Samoa Pie

Easter has been a great success this year.  I have much to be thankful for.  I was searching for pie recipes and found this one : Samoa Pie

I adapted it as follows and created the most wonderful creation ever imagined.  I have to say I did use my coconut custard filling that has won a blue ribbon at the iowa state fair and this pie may also have a blue ribbon attached to it after this year's fair.  It is THAT good!

Samoa Pie
1 shortbread pie crust (I cheated and used Keebler)

1/4 cup chocolate chips melted

Place the melted chocolate chips in the pie crust and spread evenly.

Topping:
2 cups sweetened shredded coconut
1  cup caramel sauce (I used my homemade caramel sauce recipe)
1/4 cup chocolate chips (garnish)

Toast the coconut for 10 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Stir often. When it is golden brown it is done.

Mix toasted coconut and caramel together to form the topping and set aside.

Pie:
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup cream of coconut
2 cups skim milk
4 yolks, lightly beaten
2 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut


Mix together the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a saucepan. Beat the coconut milk and milk into the yolks. Stir slowly into the sugar mixture. Heat mixture over medium, stirring constantly, until it boils. Continue cooking for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and coconut. Pour directly into crust.  Chill pie.

Remove plastic wrap. Crumble coconut and caramel mixture across the top of the pie. Melt the chocolate chips. Spoon melted chocolate into a plastic bag with the tip cut off and drizzle over the top of the pie for garnish. Chill until ready to serve
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Sugar Snap Peas Side Dish

I love sugar snap peas and this great side dish graced my table over the past week.  I absolutely loved it and so did my non-pea loving family.  I can't wait to get some peas out of my garden so I can make this again.


Sugar Snap Peas Side Dish

1-pound sugar snap peas

drizzle of olive oil

2 tablespoons minced garlic

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

splash of cooking white wine

4 fresh green onions, chopped with tops

1/2-pound sliced fresh white mushrooms

Kosher Sea-Salt and Fresh ground black pepper, to taste

In a medium-size saucepan over medium heat, drizzle a little olive oil. When hot, add minced garlic and sesame seeds, toss to coat and sauté until lightly browned. Remove from pan and onto paper towel to drain. Set aside.
Clean pan with paper towel and drizzle just enough olive oil to toss and coat chopped green onions, adding in the sugar snap peas, sauté until sugar snaps are bright green, then add a splash of white cooking wine, along with sliced mushrooms. Add minced garlic and seasame seed mixture, toss and coat well. Sauté until "crisp tender", about 3-4 minutes and all the liquid is absorbed. Remove from pan and place into a glass bowl. You can top with raw sesame seeds if you like, and then salt and pepper to taste. Toss and serve! Enjoy!Pin It

Easter Bread

This sweet iced bread features almonds, candied fruit, and a beautiful presentation with dyed eggs. I use mine when I make it as the centerpiece on my Easter table. 

Ingredients

  1/4 C. Sugar
  1 tsp. Salt
 1 pkg. Dry yeast
 2 1/2 To 3-1/2 C. unbleached -flour
 2/3 C. Milk
 2 Tbs. Butter
 2 Eggs, at room temperature
 1/2 C. raisins
1/3 C  Chopped nuts (I used pecans)

1/2 tsp. Anise seed

 2 Tbs. Melted butter

 5 Uncooked eggs colored with -Easter Egg Dye

  Icing:

  1 C. Confectioner's sugar

  1 Tbs. Milk

  1/8 tsp. Vanilla

  colored sprinkles

Directions

In a large mixing bowl, blend the sugar, salt, and yeast well with 1 C. of the flour. In a saucepan, combine milk and butter, heating slowly until liquid is warm and butter is melted. Pour the milk into the dry ingredients and beat 125 strokes with a wooden spoon. Add eggs and 1/2 C. flour or enough to make a thick batter. Beat vigorously for 2 minutes. Then stir in enough flour to make a ball of dough that draws away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a floured board and knead for about 10 minutes, working in additional flour to overcome stickiness. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning to grease the top. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and put in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk about 1 hour.

Meanwhile, combine the fruit, nuts, and anise seed. Punch down the dough and return it to a lightly floured board. Knead in the fruit mixture, keeping the syrupy pieces dusted with flour until they are worked into the dough. Divide the dough in half. Carefully roll each piece into a 24 inch rope - the fruit and nuts will make this slightly difficult. Loosely twist the two ropes together and form a ring on a greased baking sheet. Pinch the ends together well. Brush the dough with melted shortening.

Push aside the twist to make a place for each egg. Push eggs down carefully as far as possible. Cover the bread with wax paper and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until double in bulk, about 1 hour.  Bake bread in a preheated 350 F oven for about 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in a twist comes out clean. Place on a wire rack to cool. Once the bread is cool, drizzle the icing on top between the eggs, and decorate with colored sprinkles.

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HAPPY EASTER

I spent my Sunday in the Amana Colonies and found some Easter eggs. I had both my children with me and we happened upon egg dyeing.  For those who don't know, the Amana Colonies are a German heritage colony that is all about communal living.  Each and every person is expected to do a job to better the community.  There is something peaceful for me about this type of community.  I was in need to escape all the rigors of my life and breathe a bit.  I had to travel to Davenport and on the way back home to Des Moines, I made a detour and it was the best thing I have done.  This will definitely be somewhere to come at Easter.

The eggs are colored using a glue/dye mixture.  The glue is the same glue that is used in the furniture making and the dye used to be from the woolen mill, but I believe now the dye is made from food paste coloring.  Very beautiful and a great addition to my easter decorating.

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A Great New Freebie Site I found!!! Check this out!

I love freebies!  I love opening my mailbox to find something in it to try.  That is why I love Julie’s Freebies. 

Julie’s Freebies is a new site that has a lot of great freebies and deals.  I don’t always like freebie sites, but this one has some great new foods to try on it.  Being the frugal person that I am, I love to try out new products.  By trying out new products, I am able to find those that I love. 

I love finding free samples like this one here .  When getting free samples in the mail, usually the company will also send a coupon with it.  Coupons are one way I buy groceries.  I wait for a great sale and then use my coupon.  Many times I am able to buy items I wouldn’t otherwise buy for much cheaper than without the coupon.  Sometimes, I can even get the item free.  Don’t we all love to get something free?

Please check out http://www.juliesfreebies.com and try one of her great offers today!

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