Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie from Heaven

For many years I have been enjoying Thanksgiving Dinner with my good friends Jim & Robert in Stone Mountain Georgia.  It is a wonderful day, filled with friends, lively conversation, wine and an abundance of food.

 

Even before dinner is over, my mouth is salivating for his infamous Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie.  Every year I ask him for the recipe and every year he declines to share the secret.

 

Desperate to share this rich dessert with my family, I resorted to invoking "Motherly Guilt".  In many cases, it trumps nearly all the other magic "Guilts" swirling about.  It worked, he caved and sent me the recipe.

 

Along with the e-mail was a caveat about the complexity of this magic dish.  As I embarked on the journey with a cleared calendar and an open mind.

 

 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

 

•  1 small package of cream cheese
• 1/2 pound powdered sugar
• 1/2 cup half and half
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1/2 cups heavy cream - whipped
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cups sugar
• 8 ounces semi-sweet chocolate (melted and cooled)
• 4 ounces heavy cream - whipped
• 1 large graham cracker pie shell
• 1 cup peanut butter, creamy
   

1. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate.  Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
2. Cream together cream cheese and powdered sugar.  Add half and half, peanut butter and vanilla, beat thoroughly.  Fold in whipped cream (1 1/2 cups heavy cream - whipped)
3. In a double boiler, heat and whip eggs and sugar with mixer until thick.  Add the melted and cooled chocolate and the whipped cream.  Gently fold together.
4. Add first mixture to second and mix.
5. Pour into a large graham cracker pie shell and freeze for a minimum of 3 hours.
6. Unbaked Graham Cracker Crust (a store bought works well too)

 

Makes one 9 inch pie crust:

 

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/3 cup melted butter

 

Put all ingredients into a medium size bowl and mix. With the back of a spoon, press mixture to sides and bottom of pie pan. Chill pie crust well.

Spinach Dip

I used to buy Spinach Dip from Don's Supermarket, a family owned grocery store in Lake Forest. The dip made a great dinner entree, topping for veggies and sandwich spread. I couldn't get enough of the stuff.

When Don's closed for business, I wondered how many people I would need to call and how many favors it would cost me to get my hands on the recipe.

A few days after my first call, imagine my surprise when a large envelope arrived in the mail. I was ready to run to the store and my mouth was watering as I tore the envelope open. It contained a package of Knorr Vegetable Recipe Mix with a stickie note affixed to the back that said "This is it, quick and simple, enjoy!".

I must admit, I was more than shocked. I had always thought the recipe was a family secret handed down from generation to generation. It wasn't a mystery at all. Just a simple recipe on the back of a package of Knorr Vegetable Recipe Mix.

Spinach Dip

1 package (10 ounces) baby spinach, chopped or 1 package (10 ounces) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 container (16 ounces) sour cream
1 cup Mayonnaise (real stuff is the best)
1 package Knorr Vegetable Recipe Mix
1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional)
3 green onions, chopped (optional)

Combine all ingredients and chill about 2 hours. Serve with your favorite dippers.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball Recipe

Jessica brought this treat over last night. It was a ball of sinful goodness.

Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball Recipe

• 8 oz cream cheese, softened
  
• ½ c. butter, softened (NOT margarine!)
  
• ¼ t. vanilla extract
  
• ¾ c. powdered sugar
  
• 2 T. brown sugar
  
• ¾ c. chocolate chips, chopped (or just use the mini chips)
  
• ¾ c. pecans, finely chopped
  
• Graham crackers

Beat cream cheese, butter, & vanilla until fluffy. Gradually add sugars & beat until combined. Stir in chips. Cover & chill 2 hours. On a large piece of plastic wrap, shape into a ball. Chill another hour. Roll in pecans just before serving. Serve with Graham crackers.

Bounty of Summer

As the sun sets earlier and evening brings crisp air, the bounty of harvest makes its way to the local farmers market. I picked up a few zucchinis the other day and whipped up a couple of loaves of zucchini bread.

The condo smells fantastic! I am waiting patiently for the loaves to cool so I can slather a slice in butter and indulge!

Quaker Oats Oatmeal Cookies

Jessica brought these tasty treats to our last party. She spiced up this recipe with some tasty Frango Mints.

Quaker Oats Oatmeal Cookies

• Ingredients:
  
• ½ pound butter, softened
  
• 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
  
• ½ cup granulated sugar
  
• 2 eggs
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
  
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  
• ½ teaspoon salt (optional)
  
• 3 c ups old fashioned, uncooked oatmeal
  
• 1/3 –1/2 pound Marshall Field’s Frango Mints (ground into powder and slivers)

1. Heat oven to 350 F.

2. Beat together butter & sugars until creamy.

3. Add eggs and vanilla; beat well.

4. Slowly add combined flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; mix well.

5. Stir in oats – ¾ cup at a time; mix well.

6. Stir in Frango Mints.

7. Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

8. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown (check after 8 minutes – they may be ready).

9. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheet; remove to wire rack.

Yield: 4-6 dozen, depending on cookie size.

Pumpking Pie

I thought a fantastic fall treat would be a great way to celebrate my new job. I threw together a simple pumpkin pie and added a bit of flair.

Pumpkin Pie

• 3/4 cup sugar
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
  
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
  
• 2 large eggs
  
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin
  
• 1 can (12 fluid ounces) evaporated milk (I substituted 1 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk)
  
• 1 unbaked 9-inch deep-dish pie shell

1. Mix sugar, salt, cinnamon, ginger and cloves in small bowl. Beat eggs in large bowl. Stir in pumpkin and sugar-spice mixture. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.

2. Pour into pie shell.

3. Bake in preheated 425 degree F. oven for 15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350 degree F.; bake 40-50 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.

4. Cool on wire rack for 2 hours. Serve immediately or refrigerate.

Graham Cracker Crust

I needed a simple crust for a pumpkin pie. I turned to an old stand-by, the quick and tasty Graham Cracker Crust.

Graham Cracker Crust

• 1 1/4 cups Graham cracker crumbs
  
• 1/4 cup sugar
  
• 1/3 cup butter, melted

1. In small bowl stir together Graham cracker crumbs and sugar. Add melted butter. Toss until combined.

2. In 9-inch pie plate evenly spread crumb mixture. Press onto bottom and sides of pie plate. Depending on your filling, refrigerate for 1 hour or until firm or bake at 375 degrees F for 6 to 8 minutes or until light brown and cool.