Chocolate Pie

My husband will eat just about anything I make but if I really want to make him happy I make pie. He loves him some g-o-o-o-o-o p-a-a-a-a-a (good pie). Chocolate Pie is his absolute favorite and if I made it often he would probably turn into one...no, I am serious...he really would!

To start pre-bake your pie crust. You can use the easy stuff that comes already done at the store or you can make your own. Usually I make my own, today I cheated and used the ready made stuff. Remember to prick your crust well or you will have a nuclear mushroom crust in your oven (don't ask how I know this). Once the crust is golden brown and cooling you can start the filling. Basically it is a chocolate pudding filling. Whisk together 3 cups of sugar, 6 tablespoons cocoa, 3 tablespoons flour, 3 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon salt and 4 cups milk. Once this is mixed put bowl on top of a pot of boiling water (homemade double boiler). Stir mixture until it gets really hot. While this is heating separate the yolks from 4 eggs and beat lightly. Slowly whisk 1 cup of near boiling mixture to the eggs. You are tempering these so add the HOT mixture slowly or you will have scrambled eggs. Once you have added the 1 cup of hot mixture to your eggs you can then add that back into the hot mixture. This is the hard part, ready...mix this mixture every couple of minutes until thick. See hard...I know. Think yogurt thickness. That is what you are aiming for. Once it has reached the desired thickness remove from double boiler and stir in 1 tablespoon vanilla and 2 tablespoons butter. This set is important, probably the most important step...strain your hot chocolate mixture before you pour it into your pie crust. Trust me, you don't want to skip this and realize a little of the eggs scrambled...can we say EWWW! Pour the strained chocolate mixture into your pie crusts and let set a couple hours. Once cool refrigerate. My husband grabs a slice every time he passes the fridge. You could put meringue on top but he like it simple and chocolate. This recipe makes 2 pies and if you value your waist line you will gift one to a neighbor, friend, anyone just so long as it isn't in your house to eat!

Chocolate Pie

Prebake your pie crust and let cool.

3c sugar

6tbsp cocoa

3tbsp flour

3tbsp cornstarch

1tsp salt

4 egg yolks (lightly beaten)

4c milk

2tbsp butter

1tbsp vanilla.

Whisk dry ingredients with 4c milk. Place on a double boiler and heat till just shy of boiling. Add 1c hot mixture to eggs slowly to temper. Once tempered add back to chocolate mixture and cook till thick. Once thick add butter and vanilla. Strain any bits and pour into pie crusts. Let set and store in fridge. Eat piece, groan about how good it is, grab another piece, gobble down, sneak a third piece and hide while eating it, tell yourself it is good for you while eating piece four and five. Hide pieces six and seven from the family and cry while eating piece eight because it is gone, then remember you hide pieces six and seven and inwardly chuckle at your brilliance. Once you have eaten the entire pie, seek a nap, counseling or weight watchers...which ever you think you may need.

Chocolate Almond Oatmeal Cookies

My grandmother makes these for everything...I mean everything.  My brothers request these for their Christmas gift from her.  Now because I can't leave good enough alone I had to tweak the recipe some.  I love the additions I have made. 

Start with 3 cups of old fashioned oatmeal.  You can use the quick oats but to me they are a little more mushy, the old fashioned seem to hold shape better.  6 tablespoons of cocoa, yes I know it is a lot but trust me this is what makes it Good with a capital G.  1 cup coconut, you can use unsweetened or sweetened, whatever floats your boat.  1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon almond extract, 1 cup slivered almonds, and 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Mix all of this is a large bowl and set aside.  In a saucepan mix 2 cups sugar, 1/2 c shortening and 1/2 cup milk.  Mix and bring this to a rolling boil.  Then CAREFULLY pour the boiling mixture over the dry ingredients and stir.  Drop the mixture by spoonfuls onto wax paper.  Let these sit 2-3 hours, then place in an airtight container.  I can not tell you how long these will keep because they never make it more than a few days in our house.  But this recipe makes a ton of them, I make sure to give at least half of them away.  If not then my husband would eat all of them...and I mean all. 

If you want a more chocolaty cookie you can add 1/2 cup of chocolate chips to the dry mixture.  If you are not a fan of almonds you can either substitute them or remove them all together.  No matter how you mix it up, this is a good, easy cookie.

Chocolate Almond Oatmeal Cookies

3c old fashioned oatmeal

6tb cocoa

1c coconut

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp almond extract

1/2 tsp salt

1c slivered almonds

Mix and set aside.

2c sugar

1/2c shortening

1/2c milk

Bring to a boil and pour over dry ingredients.  Drop by spoonful onto wax paper and let harden for a few hours.  Eat, sigh, enjoy, repeat.

Chocolate Coffee Spoons

I love coffee but what I love even more is chocolate in my coffee, I mean come on...you get BOTH in one cup! Even though I love my chocolate coffee I rarely think to add it to my morning beverage. Guess my brain is not fully awake during that time of the morning. I have seen these spoons at many of craft fairs and never thought to make them, till now.

Let me tell you they are easy peasy lemon squeezey!

Your cast of yummy characters include:

• A good quality chocolate, I am using Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips because well I had them in my cupboard and they are super yummy!


• Parchment paper, NOT wax paper...well unless you like wax in your coffee then I guess you could use it.


• Plastic spoons, I went with clear but use whatever floats your boat.


• Optional are sprinkles. I am making these for Valentine's Day so I figured I'd add a little love and stuff to them.

Okay, you ready to make the spoons?

Step One: Pour chocolate chips into a bowl and microwave in 30 second intervals until melted.

Step Two: Dip the spoon in the melted chocolate. Make sure to cover the back of the spoon as well as the front. Gently shake spoon to remove excess chocolate.

Step Three: Set chocolate covered spoon on the parchment paper and sprinkle with sprinkles *giggle* if desired.


Step Four: A mass a small army of chocolate coffee spoons and revel in their deliciousness.

You can store these in a container and use at your leisure or wrap then in some plastic wrap with a bow and give as a gift. These are adorable and have so many possibilities. I bet a mint flavored chocolate with crushed up candy canes would be delicious in the winter for your hot chocolate. Get wild...be creative! Just make sure that they make it to your coffee and don't just eat the chocolate off the spoon, not that I would know anything about that.