Coconut Cream Pie!

Apr10

When I started blogging, I thought I would talk about cooking or baking more often but that hasn’t happened. I guess I’m just a boring cook, but sometimes I do make something new.

Part of my morning routine is to check e-mail, then I read blogs. One of the first blogs I always check is Mennonite Girls Can Cook. They have some good recipes there but I don’t try new recipes like I used to years ago. However in March they gave the recipe for Coconut Pie Crust. The farmer loves coconut so I downloaded the recipe to make for our dessert on Easter.

It was delicious! I made the crust exactly like the recipe said.

I used their Coconut Cream Pie Filling recipe for the filling. (There is a link in the pie crust recipe for the filling too.) The pudding calls for a can of coconut “milk” (it isn’t milk, call it coconut water or coconut juice, I don’t care what you call it but it is not MILK) which I actually had on hand. I couldn’t taste any coconut flavor in the pudding so next time I won’t use the coconut water and will just use all 100% real milk.

I did take a picture of the pie after it was cooled. You are supposed to put parchment paper on top while it cools, which I did, but when I peeled off the paper, it messed up the top and didn’t look that nice. Look at the picture with the recipe, it is picture perfect!

Some Christmas Baking

Dec24

I’ve been doing some baking in preparation for the children’s arrival. Yesterday I baked several pans of these pumpkin streusel cinnamon rolls.

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas tomorrow with friends and family. Be careful and safe with your travels.

Rhubarb Harvest Time & Some Asparagus Too

Apr30

Plants are finally starting to s l o w l y g r o w and I had the first harvest of the season last week when I cut the rhubarb to make rhubarb custard dessert.

Obviously I washed the rhubarb and sliced into small pieces.

Here is the recipe for the Rhubarb Custard Dessert. Preheat oven to 350*.

Crust: 1/2 cup pastry flour

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

pinch of salt

1/4 cup cold butter

Cut the butter into the dry ingredients and pat into a 8″ square glass baking dish or a 8″ by 12″ glass baking dish. Bake in preheated oven for 15 – 20 minutes.

Rhubarb filling: 2 1/2 cups sliced rhubarb (Place in mixing bowl)

1 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup pastry flour

1 cup top cream (or use half & half) (top cream is what I dip off the top of the gallon of raw milk I bring in for us to drink)

1 large egg

Stir sugar & flour together. Pour over rhubarb and mix. Beat egg and pour into cream, stir. Pour over rhubarb and stir well. Let set while crust is baking.

Pour rhubarb into baked crust; lower oven temperature to 325* and bake for approximately 45 minutes. After baking 45 minutes, partially insert table knife into the center of the dessert. If the filling is still slightly “runny” replace in oven and bake 5 – 10 minutes more. When fully baked, remove from oven and let cool before serving. If you cut the dessert while still hot, it will become watery.

I normally double the recipe and bake in a 9″ by 13″ glass baking dish. Baking time is at least 60 minutes. Every oven is different, you will need to adjust the baking time to your oven.

The original recipe for this dessert came from my neighbor friend, Annetta Shirk. She added more sugar and didn’t add the egg. I tweaked it and made it my own. You take the recipe and tweak to your taste and make it your recipe.

I have asparagus growing close to the rhubarb, some had peeked through, not a lot, just enough for a meal.

There was just enough asparagus for a taste. Soon there will be an abundance of asparagus!

First Day of Spring!

Mar20

Today is the spring equinox. Nothing is growing, the ground is so cold and frozen. I often have rhubarb by now, it may not be tall, but I cut it anyway and make rhubarb custard dessert in celebration of spring. This year I had to improvise; I used frozen rhubarb from last year, served with a fresh brewed cup of coffee and a splash of Golden Guernsey cream. Springtime delight!