Gum-I's Chocolate Pie

This post is an emotional one for me. My grandmother, or Gum-I as my sisters and I called her, is the most influential person in my life. She was the most caring and supportive person I have known. If I become half the woman she was, I will have a fulfilled life.

Christmas cooking was always a big deal in our house when I was a child. Gum-I would stay for a week during the holidays and have a cooking fest with my mom. My sisters and I would come home from school to a kitchen FULL of goodies. From breakfast cookies to fudge, we would have a wide selection of sugar-filled treats to choose from. Her chocolate pie is what always stood out to me though. To this day, no one has been able to cook a chocolate pie to her standards, but I still feel as though she would enjoy sitting at my kitchen table and eating a piece of mine.

Chocolate Pie

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 egg yolks

1/2 cup cocoa

1/2 cup plain flour

2 tsp vanilla

1 stick butter

2 cups milk

1 baked 9-in pie shell

In a medium saucepan, mix dry ingredients (sugar, cocoa, flour)

Separate your egg by using an egg separator, or as I did, by transferring the yolk from shell to shell until egg separates. Make sure you do not get ANY yolk in your whites, as you will be using these whites to make your meringue.

Mix your egg yolks and milk gradually to your dry ingredients over medium heat. Stir constantly until thick. Now, be patient with this. If it's your first time trying this, you will think you have done something wrong. It will take at least 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bake your pie shell according to how you like. I usually use Pillsbury's roll out pie crust, but UGO had a sale on frozen pie shells. So that is what I used on this one.

Once your chocolate mixture is thickened, take off heat. Melt your butter and add to chocolate mixture, along with vanilla.

Pour chocolate mixture into your prepared pie crust.

Now, this is when I wish Gum-I was here to help me.
Take your room temperature egg whites and add a 1/4 tsp cream of tarter and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat until foamy.

Take 1/3 cup of sugar and continue beating while adding sugar slowly. It should form peaks. However, mine didn't this time. Lord only knows why.

Spoon prepared meringue on top of pie. Bake at 350-degrees for 6-8 minutes or until meringue is browned.

Snickerdoodles

Baking for other people is one of my favorite things to do. I am pretty sure people on the receiving end don't mind. After starting a new job last week, I got excited that I finally had fellow co-workers who would enjoy my treats. So tonight, I decided to try out Snickerdoodles. We'll find out tomorrow at work if they are a hit or not. They sure look good!

Snickerdoodles
1/2 cup butter (softened)
1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp cream of tarter
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
2 tblsp white sugar
2 tblsp cinnamon



Preheat oven 400-degrees

Cream together butter, shortening, 1 1/2 cups sugar, eggs and vanilla.
Blend in flour, cream of tarter, soda and salt.



Shape dough into round balls.



Mix 2 tblsp sugar and cinnamon.
Roll balls of dough in mixture.



Place on greased cookie sheet 2-inches apart.
Bake 8-10 minutes.



Remove immediately from cookie sheets.



ENJOY!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

After finding this recipe, I wondered if I could actually I could pull off making something this difficult. Too my surprise, it ended up being rather simple! I have always had problems with my cookies being too flat and falling apart when I tried to get them off the pan. So, I figured with this type of recipe, that would be the same result. That was not the case at all! These super moist cakes turned out great and the icing is just the right touch of sweetness. This is definitely a new must-have in my home during the fall season!

Pumpkin Whoopie Pies

1 Can (15 oz) Pumpkin

2 Cups Brown Sugar

1 Cup Vegetable Oil

2 Eggs

1 Tsp. Vanilla

3 Cups All-Purpose Flour

1 1/2 Tsp. Cinnamon

1 1/2 Tsp. Ginger

1 Tsp. Baking Soda

1 Tsp. Baking Powder

1/2 Tsp. Salt

1/2 Tsp. Ground Gloves

Filling:

1/2 Cup Vegetable Shortening

2 Cup Powder Sugar

1 Tsp. Vanilla

2 Egg Whites

Preheat your oven at 350-degrees

Beat pumpkin, brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla until smooth.

In another mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients.

Add to pumpkin mixture and beat until smooth.

Spoon tablespoon-sized dollops onto greased cookie sheet.



Bake 10-12 minutes



Meanwhile, mix ingredients for filling until peaks form.




Remove pies from oven. Let cool for a couple of minutes before removing from pan.

After cooling for about 5 mintues, spread a dollop of icing in between two pies.




Keep refrigerated and ENJOY!!

Welcome to my Kitchen!

After being married for a year, I have learned just how much I love being in the kitchen. Being away from my mom and other family, I have learned how to teach myself different methods of how to cook. I can't tell you how many times I have had to pick up the phone and call my mom just to ask if I was doing something correctly.

Now that I feel like I am becoming an experienced cook, I thought I would share my experiences with others. I hope that you enjoy learning with me. And I hope that you can use some of my recipes and techniques in your own kitchen! I also value your feedback and advice. Please feel free to comment or add your own opinions to my blogs!

Enjoy!