Three delicious pie recipes to celebrate Pi Day

A smooth peanut butter cream pie to celebrate Pi Day.

From berries to ground beef, the pie is as versatile as it is scrumptious

ARTICLE AND PHOTOS BY ELENI KOPSAFTIS

Whether you’re a lover of STEM or a connoisseur of holidays and observances, you probably know that March 14 is Pi Day!

We all learned it at some point in high school mathematics; pi, or π, is the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. According to PiDay.org, the circumference of a circular object is always about three times its width, giving us the number 3.14, which the pi symbol represents.

Feel free to celebrate the day by having fun with numbers, i.e., go around your house and measure the circumference and diameter of all the round things you can find. Although, if you’re a student in a math-related field then maybe ‘having fun with numbers’ doesn’t hold the same appeal. Instead, why not treat yourself? Have some pie!

From sweet to savoury, you’re bound to love one of these three fantastic pie recipes. PEANUT BUTTER CREAM PIE

Adapted from Taste of Home

Despite indulging in the rich taste of peanut butter, this recipe yields a pie that is incredibly light and soft. Even better, it doesn’t require baking, so it’s one of the easier pies to make on this list.

Ingredients:

• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened • ¾ cup confectioners’ sugar • ½ cup peanut butter • 6 tbsp whole milk • 1 carton (8 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed • 1 graham cracker crust (9 inches) • ¼ cup chopped peanuts

Instructions:

the milk. 3. Fold in the whipped topping. 4. Spoon the mixture into the crust. 5. Sprinkle with peanuts. 6. Chill overnight in the fridge. • 1 tbsp canola oil • Half a can of condensed cream of chicken with herbs soup • Half a can of condensed cream of mushroom & garlic soup • 1 frozen 9-inch deep-dish pie shell for dessert. This pie is meant to be ‘sky-high,’ so don’t go light on those toppings.

EASY MEAT PIE

Adapted from Food.com

Sick of the sweet stuff? Don't worry, we’ve got you covered with this savoury meat pie! It contains all kinds of different herbs and spices to give you a tasty and filling meal best served with green beans and a fresh, crisp salad.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground beef or ground chicken • ½ cup dried onion • ¼ cup fresh onion (chopped) • 2 tsp dried parsley • 1 tsp garlic powder • 1 tsp onion powder • 1 cup small-curd cottage cheese • 1 large egg

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 375°F. 2. In a large bowl, thoroughly mix your choice of ground meat with the dried onions, garlic powder, and onion powder. 3. In a skillet, heat the canola oil on medium-high heat and brown the ground meat mixture, making sure to chop the meat into small pieces while browning until cooked through. 4. Drain any excess oil and juices from the skillet. Pour the browned meat mixture into a medium bowl. Add the cream of chicken soup, the cream of mushroom soup, the fresh chopped onions, and the parsley to the browned meat.

Stir until thoroughly mixed. 5. Beat the egg until it is slightly foamy. In a small bowl, add small-curd cottage cheese. Then fold the beaten egg into the cottage cheese until blended. 6. Remove the 9-inch deep-dish pie shell from the freezer.

Pour the meat mixture into the pie shell and spread the cottage cheese mixture on top. 7. Bake for 50-55 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

Let the pie cool for approximately 15-30 minutes before serving.

SKY-HIGH STRAWBERRY PIE

Adapted from Taste of Home

Last but certainly not least, whip up this sweet berry treat

Ingredients:

• 3 quarts fresh strawberries • 1-½ cups sugar • 6 tbsp cornstarch • ⅔ cup water • 1 cup heavy whipping cream • 4-½ tsp instant vanilla pudding mix • 1 deep-dish pie crust (10 inches), baked Optional • Red food colouring

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, mash enough berries to equal 3 cups. 2. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar and cornstarch.

Stir in the mashed berries and the water, then bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.

Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. 3. Remove the mixture from the heat. Add food colouring if desired. Pour into a large bowl. 4. Chill for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the mixture is just slightly warm. Fold in the remaining berries. 5. Pile the mixture into the pie crust. Chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours. 6. In a small bowl, whip the cream until soft peaks form.

Sprinkle the dry pudding mix over the cream and continue whipping until stiff. 7. Pipe the whipped cream around the edge of the pie or dollop on individual slices.

Enjoy!