Pina Colada Icebox Pie

Just the kind of recipe you find in the south.  A friend of mine makes this pie.  She got the recipe from Southern Living magazine, natch.  I'm going to go by her reputation as a great baker because my husband won't touch this.  He hates coconut.  How can you hate coconut?  But he does.  I'll have to make it to to take to a buffet and then I can snatch a bite.  Enjoy!

Ingredients

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• 2 cups pecan shortbread cookie crumbs (about 16 cookies)
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1/4 cup butter, melted $
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 (8-oz.) can crushed pineapple in juice
• 1 (8-oz.) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 1/2 cups cream of coconut, divided
• 2 large eggs $
• 1 cup whipping cream
• Garnishes: lightly toasted shaved coconut, pineapple wedges, fresh pineapple mint sprigs

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Stir together first 3 ingredients; firmly press on bottom and up sides of a lightly greased 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack; cool completely (about 30 minutes).
2. 2. Stir together sugar and cornstarch in a small heavy saucepan; stir in pineapple. While stirring constantly, bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cook (keep stirring!) 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; cool completely (about 20 minutes).
3. 3. Beat cream cheese at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer, using whisk attachment, until smooth. Gradually add 1 cup cream of coconut, beating at low speed just until blended. (Chill remaining 1/2 cup cream of coconut until ready to use.) Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition.
4. 4. Spread cooled pineapple mixture over bottom of piecrust; spoon cream cheese mixture over pineapple mixture.
5. 5. Bake at 350° for 38 to 42 minutes or until set. Cool completely on a wire rack (about 1 hour). Cover and chill 4 hours.
6. 6. Beat whipping cream at high speed until foamy. Gradually add remaining 1/2 cup cream of coconut, beating until soft peaks form; spread over pie.
7. Note: We tested with Keebler Sandies Pecan Shortbread and Coco López Cream of Coconut.

Hoppin John Soup with Cornbread Croutons

This is what I'm going to make for New Year's Day.  Living in the south all of my life, I love black eyed peas and the tradition of eating them on the fist day of a new year.  I'm also going to use the Bloody Maria's drink recipe for the drink of the day.  We're going to need all the luck with can muster with a year ending in 13...(Southern Living suggests giving this as a New Year's day gift.  Soup in a jar with croutons in a nicely wrapped plastic bag.) Blogger's note:  Made on New Year's Day and forgot to make the rice.  Didn't need it.  It was hearty enough with the cornbread...

• 1/2 (16-oz.) package dried black-eyed peas, rinsed and sorted
• 2 pounds smoked turkey wings
• 1/3 cup finely chopped country ham
• 1/4 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced
• 2 carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces $
• 1 celery rib, diced
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/2 (16-oz.) package fresh collard greens, trimmed and finely chopped $
• 1 tablespoon hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• Hot cooked brown rice
• Cornbread Croutons
• Flat-leaf parsley leaves

Preparation

1. 1. Bring peas, turkey wings, and 6 cups water to a boil in a large Dutch oven. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and simmer 45 minutes or until peas are tender, skimming any foam from surface. Drain peas, reserving 1 1/4 cups liquid. Remove turkey meat from bones. Chop meat.
2. 2. Sauté ham and next 7 ingredients in hot oil in Dutch oven over medium-high heat 10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add peas, reserved 1 1/4 cups liquid, turkey meat, collards, hot sauce, and 6 cups water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium, and simmer, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes. Stir in vinegar. Season with salt and pepper. Discard bay leaf. Serve over rice with Cornbread Croutons and parsley.

• Cornbread Croutons:
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 2 jalapeño peppers, seeded and chopped
• Cornbread batter

Preparation

1. Stir cilantro and jalapeño peppers into your favorite cornbread batter. Bake; cool 10 minutes. Cut into 1-inch cubes. Bake at 375° in a lightly greased jelly-roll pan until edges are golden, stirring halfway through.
Southern Living
JANUARY 2013

Bacon and Bourbon Collards

I love collard greens.  They have got to be one of the best antioxidant, vitamin packed foods around.  And then you mess'em up with some bacon and bourbon.  Ohhh baby!  That's some good eating!  I also love the, pardon the pun, "pot liquor".  Pair with your favorite corn bread...Of course this is courtesy of Southern Living magazine.

Ingredient 

4 thick bacon slices $

• 3 tablespoons butter $
• 1 large sweet onion, diced $
• 1 (12-oz.) bottle ale beer
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar $
• 1/2 cup bourbon
• 1 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 6 pounds fresh collard greens, trimmed and chopped$
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

Preparation

1. 1. Cut bacon crosswise into 1/4-inch strips. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat; add bacon, and cook, stirring often, 8 minutes or until crisp. Drain bacon on paper towels, reserving drippings in skillet. Sauté onion in hot drippings 3 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in bacon, ale, and next 3 ingredients; cook 3 minutes or until mixture is reduced by one-fourth.
2. 2. Add collards, in batches, and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes or until wilted. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and cook 1 hour or to desired degree of doneness. Stir in vinegar, salt, and pepper.

Tyler Brown, The Hermitage Hotel, Nashville, TN, Southern Living


OCTOBER 2011

Stuffed Strawberries

I know, I know, I know.  I said I don't do desserts.  But here's what reminded me of these little treats.  A girlfriend of mine invited me to go to a brunch at Neiman Marcus for the spring collection of Tori Burch.  The bitchy gourmet was hobnobbing with the rich folks.  Anyway, Neiman's idea of a brunch wasn't too bad.  Lots to drink and no food.  Get the women snookered and they'll spread the wealth.  Their idea of brunch was a lovely big plate with 5 little pastry thingies.  One of which was this "dessert".  I've made these for buffets and to bring over to someone's house when they need something sweet.  So, here's what Neiman's  served as part of their brunch:
Stuffed Strawberries  Yields 1 1/2 dozen20 large fresh strawberries, divided
1- 3 oz package cream cheese softened
2 tbls finely chopped pecans or walnuts
1 1/2 tbls powdered sugar
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp orange liqueur optional

Dice two strawberries and set aside.  Cut a thin slice from each stem end of each remaining strawberry, forming a base for strawberries to stand on.  Cut each strawberry into four wedges, starting at the pointy ends and cutting to but not through the stem ends.  Beat the cream cheese at med. speed with an electric mixer until fluffy.  Stir in the diced strawberries, walnuts, powdered sugar, cinnamon, and if desired, the liqueur.  Spoon or pipe about one tsp of the mixture into each strawberry. 

* I found this in Southern Living many years ago.  It was created my Mary Pappas of Richmond, VA. Thanks Mary!