Pear pie and cherry pie

I like to try a new pie each year.  This year, thanks to bountiful baskets, I had pears.  This pie was wonderful.  I found it on Our Best Bites

Creamy Pear PieRecipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients:

1 double pie crust
About 1 1/2 lb. firm (not too ripe, not too green) pears, peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
3 oz. cream cheese (from a block, not from a tub)
2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450.

Roll the bottom of the pie crust into the pie plate.

Toss the sliced pears in the flour. Arrange them evenly over the pie crust in the pie plate. Set aside.

In the jar of a blender, combine the sweetened condensed milk, milk, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and cream cheese. Blend until smooth. Pour evenly over the pear mixture. Use the remaining pie crust to form the top of the pie (we like to make a lattice top crust). Brush with butter and sprinkle with sugar and cinnamon.

Bake at 450 for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake for another 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown and the creamy mixture has thickened but not solidified. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. This pie can be served warm or cold, preferably with ice cream or sweetened whipped cream.

We also enjoyed a new sour cherry pie recipe.  In the summer I used fresh off the tree.  For Thanksgiving I used my frozen cherried

Classic Sour Cherry Pie with Lattice Crust

Bon Appétit  | June 2008

by Lori Longbotham

ingredients

Crust:

2 1/2 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1 tablespoon sugar

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

5 tablespoons (or more) ice water

Filling:

1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/4 teaspoon salt

5 cups whole pitted sour cherries or dark sweet cherries (about 2 pounds whole unpitted cherries)

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (if using sour cherries) or 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (if using dark sweet cherries)

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 tablespoon (about) milk

Vanilla ice cream

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preparation

For crust:

Whisk flour, sugar, and salt in large bowl to blend. Add butter and rub in with fingertips until small pea-size clumps form. Add 5 tablespoons ice water; mix lightly with fork until dough holds together when small pieces are pressed between fingertips, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if dough is dry. Gather dough together; divide into 2 pieces. Form each piece into ball, then flatten into disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes. Do ahead Can be made 2 days ahead. Keep chilled. Let dough soften slightly before rolling out.

For filling:

Position rack in lower third of oven and preheat to 425°F. Whisk 1 cup sugar, cornstarch, and salt in medium bowl to blend. Stir in cherries, lemon juice, and vanilla; set aside.

Roll out 1 dough disk on floured surface to 12-inch round. Transfer to 9-inch glass pie dish. Trim dough overhang to 1/2 inch. Roll out second dough disk on floured surface to 12-inch round. Using large knife or pastry wheel with fluted edge, cut ten 3/4-inch-wide strips from dough round. Transfer filling to dough-lined dish, mounding slightly in center. Dot with butter. Arrange dough strips atop filling, forming lattice; trim dough strip overhang to 1/2 inch. Fold bottom crust up over ends of strips and crimp edges to seal. Brush lattice crust (not edges) with milk. Sprinkle lattice with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.

Place pie on rimmed baking sheet and bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Bake pie until filling is bubbling and crust is golden brown, covering edges with foil collar if browning too quickly, about 1 hour longer. Transfer pie to rack and cool completely. Cut into wedges and serve with vanilla ice cream.