Happy Pi Day

April Fools

Yesterday's lovely pie was really meatloaf and mashed potatoes. Meatloaf colored with small amounts of baking cocoa and molasses. Mashed potatoes colored with a small amount of pureed beets. Thanks to Family Fun for the great idea.

Strawberry Chocolate Mousse Pie

Combining the perfectly matched flavors of

chocolate and strawberry,

this double mousse pie will leave you

satisfied.

Coconut, strawberries, chocolate, mousse.

Yum!

Recipe coming soon.

Fruity German Pancakes

We have a new favorite recipe.

It's a breakfast food, but we often eat if for dinner.

When I was growing up,

we'd eat these pancakes (the non-fruit variety)

every Christmas morning,

so they were called "Christmas Morning Pancakes".

Now we love this old/new recipe with some fruit added.

Yum!

With no sugar in the pancake itself,

it's easy to control the sweetness.

 

German Pancakes

6 Tbsp. butter

sliced fruit

(our favorites are apples or peaches – peeled and thinly sliced, but I'm dying to try strawberries or blueberries)

brown sugar

cinnamon

8 large eggs

2 cups flour

2 cups milk

1 tsp. salt

1 tsp. vanilla

Heat oven to 400.  Melt butter in 9X12 pan in oven.  Sprinkle pan with brown sugar and cinnamon.  Lay sliced fruit into pan.

Beat remaining ingredients.  Pour into cake pan.  Bake 30-35 minutes, or until browned.  Serve warm with lemon juice and powdered sugar.

We have several tiny shakers.

I fill them part-way with powdered sugar and give each child one.

Sometimes they shake them on, but sometimes they resort to eating the sugar straight from the shaker.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

What are your comfort foods?

On my short list I'd include

Chicken Broccoli Casserole,

a childhood favorite.

Perfect on a cool fall evening.

Thanks for the great recipe, Mom.

Chicken Broccoli Casserole

 

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (Cooked and chopped)

1 bag frozen broccoli (cooked)

1 can cream of chicken soup

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp. lemon juice

salt & pepper to taste

cheddar cheese

 Place chicken and broccoli in pan.  Stir soup, mayo, milk, juice, salt, & pepper.  Stir into chicken mix.  Spread evenly in pan.  Sprinkle with cheddar cheese.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.



Chicken Noodle Soup

Cold days seem to be begging for a pot of homemade chicken noodle soup.

I love it herb-y and hot with a side of warm, whole-wheat rolls.

Chicken Noodle Soup

2 tbsp. olive oil

1 1/2 tbsp. minced garlic

1 cup chopped onions

2 chicken breasts, cubed

4 cups chicken broth

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups chopped carrots

1/2 cup chopped celery

1 cup peas

2 cups egg noodles

1 tbsp. onion powder

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

2 tsp. parsley

1 1/2 tsp. sage

1/2 tsp. pepper

1/2 tsp. thymne

1/4 tsp. paprika

Heat oil in large pot.  Add garlic and onions.  Cook until browned.  Add chicken.   Saute until cooked.  Add chicken broth and water.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium (or until soup is softly boiling).  Add remaining ingredients.  Cook until noodles are soft, adding water as necessary.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

Today we needed a little treat to sweeten our school day.  The kids were wowed by this two-layer fudge.  I don't know if they'd ever had fudge before.  They certainly didn't know what it was.  The chocolatey smeared faces soon proved their approval.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

1/2 cup butter

3 1/3 cups dark chocolate chips (60% cacao)

2 tsp. vanilla

3 1/4 cups powdered sugar

4 Tbsp. milk

1 1/4 cup peanut butter

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tsp. vanilla

3 Tbsp. milk

1.  Line a 9x13 pan with aluminum foil (anyone still call this tinfoil - we still do).

2.  Melt chocolate and butter in a glass bowl in the microwave, stirring every minute or two, until melted.

3.  Add powdered sugar and vanilla to a large bowl or stand mixer.  Add chocolate mixture.  Add milk.  Beat until well blended.  (Depending on the humidity, you may need to add more or less milk.  Watch the texture as you mix.)

4.  Dump fudge into lined pan.  Push fudge down into a flat, even layer.

5.  Add powdered sugar and peanut butter to mixing bowl or stand mixer.  Add vanilla and milk.  Beat well.  (Depending on the humidity, you may need to add more or less milk.  Watch the texture as you mix.)

6.  Dump peanut butter fudge into lined pan on top of the chocolate layer.  Push fudge down into a flat, even layer.

7.  Refrigerate for 3 hours or until firm.

8.  Cut and serve.