Recipe Hoarder

I don't know about all of you, but I am a recipe hoarder. Some people are hoarders. I'm not ashamed of it. It is insane how many recipes I have collected over the past 20 years. Some recipes I tore out of magazines. Some recipes I acquired working at Draegers cooking school and Andronicos cooking school. Many of them I collected by just asking for them from friends or relatives.

It has been fun sharing many of my own recipes. This blog is a great way to post recipes and share in the food experience. Because it is an "experience" after all.

 It is a passion of mine to feed people. I have been doing it for years by way of volunteering at school functions, boy scout events, swim team auctions, book clubs and parties. Food brings people together. People come when you offer them a free and delicious treat.

That is why collecting these recipes over the years is so advantageous. I have so many to choose from and will never get bored serving the same thing over and over again.

There are a few tried and true recipes that I can always count on to please a crowd.

My White Chocolate Key Lime Tart is one of them. It is a perfect summer evening treat because it is light and refreshing on those hot days. The gingersnap crust plays well on the tongue with the tart and sweet lime flavor. It melts in your mouth!

Now back to sorting through all these recipes!

WHITE CHOCOLATE KEY LIME BARS 

Crust

2 Cups gingersnaps

2 Tablespoons granulated sugar

7 Tablespoons of butter, melted.

Set oven to 350 degrees.

Using a food processor, mix sugar and gingersnaps until they are all crushed. Add melted butter and mix just until moistened.

Press into a 9X13 baking pan that is lined with foil or parchment paper. Bake 8-10 min, remove pan and turn oven to 325 degrees.

Lime filling

1 large egg

4 egg yolks

2 (15oz) cans sweetened condensed milk

1 cup bottled key lime juice. (I grate @ 5 limes and juice) (Not key limes)

2 Tablespoons lime zest

pinch salt

Wisk all ingredients together in a medium bowl. Pour filling over prepared and baked crust. Bake until filling is almost set, @ 20-22 minutes

Cool bars at room temp and then chill in fridge or freezer.

White chocolate topping

Put 1/4 Cup heavy cream and 1 teaspoon of milk in a saucepan and bring almost to a boil. Have 8 Oz good high quality white chocolate chopped into small pieces and add to cream. Whisk until chocolate is melted and pour evenly onto chilled bars.

When ready to serve, cut bars into smaller sized pieces and at the last minute top with whipped cream and a mint leaf.

Feel like a kid again!

I am writing a blog to tell stories and share recipes with all of my favorite people.  But first, let me explain how I became passionate about food and feeding people at an early age.

It all began when I was a little girl making mud pies in the back yard. My mom took this picture of me because I was covered with mud from head to toe, half naked wearing only training pants. I know, it isn't a very attractive picture of me, but look at the smile on my face! I was having a blast playing in the mud making mud pies for hours. Making mud pies with my friends are some of my most special memories. 

Even today, I can be found spending hours in the kitchen whipping up favorite recipes and making new ones while entertaining loved ones. They feel spoiled and I feel extra special because I shared a little bit of love with them through my food. Feeding people is my way of celebrating life and sharing precious moments during the time we have together in the kitchen.

Some of my favorite memories as a little girl are from when I would watch my mom bake cookies and cakes. She let me taste the Baker's Unsweetened Baking Chocolate Squares knowing full well it would taste terrible. I got to lick the beaters and help with the dishes and I loved being with her. We shared these times together while my siblings were climbing a tree, playing basketball with the neighbors, or watchinng TV.

I am still making mud pies with some of my most special friends. The mud pie recipe here is inspired and adapted from one of my favorite people, Jan Glomstad. We still make mud pies together, but at least we end up much cleaner in the end than back in the day.
Hot Fudge Sundae Pie and is perfect ending to a hot summer day meal.

Hot Fudge Sundae Pie (serves 6-8)

Crust
2 1/2 C. finely ground chocolate wafer cookies (use food processor to grind or put cookies in a  zip lock and crush w/ rolling pin)
6 T granulated sugar
12 T unsalted butter melted

Hot Fudge Sauce
1 C. granulated sugar
1/2 C. whipping cream
3/4 C. corn syrup
3 T. unsalted butter
1 teas vanilla
pinch of salt
6 oz fine quality bittersweet chocolate (not unsweetened- like the one my mom made me try)chopped
1/2 C. unsweetened cocoa powder


Filling
1 quart of frozen coffee or chocolate icecream (let stand at room temp to soften)
1/2 Gallon or frozen vanilla ice cream (let stand at room temp to soften)


Garnish:
1/2 C. heavy whipping cream whipped,  chopped almonds and marachino cherries(optional)

Crust:
Cover a 9 or 10 inch springform pan with plastic wrap so it overlaps edges. Combine cookie crumbs,almonds, melted butter and sugar in a bowl and stir until incorporated. Press into the springform pan only covering the bottom by using a metal measuring cup. Place in freezer.

Sauce:
Bring cream, corn syrup, sugar, salt, and cocoa powder and half of chocolate to a boil in a 1 to 1/2-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring until chocolate is melted. Reduce heat and cook at a low boil, stirring occasionally @ 4-5 minutes, then remove from heat. Add butter, vanilla and remaining chocolate and stir until smooth. Cool.

Filling:
Spread coffee or chocolate flavored icecream evenly over frozen crust and place in freezer. When frozen, spread vanilla icecream on top evenly and place back in freezer. When frozen, pour the cooled chocolate sauce over vanilla layer and freeze.

When ready to serve ,remove plastic from springform pan by disassembling the sides and place frozen pie on plate. Cut into wedges by dipping large knife in hot water first and decorate w/ whipped cream, almonds and cherries.
Active time 40 minutes.Start to finish:3 hours includes freezing. Can be made up to a week in advance.

Enjoy! Now you can feel like a kid again and make mud pies too!

Teri Smyth:)all rights reserved