First a big thank you to all who emailed or contacted me through my Facebook page to say that you had bought your copy of Sunset Bridge or were on the way to the bookstore to do so this week.  It was so gratifying to get that wonderful response, and I’m delighted so many of you are looking forward to reading it. 

A second big thank you to all the radio stations who have aired interviews with me in the past week.  I’ve done sixteen so far and have five more on my schedule.  What a great way to promote a novel without leaving home, and afterwards it was great to hear from listeners who now plan to buy the book.  Along with that, many thanks to the reviewers and writer friends who have interviewed me or reviewed my novel.  Both take time and commitment, which I appreciate.

A final big thank you to everyone who sent pie recipes, links or stories to be entered in the Great Pie Prize Giveaway to celebrate the Sunset Bridge launch.  It’s been such fun to read your entries, and I intend to publish more as the months go by.  Choosing the prizes for each box was delightful and took most of a year to finish.  Who knew there were so many fabulolus pie-related items?  Jigsaw puzzles, pie birds and pie top cutters.  Plus all those luscious cookbooks.

At the end of this blog I’ll announce our final winner.  In addition to the four pie prize boxes awarded in June, the grand prize is the choice of a Kindle from Amazon, complete with Wi-Fi and E Ink pearl technology, or the Breville Pie Maker from Williams-Sonoma.

First, though, a few more recipes.  This one sounds delicious, and while Pat sent me the recipe, I found a link to make it easier for you.  It’s for Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream Pie from Southern Living.   Sounds like summer on a dessert plate to me.  Yum!

Judy sent me this one for an old standard with a twist.  She copied the recipe off a sewing forum years ago, but due to server crashes, the recipe no longer exists and she’s never been able to find it anywhere again.  I’m delighted she copied it when she could and is sharing it with us now.

A Different Kind of Apple Pie

(Judy says: This recipe is not your usual pie crust but it is just wonderful.) 

Crust:

1 ½ cups flour, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 tablespoons milk (very cold) 1/12 teaspoons sugar, 1 teaspoon salt.

Filling:

6 cups apples peeled cored and thinly sliced, ¾ cups sugar, 3 tablespoons flour, ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg.

Topping:

½ cup flour, ½ cup sugar, ½ cup butter

Preheat oven to 350F

For Crust: In a large bowl, mix together, flour, oil, milk, sugar and salt until evenly blended. Pat mixture into a 9-inch pie pan, spreading dough evenly over bottom and up sides. Crimp edges of dough and perimeter of pan.

For Filling: Toss apple slices with sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg. Spread evenly in unbaked pie shell.

For Topping: Mix together flour, sugar and butter until evenly distributed and crumbly in texture. Sprinkle over apple filling.

Place pie on a baking sheet on middle rack of preheated oven, bake 45 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream, if desired.

And finally, from Cindy, a pie that will not heat up your kitchen if you use her final tip.  Cindy says this it first pie she makes every summer, and you’ll see why.

Pineapple Pie

1 box instant vanilla Jello pudding

1 8oz carton sour cream

1 8.5 oz. crushed pineapple, use juice

1 small container Cool Whip

Mix the dry Jello pudding mix and the crushed pineapple. Add Sour Cream. Pour into baked and cooled 9-inch pie shell. Top with Cool Whip, all the way to the crust to seal the pie. Chill and keep in the refrigerator.

Cindy uses a graham cracker pie crust so she doesn’t have to turn on the oven.  Sounds like a good idea to me.

Finally, our grand prize winner:  Jean from Florida sent a funny story about her pie making history that I included on my blog the week I announced the second giveaway winner.  She says she never did become a pie baker, but I guarantee she can bake a good tale for us to enjoy.  Now I hope she enjoys her choice of prizes because random.org chose her entry for the grand prize.  I’ll let you know which of the two possibilities she picked.  (Late breaking edition:  Jean chose the Kindle and it’s on its way to her.  Turns out she’s a quilter and an FSU alum, like me.  Go Seminoles!)

I have so enjoyed hosting this giveaway. I hope you’ve enjoyed the recipes and stories, and for the five winners, your prizes, as well.  Again, thanks to everyone who participated.  And don’t forget the women of Happiness Key are waiting for you in the final installment of the series, Sunset Bridge, available at last.