Its Jes' Pie

Photo and original recipe from Taste of Home

 Pie of the Month is my son-in-law's favorite Christmas gift. My husband likes it also, since I usually make 2. One of my goals last year was to improve my pie crust so this has given me lots of practice. Its also fun to find pie recipes that are seasonal, some new and some old favorites. In last year's line up, the traditional pumpkin pie was the least liked. After tasting several new flavors it just didn't hold up! 

So this year I'm looking for some new ideas. Upon searching for January pies I found quite a selection - who knew that was a thing? Common ideas were lemon meringue and pecan. To me those are spring or summer (for the lemon) and December (for the pecan) flavors. Then a new idea - Chess Pie. One I hadn't tried and it looked easy and with ingredients I had on hand. And the chocolate version sounded even better! 

Chess pie is a Southern favorite that starts the year right. It's ingredients are butter, sugar, and eggs (sounds good already), things commonly in the kitchen. Its a simple custard pie similar to Buttermilk pie. Some recipes have cornmeal for a bit of texture. The name "Chess Pie" has several pieces of lore connected. One story is that at a time when pecans and other nuts were scarce, a cook made a pie with these simple ingredients and when asked what kind of pie she had made, she replied, "Oh, its jes' pie". Another story is that with these ingredients combined with sugar the pie could be kept unrefrigerated in a 'chest' (pie safe or cabinet) and the flavor became better the longer it lasted. 

When I found this recipe for Chocolate Chess pie I knew it was one I wanted to try. I subsititued cocoa powder for the original recipe's unsweetened chocolate. (original - 1 ½ oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled and without the oil).

 Everyone in my family (s-i-l  proclaimed it "incredible") liked it, I think you will also. 

CHOCOLATE CHESS PIE 

Use a favorite pie crust recipe (or boughten) for a one crust pie. 

After fitting the crust into the pie pan, trim and flute the edges. Refrigerate for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line unpricked crust with a double thickness of foil. Fill with pie weights. Bake on a lower oven rack until light golden brown, 15-20 minutes. Remove foil and weights; bake until bottom is golden brown, 3-6 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Reduce oven setting to 325 degrees. 

 

Filling Ingredients: 

2 large eggs, room temperature

1 cup packed brown sugar

½ cup sugar

4 ½ Tablespoons cocoa powder

1 ½ Tablespoon oil

2 Tablespoons 2% milk

1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup butter, melted

 

Directions:

In a large bowl, whisk sugars and flour. Whisk in eggs. Mix liquids – milk, oil, vanilla extract and melted butter. Whisk cocoa powder into the liquids to dissolve. Gradually whisk liquid mixture into dry ingredients. Pour into crust.

Bake at 325 degrees until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 35-40 minutes. Cover edge of crust with foil if needed to prevent overbrowning. Remove foil and cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate, covered for 3 hours or until chilled. 

 

 

 

Mini Monsters - Cookies, that is

 

Sometimes it does seem as if there are 'mini-monsters' here. When things disappear without explanations, when the dishwasher doesn't work, when a good sounding recipe disappoints. But Monster Cookies have always been a favorite and I don't believe that have to be made in a monster-big size. These cookies hold their shape well and fit into the cookie jar neatly. And since they are a smaller size, they may encourage less snacking!  I doubled the original recipe to make a family sized batch, because my family always shows up when there are cookies! 

This will be a favorite recipe for you also. These cookies are soft and chewy, filled with chocolate chips, M&M's, salty peanut butter, and oats. Use dark brown sugar for a richer flavor. Semi-sweet chocolate chips are a good contrast to the milk chocolate of M&M's. Baking cookies at 375 degrees (instead of 350) 'sets' the rise, making the cookies hold the risen shape instead of spreading. Great texture and taste. 

MINI-MONSTER COOKIES

 

Ingredients:

1 stick unsalted butter, softened

2/3 cup creamy (or crunchy) peanut butter

1 ½ cup brown sugar, lightly packed 

2 large eggs, room temperature

2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup quick oats

1 cup chocolate chips

1 cup M&M’s

 

Instructions:

1.    Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Position the rack in the center position. 

2.    In the mixer bowl with a paddle attachment, cream the butter, peanut butter, and brown sugar together on medium/high until light and fluffy (3-5 minutes)

3.    Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl. Add eggs and vanilla and continue mixing on medium until just incorporated. 

4.    In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and quick oats. 

5.    Add dry ingredients into the mixing bowl and mix until they are just incorporated. Don’t overmix or the cookies will be tough. 

6.    Fold in chocolate chips and M&M’s with a spatula. 

7.    With a cookie scoop (I used a small scoop for ‘mini-monsters’) form cookie mounds. If desired, top each with a few extra chocolate chips and M&M’s.

8.    Bake for 8 – 10 minutes. The edges should look set and the centers slightly under-baked. Allow them to cool and continue to bake a little more on the cookie sheet. 

 

 

Celebrate New Year's Eve with a Cranberry-Brie Treat

 

Ready for 2021? We will all agree we are ready to be done with 2020 and the challenges of this pandemic! As we look forward to the new year with hope and promise, a little (socially distanced) celebration will be fun. This Brie cheese treat is a good appetizer or snack food for the new year. We served it following a Thanksgiving dinner as an afternoon treat that wasn't too sweet or filling. 

Cranberries are a favorite holiday flavor of our family. But it is mostly the grownups that appreciate the tartness of the sharp flavor. I love the bright red color also. 

CREAMY BAKED BRIE WITH CRANBERRY RELISH & TOASTED PECANS

 

Ingredients:

1 round (8 oz) Brie cheese

½ cup whole berry cranberry relish

¼ teaspoon grated ginger

¼ teaspoon grated orange peel

2 tablespoons toasted chopped pecans

2 teaspoon fresh chives

Crackers of your choice

 

Instructions:

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with the rack in the middle position.

2.    With a sharp knife, cut a circle in the top rind of Brie cheese, leaving ¼-inch border around the top of the cheese. Carefully remove the center circle of rind and discard. Do not cut the side of the rind or the cheese will not hold its shape. 

3.    Place the cheese on an oven-proof baking dish. 

4.    In a small bowl, stir together the cranberry relish, grated ginger and orange peel. 

5.    Spoon onto the center of the cheese round and mound upwards. 

6.    Bake for 15 minutes or until cheese softens. 

7.    Remove from the oven and place the baking dish on a heat-safe trivet. Garnish with toasted pecans and chives. 

8.    Serve with crackers. 

 

 

Sheet Pan Supper

 

Sheet Pan meals are the new easy supper with little mess and a variety of foods and flavors. Choose a combination that suits your family's taste and size. Most are ready in 30 minutes or less. But consider the time each food needs to roast, you may want to cook part of the ingredients before adding others. 

Our favorite is Sausage, Potato & Cabbage.  It takes precooked sausage or cured sausage (like Kielbasa, smoked sausage, or andouille), potatoes (red are best, but I've made this with russet), cabbage, red bell pepper, garlic powder and dried basil and dried oregano. Amounts to suit your family's size. We did 14 oz. sausage, 4 potatoes, ½ head cabbage, and 1 red bell pepper. That made 4 (generous) - 5 servings. 

The ingredients ready for the oven.

Directions: 

1. Spread sausage (sliced into coins), chunked potatoes and slim wedges of cabbage on a rimmed baking sheet. For less mess to clean up, line the baking sheet with foil before filling. If your potato chunks are very large you will need to pre-roast them for a few minutes. 

2. Drizzle with olive oil; toss to coat.

3. Season with salt and pepper, along with the garlic basil and oregano.

4. Place in a preheated 425 degree oven. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes until all ingredients are golden brown and potatoes are tender. 

Serve from the sheet pan (easy clean up!). Add a salad and roll and you have an easy complete meal. 

An easy and quick complete meal. 

Soup Days Ahead

 Fall is happening, cooler days and chilly nights, crisp leaves falling, and soup time! With these uncertain times it can be unsettling going into fall and winter in this pandemic. Soup can be a comfort food. It has been said "Soup puts the heart at ease, calms down the violence of hunger, eliminates the tension of the day, and awakens and refines the appetite." (from the Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts). I agree, soup can be calming, and it is an easy meal to fix - that's calming for the cook! 

We had this Potato Leek Soup to use leeks from our CSA bundle and paired it with ham and cheese sliders (a favorite recipe from the January 29, 2019 post) on a cool day. The cattle crew thought it 'hit the spot'. 

Potato Leek Soup        

 

3 large leeks (about 3 cups, chopped)

2 tablespoons butter

4 cups chicken broth

2 pounds potatoes, peeled, diced into 1/2-inch pieces

1 teaspoon sea salt, less or more to taste

Pinch of dried marjoram

1-2 sprigs fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme

1 bay leaf

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

Sprinkle of Tabasco sauce or other red chili sauce

White or black pepper to taste

 

Directions:

1.    Clean and cut the leeks: Cut off the roots of the leeks. Cut the leeks lengthwise, fan them open under running water to dislodge any dirt or mud hiding inside. Cut off the tough dark green tops and discard. Slice the white and light green parts of the leeks crosswise into ¼ -inch thick slices. Place the slices in a bowl of cold water and agitate them with your hands to dislodge any remaining dirt. Then scoop out the leeks with a slotted spoon. 

2.    Cook leeks in butter to soften: Melt butter on medium heat in a 3-4 quart thick-bottomed pot. Add the chopped leeks, stir to coat with butter. Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low, cook for 10 minutes until the leeks are softened. Check to make sure the leeks are not browning. 

3.    Simmer the soup: Add the broth, diced potatoes, bay leaf, marjoram, thyme, and a teaspoon of salt to the pot. Increase the heat to high to bring to a simmer, then lower the heat to maintain a low simmer, and cook for 20 minutes, until the potatoes are cooked through. 

4.    Puree the soup: Remove and discard the bay leaf and thyme spring. Use an immersion blender or standing blender to blend about half of the soup if you want a chunky soup, or all or it if you would like your soup to be smoother. 

5.    Season the soup: add the parsley, can cook a few more minutes. Add a few dashes of Tabasco to taste. Add freshly ground pepper and more salt to taste. 

(from Simply Recipes)

 

A Cup of Joe

 

National Coffee Day is September 29. If you're like me, you like to enjoy a cup (or more) of coffee each morning. Coffee brings joy to people around the world. Most coffee beans are grown in Brazil, but 2 states in the U.S. do grow coffee. Hawaii's warm climate is optimal for growing coffee and a few years ago when we were visiting Hawaii we toured coffee farms. California recently got into the game and now has several coffee farms. 

There's good news for coffee drinkers - research now shows that moderate consumption of coffee (3-4 cups per day) is linked to a longer life span, plus a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and Parkinson's, according to Harvard Health Publishing. 

Coffee has become more varied in the last few years. The popularity of coffeehouses (Starbucks, Caribou, and when I'm in Manhattan - Radina's, or our local CakeBatterBatter) have made cappuccino, espresso, iced coffee, lattes and many others favorite drinks. With flavored coffee creamers and syrups you can make some of these specialities at home. 

I hadn't been a fan of iced coffee, but this summer I tried a couple of new-to-me ideas at home - Dalgona coffee and iced vanilla latte. So, now I often make an extra cup in the morning to enjoy later as a cold drink. 

Iced Vanilla Latte (claims to be Starbucks copycat)

Put ½ cup ice in large cup. Mix together 1 cup cold strongly brewed coffee, ¼ cup milk or cream, and 1 Tablespoon vanilla syrup. 

Dalgona Coffee is one of 2020's biggest food crazes according to Food Network Magazine. Whipped coffee has been around for centuries and traditionally requires lots of stirring/whipping/whisking. Make your own with your electric mixer the easy way. 

Here's what the instant coffee
and sugar look like after whipping

Combine 2 tablespoons each granulated sugar and instant coffee or espresso powder in a medium bowl. Add 2 tablespoons boiling water and beat with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale brown and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Pour 1 cup cold milk into an ice-filled glass and spoon the whipped coffee mixture over the top just before serving. 

A coffee field in Hawaii

from an exhibit at the coffee farm

Zucchini - the Abundant Squash

 

This summer it seems that the zucchini just keeps on going, and going, and going. At least there is an abundance in the produce box I get weekly from our CSA. I've been shredding and freezing zucchini in 2 cup batches as well as making many recipes of zucchini bread, brownies, and the occasional roasted zucchini with other squash. 

In my search for new ideas, I have found two more recipes that are family favorites. Besides enjoying these frequently this summer, we'll be using these a lot this winter as we work through the stash in the freezer! Both recipes are from Taste of Home. 

 ZUCCHINI BROWNIES

 

1 cup butter (2 sticks), softened

1 ½ cups sugar

2 large eggs

½ cup plain yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

¼ cup baking cocoa

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

2 cups shredded zucchini

 

Frosting:

2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup creamy peanut butter

 

Directions:

1.    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until lightly and fluffy, 5 – 7 minutes. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in yogurt and vanilla. In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in zucchini. 

2.    Pour into a greased 13x9-inch baking pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean 35-40 minutes. 

3.    For frosting, in a small saucepan (or in the microwave), combine chocolate chips and peanut butter. Cook and stir over low heat until smooth. If using the microwave, heat in 30 second intervals, stirring to blend frequently. Spread over warm brownies. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. 

 LEMONY ZUCCHINI BREAD

 

4 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ cups sugar

1 package (3.4 oz) instant lemon pudding mix

1 ½ teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

4 large eggs, room temperature

1 ½ cups 2% milk

1 cup canola oil

3 tablespoons lemon juice

1 teaspoon lemon extract

2 cups shredded zucchini

¼ cup poppy seeds

2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

 

Directions:

1.    In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, pudding mix, baking soda, baking powder and salt. 

2.    In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil, lemon juice, and extract. Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. 

3.    Fold in zucchini, poppy seeds, and lemon zest. 

4.    Pour into 2 greased 9x5-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-55 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The internal temperature taken with a food thermometer should be 210 degrees. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.