Chocolate Fluff Pie

This is a combination of two Betty Crocker pies. I don't like her chocolate creams, because they call for eggs, which makes them way too rich. This is my own compilation of the two, and it tastes great! It's so fluffy and light, yet smooth and chocolatey. Yes, this is a crowd pleaser, if I do say so myself!

1 Pie Shell

1 cup whipping cream

3 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar

1 package unflavored gelatin
1/4 cup cold water

4 Tbsp flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 -1 bar semi-sweet or dark baker's chocolate (depending on how chocolatey you want it)

Whip cream until stiff. Set aside in a cool place.

Make a meringue of egg whites, sugar, and cream of tartar. Beat until stiff and set aside. (Probably in the fridge.)

Soften gelatin in cold water. Set aside. (Are we noticing a trend here?)

Mix flour, salt and sugar. Add milk and vanilla. Heat on low-medium heat. Once mixture gets warm/hot, add chocolate. (Better if you break it into pieces.) Continue heating until mixture boils. Allow to boil for one minute. Remove from heat and add softened gelatin. Put chocolate mixture in fridge to set up.

Once mixture begins to cool and set up, mix with rotary beater until smooth again. Fold in cream and meringue. Spoon mixture into prepared pie crust. Let cool in fridge for several hours. The result is fully awesome!

My Favorite Veggies!

This is my favorite way to cook vegetables. It smells good in the oven, and it tastes great once it gets done! The great part is that you can mix and match the vegetables, and it still tastes great.

Ingredients:

Vegetables, enough to fill 8"x 11" pan - I always use onion and bell pepper with a combination of the following: zucchini, yellow squash, asparagus, green beans and tomatoes. You can use anything you like, but I would certainly keep in the onion and pepper.

4 Tbsp. Fresh Rosemary (word of the wise, do not use dried rosemary)

4 tsp. beef bullion

6 Tbsp. olive oil

2-4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Cut veggies into bite sized pieces and arrange in 8"x 11" pan. Mix olive oil, bullion, and rosemary in a small bowl. Pour over vegetables. Cook in oven at 400 for an hour. Make sure to stir once or twice during cooking to mix vegetables. After removing cooked vegetables from oven, pour balsamic vinegar over top and serve. This makes GREAT leftovers!

Hoilday Treasures

I can't believe that I just found this recipe!! They are so tasty and simple to make! They taste almost like candy! This recipe was hiding in one of my cookbooks for the last eight and a half years. I wonder what other yummy recipes are hiding away! (I only used the chocolate and pecans because I didn't have white chocolate and I don't like it as well. I also used Almond Bark for the candy coating and it worked well.)

Ingredients:

3/4 cup sugar

2/3 cup butter-flavored shortening

1 egg

1 Tblsp. milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1 3/4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

2 jars (10 oz. each) maraschino cherries, well drained

Coating:

10 oz. white candy coating, divided

4 Tblsp butter-flavored shortening, divided

8 oz. dark chocolate candy coating (I used almond bark)

Finely chopped pecans

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and shortening. Add the egg, milk and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Form 2 teaspoonfuls of dough into a ball. Flatten ball and place a cherry in the center; roll dough around cherry. Repeat with remaining dough and cherries. Place balls 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 min. or until set and the edges are lightly browned. Cool 1 min. before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Grate 2 oz. white candy coating; set aside. Melt remaining white chocolate with 2 Tblsp. shortening; melt dark coating with remaining shortening. Dip half the cookies into white coating; lace on waxed paper. Sprinkle with pecans. Dip the remaining cookies in dark coating; place on waxed paper. Sprinkle with grated white coating. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator. Yield: about 4 1/2 dozen.