Good Things: May 2006 Archives

What do you do when you have left over buttermilk that you bought for the past weekend to make fried chicken, biscuits and pancakes?

Make pie!

Magnolia Pie (Also known as Buttermilk Pie)

1 unbaked 9-inch pie shell

2 cups sugar

1 stick butter, softened

4 tablespoons flour

3 eggs, slightly beaten

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

In large bowl cream together sugar, butter and flour. Add eggs, buttermilk and vanilla. Pour into unbaked pie shell and bake for 1 hour at 325 degrees or until a butter knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Sometimes it does have to cook longer than an hour.

Ring your pie shell with tinfoil if it is browning too quickly before your pie is set.

Chill before serving.

Now before you turn your nose up at the thought of buttermilk for a pie just remind yourself that this is really a custard type recipe and the pie will be smooth and creamy and sweet as well as delicious!

*****Update*****

Della asked if this was the same as a chess pie. A most excellent question! In some places the name buttermilk pie and chess pie are interchangable. For me they are distinctly different.

The buttermilk pie is make with buttermilk and the chess pie is made with vinegar (in a different portion ratio). There are cooks who claim the name "Chess Pie" derived from 'cheese' not that the pie has cheese in it but because the mixture creates a curd texture and some are of the school that it got its name from keeping well in the pie chest. Me, I just think it is good -and where I come from the pie was kept in a Pie Safe (Terminology is everything! LOL). I am going to add some variations of the recipe here so that you can see how versitile this pie is.

Lemon Chess Pie

1 9-inch pie shell, unbaked

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup melted butter (not margarine)

1 tablespoon plus 2 teaspoons cornmeal

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel

pinch salt

Preheated oven to 325. Beat eggs well. Add sugar, butter, and cornmeal. Beat well after each addition. Stir in lemon juice, grated lemon peel, and salt. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake until set, about 30 to 35 minutes, or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean. Chill before serving.

Coconut Chess Pie

1 stick butter (real butter, not margarine)

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup flaked coconut

2 teaspoons vinegar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheated oven to 350. Combine butter and sugar in saucepan; heat, stirring, until melted and well blended. Combine all ingredients and mix. Pour into an unbaked pie shell. Bake for about 1 hour or until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Chill before serving.

Pineapple Chess Pie

1 cup crushed pineapple, drained

2 cup sugar

1 tb cornstarch

1 cup coconut

4 eggs

1 stick butter (not margarine)

1 tsp vanilla

1 9inch pie shell, baked

Preheated oven to 325. Mix all the ingredients; pour into pie crust. Bake 30 to 40 minutes, until done and a butter knife inserted in the center pulls out clean. Chill before serving.