Puddle Pies

This rich and luscious recipe makes two pies. One for your family and one to give away. Share the yum and the calories. A win-win for everyone!







After being at our cabin Easter weekend, the dominant outdoor condition was mud puddles, everywhere! If we got off the gravel, we were sucked into the brown goo. That experience was the genesis for these little puddle pies. I usually make this recipe in a 9 x 13 pan but I found that if I split it up into 2 pie pans we could eat one and share one. We did just that this week with a new mom and her family. I think everything is better when it is shared!

I left the white in recognition of the snow that was still evident in patches around the puddles.

Since you can't really get out and around on the Mountain a great deal right now, why not stay indoors and make a couple of puddle pies and share one with your neighbor!








Cooking tip: After I get the pie crust pushed into the pan, I cover it with wax paper and go over the area with a teaspoon. It helps to get a smooth, even crust.

Cooking tip: My favorite way to crush nuts like walnuts or pecans is to put the nuts in a zip baggie inside another baggie and then crush everything with a rolling pin. I can really control how fine I want to get my nuts, even rolling them at the end to get a really fine crush. Then you just need to throw the zip baggies away. No messy clean up.

Butter Nut Crust

2 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
2 cups flour
4 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened but not melted

Mix nuts, flour, powdered sugar and work butter into dry ingredients. Divide mixture in two parts and put half in each pie pan or put all in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Bake at 300 for about 25 minutes. Cool completely!

1 (8 oz.) tub cool whip
2 (8oz.) pkg. cream cheese, at room temperature
2 cups powdered sugar

First, beat cream cheese until smooth with a mixer, then add the powdered sugar and beat, and then add this mixture to the cool whip and beat.

Pour this mixture over the cooled pie crusts or put all in a 9 x 13 inch pan with cooled crust.

Refrigerate 2 or more hours.

1 small pkg. jello chocolate fudge instant pudding
1 cup cream
1 cup milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Combine pudding, cream, milk, and vanilla with a mixer at low speed until mixture begins to thicken. Spread on top of cream cheese layer and refrigerate overnight or several hours.

Note: If you choose to do this in a 9 x 13 inch pan, you may want to double the chocolate layer.

Garnish:

1 chocolate bar

Make chocolate curls using a potato peeler and put on top of pies.

********************* April 12, 2009***************

I took this shot just as the sun was going down and there was a sunbeam coming through the oaks. I loved the glow of light and reflection on the snow and puddles

In this picture, I loved the reflection of the stark bare oaks in the puddles in contrast to the sunlight. I believe there is beauty everyday on our Mountain, even in the mud puddles.

-Debbie -

Sheep Camp Cocoa

Back to Basics Cocoa

I grew up in Idaho spending many wonderful hours sitting around our 17 ft. long cabin table with my brothers, sisters, and cousins making "Sheep Camp Cocoa". We'd all mix up our basic chocolate concentrate and then mom would call out, "Who needs hot water". She'd walk around with an old tea kettle pouring hot water into our cups. We'd add a whole handful of mini marshmallows and we were in "Cocoa Heaven". I treasure that memory and it still warms my soul. When you make "Sheep Camp Cocoa" you are concocting your own special recipe and not relying on a company gourmet mix. Although we didn't add extracts, I have been experimenting with adding a drop of various extracts and I've like the flavor of the cocoa. I've had good results with vanilla, peppermint and almond extracts. I look forward to trying orange and raspberry. Cinnamon sticks are also fabulous for stirring your concoction as they add great flavor and if you are lucky and get a good piece, you can sip your chocolate through a cinnamon straw.

So, get out you little mug and make your own special recipe for "Sheep Camp Cocoa"!

I really like the Nestle cocoa powder. There really is a difference in cocoa powders so find one that you like.

Basically, you just need cocoa powder, sugar, canned milk, hot water and a tiny drop of extract.

I add about 2 teaspoons of cocoa powder and about 3 teaspoons of sugar. My cup was about an 8 oz. cup. When I remember, I also add a dash of salt. Mix all of this together.

Add about 2 teaspoons of canned evaporated milk. If you can't get all of the dry ingredients incorporated into the liquid, add another teaspoon of milk. Mix really well until all of the dry ingredients and wet are mixed and there are no lumps. This is important because it is hard to get the dry ingredients mixed in after more liquid is added.






When well mixed, it should look something like this, smooth and glossy.






Add about 12 to 14 more teaspoons of canned milk and mix well.

You'll need to experiment to see how much milk you like in your cocoa so the above is just a suggestion.





Add hot water!

Note: You may also add hot milk if you'd prefer. If you choose to use the hot milk, you probably won't need the 12 to 14 teaspoons of evaporated milk in the above step.

I just like the richness that the evaporated milk gives.



Add a drop of extract and stir well. Finally, add lots of mini marshmallows because they are the best part of any hot chocolate!

Additional Notes: As kids, we used Nesquik as our base but I bought a jar recently and it just wasn't the same as it used to be. I remembered it as being a fine powder but now it is very grainy and I didn't really care for the flavor. I had better results with cocoa powder and sugar. You may also use "Splenda" if you are watching you sugar intake.


I hope you find comfort and joy in your own special little cup of cocoa!

-Debbie-