pie

the best – aunt donna lou’s decadent chocolate meringue pie.

September 1, 2020 by Becky Spoon

Just look at this decadent chocolate meringue pie! This pie is amazingly simple and so chocolatey. I really have never been a big sweet eater until I got older and I haven’t made a lot of desserts. I find them kind of tedious, having to make everything exact, but a pie like this is well worth the trouble.

I grew up in an amazing time of America. We spent time with family. Just not immediate family but with cousins, aunts and uncles, and of course our grand parents. One thing I always loved were the family reunions. There would be loads of food and without fail, there would be a chocolate pie, actually probably several. My sisters make pies much better than I, one in particular specializes in cream pies with meringue because they are a favorite of her husband.

This custard is a little different than I’ve made before. You blend sugar, flour, a little salt and the chocolate, then add boiling water, whisking constantly to prevent lumping. Then I temper the eggs and add to the mixture, then cook until the custard has thickened.

This recipe uses cocoa powder and I like to use a really good cocoa powder. One of my favorites is Ghirardelli Cocoa Powder. https://amzn.to/2ERSXaC

the best – aunt donna lou’s decadent chocolate meringue pie.

I have to admit I didn’t cook my chocolate long enough to thicken a little more, but I’m telling you this chocolate pudding in this pie is amazing. I sure don’t mind eating it with a spoon!! The meringue is just icing on the cake, well you know what I mean. If you like chocolate as much as I do, try this chocolate recipe https://the2spoons.com/love-%f0%9f%92%95-chocolate-peanut-butter-pie/.

This pie is so delicious!!! Ok, here’s the new recipe for my Aunt’s recipe! Hope you make it.

Chocolate Meringue Pie

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Ingredients

For the Custard (for 2 pies or one deep dish pie pan)

2 cups granulated sugar
2/3 cup flour
pinch of salt
1/2 cup cocoa
6 yolks, reserve the whites for the meringue
2 cups boiling water
1 tbsp butter

For the Meringue

6 room temperature egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Prebake your preferred crust at 425 degrees. I prick the crust with a fork, add parchment paper and pie weights. Cook for 10-12 minutes until browned. I used a store bought Pillsbury pie crust that worked perfectly.
Combine the sugar, flour, salt and cocoa in a sauce pan. Bring water to a boil and while whisking, add to the dry ingredients, continuing to whisk to prevent lumps.
Temper the eggs by adding a little of the hot pudding to them and combining, then add to the custard. Continue to cook until thick. Remove from the heat and add the butter. I refrigerated mine before adding to the cooled crust.
Beat the egg whites, while adding a little sugar at a time, along with the vanilla until stiff peaks form.
Spread on the pie and bake for a few minutes at 450 degrees until lightly browned. Cool before cutting.

Keyword apple pie, chocolate, chocolate merignue pie, cocolate pie, dessert, merignue

No Freels Texas Peach Pie!

August 18, 2019 by Becky Spoon

Awe, Texas Peach Pie! Who doesn’t love a delicious homemade fruit pie? Peach and Apple Pie are my favorites! And, if you live in Texas you know Texas grown peaches are wonderful!

I was shopping at my local Grocery store the other day and decided I’d get peaches. There were a couple of different types but I quickly went for the Texas grown. Hill Country Peaches are world famous and here is a link for some of the most famous growers in Texas. http://www.texaspeaches.com/

No Frills Texas Peach Pie

I served this Texas Peach Pie with Blue Bell; however my no churn vanilla ice cream would have been an excellent choice! Here’s the link for my ice cream that you have to try! https://the2spoons.com/so-good-essential-no-churn-vanilla-ice-cream/

I can’t wait for you to try this Peach Pie!! Enjoy!

No Freels Texas Peach Pie

Print Recipe

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Ingredients

1 prepared Pie Crust (I used a Pillsbury store bought to save time)
3 1/2 to 4 lbs Texas Peaches ( about 6 large or about 8 medium)
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 – 1/2 cup gramdulated sugar
1/3 – 1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
few gratings fresh nutmeg
1/8 tsp salt
3 tbsp cornstarch

To Finish

1 tbsp Heavy cream milk
1 tbsp sugar

Instructions

Bring a large saucepan of water to boil. Prepare an ice bath. Make a small x at the bottom of each peach. Once water is boiling, lower peaches, as many as you can fit at once, into saucepan and poach for two minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to ice bath for one minute to cool. Transfer peaches to cutting board and peel the skins. In most cases, the boiling-then-cold water will loosen the skins and they’ll slip right off. In the case of some stubborn peaches, they will stay intact and you can peel them with a paring knife or vegetable peeler and curse the person who made you waste your time with poaching fruit.
Halve and pit the peaches, then into about 1/3-inch thick slices. You’ll want 6 cups; it’s okay if you go a little over. Add to a large bowl and toss with lemon juice. In a small dish, stir together sugars, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and cornstarch until evenly mixed. Add to peaches and toss to evenly coat.
Preheat: Oven to 425 degrees
Place one pie dough into a standard pie dish. Scoop filling into bottom pie dough, including any accumulated juices (they contain the thickener too, also: tastiness). Top with the second crust or cut into strips for a lattice. Tuck and crimp the edges.
Brush pie with milk, cream or water and sprinkle with sugar.
Bake pie for about 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until the crust is set and beginning to brown. Reduce oven temperature to 375 and bake pie for another 30 to 40 minutes, until filling is bubbling all over and the crust is a nice golden brown. If the pie lid browns too quickly at any point in the baking process, you can cover it with foil for the remaining baking time to prevent further browning.
Cool for three hours at room temperature before serving. Pie can be stored at room temperature but best in the refrigerator.

Keyword dessert, peach, peach pie, pie, texas Peach Pie

Homemade French Vanilla Ice Cream
No Freels Texas Peach Pie!
No Freels Texas Peach Pie!

Delicious Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

January 15, 2019 by Becky Spoon

Essential Roasted Chicken Pot Pie is that recipe that just makes you feel good. For me, it brings back childhood memories of those little pies in a box that I loved and was full of anticipation until that 30 minutes or so went by of cooking the pie in the oven, after all, there hasn’t always been a Chicken Pot Pie store bought that you could cook in the microwave like today, that comes out with a brown and crispy top!

There are so many ways to finish a homemade chicken pot pie with the crust element; however, my favorite continues to be the double crust using a basic pie crust. I actually used Pillsbury store bought for these today. Why not? An already simple dish became even more simple with the already prepared crust.

I make the filling of this recipe the same each time, but sometimes I mix up the crust I am using. Sometimes I’ll finish with a lattice pictured above, a single crust with vents to release the steam or with puffed pastry that I bake separately and just place on top! Both are yummy and delicious! I’ve even made one topped with biscuits.

Here’s a couple of more photos with the different crust I’ve used. This is with a puffed pastry:

lattice top:

and individual pot pies with single crust:

I love to make individual pot pies in these large ramkins: https://amzn.to/3nmDelR

Delicious Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

I always have a roasted chicken on hand or a rotisserie chicken that I purchased from the supermarket and inevitably have some left over. I honestly do not like to waste food so when I have the chicken left my go to may be a Chicken Noodle Soup or Chicken and Rice Soup, a Casserole using Chicken like my Chicken and Green Chile Tortilla Casserole, Chicken and Dumplings or a Chicken Pot Pie that I was in the mood for today! So many possibilities! Here’s a link for some of my other recipes using leftover chicken or turkey:

Chicken and Green Chile Tortilla Casserole https://the2spoons.com/new-mexico-green-chile-chicken-casserole/.

Chicken and Dumplings https://the2spoons.com/chicken-and-dumplings-ultimate-comfort-food/

An alternative to the roasted chicken is the chicken you use in making a homemade stock that I generally use for chicken salad or dumplings. I just take a whole chicken, add onions, celery, carrots, bay leaves, a little salt, and pepper, cover with water and cook until the chicken begins to fall off the bone.

Delicious Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

I hope you love this recipe as much as we do!

Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Course dinner, Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine American

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp vegetable oil
3 tbsp all purpose flour
1/2 onion, diced
1 1/2 cups carrots, thinly sliced
1-2 stalks celery, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups potatoes (I used red becasue they hold better)
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
Fresh thyme springs and rosemary tied together with kitchen twine.
3-5 cups chicken broth (start with the lowest amount and add more to your desired thickness)
1 Knorr chicken bullion
4 cups chicken or turkey, diced, cubed or shredded
1 cup frozen peas
2 9 inch pie crust
1 egg +1 tsp water for the egg wash

Instructions

Heat the butter and oil over medium heat in a large saucepan. Add the onions, carrots, ptatoes and celery. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes. The vegetables will not be tender. They will finish cooking after your stock is added.
Add the flour to your sauteed vegetables and cook a minute or two, stirring to eliminate a flour taste.
Add the chicken broth and the chicken bullion. Stir to prevent lumps and bring up to a simmer, adding more stock if needed. Add your tied herbs. When you reach the desired thickness, lower the heat to a low simmer and cook until the carrots are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste, but remember the bullion adds saltiness so do a taste test first.
Remove from the heat and add your chicken and peas. Just stir to combine.
While the filling is cooling, par-bake the bottom crust at 425 for 15-17 minutes. I always fit my crust in the pan I'm using then place foil over the crust tucking the foil over the top of the crust, being careful not to hurt your crust, but securing in hopes your crust will not fall down the sides. You can also add pie weights or beans which will help even more.
When the crust is par-baked, remove the foil and add your filling.
Add your top crust either as a lattice or a solid sheet. If you use a solid crust, cut a few slits so the steam can escape. You can use puffed pastry as I described in the content of the post.
Beat the egg and water and brush your pie with the mixture. I check the pie after about 15 minutes and brush again, but not necessary.
Bake the pie until it is bubbling and it is golden brown. Bon Appetite!

Keyword chicken, Chicken Pot Pie, dinner, leftovers, lunch, main course, Pot Pie, roasted, Roasted Chicken, roasted turkey, turkey pot pie