What I’m about to say is a trifle embarrassing, and I’m kind of ashamed to admit it….but, I’m not a pie person. Fruit pies that is. Sure, give me a lemon meringue or a Derby pie – and I’m a happy camper. But, I just don’t care for fruit pies. I’m slowly trying to change that, but it’s been a long row to hoe, and while I’ll enjoy a slice of blueberry pie that I’ve made for my fruit-pie-fiending family – I’m just not quite there yet.

I wanted to make something chocolate for Valentine’s Day. But since our dinner is always relatively low-key in the form of a heart-shaped meatloaf, I didn’t want anything too fancy or extravagant. I’ve been wanting to make chocolate cream pie for ages now, so I decided to go with that. Quickly came together, no rolling of crusts or crimping required. Just a simple Oreo crust, with a chocolate custard poured in, then you let it chill most of the day. Took less than 20 minutes to throw together. The custard filling was wonderful – rich and decadent, and not too sweet. Bittersweet chocolate really is the best in my book! Then it’s topped with some fluffy whipped cream right before slicing and serving!

It was one impressive pie, and I’m also to admit by 11 PM on Valentine’s Evening – it was already half gone. And, everyone else only had 1 slice – so you do the math. It also makes a fabulous breakfast! What I’m getting at is that it didn’t last long. This one was so easy I’ll definitely be turning to it again on those days when you want dessert – but don’t want to spend hours doing so. Which, could be me any day of the week! Have a great weekend, everyone.

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Chocolate Cream Pie

For the crust:
16 Oreo cookies (with filling), broken into rough pieces
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted

Chocolate cream filling:
2 1/2 cups half-and-half
pinch table salt
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
6 large egg yolks, room temperature
6 Tbsp. unsalted butter (cold), cut into 6 pieces
6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Whipped topping:
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (cold)
1 1/2Tbsp. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350°. In bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade, process cookies with 15 one-second pulses, then let machine run until crumbs are uniformly fine, about 15 seconds. (Alternatively, place cookies in large zipper-lock plastic bag and crush with rolling pin.) Transfer crumbs to medium bowl, drizzle with butter, and use fingers to combine until butter is evenly distributed.

Pour crumbs into 9-inch pie plate. Press crumbs evenly onto bottom and up sides of pie plate. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press the crumbs down and firmly into place along the bottom and along the sides of the pie plate. Refrigerate lined pie plate 20 minutes to firm crumbs, then bake until crumbs are fragrant and set, about 10 minutes. Cool on wire rack while preparing filling.

Bring half-and-half, salt, and about 3 tablespoons sugar to simmer in medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally to dissolve sugar.

Meanwhile, stir together remaining sugar and cornstarch in small bowl. Just as the half-and-half mixture starts to simmer, sprinkle the cornstarch mixture over yolks and whisk until mixture is glossy and sugar has begun to dissolve, about 1 minute. When half-and-half reaches full simmer, drizzle about ½ cup hot half-and-half over yolks, whisking constantly to temper; then whisk all of egg yolk mixture into simmering half-and-half (mixture should thicken in about 30 seconds). Return to simmer, whisking constantly, until 3 or 4 bubbles burst on the surface and mixture is thickened and glossy, about 15 seconds longer.

Off heat, whisk in butter, then add both chocolates and whisk until melted, scraping pan bottom with rubber spatula to fully incorporate. Stir in vanilla, then immediately pour filling into the cooled crust. Press plastic wrap directly on surface of filling and refrigerate pie until filling is cold and firm, about 3 hours.

Just before serving, beat cream, sugar, and vanilla in bowl of standing mixer on low speed until small bubbles form, about 30 seconds. Increase speed to medium; continue beating until beaters leave a trail, about 30 seconds more. Increase speed to high; continue beating until cream is smooth, thick, and nearly doubled in volume and forms soft peaks, about 20 seconds. Spread or pipe whipped cream over chilled pie filling.

Source: adapted from The New Best Recipe by America’s Test Kitchen

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow, so that means I had to share something sweet with you guys today. While most people think of champagne and chocolate, and other caviar tastes – I can’t help but love the simpler things on Valentine’s Day. We always stay at home, and I make a heart-shaped meatloaf. That’s a tradition we always had in my house growing up, and it’s a fun one to be able to pass down to our boys. And, we all look forward to opening our family Valentine Box – a box that’s been decorated with paper, heart doilies, and stickers. A slot is cut through the top to deposit cards, little gifts, boxes of chocolate, etc. It’s something I always really looked forward to as a little girl, and Andrew really seems to be digging it too!

He is also really digging all the parties he’s been having at school in the past couple months with all the holidays and whatnot. He’s got a Valentines Day party at school on Thursday, and we’re trying to figure out what to send in to share with the class. These sugar cookie bars are a top contender! I mean, could they be any more festive? They’re delicious too – denser than a cake, but fluffier and cakier than a cookie. They take a few minutes to throw together, and the batch feeds an army – which is always good when feeding an entire class. If you’re looking for a last minute sweet idea to send in with your little one, these will not disappoint! And, with a different food coloring – could be perfect for so many different occasions.

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Sugar Cookie Bars

For the bars:
1 cup butter, room temp
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

For the frosting:
1 cup butter, room temp
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt
5 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
food coloring (if desired)

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix well.

In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, and baking soda; stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased baking sheet (use a 13 x 18 pan), using clean wet hands to press the cookie dough down. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting bars.

For the frosting, beat butter until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1 cup increments until combined, then add milk and mix until smooth and spreading consistency. Add food coloring if desired. Spread over cooled bars using an offset spatula, and cut into squares for serving.

Source: The Curvy Carrot, originally from Anissa’s Kitchen

As you guys are aware, I’m kind of a fan of all things Cajun. Even though I’ve never stepped foot in Cajun/Creole territory in my life – I can’t help but connect to the people, and their quirky ways. From the characters in stories that I’ve read, to the television shows I watch, to some of my favorite foods – I just can’t get enough. My mother in law lived just outside of Alexandria for a few years, and while it wasn’t technically Cajun country, she still found many of the traditions there. One of them was King Cake. She came to visit us around Mardi Gras time a couple of years ago, and brought a King Cake through airport security with her. This woman deserves a medal, no?

When we cut into it to enjoy a piece, I discovered it was very similar to a cinnamon roll. Yeasty bread, that’s been rolled with sweet filling composed of cinnamon-sugar and cream cheese. Then of course there’s the plastic baby that’s tucked inside. If you’re lucky enough to find it, that means you’re cooking the next King Cake! So, I’ve been baking one ever since. Jon actually found the baby in this cake that I baked for photos, but I’m not holding my breath for him to put on his baking mitts and apron. I found my tiny plastic babies in the cake decorating/baby shower aisle at Walmart, but really any trinket will work.

Then the cake is topped with a glaze and a festive, colorful dusting of sugar in the colors of Mardi Gras. I just went ahead and made my own too. At $4 a jar for fancy decorating sugar, granulated sugar + food coloring was sounding pretty good to me! Andrew loves to help me decorate with the sugar, and I love any opportunity that he can help me in the kitchen! This one will definitely be a tradition in our house for as long as my hands can roll up some dough. We love it, and it’s so special  to be able to bring a tradition from the bayous of Louisiana here to the marshes of coastal Maryland. Laissez les bon temps rouler!

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King Cake for Mardi Gras

For the dough:
1 cup warm water
1/4 cup sugar, divided
1 pkg (2 1/4 tsp) yeast
1 egg
1 egg yolk
4 Tbsp butter, melted
3 1/2 cups flour, plus more for dusting work surface
1 tsp salt
Oil or cooking spray, for coating bowl

For the cream cheese filling:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp sugar
1 egg yolk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 rounded tsp cinnamon
2 Tbsp melted butter

For the glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
3-4 tsp water
Decorating sugar in yellow, purple and green

Add water and 1 Tbsp sugar to the bowl of your stand mixer. Sprinkle yeast over top and let stand for 5 minutes, until yeast bubbles and becomes active.

Add melted butter, egg, egg yolk, remaining sugar, 3 cups flour, and salt, and then turn the mixer to low. Add only enough extra flour to get the dough to clean the sides of the bowl but not come completely off the bottom – it should be only slightly sticky when you touch it.

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. While dough is rising, make the filling.

Place cream cheese, sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and cinnamon in a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Pulse a few times until the filling is thoroughly combined and smooth.  Set aside.

Preheat oven to 375. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead a few times. Stretch to a rectangle about 18×12 and brush with 2 Tbsp melted butter, leaving top 1-inch dry. Using a small off-set spatula, spread the cream cheese filling over the dough evenly, leaving the top 1-inch dry.

Starting with the long side of the dough closest to you, roll jelly-roll style, pinching the last inch of the dough onto the roll and placing seam-down on a cookie-sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. Pinch ends together to form a ring.

Place in oven, and bake for about 30 minutes, until nicely browned and domed. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the glaze, whisk powdered sugar, vanilla, and gradually add the water until you get a smooth and thick but scoopable glaze. Spoon glaze onto the top of the cooled cake, then decorate with colored sugar. If baking the cake in advance, wait to glaze and decorate until an hour or so before serving. Otherwise, you’ll get bleeding issues from the colored sugar.

Source: adapted from Erica’s King Cake, from Confections of a Foodie Bride