Chocolate Walnut Pie

Today I'm Making... Chocolate Walnut Pie

I love Thanksgiving and even though I had a small group this year I couldn't help but make the same amount of food I usually do. Needless to say I think I have eaten 3 entire Thanksgiving dinners so far and I still have food left. This year was the first year I have made a dessert- usually I have guests bring dessert while I make dinner. I decided to do something out of my comfort zone (pumpkin pie/ cheese cake) and make something unlike anything I have made before, chocolate walnut pie!

Recipe:

1. Preheat oven to 375
2. Beat together (I used a hand mixer) 3 eggs, 2/3 cup white sugar, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 cup light corn syrup, 1/3 cup melted butter.
3. Soften 1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave and add it to the mixture, then add 1 cup walnuts (you can substitute pecans if you like them better).
4. Pour Mixture into a unbaked deep dish pie crust (I use pre-made, eventually I will learn to make my own).
5. Bake for 45 minutes. I had never made a pie with this consistency before (like pecan pie) but from what I could tell you want it to start to set up and then when you take it out of oven and it will continue to set up and will only finish once you put it in the fridge. Don't overcook it because the crust will start to burn. You need to let this pie sit in the fridge overnight before eating it for it to have the right texture.

Review: Writing this blog made me crave this pie so much I had to get up and take a break for a slice half way through! It's really good, but very rich so I recommend having small slices. This is a fun twist on a traditional pie and was a great addition to our Holiday feast.

Taco Salad Shells

Today I'm Making... Taco Salad Shells

Now I realize this isn't much of a recipe... but it's a super fun way to jazz up a normal dinner. I feel like it's really easy to fall into a rut with food- we get good at a few things and it's just easier and faster to make those. If one of your go to meals is tacos, burritos or fajitas I would recommend trying this instead of normal shells and it will seem like a whole new meal.

Recipe:

1. Preheat your oven to 350

2. Place oven safe bowls face down on a baking sheet, spray the outside of the bowls with cooking spray (I used olive oil)

3. Take Large Burrito sized soft tortillas (I used whole wheat) and place one over each bowl. I let them sit out for a while before doing this because they didn't want to bend right.

4. Bake for about 15 minutes- check them, it depends greatly on the type of shell you use (my cooking time was actually closer to 20 minutes). You want them to be somewhat crispy or they won't hold their shape.

Review:

They don't taste like the ones in restaurants because they aren't deep fried so don't expect that. They are very good and give the taco salad a crunch while not adding tons of fat. I will be making these again- my son even wanted to try some and he never wants to try anything.

For the salad I had- mixed greens, black beans (which I cooked with taco seasoning), diced tomatoes, onion, cheese, sour cream and marinated steak and a little ranch dressing.

Popcorn Balls

Today I'm Making... Popcorn Balls.

I have been craving these for awhile now but fearful of making the candy coating, I've put it off. It seems like such a fall food- popcorn and caramel and since I didn't get any while I was at the fair I thought I should make some for myself. This is pretty much as far from diet food as you can get- so be warned, but it's so tasty I am willing to put the recipe out of my head while eating it. It's like eating fresh crackerjacks- watch out for fillings it's a little sticky- but if you cook it to the right temperature it shouldn't be too bad.

Recipe:

1. Mix 1 cup white sugar with 1/2 cup Corn Syrup and 1 stick of butter (1/4 a cup) into a small sauce pan- cook it until it reaches 300 degrees. If you don't have a thermometer you can do the "crackle test"- drizzle the mixture over ice water- if it turns stringy and hard when it hits the water then it's ready (If it's globby or soft it's not ready so keep cooking).
2. Pop 8-10 cups of popcorn set it aside in a large bowl
3. Take the candy mixture off the heat once it's gotten up to 300 degrees- add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract.
4. Pour the candy over the popcorn- mix it all together and let it sit until it is cool enough to handle- don't wait too long or you will be eating it out of the bowl because when it hardens there is no turning back. I think next time I will probably mix everything up and then scoop it onto parchment paper to cool a bit so it is less likely to harden in the bowl. When you can handle it you can roll it into balls- the recipe says it makes 5- 3 inch balls but it looks like it could have made more.

Review: This recipe ends up tasting just like cracker jacks (especially if you add peanuts). Something to remember this is not a recipe you probably want to make with children- the syrup gets really hot. I have 2 children who both broke down right as I put the syrup over the popcorn- needless to say I will be eating mine right out of the bowl :)

Chicken Casserole

Today I'm Making.... Chicken Casserole

Sometimes I look into my pantry and fridge and I have no idea what to make. I have so many components but my brain won't focus on what I can make with them. Well I made up this recipe on the spot just poking around in my cupboards and veggie bin. The recipe can be changed to include anything you have. It actually didn't occur to me to post it here because it seemed so random but my husband said it was so good that I had to. So here goes...

Recipe:

1. Cook 1 pound pasta, I used whole wheat penne pasta. Make sure not to overcook it because you are going to put it in the oven at the end and you don't want it to end up mushy.
2. In a bowl mix 1 can condensed cream of mushroom soup (I used the type with 1/3 less sodium), about 1/2 a cup of milk, and chopped veggies ( I used mushrooms, corn, celery and onion). Stir in a can of chicken- I used one of the big cans 12.5 ounces- and I rinsed it first to get some of the sodium off of it. You could also use rotisserie chicken- but I was trying to use things right out of my pantry.
3. In a casserole dish mix the pasta and the other mixture, stir in 1/2 cup of Shredded cheese (I used cheddar), top with a little cheese and Panko bread crumbs.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes

Review:

My husband's response was "I don't know what you put in that, but I swear I could eat the whole pan". I really liked it, it's super easy and super flexible to what you have on hand. It seems like it will be a good thing for lunch the next day. I will certainly be making this again.