Coconut Cream Pie With A Black Bottom Crust

Coconut pie  with a black bottom crust is fun to make with the kids.  My kids love stirring the custard over the stove and then stirring the custard in an ice bath.  Forget the box pudding!  This coconut cream pie is loaded with omega 3 rich eggs not yellow die.  I use none fat milk so you feel good that this dessert is lower in calories then the ones you buy in the store.  So if you want a  healthy dessert this is the pie for you. You can use this custard base to make banana cream pie as well.  The black bottom refers to the pie crust that you paint with melted chocolate.  The chocolate keeps the crust crust from becoming soggy.

Coconut Cream Pie With A Black Bottom Crust:
Pre-Heat Oven:  400 Degrees
Servings:  9

Pudding:
1/3 cup organic cane sugar
1/3 cup corn starch
pinch of salt
3 cups cold none fat milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 egg yolks (like egg lands best or eggs with omega 3s)
2 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups Baker's Coconut, toasted
1 Deep dish pie crust (like Marie Callender's)
Pudding recipe above
1 cup melted dark chocolate (like Ghirardelli's bitter sweet chips)
Whip cream

1.  Bake your Marie Callender's deep dish pie crust at 400 degrees for 10 minutes.  Make sure you either prick the bottom of the crust with a fork or place a piece of parchment paper in the middle of the crust and fill the paper with dried beans.  This is called blind baking your crust.  Then remove the parchment paper and dried beans and allow the crust to bake for another 7 minutes or until golden brown.

2.  In a medium saucepan over medium high heat add the cold milk, corn starch, sugar and a pinch of salt.  Using a wire whisk stir all the ingredients together.  Bring the mixture up to a bowl whisking continually. Bring the milk mixture up to simmer and the pudding begins  to thicken (the pudding will coat the back of a spoon. Remove the pudding from the heat.

3. In two small bowls separate out your eggs.  Whisk the egg yolks together.  Slowly whisk in 1 cup of the hot milk mixture to the eggs while whisking at all times. This is called tempering so you don't scrabbled the eggs.  Then whisk the yolk mixture slowly back into the hot milk mixture.  Allow the mixture to come up to a simmer and allow the pudding to cook 2 more minutes or until thick.  Remove front the heat and stir in the vanilla extract. In a large bowl put some cold water and ice to make an ice bath.  Place the pan you cooked the pudding into the ice bath and continue to whisk occasionally until the pudding cools off.  Then remove the pudding from the pan and place in the refrigerator in a sealed container.  Allow pudding to cool for one hour before using.

4.  Toast 2 cups of coconut in a 350 degree oven for 10-15 minutes.  Stir the coconut half way through cooking it.  Watch the coconut near the end because it will burn very easily.
Allow coconut to cool on a wire rack.

5.  Assembling the pie.  Place your chocolate chips into a microwave save dish.  Microwave the chips on high for 1 minute then stir the chocolate.  Then microwave for another minute and stir.  Your chocolate should be fully melted.  Using a pastry brush, paint the bottom of the crust with the melted chocolate.  Put into the freezer for 10 minutes or until the chocolate is hard.  Mix in one cup of coconut with your pudding.  Then spoon the pudding mixture into the crust.  Then add the other cup of coconut on top of the pudding.  Garnish the coconut cream pie with whip cream.

Addition notes: If you want to make it a banana cream pie, just don't add in the coconut to the pudding or on the top of the pie.  Instead slice bananas and place them on the bottom of the pie crust.  Add the pudding on top and garnish with whip cream.

Coconut Cream Pie With A Black Bottom Crust

Whisking The Hot Milk Mixture

Pudding Cooling In An Ice Bath

Painting The Pie Crust With Melted Chocolate

Italian Herb and Lemon Chicken

Italian herb and lemon chicken is the perfect roast chicken.  The Italian herbs give the chicken meat a rich flavor with a slight lemon twist.  The pan drippings are rich with flavor too so don't forget to sauce your chicken right before you serve.  A whole roast chicken does take some time to cook but you can prepare it in just minutes and stick it into the oven when you are ready.

Italian Herb and Lemon Chicken:
Pre-Heat Oven:  400 degrees
Serving Size:  6 Servings

One whole chicken about 3 pounds (like Red Bird), rinsed and cleaned out
2 tablespoons dried Italian seasoning (like McCormick's)
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
1 lemon, cut in half
2 sprigs fresh rosemary leaves, washed and rough chopped
3 sprigs fresh sage leaves, washed and rough chopped
1/2 sweet onion, pealed and rough chopped
1 1/2 cups water

1.  In a large roasting pan with a wire rack, place the whole chicken on top of the wire rack.  Sprinkle the chicken all over with the salt, pepper, dried Italian spices and fresh herbs.  Cut the lemon in half and place it in the chicken cavity.  Add 1 1/2 cups of water and your onion to the bottom of the pan.

2.  Bake the chicken for 1 1/2 hours at 400 degrees or until the meat reaches 165 degrees. If the juice is drying out at the bottom of your roasting pan just add another cup of hot water.  This will allow you to have enough pan drippings.  Allow the chicken to rest for 15 minutes before you serve.  Ladle 1 tablespoon of pan drippings on top of the chicken meat.

Italian Herbs, Onion And Lemon

Adding The Italian Herbs and Stuffing The Chicken With Lemon

 Italian Herb and Lemon Chicken

Mega 3 Tuna Salad

Mega 3 tuna salad is great for your brain.  Wild Planet Wild Albacore Tuna is filled with 6 times the omega 3 of other brands of tuna.  Your brain cells needs Omega 3's to work properly and this is a great way to eat your omega 3's (learn more from wildplanetfoods.com or doctoroz.com:  search: omega-3).  I first found Wild Planet Wild Albacore Tuna at Sunflower Market but it is now available at some Costco's packed 6/ 5oz. containers.  Eat something great for lunch today.  Your heart and brain will thank you!

Mega 3 Tuna Salad:
Servings:  4

2 cans Wild Albacore Tuna (like Wild Planet)
2 Tablespoons chives, washed and diced
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
3 tablespoons sour cream
3 spears celery, washed and diced
salt and pepper to taste
4 pieces of Romaine lettuce, cleaned, torn
2 bagels toasted (like everything bagels)

1.  In a bowl, mix the tuna, sour cream, mayo, chives, salt, pepper and celery together.  Taste the tuna salad to see if you have enough mayo and salt.  If the tuna seems dry you can add another teaspoon of sour cream or may.
2.  Cut the bagel in half and toast them.
3.  Place the toasted bagel half on a plate and add one piece of torn romaine lettuce on top.  Add a large scoop of tuna salad on top of the lettuce.  Garnish with mango or fruit wedges.

Mega 3 Tuna Salad

Wild Planet Albacore Tuna

Red Pear Galette

A red pear galette is a tasty treat and allows you to sneak in some fruit for dessert.  I made this pear galette for an easy sunday night dessert.  It is winter in Colorado, so I used red pears but you can change this recipe and add other stone fruits or berries that are in season. Let your kids sprinkle the powder sugar on top right before you serve this fruity dessert.  Using 3 different flours gives this crust a nutty rich flavor and allows you to use whole grains which are rich in vitamin B-6 and B-12.

Red Pear Galette:
Makes:  One 10 inch galette
Pre-heat oven:  375 degrees

Cornmeal Crust:
1/2 cup oat flour (or all purpose flour)
1/2 cup whole wheat white flour, like King Arthur's (or all purpose flour)
1/4 cup finely ground cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cane sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) organic butter, cold and cut into small pieces
1/8-1/4 cup ice water

1.  Place the oat flour whole wheat white flour, cornmeal, salt and sugar into a bowl and combine with a spoon.  Add the cold butter pieces to the flour mixture and mix in the butter with a pastry knife or fork.  The mixture should look like course meal.  Add the water a little at a time just until the dough comes together in a ball.  Place the dough ball into plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour or up to one day.

2.  Unwrap the crust and roll the dough out between two pieces of parchment paper until it reaches 14 inches around.  Remove the top piece of parchment paper and place the dough and bottom parchment paper onto a cookie sheet.

Red Pear Galette:
4 large red pears, peeled, cored and sliced thin
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons corn starch
1 large egg yolk beaten
2 tablespoons extra granulated sugar (for sprinkling on crust before it is cooked)
Powder sugar (for sprinkling on the finished Galette)

1.  Place the pear slices into a bowl with the lemon juice, sugar and cornstarch and mix together gently.  Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees.

2.  Pour the fruit into the middle of the rolled out crust, leaving a border all the way around the crust.  Fold the borders over the fruit, overlapping if necessary and pressing the dough together if necessary.  In a small bowl mix the egg yolk with a fork.  Using a pastry brush, brush the egg wash over the crust then sprinkle the crust with 2 tablespoons of cane sugar.

3.  Place the galette into the pre-heated oven and bake for 45 minutes to an hour.  The crust should be golden brown and the juices should be bubbling.  Allow to cool on a wire rack.  Sprinkle with powder sugar just before serving.

 Rolling Out Galette Dough And Adding The Slice Pears

 Cutting The Butter Into The Flour With Pastry Knife

Red Pear Galette

Maple-Brined Pork Chops

Maple-brined pork chops are a great way to make sure your pork chops are juicy and flavorful.  Brining allows the pork to be infused with maple flavors and the salt tenderizes the meat.  These pork chops cook up quickly but you will need to allow 5 hours or up to 24 hours for these pork chops to soak up this savory brine.  These pork chops cook up with a wonderful carmel color from the maple syrup you brush on them while cooking.  This recipe was taken from the Food To Live By Cookbook by Myra Goodman.

Maple-Brined Pork Chops:
Serves:  4

Brine:
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup kosher salt
1 tablespoon black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
10 sprigs fresh time
4 cups water


Chops:
4 bone-in, center-cut pork chops (about 3 pounds)
3 tablespoons pure-maple syrup
olive oil

1.  Combine all the ingredients for the brine in a none-reactive pan.  Cook on medium heat until all the sugar and salt have dissolved about 5 minutes.  Allow the brine to cool by adding one cup of ice to the brine. Pour the brine into a container and allow to cool in the refrigerator completely.  Add the pork chops to the brine and cover for 5 or up to 24 hours in the refrigerator.

2.  Remove the pork from the brine.  Heat a iron skillet or grill until hot.  If you are using an iron skillet place 2 tablespoons of olive oil in the skillet and heat until very hot but not smoking. Rinse the chops off and pat dry with a paper towel.  Brush the chops with the maple syrup and then place them into the hot oil to cook.  Cook for about 3 minutes per side and then flip them.  If you are grilling the pork chops I would wait to glaze the pork chops at the end or else they will get to burned on the edges.  Cook pork until it reaches an internal temperature about 165 degrees.

Maple-Brine

Pork Chops Soaking In Brine

Maple -Brined Pork Chops

Raspberry Applesauce

Raspberry Applesauce is quick and easy to make with your kids.  They will love the rich red color and you will love all the great vitamins and antioxidants they are consuming.  I made this recipe Sunday for dinner.  My kids could not wait to dive into this applesauce.  My mother-in-law was a little more hesitant but became a believer once she tasted this delicious applesauce.  Raspberry applesauce is great also with yogurt and granola.  This recipe can be made ahead of time and stays great in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.  

Raspberry Applesauce:

Serving:  about 2 cups

4 medium size apples, peeled, diced (about 4 cups)

1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen raspberries (unthawed)

2 Tablespoons organic cane sugar

1 Tablespoon agave nectar

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

pinch of salt

1 1/2 cups water

1.  Place the diced apples, raspberries and 1 1/2 cups water into a non-reactive pan.  Bring to a simmer on medium-high heat.  Reduce the heat to medium and allow to simmer for 15 minutes or until all the apple pieces have softened.  

2.  Add sugar, agave, pinch of salt and lemon juice.  Allow to applesauce to cook for another 5 minutes or until all the pieces are soft.  Taste the applesauce and adjust the sweetness with more sugar if needed.

3.  Puree the mixture with a hand mixer for two minutes or use the back of a wooden spoon to break up the remaining pieces.  Allow the applesauce to cool before serving.  Applesauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Diced Apple Pieces and Raspberries In The Pan

Raspberry Applesauce

Fall Vegetable And Cheddar Omelet For Two

This fall vegetable and cheddar omelet makes a flavorful breakfast or late night snack.  Personally, I like making this omelet for a quick nutritious lunch for my husband Tony.  This omelet is packed with flavor from the organic tomatoes, avocado, spinach, parsley, chives and cheddar cheese.  If you don't have one of these items add your own favorite vegetable to the omelet. This omelet cooks up fast so be ready with all your cut up vegetables before you start cooking your eggs.  I like using the omega 3 enriched eggs.  Most of these eggs are filled with 100 mg of Omega 3 are bodies need. Most of the cage free and grain fed eggs have Omega 3 and vitamin E in them like eggland's best or simple truth natural.

Fall Vegetable And Cheddar Omelet For Two
Serving Size:  two

4 eggs scrabbled , (cage free or eggland's best eggs)
1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 grape tomatoes, diced
1/2 avocado, peeled and diced
1/4 cup baby spinach
1 teaspoon fresh chives, diced fine
1 teaspoon fresh parsley, diced fine
salt and pepper to taste
canola oil for greasing the pan or cooking spray

1.  Pre-heat a metal skillet or omelet pan on medium. Grease your pan with canola oil or cooking spray.
2.  Crack your eggs and scrabble them in a small bowl.
3.  Dice all your vegetables:  tomatoes, avocado, chives, parsley.
4.  Add the scrabbled eggs to the pan and cook on medium heat for 2 minutes.  You do not want the heat to high or your eggs will be rubbery.  Add your shredded cheese, tomatoes, avocado, spinach, herbs and salt and pepper.  Cook for 3 more minutes or until the eggs are mostly cooked but still a little runny.  Carefully release the sides of the omelet with a spatula and fold the omelet in half.  The omelet should be brown on the outside and soft in the inside.  Allow the omelet to cook another minute or until the eggs are not runny.  Serve immediately.

Cooking The Fall Vegetable And Cheddar Omelet 

Fall Vegetable And Cheddar Omelet For Two

Raspberry Corn Muffins

I bought a new cookbook yesterday from my local Sprouts grocery store.  The book was  developed by Earthbound Farms and Myra Goodman.  Myra talked about starting Earthbound in California and the first crop they grew was organic raspberries.  Therefore the first recipe I had to try from the new cookbook was raspberry corn muffins.  These muffins are delicate but have a rich flavor of cinnamon and raspberries.  They are great for breakfast or a mid-morning snack.  I made two changes to the recipe.  I used a combination on flours (oat flour, whole wheat white flour and all purpose flour) instead of just the all purpose flour in the original recipe.  I also cut the butter in half and added some canola oil.  This lowers the saturated fat and replaces it with a healthy fat.

Raspberry Corn Muffins:
Makes:  12 regular muffins
Pre-heat Oven:  400 degrees

1/2 cup oat flour (or all-purpose flour)
1/2 cup whole wheat white flour (or all-purpose flour)
1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup finely finely ground yellow cornmeal
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup buttermilk
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons canola oil
1 1/4 cups fresh or frozen (unthawed) raspberries, additional 1/2 cup for crumbling on top of muffins.

1.  Grease 12 standard muffin cups or line and grease muffin liners.
2.  Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees
3.  Place the eggs, melted butter, canola oil, buttermilk into a mixer with a paddle attachment. Mix all the ingredients together.
4  Add the dry ingredients next to the batter: oat flour, whole wheat white flour, all-purpose flour, yellow cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.  Mix all ingredients together for one minute.  Fold the raspberries into the batter with a spoon.  Be careful not to break up the raspberries.

5.  Fill the muffin tins 3/4 of the way to the top.  Add some extra raspberries to the top of each muffin.  Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.  Allow the muffins to cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes.

Raspberry Corn Muffin Batter

Adding Additional Raspberries On Top Of Batter

Raspberry Corn Muffins