Coconut Cream Pie Time

This recipe is not original but it is AWESOME!!

Time: 1 hour, plus 2 1/2 hours for chilling

For the pastry cream:

3 cups heavy cream
1/2 vanilla bean, split
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
5 large egg yolks


For the macadamia nut crust:

8 ounces macadamia nuts, toasted and cooled
1 cup flour
9 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon salt


For assembly:

4 cups heavy cream
1/2 cup sugar
2 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut, lightly toasted and cooled.


1. To prepare the pastry cream, combine in a medium heavy-bottom saucepan 2 1/2 cups of cream and scrapings from the vanilla bean; discard the bean. In a small bowl, combine sugar and cornstarch. In a medium bowl, combine egg yolks with remaining 1/2 cup of cream.


2. Place the saucepan over medium heat. Whisk sugar and cornstarch mixture into egg yolks when cream is about to boil. (There will be slight movement in the pan.) As it starts to boil, whisk a few hot spoonfuls into the yolk mixture to temper it. Reduce heat under pan to medium-low. Pour yolk mixture into the pan, and stir constantly with a wooden spoon until the mixture is thick. (If mixture separates, transfer it to a mixer with a whisk attachment, and beat until it is blended.) Transfer to a shallow container, and cover with plastic wrap to keep a skin from forming on the surface. Refrigerate until cold and firm, at least 1 hour.


3. To prepare macadamia nut crust, combine nuts and flour in a food processor. Process until nuts are finely ground, pulsing to keep them from becoming pasty. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter with sugar. Add yolk, and mix thoroughly. Add nut mixture and salt, and mix until smooth. Wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, about 1 hour.


4. Divide dough in half. Roll out a half between two sheets of plastic wrap to make a 10-inch disk. Repeat with remaining dough. Line two 9-inch tart pans, and chill in freezer until very firm, about 30 minutes.


5. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Place pie weights in shells, and bake until lightly golden, about 15 minutes. Remove pie weights, and continue to bake until the crust is golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes more. Allow to cool.


6. To assemble, in bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment combine heavy cream, sugar and 2 cups of pastry cream. (Reserve any remaining cream for another use.) Whisk at high speed until soft peaks form. Add coconut, and continue whisking mixture by hand until very stiff. Spoon into cooled tart shells. Serve immediately, or refrigerate to chill.


Yield: Two 9-inch pies.

The Very Best Chocolate Chip Cookies!

My mom's famous cookie recipe! It is huge and makes a ton of cookies. I have halved it before a couple times- sometimes successfully, sometimes not. Best just to make the whole thing and give some away! (In the pic above, we dipped half in chocolate)

6 Cups Flour

1 LB Butter

2 Cups Brown Sugar

1 1/2 Cups White Sugar

3 Eggs

1 1/2 tsp. Salt

1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

4 Cups Chocolate Chips (good ones like girhadelli, or even better get a big chocolate bar around 60% and chop into chunks)

2 Cups Nuts (I use Pecans- roughly chopped)

2 tsp. Vanilla

Cream Butter and Sugars, then add Eggs and Vanilla. Beat 3-4 minutes.

Mix Flour, Salt and Baking Soda in a separate bowl, then add gradually to sugar mixture.

Stir in Chocolate and Nuts.

Line cookie sheet with parchment paper. Drop large spoonfuls of dough onto sheet.

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. I usually bake longer til lightly browned.

Granny's Spaghetti Sauce

Ingredients:
Olive oil
5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 small can tomato paste
1 small can tomato sauce
1 large can peeled tomatoes
Sugar
Salt
Pepper
Paprika
Hot pepper flakes

Directions:
1. In medium saucepan, cover bottom lightly with olive oil.
2. Add garlic to oil
3. When garlic begins to brown, add tomato sauce, paste and peeled tomatoes
4. Cook on low heat, crushing tomatoes to make a sauce
5. Add salt, sugar, pepper, paprika and hot pepper to taste
6. Stir until well blended

Peggy's Pesto

Ingredients:
3 cups fresh basil
2 cloves garlic
3/4 cup grated Parmesan or similar cheese
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup pine nuts

Directions:
1. Put basil, garlic and pine nuts in blender or Cuisinart.
2. Gradually add olive oil while blending at medium speed
3. Add cheese and blend until evenly distributed

Potatoes Fontecchio

This recipe, from the Silver Palate Good Times cookbook is one of my all time favorites. You may remember it from our last BBQ!

5 1/2 pounds red new potatoes

8 cloves garlic, finely minced

1 1/2 cups best quality olive oil

1 large or 2 small bunches fresh mint, stems removed, leaves finely chopped

2 tablespoons coarse (kosher) salt

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Preheat oven to 350.

Scrub the potatoes and prick each one about 6 times with a fork (this may take longer than you think!). Place in a shallow roasting pan and roast for 2 hours. Cut each potato in half.

Toss the potatoes with the garlic, oil, mint, salt and pepper to taste in a large bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes before serving.

Serves 8 (at least!)

Strawberry Rhubarb Sangria

Many of our recipes are packed, but this one isn't!

you can make the rhubarb syrup a day or 2 ahead, then it's pretty fast.

1 C. granulated Sugar
1 whole vanilla bean, halved and scraped
5 stalks Rhubarb- 4 coursely chopped, 1 cut into 1/4" slices
1 pint fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
4 oz brandy
1 bottle sparkling Rose
1 C. red wine
1 T. powdered sugar
2 limes juiced

In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar, 1 C water and the vanilla bean. Simmer until sugar dissolves, turn off heat, and add chopped rhubarb. Cover for 5 minutes. Break up rhubarb with a spoon, and set aside for 30 min, then strain.

Crush 12 berries into the brandy in a bowl; let sit for 30 minutes. Strain. Combine brandy mixture, rose, red wine, powdered sugar, lime juice and the rhubarb syrup in a pitcher, and stir in rhubarb slices and rest of strawberries. Serves 6.

**note** Sparkling rose can tend to be sweet. If the rose is sweet, you may not need to add all of the rhubarb syrup. We have also made this with prosecco instead of sparkling rose and it turned out quite yummy!

Mama Z's Coleslaw

A great addition to a BBQ or potluck dinner

Slaw Ingredients:
1 package (1 lb) coleslaw cabbage (or 1 pound shredded cabbage with some shredded carrots in it)
1/2 c. slivered almonds (i usually add more)
1 bunch scallions
2 tsp. sesame seeds (again, i add a LOT more)
2 packages ramen noodles without the flavor package

Dressing Ingredients:
4 tbs sugar
1/2 c. oil
6 tbs. white vinegar
2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
Directions:
1. brown almonds and sessame seeds and let cool
2. slice scallions into discs
3. mix slaw and scallions
4. add almonds and sesame seeds once cool
5. in a seperate container mix together dressing ingredients
6. pour the dressing onto the slaw mixture
7. break up uncooked noodles.
8. add ramen to slaw right before serving

ps--this usually tastes better when chilled, so if you have time, do that!