ANGELIC COCONUT CREAM PIE

If you are a coconut lover you will love this pie!  Filled with flaky coconut, it is one of many of my mother's all-time favorite homemade pie recipes.  I have such fond memories as a little girl "helping" to make pies with my mother and grandma.   It was an all day affair starting in early morning and going non-stop until dinner time.   The results were absolutely worth the effort.  I must say that I have to attribute many of the amazing recipes on this blog to my mother's incredible cooking talent, as well as, sometimes gratuitous use of butter and sugar.  But hey, the calories don’t count if mom makes it, right?!  If you love the coconut pie, also try her delicious chocolate pie recipe in the category "Dessert" !

 

                                                             INGREDIENTS

                                                               PIE CRUST
                             
                           I use Jiffy Pie Crust Mix following instructions on back of box.

                                                                FILLING
                                                            
                                                            2/3 Cup Sugar
                                                  3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
                                                         1/2 Teaspoon Salt
                                                             3 Cups Milk
                                                3 Egg Yolks (Slightly beaten)
                                             3/4 Cup Moist Shredded Coconut
                                                       1 Tablespoon Butter
                                                     1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla

                                                    OPTIONAL TOPPINGS

                                                     Whipped Cream, Fruit

DIRECTIONS:

STEP 1:  Prepare and bake pie crust. (I use Jiffy Pie Crust Mix and follow directions on back of box.  Not every grocery store in my area carries it so sometimes I have to make a special trip to a different store to buy it.  But, it is worth it because it is really good and easy to make.  I have actually found it at Dollar Tree at certain times of the year in particularly autumn.)

STEP 2:  Mix 2/3 Cup Sugar, 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch, 1/2 Teaspoon Salt and gradually
stir in 3 Cups Milk.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens and boils.
Boil for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.

STEP 3:  Gradually stir at least 1/2 hot mixture into 3 slightly beaten egg yolks.  Then blend the other 1/2 into hot mixture.  Boil 1 minute more, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

STEP 4:  Blend in 3/4 Cup Moist Shredded Coconut, 1 Tablespoon Butter and 1 1/2 Teaspoons
Vanilla while mixture is still hot.

STEP 5:  Pour into baked pie crust.  Refrigerate approximately 4 hours or until cold.

OPTIONAL:  Top with whipped cream and your favorite fruit when serving :-)

Want more recipe ideas?  Please click below...
Pineapples & Palm Trees

                                                          ~ Debbie ~

HEAVENLY CHOCOLATE PIE

Chocolate lover's rejoice and indulge in this silky rich chocolate pie.  This is my husband's absolute favorite pie that his mother-in-law (my mom)  makes for him.  When she walks through the door with her chocolate pie I can see his mouth start to water as he rushes over and offers to take it off her hands.   It takes a little extra work than boxed pudding but well worth the effort.  Made with dark chocolate it is the ultimate in decadence!

                                                          INGREDIENTS

                                                            PIE CRUST

                      I use Jiffy Pie Crust Mix following instructions on back of box. 

                                                              FILLING

                                                        1 1/2 Cups Sugar
                                                 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch
                                                       1/2 Teaspoon Salt
                      3 Square Unsweetened Chocolate (Broken into small pieces)
                                                            3 Cups Milk
                                               3 Egg Yolks (Slightly beaten)
                                                     1 Tablespoon Butter
                                                   1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1:  Prepare and bake pie crust.

STEP 2:  Mix in saucepan 1 1/2 Cups Sugar, 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch, 1/2 Teaspoon Salt,
3 Squares Unsweetened Chocolate and gradually add 3 Cups Milk.  Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.

STEP 3:  Stir 1/2 of 3 slightly beaten Egg Yolks into hot mixture blending well.  Then stir remaining 1/2 of Egg Yolks into hot mixture blending well.  Place back on medium heat and let boil 1 minute more,  stirring constantly.  Remove from heat.

STEP 4:  Blend in 1 Tablespoon Butter and 1 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla.

STEP 5:  Pour into baked Pie Crust.

STEP 6:  Refrigerate for approximately 4 hours or until cold. 

SERVE WITH FAVORITE TOPPINGS:  Whipped Cream, Fruit, Shaved Chocolate

Want more recipe ideas?  Please click below...
Pineapples & Palm Trees

                                                              ~ Debbie ~

SANTA'S FAVORITE CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

To begin this post, I need to say, I am a sweet tea drinker so I'm pretty "sugared out" by dessert time.   As a result I don’t often indulge in what I bake.  So while I’ve probably made thousands of these cookies, I have only sampled a few since I first started making them years ago for my family. As time went on, invitations to pot luck's would be accompanied with requests to bring "Debbie's cookies".  After my children and their friends moved away, I started receiving requests for care packages filled with "Debbie's cookies".  I have even become known as "The Cookie Lady" at my dentist's office which says a lot in a generally sugar-free zone!  To be honest, how much people love these cookies never truly registered with me until a few years ago after returning home from a friend's beach house with her family.   My friend gently revealed to me how disappointed her adult son was when he asked her why I hadn't brought any of "Debbie’s cookies"!     Whether you make them for your family, friends or Santa – this easy recipe is sure to be a huge hit!

                                                             INGREDIENTS

                                      2 Cups Butter (I use Buttery Promise Margarine)
                                                               2 Cups Sugar
                                                     2 Cups Light Brown Sugar
                                                     4 Eggs (I use Extra Large)
                                                         2 Teaspoons Vanilla
                                                    2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
                                                      2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
                                                              1 Teaspoon Salt
                                                                4 Cups Flour
                                                       5 Cups Oatmeal (Instant)
                                 3 Bags (11.5 oz. per bag) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
                                      2 Bags (11.5 oz. per bag)) Milk Chocolate Chips

Makes approximately 70 cookies.

INSTRUCTIONS:

STEP 1: Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, mix together ingredients below until smooth with electric mixer.

2 Cups Butter (I use Buttery Promise Margarine)
2 Cups Sugar
2 Cups Light Brown Sugar
4 Eggs (I use Extra Large for moister cookies)
2 Teaspoons Vanilla
2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
1 Teaspoon Salt

STEP 2:  Add ingredients below to mixture from Step 1.  Mix flour and oatmeal gradually until evenly incorporated with electric mixer. 

4 Cups Flour - All-Purpose
5 Cups Oatmeal - Instant

STEP 3:  The best part!  Add chocolate chips!  I mix by hand, not electric mixer.  While my recommendations are below, you can add or subtract to taste, although I must say the chocolatier the better!!!

3 Bags (11.5 oz. per bag) Semi- Sweet Chocolate Chips
2 Bags (11.5 oz. per bag) Milk Chocolate Chips

HINT:  I've also made this cookie dough recipe solely with Butterscotch Chips or White Chocolate Chips!  There are countless variations (Mint Chocolate Chips, Reese's Peanut Butter Chips, Raisins, etc.) you can experiment with according to your taste!  Everyone has their favorite!

STEP 4 : Form dough into golf ball size and place on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.   Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes or when edges of cookies begin to brown. Then remove from oven.

HINT:  I use AirBake Cookie Sheets.  AirBake is made up of 2 aluminum sheets enclosing a layer of air.  It heats the dough evenly and the bottoms of the cookies do not burn.  The Large 14x16 square fits a Double Oven.  The Mega 15 1/2x20 rectangle fits an Oven Range but will not fit a Double Oven.  I learned that the hard way!!!  AirBake link provided below...

Airbake

STEP 5:  Let cookies cool on cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to foil.  If making a 2nd batch on same cookie sheet, wash cookie sheet clean in between baking batches.

HINT:  I usually make the dough in advance and freeze.  It is less messy to handle when it is time to bake and very convenient to have on hand in the freezer whenever needed.

Want more Christmas ideas?  Please click below...  
Christmas by Debbie

                                                          ~ Debbie ~