Memaws Chocolate Pies

This has been made by both sides of my family since I can remember...the filling is so good. You will need two of my Meringue recipes for the tops of these pies (makes 2), so be sure to have that ready! Also, two store bought, or two homemade baked pie crusts.




Ingredients:

2 Cups of sugar

6 Tablespoons of cocoa

8 tablespoons of flour

6 egg yolks ( After separating save whites for your meringue recipe)

1 stick of butter

3 cups of whole milk

1 teaspoon of vanilla



Directions:

1. Bake pie crusts till lightly golden brown, keep oven on 350 so that you can cook your meringue at the end.

2. In a large saucepan (I prefer stainless steel for this) combine all ingredients (not the egg whites) and stir and cook over medium heat till mixture boils and becomes thick.

3. Poor hot mixture in to baked pie shells.

4. Cover with meringue, and bake another 15 minutes or until meringue is golden on top.

Homemade Marshmallows

What a delightful treat! You have NO IDEA how wonderful they are, and so easy (a bit messy) to make. I stole these from the Taste of Home magazine last year and they will be at every Christmas party I have or go to for many years to come. Make them fresh, use them with in 36 hours of making them.

Ingredients:

2 Teaspoons of butter (real butter not margerine)

3 envelopes of unflavored gelatin (usually found in the canning or jello section Knox is a name brand)

1 cup of cold water (divided)

2 cups of sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/8 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of CLEAR vanilla extract (you can find this at big/specialty grocery stores or craft stores in the cake section. Regular vanilla will turn your marshmallows brown)

Toppings of your choice: chocolate, colored sugar, crushed peppermint, sprinkles (be creative)



Directions

1. Line a 9X13 pan with foil and grease the foil with butter.

2. In a large metal bowl sprinkle gelatin packets over 1/2 cup of cold water and set aside.

3. In a large saucepan, combine the sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 1/2 cup of water stiring to mix well. Bring to a boil stirring OCCASIONALLY. Once mixture Boils, STOP STIRRING and let mixture cook till candy thermometer reads 240 degrees. Remove from heat.

4. Gradually add gelatin to hot sugar mixture. Beat on high speed (I use my kitchenaid stand mixer) until mixture is thick and doubled in volume (about 15 minutes) Lastly, beat in vanilla.

5. I cover my hands in butter than spread the mixture in to the prepared 9X13 pan. Cover with foil and let set 6 hours or overnight.

6. Use foil to lift out marshmallows, then with a pizza cutter coated in cooking spray, cut in to 1 inch squares. Dip in to toppings of choice, or throw in to some hot cocoa!

7. Store in an airtight container.

Meringue for a Pie

This is the ONLY meringue recipe I will use. It is perfect every time...no drooping, no sogginess, perfect! Several recipes will use this topping. This is a Betty Crocker Recipe that I tried, and after making thousands of meringues, a million different ways...this one takes the... "pie!"


Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Sugar

4 teaspoons of cornstarch

1/2 cup tap water

4 large egg whites

1/8 teaspoon of salt




INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350.

2. Mix sugar and cornstarch thouroughly in a small saucepan (I prefer stainless steel pots for this)

3. Stir in water and cook over medium heat while stirring constantly until the mixture thickens and boils. Boil and continue to stir for one minute, then remove pan from heat.

4.Cool completely while making your pie filling...I like to put mine in the freezer about ten minutes to cool quickly.

5. Beat egg whites and salt in a stand mixer using the whisk attachment or with a hand mixer on high speed till soft peaks form. (A SIDE NOTE, if ANYthing but the egg whites get in your bowl, your egg whites will not form. I like to use a small ramekin to break each egg in individually, then add them one at a time to the final bowl. Yes A minute drop of yellow will ruin your egg whites!)

6. Very slowly poor your cooled sugar mixture in to the whites, mixing as you go. Beat until stiff peaks form.

7. Spoon meringue over top of pie filling and be sure to bring the filling all the way to the edges of the pie to be sure it is sealed, and to help prevent shrinking. Bake for about 15 minutes or until light brown. When cooling, keep away from drafts.

Pancit Canton

This is an Americanized version of the pancit I used to eat in the Philipines. It's a great meat noodle dish with lots of flavor, and pretty colors. Looks as pretty as it tastes, and with a little prep work can be created quickly.

Ingredients

Pancit noodles AKA Rice Sticks (can find these at the commisary, or local asian grocery stores)

2 tbsp vegetable oil

1 teaspoon of pepper

1/2 teaspoon of salt

3 tbsp Fish Sauce (also carried at the commisary or local asian grocery stores)

1/2 plus 1/4 cup Soy Sauce

4 tbsp A1 steak sauce (about 4 times around the pan)

2 cups of chicken broth

1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

2 cloves of garlic minced

2 cups julianne carrots

2 cups shredded cabbage

1 package of fresh mushrooms

1 can of baby corn drained (most regular grocery stores carry in their asian section)

1 package of fresh green beans chopped in to 1 inch peices

1/2 lb of raw chicken diced

1/2 lb diced raw pork chops (no bones)


Directions

1. Put your rice noodles in a hot water bath in the sink, let them soak while you prepare your ingredients.

2. In a large 6-8 qt saucepan, or wok (if you have one), turn the heat on medium high, add vegetable oil, onion, and garlic. Let cook about 1 minute. Season chicken and pork with salt and pepper, then add all meat to the pot.

3. Next, add your soy sauce, fish sauce, A1, cook till the chicken and pork are cooked through, add your veggies, and another 1/4 cup of Soy Sauce, with your 2 cups of chicken broth, bring the liquid to a boil.

4. Drain noodles from warm water, and add to the pot. Stir and mix ingredients in pot, evenly mixing all ingredients. Reduce heat to medium, and cook till liquid is discolved. (about 10 minutes)



The fish sauce may sound nasty, but most asian foods you eat contain it. There are atleast 10 asian grocery stores in Fayetteville, so I know they have them all over where you are. The pancit noodles cost about $1 for a package, and the Fish sauce is about $3 (and it will last FOREVER) So head to the asian grocery store and ask for what you are looking for, they can help you find it! Good Luck! Also to make life easy, use packaged julienne carrots, and cole slaw mix instead of shredding your own...unless you have a food processor and it's easy to do yourself.

Fruit Salad

This is a recipe my Mom started making as her dessert or snack. It is really good and sweet, and doesn't have anything but fresh fruit and nuts in it. It's easy and will last about 3 days in the fridge...if it isn't eaten up first!

Ingredients

1 small package of fresh blueberries

1 small package of fresh raspberries

1 small package of fresh blackberries

1/2 of a container of fresh strawberries, sliced

3 ripe bananas sliced

2 peaches, pitted, skinned, and sliced

1/2 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts, or a combination of both


Directions

Put it all in a large bowl with a lid, mix together and refrigerate.

Cheese Stuffed Chicken Breast

So, I took one of my favorite recipes, took out the oil, the pan frying, and made it heart healthy. This recipe has no added salt, is low in fat, and FULL of flavor. Don't let the goat cheese scare you, if you haven't ever tried it...just do it...if you don't like it, I will be VERY surprised. Also, if you have picky eaters....DON'T tell them it's goat cheese, they won't know I swear! This is another recipe I give per breast directions, make it for you, or for your whole family...it's very easy to make and calls for just a few ingredients.

Ingredients

Package of boneless skinless chicken breast

1 tbsp of mustard (plain yellow mustard) per chicken breast

2 tbsp of crumbled goat cheese (find it in your specialty cheese section, Food Lion has it, I know you can find it) per breast

2 tbsp of plain bread crumbs per breast

Mrs. Dash Original spice blend to taste


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350, and grease 9X13 pan or cookie sheet

2. Take each breast between two pieces of wax paper and pound out until it is round and thin

3. season both sides with Mrs. Dash

4. Spoon 2 tablespoons of cheese on to breast, spreading evenly through the breast. Roll the chicken up in to a log, placing seem on the bottom

5. Squirt mustard over the top, and coat the outside evenly (this is what will make your bread crumbs stick, use it like an egg wash)

6. Sprinkle chicken with bread crumbs, patting in to skin evenly.

7. Place on greased cookie sheet or pan and bake approx 30 minutes.

Quacomole Dip

I often make this guacamole dip with the Party Salsa recipe, they go hand in hand. Friends who don't even like guacamole, like this. So if you are nervous about trying it, don't like avocado, or have picky eaters in your group...this is a great one to try to expand their food horizons!


Ingredients

1/2-3/4 cup prepared Party Salsa (or jarred salsa will work in a pinch)

5 ripe avocados

1/2 cup sour cream

juice of a lime

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 tsp garlic salt

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon pepper or Hotshot

1 jalepeno seeded and chopped

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper


Directions

1. Take out the pit, and put the flesh of the avacod in a bowl and mash with your hands or a potato masher.

2. Pour the juice of the lime over the avacado and mix in well.

3. Add all other ingredients and stir well.


This can set in the fridge covered and sealed TIGHTLY for 1 day, but is BEST made fresh about 1-2 hours before eating. If it becomes brown on top...take a spoon and scrape the top layer off...the rest underneath should be a pretty green color. The lime is used to keep the avacodo from turning brown.