Pies for Thanksgiving Dinner

            I can’t believe Thanksgiving is almost here.  It seems like I just put that heavy turkey platter away yesterday.  Oh, come to think of it, I did.  I had found a unique use for it involving rubber gloves and duct tape.  (Don’t ask.  It’s more than you want to know.)
           Anyway, it’s time to start thinking about what I’m going to be fixing for dinner.  This means reading through stacks of cookbooks looking for the perfect dishes to highlight the tantalizing meal I will serve my loved ones.  There’s usually a lot of drooling and several trips to the snack cabinet to appease my over-active appetite. 
           I plan an elaborate menu.  When I’m happy with my decisions, I put the cookbooks back on the shelf, pull out my trusty recipe box and fix the same things I’ve fixed for the last thirty years.  Remember, my husband is no fun to cook for and our children follow in his footsteps.  But, for a little while, I had fun imagining what I would fix if my family had the slightest hint of adventure in their souls.
          Our tradition calls for several different kinds of pie.  Here are three of our favorites–two are dessert pies, one is a great side dish.
TOMATO PIE (side dish)
          Bake a frozen, deep-dished pie crust according to directions.
          Wash and slice (fairly thick) firm, slicing tomatoes.  Spread out on layers of paper towels to drain.  Sprinkle with salt and a little sugar.  After the tomatoes have drained, layer in the baked pie crust and sprinkle with fresh basil (optional but good).  Stack fairly high as they will wilt as they bake.
            In a small bowl, mix 1 cup mayonnaise, 1 cup shredded mozzarella or Swiss cheese, and 1 cup of shredded cheddar.  Spread over tomatoes.  Bake 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Let cool slightly, then cut into pie shapes.
HERSHEY BAR PIE
You only need 3 ingredients:
One pre-made chocolate pie crush found in the baking section
½ pound Hershey Bar with almonds
1 regular container of Kool Whip
            Use a potato peeler to shave chocolate bar and almonds into microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave until melted (1-2 minutes).  Stir until completely smooth.  Let cool 15 minutes.  If it is too hot, it will melt the Kool Whip.  After it has cool slightly, add container of Kool Whip and fold in thoroughly being sure to scrape the chocolate loose from the bottom of the bowl.  Pour mixture into chocolate pie shell.
            Wash the plastic liner from the pie shell.  Dry thoroughly.  Flip over and use as a cover for the pie.  Crimp the rim of the pie plate over the edge of the plastic liner.  Place in refrigerator for at least 2 hours.  To be fancy when serving, swirl a little chocolate syrup over top of pie.
CARAMEL PIE
2 cans sweetened condensed milk (remove labels, but do not open)
1 stick butter
I pre-made graham cracker crust (found in baking section)
            Place cans in a pan big enough to cover completely with water.  Bring water to a boil and then reduce heat allowing the unopened cans to simmer for 3 ½ hours.  If water starts to evaporate, add more boiling water to keep the temperature at the same level.
            After 3 ½ hours, remove from water and allow to cool about 3o minutes.  Open cans, pour into mixing bowl, add 1 stick of butter, and whip with mixer to incorporate butter.  Pour into pre-made graham cracker crust.  Allow to cool in refrigerator for several hours.  When ready to serve, top with Kool Whip.  Cut into wedges.
Enjoy!!
Diva Dolores