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| Ingredients |
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| Custard |
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| Custard in pie crust |
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| Blind-baked Crust |
July 16, 2012
Picture View-Coconut Custard Pie
Coconut Custard Pie - We Made Room For Dessert 3
This week's recipe is embracing the sweeter side of life. I had a can of sweetened condensed milk laying around, and wanted to make something new. I searched for recipes that used this ingredient and saw several pie recipes. I already had pie dough in the freezer, and a bag of flaked coconut, so I went with a recipe for Coconut Custard Pie.
I encountered some difficulties making this pie, not because of the recipe (which is VERY easy to follow), but probably because of my baking jinx. Either way, the pie was delicious when it was done, and I feel like I learned a few things along the way. I'll note my issues and possible solutions along the way in the recipe.
Coconut Custard Pie
Ingredients:
1 9inch refrigerated pie dough (or make your own dough)
1 1/4 cups hot water
3 large eggs
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
1 cup flaked coconut, toasted
1/2 cup flaked coconut, untoasted
1 tbs vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
*optional 1/2 tsp coconut extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425. Bake pie crust 8 minutes; cool slightly. It is helpful to use pie weights during this process, or a couple cups of dried beans (placed over foil or parchment paper). My crust shrank down and lost some shape during this blind-bake process, probably due to the fact that I did not use weights or beans.
Beat eggs well in a medium bowl. Add sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, salt and nutmeg (and coconut extract, if using); mix well. Add water in slowly, a quarter of a cup at a time, stirring very well. My custard was not as smooth as I would have liked it to be, and I think that was because I didn't temper the eggs with the water correctly.
Next, Stir in untoasted coconut. Pour custard mixture into crust. Sprinkle with toasted coconut.
Bake pie for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350°F; bake an additional 25 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean. Cool.
We ate the pie while it was still warm (only 30 minutes out of the oven) and it was yummy. This pie tastes great, warm or cold. I would recommend leftovers be kept in the refrigerator, because of the eggs in the recipe.
Enjoy!
July 10, 2012
Mom's Mac N Cheese - Home Cooked Recipe 32
One of my favorite dishes from my childhood is the macaroni and cheese my mom used to make. When I moved out on my own, it was one of the first recipes I asked her to send me. It is very simple to make, and I've gotten many compliments on it. As with almost every recipe I make, I have made a few small adjustments to suit my taste. Recipes are merely a guide, you should always adjust them to your own specific tastes. Mom's Mac N Cheese
Ingredients:
16oz elbow macaroni
2 cans Campbell's Cheddar Cheese soup
Milk (fill 1 of the empty soup cans with milk)
16oz grated sharp cheddar cheese
1 cup breadcrumbs (my mom used regular breadcrumbs, I now like using panko breadcrumbs that I've crushed with a rolling pin)
1 small onion, finely diced
1 stick butter
1/2 tsp ground mustard
Salt & Pepper to taste (I like LOTS of pepper!)
Dash of cayenne
Dash of smoked paprika
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. Cook elbow macaroni in salted, boiling water for 10 mins. You don't want to overcook your macaroni because it will continue cooking in the cheese sauce while baking. While macaroni is cooking, melt butter in large sauté pan over medium heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. When onions are soft season with mustard, cayenne, paprika, salt, and pepper. Turn heat to low and then add both cans of soup and 1 can of milk. Whisk together well. Drain macaroni. Add back into pot. Stir in cheese soup mixture. Add half of grated cheddar and stir well. Grease baking dish (with butter or cooking spray). Pour macaroni into baking dish. Top with other half of grated cheddar. Mix breadcrumbs with 1 tablespoon of melted butter then sprinkle over cheese. Bake for 30 minutes.
Enjoy!