Coconut & Chocolate Pies

Coconut & Chocolate Pies
Made w/Double Filling & Mile High Meringue

Monday, November 15, 2010

November 15, 2010

Good Afternoon !


How is everyone?  It is cold, wet and dreary here today in East Texas.  Makes you want to just crawl under the cover somewhere.  Although, I haven't done that today, but maybe I should have.  Well, my stats on my blog are really down and it doesn't look like many are even viewing the page.  I don't know what is going on.  I don't know if people have lost interest or just forgotten about the blog.  I suppose I will keep on blogging as long as people want to view it and check out the recipes.  I started this blog at the enouragement of so many people that said they were really wanting to read it, so I don't have a clue as to why the stats have fallen off.  Oh well....I"ll just keep plugging along !


As I said, it has been cold and dreary today, so I did what I usually do on days like this, I cook !  But then there again, it doesn't really take a day like this to make me cook.  I am still trying to get some things made to put in the freezer for Thanksgiving.  All the kids will be here and it is almost impossible to get a lot of things made once everyone starts getting here.  So, the things that can be frozen, I try to make those in advance.  Although, I'm beginning to run out of room in my little freezer.  I told Fred, we should have bought a bigger freezer, but at the time we bought it I didn't realize just how much I would use it.  But that thing is as handy as a shirt pocket as my Daddy always used to say.


Today I made some Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Blondies and some Goo Bars.  They are both very good, but so rich !  It doesn't take much of those to go a long way.  Here is a picture of both....




Tomorrow I will try and get my Truffles made.  These are so good and so easy to make, but they are very time consuming.  But they are so worth it.  Along with the normal Chocolate Truffles, I will be making some White Chocolate Truffles too.  My little grandaughter, Layne loves White Chocolate ! So, I try to have things made with White Chocolate for her or anyone else that enjoys it.  The thing about these truffles that is so great, is you can make so many variations of them.  You can also decorate them with everything from Powdered Sugar to every kind of Sprinkle, Nuts etc. you can think of.  I've had my grandson help me decorate them in the past and you would not believe some of the creations he came up with !  The kids love to do this, so I try to encourage them to cook when they can.  I know sometimes it is hard having them in the kitchen, but not only do they like to come up with their own ideas, but they learn a lot that way too.  Believe it or not, when I was growing up, I wasn't really allowed in the kitchen much.  Only to wash dishes or maybe peel potatoes.  So, I learned how to cook once I got married and started having babies.  And a lot of that was out of necessity with four kids !  So, if the kids can learn early how to at least learn the cooking basics, I think that is great ! 


Days like today are great for making soups and stews.  I love a good bowl of homemade vegetable soup.  My biggest problem when I make soup is, it tends to grow on me...LOL.  By the time I add all the veggies etc., I end up with enough to feed an army.  I would love to hear from Yall about what kind of soups you make on a cold night.  There are so many variations of soups out there, the recipes are endless.  One soup that I love but just don't make very often is a good Corn Chowder Soup.  Do any of you have a recipe for this that you would like to share?  I would love to have one of your good recipes.  Another good soup that can be so easy to prepare is a Cheddar Broccoli Soup.  Years ago while working in restaurants I always had a soup of the day and I was constantly trying to come up with a soup that was quick and easy because I just didn't have a lot of time because I was also preparing the big buffet along with a salad bar, rolls, cornbread and desserts.  I found a recipe for the Cheddar Broccoli Soup that is quick and tasted so good.  You just add your frozen broccoli along with chopped onion and garlic powder to a big soup pot.  Boil it all down until the broccoli and onions become tender.  Then use a good white gravy mix that has been mixed with a little water.  Add that gravy mix to the soup mixture and cook until thickened.  Add more of the gravy mix if you want it thicker.  Then I add cheddar cheese to the hot soup mixture.  Stir until melted and that is it !  It is so easy and very tasty.  When you are cooking for a large crowd anything that helps you when you are on a schedule, is very welcomed ! 


I thought today I would give Yall a few more tips when it comes to cooking.  I have learned so many tips and ideas over the years either from other people or by trial and error.  So, I'm always looking for new tips.  Hopefully you will find a few things here that might come in handy for you. 


To keep cauliflower white while cooking -
    add a little milk to the water.
Microwave a lemon for 15 seconds and double the juice you get
      before squeezing.
Microwave garlic cloves for 15 seconds and the skins slip
      right off. 
 The best way to store fresh celery is to wrap it in aluminum
   foil and put it in the refrigerator--it will keep for weeks.


No "curly" bacon for breakfast when you dip it into cold water
   before frying.


Butter pie pastry scraps: sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar, and
   bake like cookies.


 If your cake recipe calls for nuts, heat them first in the oven,
   then dust with flour before adding to the batter to keep them from
   settling to the bottom of the pan.


 Noodles, spaghetti and other starches won't boil over if you rub    the inside of the pot with vegetable oil.


  Cheese won't harden if you butter the exposed edges before storing


When separating eggs, break them into a funnel. The whites will
   go through leaving the yolk intact in the funnel.


You can correct greasy gravy by adding a little baking soda to it.

 Before opening a package of bacon, roll it. This helps separate
   the slices for easy removal of individual slices.


Well, I will leave you with these few tips, but from time to time I will add others.  I hope you have found something here that was helpful.

Time for me to get supper started around here, so I will close until the next time.  Have a great evening and "Happy Eating" !

Muahhhhhhhhhhhhhh ♥

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