Bad Day Pie

We all have bad days. Hayden happened to be having one when I made this pie back in December. I remember the day pretty well- he was fussy from the getgo. He was hungry, but didn't want to eat. He was tired but didn't want to sleep. When he did sleep, it was for 15 minutes at a time, then he'd wake up crying because I had put him down. He spit up several times throughout the day, which meant he was constantly wet and stinky. All that made for one cranky baby.

My grandma was in town and had stayed the night to help out. I think we scared her. haha! Hayden is generally a happy baby and only cries when he is tired, hungry or in pain. He doesn't just cry because he needs something to do. But that was the first time my grandma really spent time with him and I don't think she was prepared for it. This pie only takes a few minutes to put together but it took me over an hour to make because I kept having to take breaks to soothe Hayden. Melt the chocolate, take a break, stir in the cream cheese, take a break, fold in the whipped topping, take a break, pour into crust, take a break. You get the idea.

After several hours of crying baby, I had a mini breakdown and retired to the bathroom to soak in the tub in peace. Mr. H and my grandma were tending to Hayden and all I could hear from across the house was his crying. I tried to relax and just couldn't. Mr. H tried to soothe Hayden and couldn't so he brought him into the bathroom to see me. He got in the tub with me and we played in the water for over an hour. He loved floating and splashing and returned to his usual happy self. All this to say that even after a long hard day, something sweet can still come out of it and I'm not talking about the pie.

Hayden with his Great Grandma (GGma) in December 2011

This pie was creamy, slightly tangy from the cream cheese, light and mousse-like. You can switch it up by using different chocolate, or whipped cream instead of Cool Whip, just be sure to use a homemade crust- I used store bought and was disappointed in it's flavor but the filling was great. If you're having a bad day, take a break or ten, and make pie.

German Sweet Chocolate Pie from Let's Dish

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• 4 ounces Baker’s German Sweet Chocolate
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (8 ounce) Cool Whip topping, thawed
• 1 graham cracker or chocolate pie crust

Heat chocolate and 2 tablespoons of the milk in saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until chocolate is melted. Beat sugar into cream cheese; add remaining milk and chocolate mixture and beat until smooth. Fold in whipped topping and blend until smooth. Spoon into crust. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours. Garnish with additional whipped topping and chocolate curls, if desired. Let stand at room temperature about 1 hour before serving then refrigerate any leftovers.

Giving Thanks

Creamy pumpkin layered with maple soaked graham crackers and whipped cream, topped with buttery maple pecans. Yes please! A few weeks ago I hosted a Pampered Chef party with a few friends and close family. We fooled around in the kitchen, played with our food and ate this maple pumpkin trifle for dessert while flipping through catalogs. This trifle was simple to put together and would be a nice and different addition to your Thanksgiving meal, if you're still looking for a special dessert. It can be assembled the night before or even the morning of the big day, if you can find time to put this together :-)

As the family baker, Thanksgiving is a fun time for me. I love that I can bake anything and multiple things and it all goes. This year I'm making a pumpkin cheesecake, chocolate chip pecan pies and an apple cake with brown sugar glaze. My sister is making pumpkin crunch cake and my aunt is making not yo mama's banana pudding. We will be eating well and finishing it off with sweets galore. We are not doing without and we are extremely thankful for our bounty. Now I want to know what YOU are baking up for turkey day?

Pumpkin Maple Trifle adapted from Pampered Chef via Jolts & Jollies

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• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
• 1/2 cup plus 6 Tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 box (14.4 ounces) whole graham crackers
• 1 package (3.4 ounce) cheesecake instant pudding
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 container (12 ounces) frozen whipped topping, thawed or equal amounts of whipped cream

Make the maple pecans: Combine butter and 3 Tablespoons maple syrup in a saucepan. Cook on medium heat until butter melts. Add nuts and stir constantly about 5-7 minutes or until pecans are evenly toasted. Place on parchment paper and allow to cool.

Break up graham crackers and place in a large mixing bowl.

Pour 1/2 cup of maple syrup into a microwave safe bowl and heat in the microwave for 60 seconds. Pour syrup over graham crackers and toss to evenly coat. Set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together pudding mix and milk until well combined. Add pumpkin puree and cinnamon. Mix to combine. Fold in 2 cups of whipped topping or whipped cream until there are no more white streaks. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the remaining whipped topping and remaining 3 Tablespoons maple syrup and fold until well blended.

Fill a decorator bag with 2/3 cup of the maple cream and set aside.

Assemble trifle: Place 1/3 graham crackers evenly in the bottom of a trifle bowl. Top graham cracker layer evenly with 1/2 the pumpkin filling. Top with 1/3 graham crackers. Top with remaining maple cream. Top with final 1/3 graham crackers. Top with remaining pumpkin filling. Break up maple nuts. Decorate the top of the trifle with the decorator bag of maple cream and the maple walnuts.

Refrigerate trifle for 4 hours or overnight.

I'm grateful and thankful for many things this year. But 2011 is different since we were blessed by the birth of Hayden. We prayed, hoped and waited for him for 6 years and lost 2 beautiful sons in the process. Hayden will never replace his angel brothers, Sam and Jack, but he more than makes up for the heartache and countless tears we shed along the way. I love him more than I ever thought possible.

What are you especially grateful for this year?

Attention Banana Pudding Lovers!

My grandpa LOVES banana pudding. That's usually the only dessert he ever wants, besides red jello (he hates the green kind) and yellow cake with chocolate icing. He is not much of a sweets fan, but he likes the occasional treat. I saw this recipe from Paula Deen and thought I'd make it for him. It has been his favorite ever since and that was about 3 years ago. It serves a crowd and can be made up to a day in advance. It's fairly simple, and oh so good!

My aunt now makes this for him on special occasions when I'm not around. It's sweet, thick and creamy and layered with buttery shortbread cookies and bananas. I hope if you're in the mood for something a little different, that you'll give this recipe a try.

Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding by Paula Deen

• 2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
• 6 to 8 bananas, sliced
• 2 cups cold milk
• 1 (5-ounce) box instant French Vanilla pudding
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12-ounce) container Cool Whip

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top. In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

NOTE: I have made this fat free sweetened condensed milk, low fat cream cheese and lite cool whip and it tastes just like the original. However, do not use sugar free pudding. It does not turn out the same (it gets a little lumpy and the proportions aren't the same). Would be good with banana or chocolate pudding too-yum!

Also, when I make the pudding, I only use 1-3/4 cups of milk, so the pudding stays a little thicker and I only use about 6 bananas. But add as many or little as you like.

And last but not least, I sandwich the bananas between the pudding mixture so they don't get brown. Here are the layers: cookies, pudding, bananas, pudding, cookies.

I usually make this the day before I need it, so the cookies can get a little softer. You can make it about an hour before you are going to eat it, with the cookies will be a little difficult to cut through.

Thanksgiving Tradition

This is something my MIL has made for many years. She always doubles the recipe and we enjoy them throughout the year not just at the holidays. It has become one of my favorites and it's the one thing I request every year. I've also made it with black cherry-cranberry sauce (so good) but adding orange zest would be great too.

Pink Cranberry Freeze

• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 2 tbsp. mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp. sugar
• 1- 16 oz. can whole berry cranberry sauce
• 1- 9 oz. can crushed pineapple
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1- 16 oz. container Cool Whip, (softened til creamy)
• 1- 16 oz. carton sour cream
• Jellied cranberry sauce (optional garnish)

In a large bowl, blend cream cheese and sugar til creamy. Add mayonnaise (do not use salad dressing) and sour cream, mix well. Then add cranberry sauce, pineapple, pecans. Fold in cool whip until well blended. Do not over mix.

Pour in Pyrex dish and freeze til completely solid.

NOTE: My MIL freezes individual portions in muffins tins and keeps them wrapped in wax paper in airtight containers. This works well and you don't have to cut through a solid block of cranberry goodness. Just let frozen tins sit out at room temperature for about 5-10 minutes then release the cranberry freeze with a butter knife. (Silicone muffin pans would work even better!) Refreeze immediately. They will keep beautifully for several months. These are great served throughout the year and especially during the holidays. Garnish with a dollop of jellied cranberry sauce (optional).