Chocolate Cream Pie - Week 42

The most basic of pies sometimes exposes the cook.

It's been a long year of cooking, baking, documenting, and eating pie.  Week 42 was a point where I found myself in over my head. I did fix the pie, but I took it to a potluck and didn't get a finished picture of it. Honestly, it didn't turn out very well. I had found myself trying to do too many things all at once and it had lumps in the filling. It had a good taste, but it was kind of embarrassing that after all of that pie practice that it didn't turn out.  

Crazy thing is, earlier in the year; I had made a perfect chocolate meringue pie that turned out beautiful. I hadn't taken pictures of it at that time because it wasn't on my schedule yet. 

Anyways, there is proof I made it. I have pictures to document the beginning stages, but it didn't get a final picture.

Most recipes are similar, except that some use flour, and others use corn starch. I've had both, and I can taste the difference, but I can't choose a favorite.  This recipe includes both options.

Ingredients:

1 baked pastry shell

1-1/2 cup sugar

¼ cup cornstarch or ½ cup flour

¼ cup cocoa powder

½ t. salt

3 cups milk

4 egg yolks

1 T. butter

1-1/2 t. vanilla

(4 egg white meringue)

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch(or flour), cocoa, and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir constantly over medium-high heat till mixture is thickened and bubbly.  Reduce heat; cook and stir for 2 more minutes. Pour part of hot mixture slowly onto egg yolks, stirring constantly. Pour back into hot mixture. Cook and stir almost constantly for 2 more minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Pour the hot filling into baked shell. Spread meringue over hot filling. Seal to edge. Bake in a 350 oven for 12 to 15 minutes.

Cool.

If you prefer, skip the meringue and top with whipped cream. 

A good friend of mine did take a picture of her chocolate cream pie. And it turned out beautiful; so I'm going to share her picture instead. She posted the picture on Facebook, and her family responded that the pie looked like the ones her grandma had made.  And another responded that she had her grandma and mom's talent.

My friend Annette's pie... she is a great cook!

Many of us learned lessons from our grandma's kitchen and will potentially train our own grandchildren. Do you have a favorite from your grandma's kitchen that you want to share with your family? 

Swedish Apple Pie - Week 41

An apple pie without the standard crust, 

but has a tasty top crust.

This recipe has been in my stash for many years. The same year we had a bumper crop of pears, we also had a bumper crop of apples.

I thought this recipe was great because I didn't have to spend the time to roll out a crust, but yet it was still pie! 

I think you'll enjoy this great time-saver recipe too!

Ingredients:
6 cups peeled, sliced tart apples
1 cup plus 1 T. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
½ cup butter, softened
1 t. cinnamon
½ butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup flour




Directions:
Place apples in bottom of greased pie plate. Sprinkle with 1 T. sugar and cinnamon. In small mixer bowl, mix well remaining sugar, and butter. Beat in egg. Stir in flour. Spread over apples. Bake for 45 minutes or until apples are tender.

What is your favorite time-saver in the kitchen

and still get the homemade taste in your kitchen?

Black Bottom Oatmeal Pie - Week 40

Hearty oatmeal pie that will remind you of a chocolate chip oatmeal cookie.

The chocolate layer in the bottom of this pie is a nice treat. Even though this may have not been a favorite for our house, I think it could be a favorite for the right home.  I would love to hear from you and hear about your results with this pie!

Ingredients:

1 bottom pie crust, prebaked

1-1/2 cups oats

¼ cup heavy cream

4 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips

¾ cup brown sugar

5 T. butter, melted

½ t. salt

¼ t. ginger

½ cup maple syrup

½ cup corn syrup

2 t. cider vinegar

1 t. vanilla

4 large eggs


Directions:

1. Toast oats on a baking sheet for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

2. Bring to a boil heavy cream in small saucepan. Remove and add chocolate chips. Let sit for 5 minutes

3. Whisk until smooth and spread evenly in bottom of pie shell.

4. Place pie in freezer while you make rest of the filling.

5. Mix brown sugar, butter, salt, and ginger. Add syrups, vinegar, and vanilla. Mix well. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in oats.

6. Remove pie crust from freezer and pour filling into crust.

7. Bake at 325 degrees for 55-60 or until edges are set and puffed slightly.

8. Serve warm or at room temperature.


Variation from birdsblack.com

This pie could easily be eaten for breakfast,

 what do you think?

Stacked Enchilada Pie - Week 39 Bonus

Tasty main dish that will impress with stacks of enchilada flavor.

This was really good. I wish that I would have a good picture of it because it really looked great after I took it out of the oven and presented it on a glass platter. However, I took it to a potluck and didn't get a chance to photograph it before it was devoured. Maybe, I will update this post when I make it next time. And there will be a next time!

Updated Pic 04/17/16 (from another potluck!)

The original post was vegetarian, so I added the meat to make it family-friendly. And I think it's a great idea to use the springform pan so you can show off the tasty layers.

Ingredients (filling):
6 (10”) flour tortillas
1 lb ground beef
1 T. olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ t. cumin
salt & pepper
2 c. frozen corn
4 green onions, sliced
1 (15 oz) can black beans, drained & rinsed
¼ cup cilantro, minced
2 cups shredded cheese 
Ingredients (Enchilada sauce):
1 T. olive oil 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 small onion, diced 2 T. chili powder
1 clove garlic, minced 1-1/2 t. cumin

Directions:
Prepare 10” springform pan with cooking spray. Brown ground beef, and drain. Add olive oil and saute onion until tender. Add the jalapeno, garlic, ½ t. cumin, salt and pepper. Cook through. Add corn, green onions, beans, and green cilantro.  Set aside
For enchilada sauce, heat 1 T. olive oil, and saute small onion until tender. Add garlic, crushed tomatoes, chili powder, and cumin. Simmer for 5 minutes.
Place ¼ cup of enchilada sauce in springform pan (spread to sides). Layer tortilla shell, ¼ cup enchilada sauce,3/4 cup filling, ½ cup cheese. Repeat 4X. After the last tortilla is stacked, pour remaining sauce and remaining cheese. 
Bake at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Cool for 10 minutes and run a knife along the sides of the pan before you remove the side. To serve, slice into wedges.


Variation from crunchyrock.com

Can you think of another dish that you could stack and make a delicious meal?

Salted Honey Pie - Week 39

Thin slice of honey sweetness topped with salt.

The process that honeybees go through to make this sweetened sticky treat is fascinating. 

About 5 years ago, we got an up close experience with the magic of bees. Apparently we had a group of bees that decided to reside in our pine tree. Within a few hours their residence turned into a large party.

Thankfully, our neighbors had connections with someone that could take care of the problem. He sat a box underneath the branch. He gave the branch a quick shake, and the bees fell into his box. He let the bees get comfortable in their new home for another hour and then took them away with him.  Since then, we've had a couple more bee incidents in the neighborhood especially in early summer.

But as long they can get relocated, it is all good in the neighborhood.

If you like the taste of honey, you'll surely love this sweet pie that is topped with some sea salt for balance.

Ingredients:
1 bottom pie crust – baked
½ cup butter, melted
¾ cup sugar
2 T. cornmeal
¼ t. salt
¾ cup honey
3 eggs
½ cup cream
2 t. white vinegar
1 t. vanilla
Sea salt



Directions:

Combine melted butter with sugar, ¼ t. salt, and cornmeal to make a thick paste. Add the honey, vanilla and vinegar and mix together. Fold in the eggs, add the cream and blend. Pour

the filling into a pre-baked pie shell and bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes. The filling will puff up like a marshmallow and the center will be just slightly wobbly. Once cooled (at least one hour), finish with a sprinkling of sea salt.

Do you have a favorite way to eat honey?

Peach Pie - Week 38

My personal favorite is the Peach Pie.

I had to wait until the year was underway to make my favorite pie to take advantage of the fresh peaches that abound in the stores in early fall.  Its simple sweet taste with cinnamon and nutmeg in a flaky crust makes it irresistible.  I enjoy this pie warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. 

Ingredients:

1 Pie pastry – double crust
5 cups peaches, peeled, sliced
2 T. lemon juice
½ c. flour
1 c. sugar
½ t. cinnamon
¼ t. nutmeg
½ t. salt



Directions:
Place the sliced peaches in a large bowl, and sprinkle with lemon juice.

In a separate bowl, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Pour mixture gently over peaches and mix gently.

Pour into crust.

Cover with top crust, and cut several slits in the top crust to vent stem.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 additional minutes or until juices begin to bubble through vents.

Now that I shared my favorite, what is your favorite pie?

Onion Tomato Pie - Week 37 Bonus

Simple garden ingredients make a great side pie!

Layers of vegetables, creamy mayo dressing with Parmesan cheese in a pie shell make this a fresh side pie.  

Onions typically find their way into many recipes, but this pie features it as its main ingredient. Onions have some significant health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure with its extra fiber and also  protection against cancer because of it phytochemicals elements. It doesn't like we can get enough vegetables in our diet, so this can be a nice addition to your meal to provide an extra vegetable.





Ingredients:

1 Pie crust, bottom only
3 large tomatoes, thinly sliced & drained
1 medium sweet onion, thinly sliced
1 cup chopped fresh basil
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup mayonnaise
3 oz. Shaved Parmesan cheese
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:
Sprinkle tomatoes with salt, and let drain. (Salting helps the tomatoes to “sweat” out some water.)

Prebake pie crust for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Mix shredded cheese, mayonnaise, and salt & pepper. -Stir until combined.

Layer the bottom of the pie crust with onion slices, reserving a handful for the top of pie.

Sprinkle half the basil on top of onions.

Layer the tomatoes on top.

Sprinkle the other half of basil on top of tomatoes.

Add the handful of onions on top.

Spread the cheese-mayo mix over the top.

Top it with the shaved Parmesan cheese.

Bake for 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

Let sit for 15 minutes before serving.

What ways do you introduce vegetables to your menu to keep things fresh and healthy?