Peanut Butter Pie

I know Father’s Day has passed and we all have our sights on the next holiday . . . 4th of July, but I am still thinking about Father’s Day.

You wonder why.  Well, because one of my best friends lost her father the day before Father’s Day.  My how I thought of her on Sunday.  Then I thought how blessed I am to still have my father with me, and, the added bonus of my parents living in the same town. 

Not knowing what to get my dad for his big day, I decided to make the peanut butter pie I mentioned in an earlier post.  He was enjoying it and as I left my parents house I thought I would share the recipe with you.

I hope you enjoy it as much as he did. While you are at it, make two and give one as a gift.  I still think a homemade gift is the best kind of gift one can give and receive.

Peanut Butter Pie

 1 baked 9” Pie Crust in pie plate

Crumb Mixture:  ½ cup powdered sugar

                                   ¼ cup peanut butter (I use creamy but either

                                         would be fine)

 Cream Filling:

            2 cups milk

            2 egg yolks

            1 cup sugar

            1/3 cup milk

            1/3 cup cornstarch

            1/3 cup peanut butter

             1 tsp. vanilla

             pinch of salt

 Make and bake your pie crust.  Let it sit to cool. 

In a saucepan on the stove, heat the 2 cups of milk until almost boiling.  Stirring occasionally so it does not scald on the bottom.

In a separate bowl whisk the egg yolks and stir in the milk.  Combine the sugar and cornstarch and slowly whisk this into the milk/egg mixture.  Add ¼ cup of the hot milk to this mixture and stir together.  Add another ¼ cup of hot milk and incorporate.  Then, pour all of the egg mixture back into the milk on the stove and mix together.  Continue cooking until thickened. (If it gets to thick on you, add a little milk a tablespoon at a time).  Stir almost constantly until this happens.  Take off the heat and add the vanilla, peanut butter and salt.  Stir until combined.

There, you have just made peanut butter pudding from scratch!

Remove from the pan and place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding.  Place in fridge to cool.

In the meantime, make the crumb mixture.  Combine the powdered sugar and peanut butter until it looks like little peas.  Sprinkle the mixture over the bottom of the pie crust.

Once the pudding mixture cools, dip it out of the bowl and into the pie shell.  Smooth out and place in the fridge.

Now you can either add whipped cream (which I like) or Meringue – you decide!

Until the 4th,

Julie

Homemade Coconut Ice Cream

Our 17 year old daughter wanted to make her Dad homemade ice cream last weekend for Father's Day. We love anything tropical and with coconut at our house. Flipping through my ice cream cookbook this is what she decided on. It was absolutely delicious! There is just something about homemade ice cream that is a perfect ending to a summer night. 

Homemade Coconut Ice Cream
recipe adapted from "The Ultimate Ice Cream Book"

1/2  cup shredded sweetened coconut, plus more for garnish if desired
1  cup sugar
3  large eggs
1  teaspoon cornstarch
1/4  teaspoon salt
1  cup 1/2 and 1/2
1  1/2 cups unsweetened coconut milk
1  cup heavy cream
2  teaspoons vanilla extract
2  tablespoons coconut rum (optional)

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place in oven and toast coconut for about 5-7 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from oven and set aside to cool.

In a medium bowl, bet the sugar into the eggs until the mixture is thickened and pale yellow. Add the cornstarch and salt and beat to mix well. Set aside.

In a heavy medium sized saucepan, combine the 1/2 and 1/2 and the coconut milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from the heat and slowly beat the hot mixture into the egg and sugar mixture. Pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place over low heat. Whisk constantly until the custard thickens slightly. Don't let the mixture boil or you will have scrambled eggs! Remove from the heat and pour the mixture through a strainer into a large bowl. Allow the mixture to cool slightly and then stir in the toasted coconut, cream and vanilla. Cover and place in the fridge until cold or overnight. 

Remove the chilled custard from the fridge and stir. Stir in the coconut rum if you are using. Freeze in 1 or 2 batches in your ice cream maker according to manufacturers directions. When finished, the ice cream will be soft, but ready to eat or place in a plastic container and freeze for a couple of hours for firmer ice cream. Garnish with additional toasted coconut if desired.

Enjoy!

Kim

Weekend Potluck #71

If you're new to the party...welcome! If you have a food blog we would love for you to share what you have been cooking. If you don't have a food blog this party is for you as well. Simply click on the picture of a dish that interests you, and you will be taken to the recipe source. We love to poke around every week and see what everyone brings, and trust us...we are never disappointed! Have a terrific weekend!

One thing...when Pinning these awesome recipes, be sure to click on the picture and go to the original link. That way when you go to try the recipe it will be pinned from the original source and you won't be directed back here and then have to click again.

Now, let's take a quick peek back at last week...

The recipe with the most clicks was ~

                                            Mini Cheeseburger Pies by Joyful Homemaking

Recipes that caught our attention ~

                                               Strawberry Pasta Salad by Growing In Grace

                               Crispy Pancetta Salad with Sugar Snap Peas by Funny Love Blog

And, a personal favorite ~

                                             Sonoma Chicken Salad by Five Heart Home

Your hostesses ~

• Mommy Time Party ~ Tabitha
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sunflower Supper Club ~ Kim & Julie
• 4 Little Fergusons~ Tonya
• The Country Cook~ Brandie

Remember that when you link up, it shows on all FIVE blogs. Plus…

We TWEET. We PIN. We LIKE.

Linky Guidelines: If you wish to be a featured recipe or for us to promote your recipe either on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, you MUST follow these instructions.

1. Please link up to your exact post and not the main page to your blog.
2. LINK BACK HERE from your post so that others can find the fun. (Need help linking back? Read this or watch this great instructional video.) You can use the button below or a direct link within your post.

When you are kind enough to follow our guidelines, we work hard to get you as much exposure as possible so that your time here is well invested. We want this to be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone!
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Corn, Tomato & Bacon Risotto with Caramelized Onions

With Father's Day this weekend I thought I would come up with a side dish to go with that big juicy steak I know we will be grilling. If you've been reading our blog for any time at all, you know my family loves corn. I used my basic Risotto recipe, added corn and sliced tomatoes. The caramelized onions add a sweetness and make this special. Of course topping all this creamy goodness is bacon for the man we are celebrating this weekend!

Corn, Tomato & Bacon Risotto with Caramelized Onions

6  tablespoons butter, divided
2  large onions, quartered and thinly sliced
1  tablespoon sugar
2  cups corn, fresh or thawed if using frozen
4  slices thick sliced bacon, cut crosswise into 1/2" pieces
2  cups Arborio rice
2  cloves garlic, minced (1 teaspoon)
1  cup dry white wine
7  cups chicken broth, warmed in a saucepan on stove top and keep hot
1  cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
1/2 freshly grated Parmesan cheese
salt & pepper to taste

Melt 3 tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sliced onions and saute for a few minutes until soft. Reduce the heat to low and sprinkle the onions with the sugar. Continue cooking the onions for about 25 until lightly browned and caramelized. Add the corn to the onions and cook for a couple more minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat and set aside.

While the onions are cooking heat a large heavy pot over medium heat. I use my Dutch Oven. Add the bacon pieces and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and set aside. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon grease. Add the Arborio rice and garlic. Saute for about 3 minutes until rice is opaque. Add the white wine and simmer until the wine is almost absorbed.

Using a ladle, pour in hot stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring frequently.  Wait until liquid is almost absorbed before adding more. Adjust the heat accordingly to maintain a gentle simmer.  Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding the hot stock 1/2 cup at a time. This will take about 30-35 minutes.

When you add the last 1/2 cup of broth, add the caramelized onions, corn and sliced tomatoes. Continue cooking until broth is absorbed. 

Remove from the heat and stir in the remaining 3 tablespoons butter and the Parmesan cheese Add any additional salt & pepper to taste. 

Enjoy!

Kim

Greens & Ricotta Bake

Garden produce is finally happening at our home.  We have picked several things and lots more are on the horizon. I have plants in all different stages in the garden, as I am sure many of you do. I hope to do some fun things with all our produce and share them with you this summer.

 One area of the vegetable realm I have not ventured into yet is “greens”.

You know . . . mustard greens, dandelion greens, spinach, kale, beet tops.  I guess I am just not ready back in February or whenever it is you start these little rascals.  But, I do enjoy visiting the farmer’s market and buying them.  I made one of my favorite ways to consume these greens the other night and thought I would share with you. 

Spring and Summer always bring on a healthier, lighter way of cooking in my kitchen and this recipe reflects that.  You can use any kind of greens or mixture that suits your fancy – I used kale and beet tops the other night.  Let your imagination run wild!

 Greens and Ricotta Bake

½ cup olive oil

15 ounces rough chopped greens

8 – 10 green onions chopped (use the green tops)

1 – 2 cloves chopped garlic cloves

1/8 tsp. nutmeg (more If you like this flavor)

2 pinches cayenne pepper

1/8 – ¼ tsp. kosher salt

¾ cup ricotta cheese

2 egg yolks - wisked

¾ cup half and half  (or use cream and indulge)

Preheat oven to 450.  In a large skillet heat oil on high.  Add the greens, green onions and garlic and cook tossing gently until wilted.  Then add the spices.  Place this in a large bowl and mix with the ricotta cheese.  Mix the egg yolks and cream together and add to the other mixture stirring until mixed together. 

Place in a deep dish pie pan and bake for 25 – 30 minutes or until set.

Serves 4 – 6 

Happy Gardening!

Julie

Weekend Potluck #70

If you're new to the party...welcome! If you have a food blog we would love for you to share what you have been cooking. If you don't have a food blog this party is for you as well. Simply click on the picture of a dish that interests you, and you will be taken to the recipe source. We love to poke around every week and see what everyone brings, and trust us...we are never disappointed! Have a terrific weekend!

One thing...when Pinning these awesome recipes, be sure to click on the picture and go to the original link. That way when you go to try the recipe it will be pinned from the original source and you won't be directed back here and then have to click again.

Now, let's take a quick peek back at last week...

The recipe with the most clicks was ~

Flat, Broke & Busted Potatoes by South Your Mouth

Recipes that caught our attention ~

Lemon Blueberry Pie by Kitty’s Kozy KitchenRanch Potato Salad by The Vegetarian Casserole Queen

Your hostesses ~

The Country Cook~ Brandie

Mommy Time Party ~ Tabitha

The Better Baker ~ Marsha

Sunflower Supper Club ~ Kim & Julie

4 Little Fergusons~ Tonya

Remember that when you link up, it shows on all FIVE blogs. Plus…

We TWEET. We PIN. We LIKE.

Linky Guidelines: If you wish to be a featured recipe or for us to promote your recipe either on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, you MUST follow these instructions.

1. Please link up to your exact post and not the main page to your blog.
2. LINK BACK HERE from your post so that others can find the fun. (Need help linking back? Read this or watch this great instructional video.) You can use the button below or a direct link within your post.

When you are kind enough to follow our guidelines, we work hard to get you as much exposure as possible so that your time here is well invested. We want this to be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone!
<a href="http://sunflowersupperclub.blogspot.com" ><img border="0" src="http://i1290.photobucket.com/albums/b537/Meet_Penny/weekendpotluckbuttong_zpsa082afc7.jpg" width="125"/></a>

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