Sugar Cream Pie

This will be my first recipe post so I thought I'd give you a little family background since this blog will be mostly family recipes!

My mom's family is Scotch/Irish and German.  Her mother's family (McClain) settled in southern Indiana in the mid-1800's.  Her father's family (Whalbring) settled in southern Indiana near the late 1800's.  When I was younger I would ask my mom what my ancestry was and she would always tell me that I was 1/4 Scotch/Irish, 1/4 German, and 1/2 Jackass (after my father)...lol.  She would say this in jest, but I'm sure at times she meant it.  Unfortunately my dad's family weren't the best cooks with the exception of my aunt's red velvet cake.  I will share that somewhere along the line.  So here is the first recipe:

Sugar Creme Pie

Set aside about an hour the first time you make this due to the time it takes the filling to thicken.

Ingredients:

1 Pillsbury pre-made pie dough (quick, easy and it's good!) or make your own

2 cups sugar

1stick butter (or margarine) softened at room temperature

corn starch

1 can Milnot evaporated milk (or Carnation)

Enough 2% milk to make 2 cups when added to evaporated milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

cinnamon to sprinkle on top when finished

Baking the pie crust:

Heat oven to 450°F.  Let pie crust soften from refrigeration while pre-heating oven.  Unroll the pie crust and place in pie pan.  Crimp the egdes and prick the crust.  Pricking the crust prevents it from bubbling while it bakes.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly browned. You can also use a foil cover for the edges.

Making the filling: 

You will need a double boiler for this.  Add a couple of inches of water to the bottom pan to heat the top pan's contents, but don't overfill as this will cause hot water spattering on you.

1.  Place the sugar and softened butter in top pan of the double boiler and set the burner for medium to medium-high heat.  Creme the sugar and butter mixture thoroughly until smooth.  This step is important so that your pie isn't "grainey".

2.  Place the corn starch into a small bowl and add a few teaspoons of the evap. milk to disolve the corn starch.  Once mixed thoroughly with no lumps, pour it into your 2 cup measuring cup and add the rest of the can of evaporated milk, then fill to the 2 cup mark with regular milk.  Pour this into the sugar and butter mixture.

3.  Stir constantly until thickened.  You have to stir, and stir, and stir...this part takes the most time but it is worth it.  If you do not constantly stir, your pie will have lumps...ick!

4.  Once the mixture reaches the desired consistency of a pudding.  Remove from the top pan and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and stir thoroughly.

5.  Fill your sink or a large bowl with ice and water and place pan of pie filling into it being careful not to allow any of the water to splash into it.  Stir for about 4-5 minutes until the filling starts to cool and thicken.

6.  Once cooled, place into pre-cooked pie shell and sprinkle with cinnamon.

7.  Store in refrigerator until fully set.