Chocolate Fried Pies

That's not the way to feel about anything as delicious as Chocolate Fried Pies. In fact, it's an insult to a Southern delicacy that's rarely made these days! I hadn't thought about fried pies in a long time, but Saturday when my BFF Chocolate kept knocking on my front door... I caved and went into the kitchen and made myself (I say myself because my better half knows to keep his mitts off my chocolate cravings!) some homemade chocolate pudding. The recipe is from Hershey and it's simple: 

CHOCOLATE PUDDING AND PIE FILLING
1/2 Cup Hershey's cocoa powder (I used Hershey's Dark Cocoa)
1 1/8 Cup sugar 
1/3 Cup cornstarch
1 tsp salt
3 Cups milk
3 TBS butter 

1 1/2 tsp good vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan, mix cocoa, sugar, cornstarch and salt, whisk well. Gradually add milk to dry ingredients in saucepan. Whisk til smooth and well blended. Cook over medium heat. Stir constantly. Mixture will come to a boil. Boil 1 minute, remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla. Whisk to blend. Pour into serving dishes, or into cooled baked 9" Pie Crust. Cover with plastic wrap. Cool in refrigerator 4-6 hrs. Or till firm. 

Now I grew up on this stuff and it's as different from the little square boxes of  Jello as day and night. 

It's Pure Comfort, Mama loves you, The World is Round Food. 

It will take you away from politics, or the state of the economy or even a failed relationship. I don't think it can cure cancer though, that would be great wouldn't it?

I ate a few spoonfuls when I was pouring it into serving cups, you know from the the pan. I had to do that, it's wasteful to leave any smidgen~ Then I put the plastic wrap on each serving and put them in the fridge. About 9pm I remembered them, oh daddy! The first bite was Heaven, but you know... it was little RICH! I used to be able to eat chocolate buttercream out of a bowl with a big spoon but age has robbed the glutton clean out of me. I get ACID REFLUX, if I abuse my stomach it's just not worth it. So I ate a few bites and put it back in the fridge : (

The next morning after a few cups of coffee, my brain started working again and I knew just what to do with that decadent chocolate pudding/pie filling! Chocolate Fried Pies... just like Mama used to make and Grandma and probably her Grandma.

It's easy as 1-2-3 to stir up the crust, no waiting for it to chill. You just measure out 2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 cup Crisco and 1/2 cup milk. Cut in the Crisco into your flour and salt with a fork or your fingers, just work it into a flaky consistency. Then add the milk and stir gently to moisten. If it's just a little dry and won't pull together, add a teaspoon more milk. Pat into a disk and then divide up into about 10 balls. 

Flour your surface and roll out the balls to make little 5 inch circles, not perfect circles unless you want them to look like store bought Hostess Fried Pies and that's not what you are making. You're making Grandma's Fried Pies and she'd be mortified if you cut them out to make them perfect!

Add a dollop, a rounded tablespoon or two to each little pie. 

Then dip your finger in a bowl of water and run it around the edge of the crust. Fold over and press, crimp the edge with a fork and place on a plate in preparation of the frying of the pies!

Don't they look purty? 

Heat the oil up to medium high, to test you can dip the edge of the crust into the oil a little. If it's just right, it will bubble slightly.

Slip them in, one at a time and watch them like a 2 year old! Don't be trying to clean up the kitchen or put away the flour or answer a text cause this is where you can mess up quick! 

Patience Grasshopper, you are looking for golden brown. Not tan, not brown, golden. 

Drain on paper towels and admire each one as they come out of the pan. Talk to them, tell them 

"I love you!"

Last one, and you are finished!  

Luckily, we had company this weekend and the fried pies went home with them. There's few things more dangerous than a fried pie on the kitchen counter. Especially if it has chocolate filling!

That is all.

Fried Pies

Fruit fillings are delicious too... just boil down some dried fruit with sugar and water and a little spice.

Filling

6-7 ounces dried fruit (peaches, apples, apricots or even a mix of all three)

1 cup sugar

2 cups water

1/4 cup butter 

1  T lemon juice 

1/2 tsp cinnamon 

Dough

2 Cups Flour

1 Tsp salt

1/2 C Crisco

1/2 C of milk 

Place dried fruit in a pot and add water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer until fruit is tender. Add butter, lemon juice and cinnamon, mash together with a potato masher or fork. Set aside to cool while dough is prepared.

In medium bowl, place flour and salt. Stir together. Cut in shortening with a fork or your 10 little fingers! Add in milk and stir until dough sticks together. Divide into ten portions. Roll each portion out on a floured surface into a five inch circle. Place two tablespoons of filling in each. Use your fingertip to wet the edges with water and fold over, crimping with a fork. Cook in oil which has been heated on medium heat, until golden browned on both sides, turning as needed. Remove to paper towel lined plate.

PRINT RECIPE (Chocolate Filling too)

Fried Bologna Sandwich

Every week I have to figure it out, what's for dinner? One day folds into a week, then a month, then summer is gone, fall is here, winter is upon us and springtime arrives. I try to mix it up, we've been having a lot of THIS lately. When we get tired of THAT then we try a little SOMETHING DIFFERENT. I really never know what I'm in the mood for until I wake up and say THIS SOUNDS GOOD!

Are you like that too? There's just some things that sound good in the SUMMER when it's too hot to cook. By the time Fall rolls around I'm thinking of FAMILY FAVORITES. Winter is for COMFORT FOODS, stick to my ribs meals. When I can't face another bowl of stew, then SPRING finally arrives with lighter MEALS. When life seems flavorless, look for something you haven't had in awhile. All of a sudden it tastes good again, but it's not the food. It's you that changes!

I'd love to have you join us on Facebook's Granny Mountain Group... it's a great way to pass along recipes, tips and ideas that we're all finding at Pinterest or even better... potlucks and family recipe boxes! 

Homemade Hummingbird Nectar and Cherry-O Cheesecake

I see the Bluebirds are back and busy making their nests in all the birdhouses around the yard. My father-in-law made all of our's and they are beginning to show their age. Birds aren't too picky about the condition of the house, but it needs to be free of last years' nest and have a good roof that will keep the eggs and mama dry while she's setting. Think about location when you place a birdhouse, a secluded area at the edge of your yard is perfect. Depending on where you live, consider the sun and whether it will warm the birdhouse on chilly mornings or be too hot for the new family growing inside. We keep our feeders up year round, it's fun to watch the many beautiful birds throughout the year.

It's time to put the hummingbird feeders out again. I love watching the little hummers each morning as they crowd the feeder that hangs just outside our kitchen window! They arrive in the South as early as March. You can see where they are right now by looking at the map here.

Hummingbird Nectar:

1 part white cane sugar

4 parts water

Store unused syrup in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. This is the best recipe since it closely resembles the nectar of many wildflowers. Don't try to use honey or brown sugar and it's not necessary to use red food coloring to attact the birds. Keep the feeder clean, wash out with hot water- no soap- each time you refill.

                       In the kitchen this week, Grandson Gavin's favorite...

Cherry-O Cheesecake

from EagleBrand.com
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8 or 9-inch) prepared graham cracker or baked pie crust
1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling, chilled
BEAT cream cheese until fluffy in large bowl. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.
POUR into crust; chill 4 hours or until set. Top with desired amount of cherry pie filling before serving.

TOPPING VARIATIONS
BLUEBERRY: Omit cherry pie filling. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in medium bowl; mix well. Add 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice then 2 cup fresh or dry-pack frozen blueberries, thawed; mix well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes or until thick and clear. Cool 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool 15 minutes. Spread over pie. Chill thoroughly.
CRANBERRY: Omit cherry pie filling. Combine 1/3 cups sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in medium saucepan. Add 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water and 2 cups fresh or dry-pack frozen cranberries; mix well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Spread over pie. Chill thoroughly.
FRESH FRUIT: Omit cherry pie filling. Just before serving, arrange well-drained fresh strawberries, banana slices (dipped in lemon juice and well drained) and blueberries on top of chilled pie. Brush fruit with light corn syrup if desired.
AMBROSIA: Omit cherry pie filling. Combine 1/2 cup Smucker's® Peach or Apricot Preserves, 1/4 cup flaked coconut, 2 tablespoons orange juice and 2 teaspoons cornstarch in small saucepan; cook and stir until thickened. Remove from heat. Arrange fresh orange sections over top of pie; top with coconut mixture. Chill thoroughly.

PRINT RECIPE

'Maters and More!

We had a wonderful rain Monday night, nearly 2 inches at my house here on Granny Mountain. Much appreciated since everything was really getting stressed. The hostas were just glorious after the rain, green and lush.

It was short-lived, the next morning I go out and something is different... I now have Hosta Sticks. Sometime during the night the deer have made a visit to the "salad bar." 

EVERY.YEAR.IT.HAPPENS.

This year we had sprayed the plants with a commercial product that has Capsacin oil from red and black peppers. I had bought it mainly to spray on the sunflower seeds to deter the squirrels from eating them all in one sitting...  

You can see how well it worked. Evidently the deer and squirrels on our mountain like it spicy!

I think (I have my fingers crossed) that this mesh fencing may allow us to finally grow some tomatoes, peppers and squash this year. We attached it to the back of the fence and used landscape pins to secure the bottom.

When the cantaloupe and watermelon vines get a little bigger, they will escape the confines of the mesh so they may be short lived. The deer left them alone one year and we were able to have a bumper crop of pumpkins. The following year they ate them all. If food is scarce for them, they simply make do with whatever they can find. 

You can find the mesh rolls at your local Farmer's Co-op, I sure hope this works. It's really the only place in our yard that gets any sun at all... one of the drawbacks of living on wooded property. 

This is the lone hosta left in the yard, it's probably not long for this world! I could put a laundry basket over it but that kind of takes the beauty away~

The deer will leave some things untouched, Astillbe and the Solomon's Seal below are safe. They must be poison or taste awful because they are never bothered.

See the hosta sticks behind this Solomon's Seal?

It's a challenge every year to grow anything, but that doesn't mean I give up! 

I've just accepted that the deer live here and we container garden on the top decks where they can't reach.

  

I have big plans for this tomato as soon as it's ripe!

Saveur.com

If you look forward to that first 'mater sandwich every summer, you will love THIS.

I saw on AgWeb this week that caterpillars, garden web worms and slugs are doing the same kind of overnight damage to gardens. Listen HERE to a short clip that gives some great advice on how to prevent loss. Their best advice is to check your gardens daily and use Intrepid or Tracer and stay away from any sprays that have pyrethrins at this stage of growing. 

In the Kitchen this week... a recipe for a Fresh Corn Tomato Cheddar Pie, oh my! All my favorite things all rolled into one, go HERE for the recipe!

Get out this week and plant something, it will make your corner of the world a nicer place to be! Re-use a past-it's-prime wagon for your herb garden, add old fashioned charm with a rusty iron fence or 

re-purpose an oil can from Dad's shed into a birdhouse. 

America the Beautiful

You can tell a lot about a nation by what they choose to remember. Memorial Day means many things to us. To the Veterans who have served, it's a reminder of a job well done. To families who have made the sacrifice of a loved one, it's a daily reminder that freedom has a cost. For most Americans it's a weekend filled with parades, barbeque and family time. 

It may mean a trip to Grandma's house...

 A picnic if you're lucky...

 ...and Cousins to share the fun!

 Add some Cherry Pie and it can't get much better than this!

Whatever you do this weekend, take the time to honor a Veteran, those who have served our country so that we might enjoy all the things that America means to us.

Secret Ingredient

I have it up in the cabinet all the time, but I didn't know this little jar of Cream of Tartar could be used for anything other than whipping up egg whites until I saw a post on Pinterest. I also didn't know that Cream of Tartar is actually an acidic salt that comes from grapes. The acid makes it a wonderful non-abrasive cleaner. Just mix 2 teaspoons vinegar with 2 teaspoons Cream of Tartar and say goodbye to that spotty stainless sink or smeary glass stovetop. 

More  Magic happens when you mix a few tablespoons with hot water or hydrogen peroxide and clean aluminum pans, waffle makers or toasters. The stains, baked on grease and goo disappear!

And if you have a collection of copper, just a little lemon mixed with Cream of Tartar will remove all the tarnish!

Where it really shines is the bathroom... rub sinks, tub or toilets with  a sprinkle of cream of tartar and grout whitens and stains disappear! 

Make up your own Spray N' Wash with a few teaspoons of Cream of Tartar and some glycerin and you'll never have ring around the collar or underarm stains on shirt again. Just apply, let sit for 5-10 minutes, give a good scrub with a brush and wash with hot soapy water.

Now that I've got the house spic and span, I think I'll make a favorite pie for dinner!

Key Lime Meringue Pie from The Coastal Living Cookbook, Oxmoor House 2004 PRINT

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs 

1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar 

1/3 cup butter or margarine, melted

 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk 

1 cup fresh Key lime juice* 

2 egg whites 

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar 

2 tablespoons granulated sugar 

Combine first 3 ingredients. Press into a 9-inch pieplate. Bake piecrust at 350° for 10 minutes or until lightly browned; cool.

Stir together sweetened condensed milk and lime juice until blended. Pour into prepared crust. Set aside. 

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at high speed with an electric mixer just until foamy. Add granulated sugar gradually, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until soft peaks form and sugar dissolves (2 to 4 minutes). Spread meringue over filling. Bake at 325° for 25 to 28 minutes. Chill 8 hours. 

*Bottled Key lime juice may be substituted for fresh juice. 

Cherry Cream Cheese Pie

Cherry Cream Cheese Pie

from EagleBrand.com
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz.) can Eagle Brand® Sweetened Condensed Milk
1/3 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8 or 9-inch) prepared graham cracker or baked pie crust
1 (21 oz.) can cherry pie filling, chilled
BEAT cream cheese until fluffy in large bowl. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk until smooth. Stir in lemon juice and vanilla.
POUR into crust; chill 4 hours or until set. Top with desired amount of cherry pie filling before serving.
TOPPING VARIATIONS
BLUEBERRY: Omit cherry pie filling. Combine 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in medium bowl; mix well. Add 1/2 cup water, 2 tablespoons lemon juice then 2 cup fresh or dry-pack frozen blueberries, thawed; mix well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 3 minutes or until thick and clear. Cool 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Cool 15 minutes. Spread over pie. Chill thoroughly.
CRANBERRY: Omit cherry pie filling. Combine 1/3 cups sugar and 1 tablespoon cornstarch in medium saucepan. Add 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons cold water and 2 cups fresh or dry-pack frozen cranberries; mix well. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Spread over pie. Chill thoroughly.
FRESH FRUIT: Omit cherry pie filling. Just before serving, arrange well-drained fresh strawberries, banana slices (dipped in lemon juice and well drained) and blueberries on top of chilled pie. Brush fruit with light corn syrup if desired.
AMBROSIA: Omit cherry pie filling. Combine 1/2 cup Smucker's® Peach or Apricot Preserves, 1/4 cup flaked coconut, 2 tablespoons orange juice and 2 teaspoons cornstarch in small saucepan; cook and stir until thickened. Remove from heat. Arrange fresh orange sections over top of pie; top with coconut mixture. Chill thoroughly.

PRINT RECIPE

David Letterman's Mom's Strawberry Pie

David Letterman's Mom's Strawberry Pie

 from Home Cookin' with Dave's Mom

1 9 inch pie shell -- baked
1/2 pt Strawberries, fresh -- Washed and hulled
1/2 c Granulated sugar
2 tb Cornstarch
3/4 c Orange juice
1/2 ts Red food coloring
Whipped cream

Mix sugar and cornstartch, then add orange juice and food coloring. Cook until clear. Add strawberries to glaze and pour mixture into pie shell. Serve with whipped cream.

Print Recipe

Peanut Butter Pie for a Crowd

Peanut Butter Pie for a Crowd

20 Oreo Cookies
1 8- ounce package of Cream Cheese, Softened
2 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup peanut butter
1 12- ounce tub of Cool Whip
Press crushed cookies into the bottom of a 9 x13 inch pan. Reserve a few crumbs for topping. In a medium bowl, beat together the cream cheese and powdered sugar. Stir in peanut butter until well blended. Then, fold in whipped topping. Spread over the Oreo cookie base and sprinkle reserved crumbs on top. Freeze 1-2 hours. Thaw 10-15 minutes before cutting and serving.

PRINT RECIPE

Cure for Homesick Texans...

How excited am I to see this new cookbook on the shelves? Pretty dang excited! I've been stalking Lisa Fain for about 3 years now, since I started blogging and found her at Homesick Texan. Every week she shared great home-made, no shortcut recipes that smack of Tex-Mex, Texican, whatever you call it... it's good eating!

As a displaced Texan who lives and works in New York City, she started a blog in 2005 to share her memories through food. Her blog reaches me, it plucks me right out of my chair and takes me back to her Grandma's kitchen while she makes her peach pie. Those hands, who have rolled a thousand and one pie crusts lovingly make one more for Lisa who's home for a visit. It's not common these days for Grandchildren to ask, "Will you teach me?" Go for a peek at that post HERE. In this cookbook are recipes and stories that will touch your heart, feed your body and nourish your soul.

APPLE FRIED PIES

From The Homesick Texan Cookbook

FOR THE CRUST
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup lard, chilled
¼ cup cold water

FOR THE FILLING
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups cooking apples such as Granny Smith, peeled, cored and diced
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ancho chile powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt

FOR THE PIES
Vegetable oil, for frying
Powdered sugar and ground cinnamon for sprinkling

To make the crust
Mix together the flour and salt. Add the lard, either with a fork, your hands, or a pastry cutter. When the flour is clumped together, slowly add the cold water, a tablespoon at a time, until the dough is moist enough to come together. Form the dough into a ball, then wrap and place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.
Meanwhile, in a large ovenproof skillet, preferably a cast-iron skillet, melt the butter on low heat. Add the apples, flour, sugar, cinnamon, ancho chile powder and salt, and while occasionally stirring, cook until the apples are soft, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust seasonings.
To make the fried pies, roll out the chilled pie crust until it's no more than ¹⁄8 of an inch thick.
Cut out 3-inch-diameter circles. Roll out any leftover scraps and continue to cut 3-inch circles until all the dough has been used. You should have about 10.
Place 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each crust. Moisten the edges and fold the crust over, sealing the edges with your fingers, and then press down on the edges with a fork. In a cast-iron skillet, heat 1 inch of oil to 350 degrees. With a spatula, gently place each pie into the hot oil, and turn over after a minute. Cook on the other side for another minute, and then drain on a rack or paper-towel-lined plate. You can sprinkle powdered sugar and/or cinnamon over pies if you like. Makes 10 pies.

 

SMOKY TORTILLA SOUP

From The Homesick Texan Cookbook

2 dried pasilla chiles, stems and seeds removed
½ cup plus 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
6 corn tortillas, preferably stale
1 pound plum tomatoes, or 1 (14-ounce) can of diced tomatoes, preferably fire roasted, drained
1 medium yellow onion, cut into quarters
6 cloves garlic
2 canned chipotle chiles in adobo
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano
¼ teaspoon ground cloves
½ cup chopped cilantro
6 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 tablespoons lime juice
Salt, to taste
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken meat (optional)

GARNISHES
2 cups grated Monterey Jack cheese
1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and diced
¼ cup Cotija cheese, crumbled
¼ cup chopped cilantro

In a dry skillet heated on high, toast the pasilla chiles on each side for about 10 seconds or just until they start to puff. Fill the skillet with enough water to cover chiles. Leave the heat on until the water begins to boil and then turn off the heat and let the chiles soak until soft, about 30 minutes.
Heat ½ cup of the vegetable oil in a large skillet on medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 350 degrees. Slice the tortillas into strips ¼ inch thick. Add tortilla strips to the hot oil and cook until crisp, about a minute. Drain tortillas on paper towels.
If using fresh tomatoes, cut in half and place on a greased sheet under the broiler, along with the onion quarters and garlic cloves. Cook the tomatoes, onions and garlic on each side for 5 minutes or until black spots begin to appear. (If using canned tomatoes, broil only the onions and garlic.)
Place the tomatoes, onions, and garlic into a blender. When the pasilla chiles are hydrated, drain and rinse and also add to the blender along with the chipotle chiles, cumin, oregano, cloves, cilantro, ½ cup of the fried tortilla strips and ½ cup of water. Blend on high until smooth.
In a large pot, heat 1 teaspoon of vegetable oil on medium heat and add the tomato puree. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes until it thickens and gets darker. Note that it will probably pop and squirt. Add the chicken broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil and then turn the heat down to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
Stir in the smoked paprika, lime juice, salt to taste, and the chicken meat if you're using it, and simmer for another 10 minutes.
Before serving the soup, place the remaining tortilla strips and grated Monterey Jack cheese into 4 or 6 bowls. Top with the soup and serve immediately. Serve with the avocado, Cotija cheese and cilantro for garnish.

Makes 6-8 servings

NOTE:pasilla chiles, you can add one more canned chipotle chile; you can substitute dried ancho chiles, as these tend to be more available; or you can use 1 tablespoon of chili powder.

CALABACITAS (SQUASH AND PORK STEW)

From The Homesick Texan Cookbook

1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 to 3 pounds boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of excess fat and cut into 1-inch cubes
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 serrano chiles, chopped
½ cup chopped cilantro
½ pound fresh tomatillos, husks removed, and quartered
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound zucchini, diced
1 pound yellow squash, diced
1 cup corn (fresh or frozen)
1 cup chicken or vegetable broth
Salt and black pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons lime juice
Tortillas, for serving

In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil on medium and brown the pork until light brown on all sides, about 15 minutes. (You may have to do this in batches.)
Remove pork from pot. Add the onions to the pot and cook until they just begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 more seconds.
Place the pork back in the pot and add the serrano chiles, cilantro, tomatillos, cumin, oregano, zucchini, yellow squash, corn, and broth. Bring to a boil, turn the heat down to low, and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the lid and then simmer for 30 more minutes. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Stir in the lime juice and serve with tortillas.