Joanne Fluke's Lake Eden Cookbook Part 16

In a medium-size bowl with a fork, whisk together the crushed vanilla wafers, the peanut b.u.t.ter, and the white sugar until the resulting mixture is crumbly and well combined.

Add ONE (only one, not both) Tablespoon of water and attempt to form the mixture into a ball with your impeccably clean hands. Use the second Tablespoon of water if the first Tablespoon isn't enough to squeeze the mixture into a ball.

Once the ball is formed, spray a 9-inch pie pan with Pam or another nonstick cooking spray.

Set the ball of crust in the bottom of the pan, flatten it out with your hands, and press it up the sides. DON'T WASH THE BOWL YOU USED FOR THE PIE CRUST - YOU CAN USE IT AGAIN FOR THE NEXT STEP.

Slip the pie plate in your freezer and set the timer for 30 minutes. Your peanut b.u.t.ter pie crust must freeze that long before you use it.

FOR THE PEANUT b.u.t.tER FILLING:.

1 cup powdered (confectioner's) sugar

cup creamy peanut b.u.t.ter

Mix the powdered sugar with the peanut b.u.t.ter. You want to be able to spread it in the bottom of your pie crust, so you may need to heat the bowl a bit in the microwave once your peanut b.u.t.ter pie crust comes out of the freezer.

When your crust has chilled for 30 minutes, remove it from the freezer and set it on the counter.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

Spread the peanut b.u.t.ter filling on the bottom of the peanut b.u.t.ter crust. Set it on top of a drip pan (I use an old cookie sheet with sides) and leave it on the counter to wait for the "jelly" filling.

Don't wash the bowl you just used for the peanut b.u.t.ter filling. Simply wipe it out with a paper towel, and you can use it again for the "jelly" filling. (Can you tell I hate to wash dishes?) FOR THE "JELLY" FILLING: 5 eggs

14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk

cup plain yogurt (try to find whole milk yogurt - it's better)

cup frozen grape juice concentrate 18

1 Tablespoon grape jelly

teaspoon lemon zest (optional) 19

Crack one whole egg into that same medium-sized mixing bowl. Separate the remaining 4 eggs, placing the 4 yolks into the bowl with the whole egg and the 4 whites into another mixing bowl. Leave the bowl with the 4 whites on your counter. They need to warm a bit for the meringue you'll make later.

Whisk the whole egg and the egg yolks until they're a uniform color. Then stir in the can of sweetened condensed milk.

Add the yogurt and the grape juice concentrate. Stir it together until it's a uniform color and the frozen concentrate has melted.

Heat the Tablespoon of jelly until it melts and then stir it into the mixture.

Add the lemon zest, if you decided to use it, and stir well.

Pour the filling you just made on top of the peanut b.u.t.ter filling in your crust.

Bake the pie at 325 degrees F. for 20 minutes. Take it out of the oven and set it on a cool stovetop or a rack to wait for its meringue.

Hannah's 1st Note: The contents of your pie will be "jiggly". That's okay. It'll firm up later.

DON'T TURN OFF THE OVEN! Instead, increase the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. to bake the meringue.

FOR THE MERINGUE:.

4 egg whites (the ones you saved in that bowl on the counter)

teaspoon cream of tartar

a pinch of salt

cup white (granulated) sugar

Hannah's 2nd Note: This is a whole lot easier with an electric mixer!

Add the cream of tartar and the salt to the bowl with your egg whites and mix them in.

Beat the egg whites on HIGH until they form soft peaks.

Continue to beat at HIGH speed as you sprinkle in the sugar. When the egg whites form firm peaks, stop mixing and tip the bowl to test the meringue. If the egg whites don't slide down the side of the bowl, they're ready.

Spread the meringue over the filling with a clean rubber spatula, sealing it to the edges of the crust. When the pie is covered with meringue, either "dot" it with the flat side of the spatula to make points in the meringue, OR smooth it out into a dome and make circular grooves with the tip of your spatula from the outside rim to the center, to create a flower-like design.

Bake your Peanut b.u.t.ter & Jelly Pie at 350 degrees F. for an additional 12 minutes.

Remove your pie from the oven and let it cool by setting the drip pan and the pie pan on a wire rack.

When the pie has cooled to room temperature, refrigerate it at least 3 hours before serving.

Yield: 6 large or 8 medium slices of incredibly delicious pie. I can almost guarantee you've never had anything like it before!

Cakes & Cupcakes

CHERRY CHEESECAKE.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., rack in the middle position.

FOR THE CRUST:.

2 cups vanilla wafer cookie crumbs (measure AFTER

crus.h.i.+ng)

stick melted b.u.t.ter (6 Tablespoons)

1 teaspoon almond extract

Pour the melted b.u.t.ter and almond extract over the cookie crumbs. Mix with a fork until they're evenly moistened.

Cut a circle of parchment paper (or wax paper) to fit inside the bottom of a 9-inch Springform pan. Spray the pan with Pam or other nonstick cooking spray, set the paper circle in place, and spray with Pam again.

Dump the moistened cookie crumbs in the pan and press them down over the paper circle and one inch up the sides. Stick the pan in the freezer for 15 to 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the cheesecake.

FOR THE TOPPING:.

2 cups sour cream

cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

21-ounce can cherry pie filling20 (I used Comstock Dark Sweet Cherry) Mix the sour cream, sugar, and vanilla together in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Set the unopened can of cherry pie filling in the refrigerator for later.