Deseret News Archives, 
 
Tuesday, November 25, 1997  
  

 Just dessert  
 
 
Chef designated dinner on Thanksgiving Eve as meal where only pies are served.
 

 By Jean Williams, food editor  
 
 
You wouldn't think of Toni Weight as a rebel, but she's known to buck the tide of tradition every now and then. 
Like allowing her family to eat dessert FIRST. 
Thirteen years ago she announced her newly hatched brain child: The evening before Thanksgiving forevermore would be known as ``Pie Night.'' 
The North Ogden native, who is dean of student development at Weber State University, reasoned that when people eat Thanksgiving dinner, they usually consume so much turkey and fixings that the best part of the meal - dessert - isn't appreciated. 
And since extended families are often doing their own Thanksgivings elsewhere, something needed to be done to bring them all together. 
Thus, the night before Tender Timer Time was set aside for Weight's ``pie in the sky'' celebration. She invited her entire family to come over and share a meal in which the first course, second course, third course . . . consisted of pie. A variety of them, but nevertheless, PIE ONLY. 
``The idea just popped into my head,'' Weight said.``Pies seemed appropriate for Thanksgiving.'' 
The first year, Weight made five kinds of pies. Then after requests from children and suddenly acquired dear friends, the list climbed to around 20 pies. The record was sliced last year - 23. 
Now, with close to 20 varieties, Weight's pre-party preparations aren't a spur-of-the-moment deal. She begins the production by assembling and baking fruit pies several weeks ahead. 
``Last year I did three kinds of apple - traditional, Dutch crumb top and cranberry apple,'' she said. This year, she'll repeat the apple favorites, and bake cherry (she puts up her own), blueberry, berry, peach and mincemeat. 
She carefully puts the cooled pies in large baggies and places them in clean pizza boxes. The pies are then stacked in an extra freezer. 
When Pie Night is near, Weight takes a day off work to complete the task. 
Chocolate cream cheese pie, a riot in richness, is a family favorite. Weight has learned that one pie isn't enough, so she makes two. It still disappears faster than the rest. Pumpkin, pumpkin chiffon, banana cream, coconut cream, egg nog, raspberry chiffon, pecan and lemon meringue are prepared in stages (crusts are baked and frozen first, then filled the day before). 
Not a crumb is overlooked: a fruit pizza pie is served for breakfast the morning after - a thoughtfully gentle easing from last evening's sugar shock. 
PIE NIGHT ARRIVES! 
The unveiling of the main courses (all 20) begins when the family is seated around the dining room and kitchen tables. A row of highchairs line one side of the room. As Toni introduces the flavor of each pie, the adults are soon drooling in unison with the babies. 
``I cut each pie and help them get the first piece out; after that they can come and get what they want,'' she said. 
Plates filled with an assortment of cheeses and salted nuts are served between pie pieces as a relief from all the sugar. 
When the first ``wave'' of pie-eating is completed, Weight's daughter invites friends over for the ``subparty.'' 
The remainder of pie is either eaten on Thanksgiving or returned to the pizza boxes and freezer. Sometimes the Weights are still eating pie into March. 
``You'll hear about this and you think you're going to eat 10 or 12 slices,'' Weight said. ``People only get through four or five slices.'' 
At the age of 14, nephew Sam Weight decided that his goal was to try every kind of pie one year. He succeeded and has become a family legend (thin slices are the secret). 
After Weight has spent 13 years and lotsa dough (pastry and monetary), we wondered aloud if making all those pies could deflate the enthusiasm for Pie Night. 
Not so, Weight said. ``I love to cook and I like to do it,'' she said. 
``It's creative and so much fun to put them all out. People say, `Oooh! How many are there this year . . . they're so pretty!' '' 
Weight's favorite pie is coconut cream, with lemon meringue coming in a close second. Her mother's recipe for chiffon date is wonderfully rich, she said. But can she stand to eat commercially prepared pies? ``I don't very often eat pie out,'' she said. 
And the tradition continues. Weight has a daughter in Tennessee and one in Nevada who are introducing Pie Night into local cultures. 
Even brother-in-law Randy Weight began his own version of Pie Night at his home, inviting a growing number of fortunate friends over. 
Now they all look forward to each Pie Night with the same anticipation they have for Thanksgiving. 
Randy's customized Pie Night has added cakes, tortes and cobblers to the mix (his specialties). 
And a little something that's still true to the pie theme for his friends who don't like sweets . . . quiche. 
***** 
 
RECIPES 
 
A FLAKY PASTRY FOR 2-CRUST PIE 
 
2 cups sifted flour 
1 teaspoon salt 
3/4 cup Crisco 
4-5 tablespoons ice water 
 
Combine flour and salt in mixing bowl. Cut Crisco with pastry blen-der or with 2 knives until mixture is the consistency of coarse corn meal. Sprinkle on cold wa-ter 1 tablespoon at a time, toss-ing mixture lightly or stirring with fork. Add water each time to the driest part of the mixture. The dough should be just moist enough to hold together when pressed gently with a fork; it should not be sticky. Shape dough in smooth ball with hands and roll. Or, if you are not ready to make the pie, wrap it in waxed paper and refrigerate 30 minutes or until ready to fill and bake pie. Bake at 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Serves 8. 
- Each serving contains 282 calories, 19g fat, 23g carb, 930mg sodium, 0mg cholesterol. 
- From Toni Weight 
 
CHOCOLATE CREAM-CHEESE PIE 
 
9-inch prepared chocolate graham crust 
1 16-ounce package (2 cups) semi-sweet chocolate pieces 
1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened 
3/4 cup light brown sugar 
1/8 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
2 eggs, separated 
1 cup heavy cream, whipped 
 
Melt chocolate over hot (not boiling) water; cool about 10 minutes. Blend cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, the salt and vanilla. Beat in egg yolks, one at a time. Beat in cooled chocolate; blend well. Beat egg whites until stiff but not dry. Gradually beat in 1/4 cup sugar; beat until stiff and glossy. Fold chocolate mixture into beaten whites. Fold in whip-ped cream. Pour into chilled crust, reserving 1/4 of mixture for de-corating. Chill until filling sets slightly. With tapered spoon, drop reserved mixture in mounds over top of pie. Chill ov-er-night. Serves 8. 
- Each serving contains 692 calories, 46g fat, 75g carb, 340mg sodium, 72mg cholesterol. 
- From Toni Weight 
 
CRANBERRY-APPLE PIE 
< For pie: 
3 cups raw Ocean Spray cranberries 
3/4 cup apple cider or juice 
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 
3 tablespoons cornstarch 
1/4 teaspoon ground mace 
2 1/2 cups sliced peeled apple 
1 tablespoon butter 
2 unbaked 9-inch pastry crusts. 
 
For topping: 
1 cup whipping cream 
1/4 cup powdered sugar 
2 tablespoons brandy or flavoring 
 
Combine cranberries and apple cider or juice. Cook and stir 5 to 8 minutes or until cranberry skins pop. Combine granulated sugar, cornstarch and mace. Stir in hot cranberries. Cook quickly, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and bubbles; remove from heat. Stir in apples and set aside to cool. Prepare pastry. Turn cranberry mixture into pastry; cover with crust. Dot with butter. Bake at 425 degrees for 50-60 minutes, or until crust is browned and apples are tender. Make topping by whipping cream, add powdered sugar, and flavor with brandy or your choice of flavoring. Serves 8. 
- Each serving contains 512 calories, 23g fat, 76g carb, 352mg sodium, 38mg cholesterol. 
- From Toni Weight 
 
CHIFFON DATE PIE 
 
1 pie shell with 1/4 cup sesame seeds 
1 envelope unflavored gelatin 
1/4 cup cold water 
1 cup milk 
2 egg yolks 
1/4 cup sugar 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 cup dates, cut in small pieces 
3/4 cup cream, whipped stiff 
2 egg whites 
2 tablespoons sugar 
Dash nutmeg 
 
Bake pie shell with sesame seeds spread on bottom of crust. Cool. Make filling by softening unflavored gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Beat together milk, egg yolks, sugar and salt. Combine the mixture and cook in top of double boiler over hot water, stirring constantly until it will coat a metal spoon. Add softened gelatin and stir until dissolved. Then cool in the re-frig-erator, stirring occasionally until thick. In small bowl, mix vanilla, dates and whipped cream. Set aside. In another small bowl, beat egg whites until slight mounds form; add 2 tablespoons sugar and gradually beat until glossy peaks form. Add to vanilla, dates and whipped cream. Add to refrigerated filling mixture; mixing well. Sprinkle with a little nutmeg and put into the cooked pie shell. Cool at least 1 hour. Serve with whipped cream. Serves 8. 
- Each serving contains 287 calories, 13g fat, 39g carb, 259mg sodium, 10mg cholesterol. 
- From Toni Weight 
 
COCONUT CREAM PIE 
 
1/2 cup sugar 
3 tablespoons flour 
1 tablespoon cornstarch 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1 1/2 cups milk 
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten 
1 tablespoon butter 
1 teaspoon vanilla 
1 cup coconut 
Combine sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt in top of double boiler. Mix with a wooden spoon. Blend in milk gradually, then add egg yolks. Add butter. Place over rapidly boiling water so pan is touching water. Cook until thick and smooth, about 7 minutes, stir-ring constantly. Scrape down sides of pan frequently. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Stir until smooth and blended, scraping sides of pan well. Pour hot filling into pie shell. Serves 8. 
- Each serving contains 177 calories, 8g fat, 24g carb, 138mg sodium, 86mg cholesterol. 
- From Toni Weight 
 
BEST-EVER LEMON MERINGUE PIE 
 
1 1/2 cups sugar 
1 1/2 cups water 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
1/2 cup cornstarch 
1/3 cup water 
4 egg yolks, slightly beaten 
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice 
3 tablespoons butter 
1 teaspoon lemon peel, grated 
4 egg whites 
1/4 teaspoon salt 
1/2 cup sugar 
9-inch pie crust, cooked 
 
For filling: 
Combine sugar, 1 1/2 cups water and salt in saucepan; heat to boiling. Mix cornstarch and 1/3 cup water to make a smooth paste. Add to boiling mixture gradually, stirring constantly. Cook until thick and clear. Remove from heat. Combine egg yolks and lemon juice; stir into thickened mixture. Return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture bubbles again. Remove from heat; stir in butter and lemon peel. Cover and cool until lukewarm. 
 
For meringue: 
Add salt to egg whites; beat until frothy. Gradually add 1/2 cup sugar, beating until glossy peaks form. Stir 2 rounded tablespoons of meringue into lukewarm filling. Pour filling into cool pie shell. Pile remaining meringue on top and spread lightly over filling, spreading evenly to edge of crust. Bake at 325 degrees about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool on rack at least 1 hour before cutting. Serves 8. 
- Each serving contains 385 calories, 12g fat, 68g carb, 413mg sodium, 12mg cholesterol. 
- From The Farm Journal's Best-Ever Recipes 
 
 

© 1997 Deseret News Publishing Co.