Favorite holiday pie so simple it seems wrong

Happy holidays, Carson City!

It is a very special time of the year. Everyone is busy shopping, going to holiday parties, and making plans for the biggest holiday event of the year. Holiday time always means baking pies to me.

I try to make a new and unusual pie for either Thanksgiving or Christmas. This Thanksgiving, I came up with a great pie to take to my mom's house. I was also required to bring the traditional pies.

I took four pies: Pumpkin Pie, Bourbon Chocolate Pie, Pumpkin Pie with Streusel Topping and a Lime Coconut Buttermilk Pie. To my delight, half of the dessert eaters opted for the Lime Coconut Buttermilk Pie. I was so glad that I'd taken a nontraditional pie. Everyone who had it loved it.

It was then I decided to share the recipe of Lime Coconut Pie with you. I will include a lemon buttermilk option ... plus a few topping ideas. I hope you try it and enjoy it.

These recipes are so simple they seem wrong. But if you can use a whisk, you can make both kinds of buttermilk pie.

This dessert has been a Southern favorite for a long time. Don't let the buttermilk turn you off - it makes a delicate, slightly tangy custard when blended with eggs and sugar. Since buttermilk is lowfat, the pie isn't quite as rich as typical custard pie. Plus, there aren't too many eggs, just enough to gently set the filling.

I also recommend that you make a homemade pie shell instead of using store-bought. However, if you need to keep it simple, store-bought will do.

Another addition you can make, especially to the Lemon Buttermilk Pie, is fresh fruit. When in season, hulled strawberries mixed with a little honey and lime juice would be a great topping. Another idea would be any variety of mixed fruit, made glossy and more flavorful with the addition of honey and the juice of one lime.

Lime Coconut Buttermilk Pie was the bestseller at my mom's house the last Thanksgiving dinner. I think I'll make another one for Christmas!

LIME COCONUT BUTTERMILK PIE

(Makes one 9-inch pie)

Whisk together:

11Ú2 cups sugar

3Ú4 cup sweetened shredded coconut

1Ú2 cup buttermilk

1Ú2 cup un sweetened coconut milk

1 T. all-purpose flour

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1Ú2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Minced zest and juice of 1 lime

Pinch salt

1 9-inch unbaked pie shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk all ingredients together in a large bowl until blended. Pour into pie shell and place on a baking sheet. Bake until filling is just set yet still a bit jiggly, 40-50 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature; chill, if not serving right away. (Let chilled pie stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.)

LEMON BUTTERMILK PIE

(Makes one 9-inch pie)

Whisk together:

11Ú2 cups sugar

1 cup buttermilk

1 T. all-purpose flour

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1Ú2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Minced zest and juice of 1 lemon

Pinch salt

1 9-inch unbaked pie crust

Prepare same as Lime-Coconut Buttermilk Pie.

Molly Gingell is the owner of Molly's Gourmet Catering, takeout and cooking school at 220 W. John St. in Carson City.