Grasshopper Pie

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Ingredients:

  • 24 regular marshmallows
  • 2/3 cup of half and half
  • 2 tablespoons of creme de cacao
  • 2 tablespoons of creme de menthe
  • 1/2 a pint of whipping cream
  • 1 1/2 cups of finely ground chocolate graham crackers
  • 1/3 cup of white sugar
  • 6 tablespoons of butter, melted
  • prepared whipped cream or Cool Whip
  • 1 teaspoon chocolate crumbles
  • 1-2 mint sprigs, for garnish

Directions:

  1. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter or margarine until well blended . Press mixture into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate.
  2. Bake at 375 degrees F for 7 minutes. Cool and chill for about 1 hour.
  3. Melt the marshmallows in the half and half in a double boiler. Remove the mixture from the heat and let it cool.
  4. Whip the 1/2 pint of cream and mix it into the filling mixture.
  5. Pour the filling into the chilled crust.
  6. Refrigerate pie to set for at least one hour.
  7. Before serving, spread prepared whipped cream over the top of the pie.
  8. Sprinkle the cookie crumbs and garnish with mint.

Coffee Chess Pie

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Ingredients:

  • 1 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 cup cold coffee
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 2 tablespoons of sugar
  • 1/4 cup of espresso powder
  • 1/4 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 9-inch ready made pie crust

Directions

  1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
  2. Make coffee syrup by whisking brown sugar and coffee until sugar has dissolved and mixture has reduced by one-third. Cool.
  3. In a large bowl, mix the butter, sugar, espresso powder, and vanilla together. Mix in three eggs, then stir in the cornmeal, salt, and heavy cream until smooth.
  4. Slowly stir in the egg mixture with the coffee syrup until combined. Pour the filling into the pie shell, which is on a parchment lined baking sheet.
  5. Beat the last egg and brush it along the edge of the pie.
  6. Bake for 10 minutes in the preheated oven, then reduce heat to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C) for 40 minutes. Let cool. Cut and top servings with whipped cream. You will think you have died and gone to heaven.

Peach Pie

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Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
  • 4-1/2 cups sliced peeled peaches
  • Pastry for double-crust pie (9 inches)
  • 3 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • Vanilla ice cream

Directions:

  1. In a large bowl, combine sugars; add peaches and toss gently. Cover and let stand for 1 hour. Line a 9-in. pie plate or cast iron skillet with bottom pastry; trim even with edge. Set aside. Drain peaches, reserving juice.
  2. In a small saucepan, combine the cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon and salt; gradually stir in reserved juice. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat; stir in lemon juice and butter. Gently fold in peaches. Pour into crust.
  3. Roll out remaining pastry; cover the top or make a lattice crust. Trim, seal and flute edges. If covered, add four slits for steam. Cover edges loosely with foil. Bake at 400° for 50-60 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Remove foil. Cool on a wire rack.
  4. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream.

Pie Dough

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Rolled Out Pie Crust

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • 3/4 cup (a stick and a half) unsalted butter, chilled, cut into 1/4 inch cubes
  • 1/2 cup of all-vegetable shortening (8 Tbsp)
  • 6-8 Tablespoons ice water

Directions:

  1. Combine flour, salt, and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Add the butter and pulse 4 times. Add shortening in tablespoon sized chunks, and pulse 4 more times. The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal, with butter bits no bigger than peas. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons of ice water over flour mixture. Pulse a couple times. If you pinch some of the crumbly dough and it holds together, it’s ready. If the dough doesn’t hold together, keep adding water, a teaspoon at a time, pulsing once after each addition, until the mixture just begins to clump together.
  2. Remove dough from machine and place in a mound on a clean surface. Divide the dough into 2 balls and flatten each into 4 inch wide disks. Do not over-knead the dough! Dust the disks lightly with flour, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour, or up to 2 days before rolling out.
  3. After the dough has chilled in the refrigerator for an hour, you can take it out to roll. If it is too stiff, you may need to let it sit for 5-10 minutes at room temperature before rolling. Sprinkle a little flour on a flat, clean work surface and on top of the disk of dough you intend to roll out. Using a rolling pin, roll outwards from the center of the dough. Every once in a while you may need to gently lift under the dough to make sure it is not sticking. You have a big enough piece of dough when you place the pie tin or pie dish upside down on the dough and the dough extends by at least 2 inches all around.
  4. When the dough has reached the right size, gently fold it in half. Lift up the dough and place it so that the folded edge is along the center line of the pie dish. Gently unfold. Do not stretch the dough.
  5. If you are only making a single crust pie, use a pair of kitchen scissors or a paring knife to trim the dough to within 1/2 inch of the lip of the dish. Tuck the overhang underneath itself along the edge of the pie dish. Use your fingers in a pinching motion, or a fork to crimp the edge of the pie crust.
  6. If you are making a double crust pie, roll out the second disk of dough. Gently place onto the top of the filling in the pie. Use a kitchen scissors to trim the overhang to an inch over. Fold the edge of the top piece of dough over and under the edge of the bottom piece of dough, pressing together. Finish the double crust by pressing against the edges of the pie with your finger tips or with a fork. Use a sharp knife to cut vents into the top of the pie crust, so the steam has a place to escape while the pie is cooking.

 

Peach Cobbler

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Delicious Homemade Peach Cobbler

Peach Cobbler

Ingredients:

  • 8 peaches, peeled, pitted and sliced
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 2 teaspoons of cornstarch
  • 2 cups of all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 12 tablespoons of salted butter, chilled and cut into pieces

How to make:

Preheat over to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine peaches, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and cornstarch. Stir to coat evenly. Pour into an 8-inch glass baking dish. Bake for 10 minutes.

In another large bowl, combine flour, 1/2 cup of sugar, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. Using a mixer add in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add 1 tablespoon of hot water at a time until all combined.

Remove peaches from the oven and spoon on the topping mixture. Sprinkle the remaining sugar over the top. Bake for 30 more minutes or until golden. (Sometimes the cobbler will bubble over, so best to place the dish on a foil lined cookie sheet.)

Serve warm. Optional to top with ice cream or whipped topping.

Maple Bacon Pecan Brittle

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Maple Bacon Pecan Brittle

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup of cooked bacon, crumbled/chopped
  • 1 8-ounce package of pecans, chopped
  • 1 cup of maple syrup
  • 3/4 cup of sugar
  • 1/4 cup of corn syrup
  • 1/2 cup of water
  • 1 teaspoon of salt

How to make:

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large sauce pan, combine maple syrup, sugar, corn syrup, water and salt, and cook over medium heat until all of the sugar is dissolved. Using a candy thermometer continue cooking, stirring frequently, until it reaches 255 degrees.

Increase the heat to medium high, add bacon, and stir until well blended.

When the candy thermometer reaches 265 degrees, add the pecans and stir until well blended.

Continue stirring until mixture reaches 285 degrees.

Turn off the stove, remove the pot, and pour mixture onto baking sheet. Spread evenly with a spatula. Allow brittle to cool. Break into pieces and serve.

 

Southern Coastal Cornbread Skillet

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Southern Coastal Cornbread Skillet

Ingredients:

  • 1 package of chorizo, sliced and chopped
  • 1 cup of crab meat, chopped
  • 1/2 pound of raw shrimp, chopped
  • 1 small onion, chopped
  • 1 cup of corn
  • 2 tablespoons of seafood seasoning
  • 2 tablespoons of olive oil
  • 2 cups of self-rising corn meal
  • 1 1/2 cup of milk
  • 1/3 cup of vegetable oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup of sour cream
  • 1/4 cup of chopped chives
  • 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

How to make:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.

In a large cast-iron skillet or oven proof skillet, heat the olive oil over medium.

Saute together the first four ingredients until onions are translucent and shrimp are pink. Add in the seafood seasoning and corn. Remove from heat.

In a large mixing bowl, combine corn meal, milk, vegetable oil, and eggs until well blended. Pour corn meal batter over sauteed skillet ingredients.

Bake for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown.

In a small bowl, combine sour cream, chives, and black pepper.

Slice and serve. Top with sour cream mixture.

Serves 6-8.

Southern Chicken Salad

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Southern Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups of chicken, chopped
  • 2 stalks of celery, chopped
  • 1 cup of grapes, sliced in quarters
  • 1/2 cup of pecans, chopped
  • 1/2 cup of mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 large croissants

How to make:

In a large mixing bowl, combine chicken, celery, grapes, pecans, mayonnaise, pepper, and salt.

Slice the croissants in half, or use bread of choice.

Serves 4.

Chicken and “Dumplins”

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Chicken and “Dumplins”

Ingredients:

  • 1 whole chicken, cut up
  • 1 cup of flour
  • 1 egg
  • 1 stalk of celery, sliced
  • 1 medium sized onion, diced
  • 2 tablespoons of salt
  • Parsley

How to make:

Stew chicken three hours until shreds a part by putting it in a dutch oven and covering it with water. Add salt to the water, onion, and celery. Add one tablespoon of chopped parsley to the broth.

Remove chicken from broth and allow to cool. Debone meat.

To make the dumplings, in a bowl mix the egg and the flour, add drops of water until dough forms a ball. On a well-floured surface, roll out the dough and cut into squares. Drop the squares into the broth and cook for approximately 30 minutes.

When dumplings are done, add chicken and serve.

(Optional, sliced carrots are a nice addition, too.)

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

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Cinnamon coffee cake

Cinnamon Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

  • 3 cups of flour
  • 1 1/2 cups of brown sugar, packed
  • 1 cup of vegetable oil
  • 1 cup of milk
  • 1 cup of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 1/2 cup of salted butter, melted
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon of cinnamon
  • 3 teaspoons of baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

How to make:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix together milk, oil, eggs, and vanilla. In a medium bowl, blend together flour, white sugar, baking powder, and salt. Combine the two mixtures until smooth. Pour half of the batter into a greased 9 x 13 dish.

In a medium bowl, blend brown sugar and cinnamon. Sprinkle half of the streusel mixture on top of the batter.

Top with the remaining cake batter and sprinkle the other half of the streusel mixture on top. Drizzle with melted butter.

Bake for 25-30 minutes.

Can be made the night before, or served warm. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar.