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Joy Nobles asked for a recipe for Million Dollar Pie, a nut cookie crust filled with a no-bake pineapple filling. This rich dessert has a number of versions, some of which are called Millionaire's Pie.
For the first recipe, those ingredients are mixed and then poured into a crumb crust. Add cream cheese and you have the next recipe. Add coconut and canned mandarin oranges for the third pie. The recipes make enough filling for two 8-inch pies or one larger pie.
Anne Krieger and Dolores Heinrich are interested in a recipe for cheesecake prepared with cottage cheese instead of heavier cream cheese. Patt Sulzberger shares the recipe that makes the lighter German cheesecake, a shallow cake-style cheesecake, that she and her husband grew up with. Patt also shares a German cheese torte, a high torte.
For: Joy Nobles of St. Petersburg.
From: Carol Souder of Palm Harbor, Carole Kolakowski of Holiday, Norma Musser of Lacoochee, Irene Mullins of New Port Richey, Mary Jo Batters of St. Petersburg, Judy Wiesner of Redington Shores, and Iris Gonczkowski, Louise Miller and Alicia Sichak of Clearwater.
Recipe: Million Dollar Pie I (This recipe offers crusts from two bakers who used the identical fillings.)
Million Dollar Pie I
Crust for one pie:
(Carol Souder)
3/4 cup crushed vanilla wafers
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon grated nutmeg
2/3 cup butter, melted
OR crust for two pies (Carole Kolakowski)
11/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 cup margarine (11/2 sticks)
3/4 cup chopped nuts
Filling:
1 can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)
1/4 to 1/2 cup lemon juice (to taste)
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, well drained
1 cup chopped pecans
1 9-ounce container frozen dessert topping, thawed
To make the first pie crust, combine ingredients and press into pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes. Cool completely. For two pies using the second crust, pat dough into two pie plates. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes and cool. Or use store-bought graham cracker crusts.
For filling, combine milk and lemon juice; mix well. Stir in pineapple and nuts. Fold in dessert topping. Pour into crust(s) and chill well. The longer it is chilled, the better it is. The pies can be frozen.
Note: Louise Miller and Iris Gonczkowski add about two-dozen chopped maraschino cherries to the mixture for added color.
From: Barbara Chapman of St. Petersburg, Eileen Rambo of Floral City, and Mary Eck and Ellen Truex of Seminole.
Recipe: Million Dollar Pie II.
Million Dollar Pie II
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained
1 9-ounce container frozen dessert topping, thawed
1 cup chopped nuts (reserve some for garnish)
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 large or two 8-ounce baked pastry or graham cracker shells
Mix all ingredients together well and pour into pie shells. Sprinkle with reserved nuts and chill well. Cut into small wedges to serve.
From: Helen Camden of Spring Hill and Lois Hardy of Clearwater.
Recipe: Million Dollar Pie III.
Million Dollar Pie III
1 cup flaked coconut, divided
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 20-ounce can crushed pineapple, drained well
1 11-ounce can mandarin oranges, drained and halved
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
1 8-ounce carton frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 prepared graham cracker crusts or prebaked pastry crusts
Place 1/2 cup of coconut in small pan and toast at 350 degrees until light brown, about 4 minutes. Set aside.
In large bowl, combine condensed milk and lemon juice; mix thoroughly. Mix in pineapple, orange segments and pecans. Fold in dessert topping and remaining 1/2 cup coconut. Spoon mixture into pie shells and sprinkle evenly with the toasted coconut. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Makes two pies, 6 to 8 servings each.
For: Anne Krieger of Hudson and Dolores Heinrich of Treasure Island.
From: Patt Sulzberger of Sun City Center.
Recipe: German Cheesecake.
German Cheesecake
1/2 (1 stick) cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
Filling:
4 eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pound cottage cheese, small curd (or creamed or both)
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
4 tablespoons lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:
Sugar and ground almonds
For crust, combine ingredients and pat into a shallow springform pan.
For filling, put egg yolks and remaining ingredients, except egg whites and heavy cream, in blender container; process until well mixed. Whip egg whites and cream. Fold into blender mixture. Pour into shell and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Remove from oven and sprinkle with a mixture of sugar and ground almonds; return to oven for 10 minutes. Cool.
Refrigerate in pan until ready to unmold. Can be made the day ahead.
German Cheese Torte
1 box zwiebach or holland rusk, finely ground in blender
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter, melted (1 stick)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup sugar
Filling:
2 pounds cottage cheese, small curd (or creamed or both)
6 whole eggs
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, sifted
1/4 cup whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
For crust, mix all ingredients together. Press all, except 1 cup saved for topping, into a springform pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
For filling, put cottage cheese in food processor; blend. Add eggs, one at a time, blending after each addition. Add sugar; blend. Add sifted flour, cream, vanilla and lemon rind; blend well.
Pour into shell and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour. Turn off oven, open door and let cool for another hour (this way, it won't fall). Make the day before you want to serve, and refrigerate in pan until ready to serve.
Recipe requests
Leverock's clam chowder is a favorite of Justine McGeehan of South Pasadena. Is there any chance Leverock's will share or that someone has figured it out?
Many restaurants today serve a delicious mixture of oil and herbs for bread or rolls. Mary Smith of Seminole would like to know how to prepare it.
Helene Zolay of Oldsmar is a great fan of Emily's Restaurant in Clearwater and eats there often. Helene would love to have the recipes for Emily's potato soup and chicken with orzo soup to take with her when she is up North on vacation.
You Asked for It is a reader mail column. If you have a cooking question or the answer to someone else's question, write to: You Asked for It, the Times, P.O. Box 1121, St. Petersburg, FL 33731. Be sure to include your full name, city and phone number.