German Chocolate Pie- Oh my!

When I lived near a Marie Calendar's restaurant, my favorite dessert was German Chocolate Pie at Marie Calendar's.  I can remember going there shortly after Kristen was born with my mother, who had come to help after the birth, with my beautiful, new baby girl in tow.  I don't remember what I ordered for lunch, but I sure remember how delicious that German chocolate pie tasted.  I have looked from time to time, but have never been able to find a recipe.  So, based on my heavenly memories, I made up a recipe, using, as a base, the banana cream pie recipe on here.  I, of course, substituted chocolate pudding for vanilla, and substituted the other ingredients for the bananas. I think it tastes very much like Marie's- as best as I can remember. 

German Chocolate Pie        Makes 2 pies
 1 small (3.4 oz) box instant chocolate pudding

1 cup cold water

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1 pint heavy whipping cream

2 pie crusts (oreo, graham cracker, or baked pastry shells)

1/3 cup powdered sugar

1/2- 1 cup miniature chocolate chips

1 cup or so of coconut

1 cup or so  nuts

In a medium bowl, mix together the pudding mix, cold water, and sweetened condensed milk.  Mix well and put in fridge.

In another bowl, whip 1 cup cream until soft peaks form. Fold it into the pudding.  Fold in most of the coconut and nuts and some of the chocolate chips.  Put the mixture in the fridge.  Sprinkle some chocolate chips into the bottom of two pie shells (I prefer a baked pastry shell, but the others are good too.) Microwave for just a few seconds to slightly melt the chocolate.  Divide the pudding mixture between the two pies.  

Whip the other cup of cream with 1/3 cup powdered sugar.  Top the pies with the whipped cream.  If using store-bought crusts, replace the plastic dome and store the pies in the fridge.

*Because my husband prefers plain chocolate pie, I make one plain chocolate pie and one German chocolate.   I put half of the pudding mixture in a pie shell for him, and then mix in (just half of the above amounts) of the coconut, nuts, and chocolate chips for the German chocolate one.  I think this might be my favorite kind of pie.

Marshmallow Brownies

This delicious recipe comes from my sister Patty's cookbook.  Everything I make from that book is delicious!

Marshmallow Brownies

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cup flour

2/3 cup cocoa

1 1/2 cups chopped nuts, optional

1/2 tsp. salt

1 pkg. miniature marshmallows

Chocolate buttercream frosting

Mix together the butter and sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla and beat well.  Add flour salt, cocoa, and nuts.  Beat well and put in a 9x13 pan. (I like to spray it, then line with parchment.)  Bake at 350 for 30-40 minutes.  Just before they are done, remove them from the oven and put the marshmallows over the top.  Return to the oven and bake until the marshmallows are melted.  When cool, frost with chocolate frosting.  Easy and absolutely delicious.  This is one of my favorite treats to share with neighbors.

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting (you can use any recipe, but this is one from my Aunt Nedra)

2 cups powdered sugar

4 T. butter, melted and cooled

1/4 cup cocoa

1/4 cup milk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

Put the powdered sugar in a bowl.  Whisk in the cocoa powder.  Pour in the butter, milk, and vanilla and whisk until well combined.  

Thanksgivng Salads in Jars

 For the last couple of years, Shonna has often made Mason jar salads for the week- six or seven each week.  Pre-COVID, she was part of a group that would each make enough salads of one kind for everyone else in the group, then meet on Fridays and exchange them, everyone going home with seven different jar salads to eat for their lunches.

Shonna enjoyed those salads so much, that she has continued making seven jar salads each week during COVID, for herself.  She shares one with a widowed friend and another with a new mom.  She then has a salad to eat each day for lunch.  I will be publishing some of her recipes on here.  She has her sisters doing this, too, so some of the pictures come from her and some from them.    

Kristen made this recipe for Thanksgiving Jar Salads.  She sent me the pictures.  She said it was delicious.  She didn't have the grain, so eliminated that and used dried cranberries instead of fresh.  I personally think it would be good with cubed turkey or chicken added, too.  Shonna said that this was one of the salad recipes that she created.

Thanksgiving Salad

6 Quart Jars

Put about 1/3 cup of each ingredient in each jar, putting the 1st ingredient in the bottom, then work up:

Millet: (3/4 cup raw, cooked with 1 1/2 cup water.  Simmer for about 20 minutes)

Cranberries (2 cups fresh, boiled with 1 1/3 cup OJ, 1 tsp cinnamon, 4 T maple syrup.  Once it boils, add the cranberries and simmer for about 3 minutes.  You don't want a sauce, but you want cooked berries)

Roasted cauliflower- 1 head divided among the 6 jars.  You can rice this in your blender, or chop.

Roasted, diced yam chunks, (2 large yams, divided among the 6 jars)

6 roasted Brussel sprouts in each jar

Roasted, diced butternut squash ( 1 squash, divided)

2 cups mixed green

Toppings: feta cheese and roasted pecan halves (2 cups pecans divided among the 6 salads)

Cranberry Orange Dressing

Simmer the cranberries and then strain in a fine sieve over a blender.  So your base is about  1 cup oj with cinnamon and maple.  Add 1 tsp Dijon, scant 1/2 tsp REAL or sea salt, 1/2 tsp pepper or 12 grinds.  Blend for a few seconds, then while it's blending add 3 T olive oil to emulsify.  Pour into separate containers and add to salad when ready to eat.

Kristen said she loved these salads so much that she is making them again next week.  

Watch for more jar salad recipes.  I will be posting them over the next while.  

Blueberry Dance Bars

 I've been making this recipe that I got from my sister, Joan for years.  The recipe is actually for cherry dance bars, but you can substitute any canned pie filling.  It is easy and delicious.   We particularly like blueberry.  One word of caution.  It is easy to under bake this recipe and then it's doughy.  Make sure a toothpick comes out clean.  

Blueberry Dance Bars

1 cup butter

1 3/4 cup sugar

4 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

3 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

nutmeg and cinnamon, to taste (I don't use either in blueberry, but I sprinkle on a couple tablespoons sugar and a little lemon juice)

1 can blueberry or cherry pie filling

Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well.  Turn off the mixer and add the flour and baking powder.   Then mix together.  

Spread half of the dough 9 x 13 pan.  Spread the pie filling over the dough.  Sprinkle on spices or lemon juice and sugar.  Drop remaining dough by spoonfuls on top of the pie filling.  Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.  Make a glaze of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla.  Glaze the top.  So delicious!!

Updated Amazing Beef Stew

 

I have posted my beef stew recipe before, but I have made some changes and additions that make it so much better, that I decided to post again.  This recipe makes such a delicious, smooth gravy that has so much flavor.  This is comfort food at it's best!

Beef Stew

1 1/2 - 2 lbs. stew beef, cut into small chunks

about 1/2 cup flour

Salt and pepper or Montreal Steak seasoning to taste

3 potatoes, scrubbed or peeled and chopped

3 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 large onion, chopped

3 stalks celery with tops, chopped

2 boxes mushroom, halved

1 can green beans

1 can tomato soup

1 can cream of mushroom soup

1-2 Tablespoons Better than Bouillon mixed in 1 cup boiling water

More water as needed

Cut up the beef.  Mix together the flour and salt and pepper and dredge the beef chunks.  Let marinate while chopping the other ingredients.  Heat your enameled cast iron Dutch oven.  Add some oil.  Brown the beef chunks. Add the bouillon mixture and deglaze the pan.  Add the other ingredients and stir together.  Put in a 300 oven and let cook several hours until veggies are cooked and flavors blended.  Serve with thick slices of homemade bread.

Caprese Salad in a Jar

 For the last couple of years, Shonna has often made Mason jar salads for the week- six or seven each week.  Pre-COVID, she was part of a group that would each make enough salads of one kind for everyone else in the group, then meet on Fridays and exchange them, everyone going home with seven different jar salads to eat for their lunches.  She is very creative, often creating her own recipes.  She enjoyed the others' creativity and variety as well.  

Shonna enjoyed those salads so much, that she has continued making seven jar salads many weeks during COVID.  She usually shares one with a widowed friend, and one with a new mother.  She then has a salad to eat each day for lunch.  I will be publishing some of her recipes on here from time to time.  She has her sisters doing this, too, so some of the pictures come from her and some from them.  These pictures are from Shonna.  And she invented the recipe.

 Caprese Salad

Fresh mozzarella balls in the bottom

Wheat berries, optional

Cherry tomatoes

2 cups mixed greens

1/2 cup arugula, 

3 large basil leaves, chopped on top.

When you serve, sprinkle on sunflower seeds and croutons

Sometimes she adds wheat berries.

Allison's Tortellini Soup

 Browsing through my sister Patty's cookbook, I saw this recipe for Tortellini soup.  It is Patty's daughter, Allison's recipe.  Allison says it is her family's favorite soup.  So I had to try it!  It is delicious !

Allison's Tortellini Soup

1 lb. mild sausage

1 cup water

1/2 cup apple juice

1 tsp. basil

1 tsp. oregano

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 onion, chopped

4 cups beef broth

4 carrots, chopped

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes (I used diced)

1 cup diced zucchini

1 green pepper, chopped

4 T. parsley, chopped

8 oz. (about 2 1/2 cups) tortellini

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese

In a large soup pot, brown sausage.  Add chopped onion and garlic and cook until tender.  Add water, broth, apple juice, carrots, tomatoes, basil, oregano, zucchini, parsley and green pepper.  Simmer until vegetables are tender.  Add the tortellini and cook about 10 more minutes.  Serve with grated Parmesan cheese on top.

Balsamic Chicken Berry Salad

 For the last couple of years, Shonna has often made Mason jar salads for the week- six or seven each week.  Pre-COVID, she was part of a group that would each make enough salads of one kind for everyone else in the group, then meet on Fridays and exchange them, everyone going home with seven different jar salads to eat for their lunches.  She is very creative, often creating her own recipes.  She enjoyed the others' creativity and variety as well.  

Shonna enjoyed those salads so much, that she has continued making seven jar salads many weeks during COVID, just for herself (and she always takes one to her widowed friend and one to a new mother.)  She then has a salad to eat each day for lunch.  I will be publishing some of her recipes on here.  She has her sisters doing this, too, so some of the pictures come from her and some from them.  

Balsamic Chicken Berry Salad

Chicken:

1 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast

3 T. balsamic vinegar

1 T. EVOO

2 cloves garlic, minced or mashed

1 T. fresh rosemary, chopped

1/2 tsp. oregano

Dressing:

3 T. balsamic vinegar

3 T. EVOO

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tsp dijon mustard

1 T raspberry jam

Salt and pepper to taste

Salad: 

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa

3/4 cup quartered strawberries

1/2 cup blueberries

1/2 cup goat cheese or feta cheese

1 avocado, diced

1/4 cup toasted sliced almonds

2-4 cups greens: arugula and baby spinach are good

Put the chicken with the marinade ingredients in a ziploc bag.  Marinate for at least 20 minutes.

Cook the quinoa by putting 1 1/2 cups water in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil.  Stir in quinoa.  Reduce heat to low, cover, and let simmer for exactly 15 minutes.  Remove from heat and let stand, covered, for another 5-10 minutes.  Fluff with fork.  Quinoa will pop upon cooking and expand.  

While the quinoa is cooking, chop the salad ingredients.  

Put dressing ingredients in a bowl and mix well.

Preheat a grill and cook the chicken on medium-high heat.  Grill for 6-8 minutes on each side.  Juices should run clear.  Transfer to cutting board and dice the chicken.

Make the jar salads by dividing ingredients between four quart jars. Layer, starting with dressing, strawberries, cooked quinoa, blueberries, chicken, cheese, avocado, arugula, almonds.

Store in fridge.  When ready to eat, pour onto a plate or into a bowl.

Make 4 jar salads.

Michelle made the salad and served it with tilapia for her family for dinner.  They all loved it.

Such a beautiful, healthy salad!

Sherrie's Cheeseball

This is not a very enticing picture (as most of mine aren't) but it is a delicious cheeseball.  I got the recipe from my sister-in-law, Sherrie. She served it at a family reunion.  I put the recipe in my notes on my phone, so hopefully I got it right.  I've made it a couple of times since.

Cheeseball

3 -8 oz. bricks of cream cheese

1 1/2 teaspoons prepared horseradish (I used horseradish sauce this time and it was good)

1 bunch green onion, chopped

2 packages Carl Budig beef, cut up small  (This is cheap lunch meat)

1 tsp. salt

I like to add a few drops Tabasco

Mix all together with your hands.  When well mixed, form into a ball.  Then roll in chopped pecans and parsley. I used dried parsley in this picture, but I like fresh better.  Chill.  Serve with crackers.  

Patty's Lemon Bars

 My sister, Patty is a magnificent cook.  I recently made her delicious, buttery lemon bars.   

Lemon Bars

Crust

1 3/4 cups flour

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 cup butter, cut up

1/2 tsp. salt

Filling

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

4 T. flour

1 tsp baking powder

2 T. lemon peel

6-7 T lemon juice

1/4 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350

Combine the flour and powdered sugar and salt, then cut in the butter until crumbly (You can use a cutting tool, but I prefer to use my hands.)  Press into a 13 x 9 pan.  Bake for 15 minutes.  While baking, mix the filling:

Beat the eggs and sugar until light colored and fluffy.  Stir in the flour, bp, lemon peel, juice and salt.  Pour the filling over the crust and put back in the oven for another 18-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool completely, then sift powdered sugar over the top.  Cut into squares.