Pies made with Girl Scout Cookies

Late February/early March means it's the season for eating Girl Scout cookies. Some people apparently felt that they weren't good enough as is and created some recipes to turn them into pies (http://www.girlscouts.org/en/cookies/all-about-cookies/Cookie-Recipes.html). The first, Mile-High Peppermint Pie, is a a mint version of baked Alaska, a frozen mint ice cream pie with Thin Mints™ crust and a meringue topping. The second, Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Pie, is a pie made with Rah Rah Raisin™ cookies.

Mile-High Peppermint Pie

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups crushed Thin Mints™ Girl Scouts cookies (24 cookies)
2 Tbsp butter melted

5 cups peppermint ice cream (Bryer's)

meringue:
5 large egg whites
2/3 cup sugar

chocolate sauce:
1 oz semisweet chocolate
1 Tbsp butter
1/2 sugar
3 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp light corn syrup
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Mix the cookies and butter in a bowl. Press into bottom and sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Freeze covered for 1 hour until solid. Spread the ice cream into the crust and freeze until solid. Preheat oven to 450.

Prepare chocolate sauce by melting chocolate and butter over medium-low heat. Add the sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer uncovered for 4-5 minutes until thickened, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Keep warm.

For the meringue, in a small, heavy saucepan, combine the egg whites and sugar. Using a hand mixer, beat on low speed for 1 minute. Place saucepan over low heat; continue beating on low until a thermometer reads 160°.

Transfer mixture to a bowl. Beat on high until stiff glossy peaks form. Spread over the frozen pie. Bake 2-3 minutes until meringue is lightly browned. Serve immediately with warm chocolate sauce. Yields 8 servings.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Pie

Created by Donna Fumuso

1 pie pastry
3 eggs
3/4 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/8 tsp salt
1 pkg (6-oz) Girl Scouts Rah-Rah Raisins™ cookies, crushed
1 1/2 cups raisins
1/4 cup quick-cooking oats
whipped cream for garnish

Preheat oven to 350°. Unroll pastry sheet into a 9-inch pie plate and flute the edge. In a large bowl, beat eggs, corn syrup, brown sugar, melted butter, vanilla, and salt until blended. Stir in crushed Rah-Rah Raisins™ cookies, raisins, and oats. Pour into the pie pastry. Bake 45-55 minutes or until filling is set and top is golden brown. Cool on a wire rack and serve or refrigerate within 2 hours. If desired, serve topped with whipped cream. Yields 8 servings.