Crisco National Pie Championships in Orlando. After practicing by baking every Sunday night for the past four months, Ana Ramirez of Polk City, Fla., won Best in Show for her "Spider Monkey Peanut Butter Pie". I love chocolate and peanut butter, so that sounds perfect. Meanwhile, Susan Boyle of DeBary, Fla., won Best in Show - Professional Division for her "Coffee Toffee Crunch a Bunch Pie". And John Sunvold, a teacher at Seminole State College in Orlando, won Best in Show - Amateur Division for his "Peg's Banana Cream Supreme Pie".

SSC Teacher John Sunvold

If you haven't been to this pie competition and tasting - which is also televised on The Food Network - before, it is a great time. Make sure to mark your calendars for next year's National Pie Championships, April 26-28 at the Caribe Royale Orlando. And, watch for tomorrow's blog post: I will share one of the winning pie recipes with you!