Brooks' Sweet Onion Tart

I am cooking my very first Thanksgiving meal at my house this year - WOO FREAKING HOO!  This has been a dream so needless to say, I am pretty excited.  I really want to incorporate recipes and traditions from my family and this onion tart is one of them.  My aunt really goes all out on Thanksgiving and I will be serving up some of her best dishes from over the years but this tart has always been a staple.  It's actually from a local specialty store called Foodstuffs in the northern suburbs of Chicago and the only dish she doesn't make from scratch.  They couldn't ship them to me on the West Coast but they were kind enough to share the recipe. 

Brooks’ Sweet Onion Tart

Serves approximately 6-8

Ingredients :

Spanish Onions 1 lb

Unsalted Butter 1 Tbsp

Brown Sugar 1/2 cup

Baby Swiss Cheese, Shredded 1 cup

Eggs, Beaten 1 cup

Heavy Cream 3/4 cup

Pie Shell, Pre-Baked 1 each

Puff Pastry Sheets 1 each

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. Slice onions 1/4” thick. In a sauce pan, add butter and cook onions.

Add brown sugar and caramelize onions. In a separate bowl, add beaten eggs and cream.

Add cooked caramelized onion mixture to egg mixture and blend. Add all ingredients into

the pre-baked pie shell. Bake in a 350 oven for approximately 60-90 minutes until set.

Slice puff pastry sheets into 1/2” ribbons. Place on baked tart in a lattice (criss-cross)

form. Place back into the oven for another 8-10 minutes until pastry is golden brown.

Brooks' Sweet Onion Tart

Tennessee Williams's Lemon Icebox Pie

I was catching up with one of my best friend's on the phone this week and she told me how she has really been getting into making retro desserts. One if particular that she insisted I share with all of you is this Lemon Icebox Pie. She was even kind enough to take a picture of her creation with her phone and send it to me. She used whole Nilla wafers to give it an extra visual effect. The result, as Tennessee Williams always said, "is good enough to slap your Mama."

Thanks, Lindsay!

Tennessee Williams's Lemon Icebox Pie
Epicurious

• 1/2 box vanilla wafers
• 1 stick lightly salted butter
• 1/2 cup lemon juice, freshly squeezed

• 1 can condensed milk, preferably Eagle Brand
• 1 egg yolk
• 6 egg whites

• 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup sugar

Accompaniment: grated lemon rind
Special equipment: pie plate

In a food processor, finely crush vanilla wafers. Melt butter for flavor (not sweet butter). Pour vanilla wafers and melted butter into a pie plate and shape into a pie shell with your fingers.

In a large bowl, mix lemon juice, condensed milk, and egg yolk. Pour mixture into pie plate. In another bowl, beat egg whites* with cream of tartar, vanilla extract, and sugar until stiff white peaks form. Pour over pie and top with freshly grated lemon rind.

Bake in oven at moderate heat just long enough for meringue to brown, about 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature and put in the refrigerator until ice-cold.

Tennessee Williams's Lemon Icebox Pie

Beef and Guinness Pie

If you live in Chicago, you have been celebrating St. Patty's all weekend. For those of you planning to celebrate on Wednesday, here is your recipe. If you don't own ramekins, don't stress. You can find them anywhere from Target, the grocery store and even at your local drug store. Have a safe and fun St. Patty's day!

Beef and Guinness Pie

• 2 pounds boneless beef chuck, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 cup beef broth
• 1 cup Guinness or other Irish stout
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 2 teaspoons drained brined green peppercorns, coarsely chopped
• 2 fresh thyme sprigs
• Rough puff pastry dough
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1 tablespoon water

• Special equipment: 4 (14-ounce) deep bowls or ramekins (4 to 5 inches wide; see Shopping List, page 301) or similar-capacity ovenproof dishes

Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.

Pat beef dry. Stir together flour, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Add beef, turning to coat, then shake off excess and transfer to a plate. Heat oil in a wide 5- to 6-quart ovenproof heavy pot over moderately high heat until just smoking, then brown meat in 3 batches, turning occasionally, about 5 minutes per batch, transferring to a bowl.

Add onion, garlic, and water to pot and cook, scraping up any brown bits from bottom of pot and stirring frequently, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add tomato paste and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in beef with any juices accumulated in bowl, broth, beer, Worcestershire sauce, peppercorns, and thyme and bring to a simmer, then cover and transfer to oven. Braise until beef is very tender and sauce is thickened, about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours. Discard thyme and cool stew completely, uncovered, about 30 minutes. (If stew is warm while assembling pies, it will melt uncooked pastry top.)

Put a shallow baking pan on middle rack of oven and increase oven temperature to 425°F.

Divide cooled stew among bowls (they won't be completely full). Roll out pastry dough on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin into a 13-inch square, about 1/8 inch thick. Trim edges and cut dough into quarters. Stir together egg and water and brush a 1-inch border of egg wash around each square. Invert 1 square over each bowl and drape, pressing sides lightly to help adhere. Brush pastry tops with some of remaining egg wash and freeze 15 minutes to thoroughly chill dough.

Bake pies in preheated shallow baking pan until pastry is puffed and golden brown, about 20 minutes.

Reduce oven temperature to 400°F and bake 5 minutes more to fully cook dough.

Beef and Guinness Pie

Eggnog Tart

Nothing screams the holidays like eggnog so try jazzing up your menu this season with an eggnog tart. This recipe from Saveur is pretty straight forward and will knock your stockings off!

Eggnog Tart

Makes 10" tart

FOR THE CRUST:
1 1⁄2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
Pinch salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
2 tbsp. vegetable shortening
2–4 tbsp. dark chocolate, melted

FOR THE FILLING:
3 cups heavy cream
5 tbsp. sugar
1⁄2–3⁄4 cup bourbon
Half a vanilla bean, split lengthwise
6 egg yolks
1 envelope gelatin, softened

1. For the crust: Preheat oven to 450°. Sift flour, sugar, and salt together into a mixing bowl. Use a pastry cutter or 2 table knives to work butter and shortening into flour mixture until it resembles coarse meal. Add up to 5 tbsp. ice water, stirring dough with a fork until it holds together. Form dough into a ball, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface into a 14" round. Fit dough, without stretching it, into a 10" tart pan, then prick bottom lightly with a fork. Line dough with foil, then add dried beans or pie weights. Bake for 10 minutes, then remove foil and beans and bake for another 2–5 minutes. Brush bottom and sides with chocolate. Set aside to let cool.

2. For the filling: Put 2 cups of the cream, 4 tbsp. of the sugar, bourbon, and vanilla bean together in the top of a double boiler above simmering water over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, until bubbles appear around edge of cream, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks in a mixing bowl until pale yellow. Continue whisking while adding 1⁄2 cup of the hot cream mixture, then pour yolk mixture into cream mixture in the double boiler, stirring with a wooden spoon. Add gelatin and stir to dissolve. Remove vanilla bean. Set aside to let cool, then strain filling into tart shell and refrigerate until set, about 4 hours.

3. Whisk remaining cream with remaining sugar in a large bowl until soft peaks form. Garnish tart with whipped cream and confectioners' sugar, if you like.

Eggnog Tart

Apple Pie Bars

We just got back from a camping trip in Anderson Valley. This has quickly become one of my all-time favorite spots in all of California. First of all, it's tiny. My graduating high school class has more people in it. It's surrounded with vineyards, apple orchards and redwoods with a running creak going right down the middle. It's also home to some family-owned wineries that are cranking out some excellent Pinot Noir.

Apple season is here and Drew and I stopped at a stand on the side of HWY 128 which weaves north west up Anderson Valley. While looking for a recipe that would help to use up our stash, I came along this one on F&W online and decided to give it a shot. I'm using an assortment of apples even though the recipe calls for Granny Smith.

Apple Pie Bars

1. 3 sticks unsalted butter, softened
2. 3/4 cup sugar
3. 3 cups all-purpose flour
4. 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1. 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2. 1/2 cup light brown sugar
3. 12 Granny Smith apples (about 6 pounds)—peeled, cored and thinly sliced
4. 1 tablespoon cinnamon
5. 1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
6. 1 cup water, as necessary

1. 3/4 cup walnuts
2. 3 cups quick-cooking oats
3. 2 cups all-purpose flour
4. 1 1/2 cups light brown sugar
5. 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon
6. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
7. 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
8. 3 sticks (12 ounces) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes and chilled

Directions

1. Make the crust: Preheat the oven to 375°. Line a 15-by-17-inch rimmed baking sheet or jelly roll pan with parchment paper. In a standing electric mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the butter with the sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. At low speed, beat in the flour and salt until a soft dough forms. Press the dough over the bottom of the prepared pan and 1/2 inch up the side in an even layer. Bake in the center of the oven for about 20 minutes, until the crust is golden and set. Let cool on a rack.
2. meanwhile, make the filling: In each of 2 large skillets, melt 3 tablespoons of the butter with 1/4 cup of the light brown sugar. Add the apples to the skillets and cook over high heat, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 10 minutes. Stir half of the cinnamon and nutmeg into each skillet. Cook until the apples are caramelized and very tender and the liquid is evaporated, about 10 minutes longer; scrape up any bits stuck to the bottom of the skillets and add up to 1/2 cup of water to each pan to prevent scorching. Let cool.
3. make the topping: Spread the walnuts in a pie plate and toast until golden and fragrant, about 8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop the walnuts. In a large bowl, mix the oats with the flour, light brown sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Using a pastry blender or two knives, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in the walnuts and press the mixture into clumps.
4. Spread the apple filling over the crust. Scatter the crumbs on top, pressing them lightly into an even layer. Bake in the center of the oven for 1 hour, until the topping is golden; rotate the pan halfway through baking. Let cool completely on a rack before cutting into 2-inch bars.

Apple Pie Bars

Georgia Peach Pie

My sister and her family moved back to Atlanta this week so I thought I'd post a recipe that welcomes them home. Peaches are in their prime right now so head over to your farmers market and get your hands on some. This F&W recipe calls for homemade bourbon whipped cream...giddy up!

Georgia Peach Pie

1. 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2. 2 teaspoons sugar
3. 3/4 teaspoon salt
4. 1 stick (4 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
5. 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (4 ounces) cold solid vegetable shortening
6. 1/2 cup ice water

1. 8 large, ripe but firm peaches (3 1/2 pounds)
2. 3/4 cup sugar
3. 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
4. 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
5. 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, thinly sliced
6. Egg wash made with 1 egg yolk mixed with 2 tablespoons water
7. Bourbon Whipped Cream, for serving

Directions

1. PREPARE THE CRUST: In a food processor, pulse the flour with the sugar and salt until combined. Add the butter and shortening and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and sprinkle the ice water on top. Stir with a fork until a crumbly dough forms. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and knead 2 or 3 times, just until the dough comes together. Cut the dough in half and form into 2 disks; wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 30 minutes or overnight.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out each disk of dough to a 12-inch round. Ease one of the rounds into a 9-inch glass pie plate and transfer the other round to a baking sheet. Refrigerate the dough.
3. MAKE THE FILLING: Preheat the oven to 400°. Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil and fill a large bowl with ice water. Using a sharp knife, mark a shallow X in the bottom of each peach. Blanch the peaches in the boiling water for about 1 minute, until the skins begin to loosen. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the peaches to the ice water to cool. Drain and peel the peaches and cut them into 3/4-inch wedges. Transfer the peaches to a large bowl. Add the sugar, lemon juice and flour, toss well and let stand for 5 minutes.
4. Pour the peaches and their juices into the chilled pie shell and scatter the butter slices on top. Brush the edge of the pie shell with the egg wash and lay the round of dough from the baking sheet on top. Press the edges of the pie shell together to seal and trim the overhang to a 1/2 inch. Fold the edge of the pie dough under itself and crimp decoratively. Brush the remaining egg wash on the top crust and cut a few slits for venting steam.
5. Transfer the pie to the oven and place a baking sheet in the bottom to catch any drips. Bake for 30 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°, cover the edge of the pie with foil and bake for about 40 minutes longer, until the filling is bubbling and the crust is deeply golden on the top and bottom. Transfer the pie to a rack to cool completely. Serve with the Bourbon Whipped Cream.

The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 1 month. The peach pie can be stored overnight at room temperature.

Georgia Peach Pie

Cherry-Berry Pie

If you go to the Green City Market in Chicago (in my old hood, tear), chances are you have seen this pie in person. Paula Haney is an acclaimed pastry chef that left the big kitchens of some of the hottest restaurants to open Hoosier Mama Pie Company. This pie takes advantage of the luscious berries in season right now that can be found easily at farmers markets everywhere. If you can't get a pie from Paula's stand, try and make it at home using this recipe.

Cherry-Berry Pie

Crust

1. 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, frozen
2. 2 teaspoons salt
3. 14 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes—9 tablespoons frozen, 5 tablespoons chilled
4. 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar mixed with 6 tablespoons of ice water

Filling

1. 1 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar, plus more for sprinkling
2. 1/4 cup quick-cooking tapioca
3. Pinch of salt
4. 2 cups pitted sweet cherries
5. 3/4 pound raspberries (3 cups)
6. 1/2 pound blueberries (1 1/2 cups)
7. 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
8. 2 tablespoons heavy cream

1. Make the Crust: In a food processor, pulse the flour and salt. Add the chilled butter and pulse until it’s the size of small peas. Add the frozen butter and pulse until it’s the size of small peas. Drizzle the vinegar mixture over the flour mixture. Pulse just until the dough starts to come together. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface and knead gently to form a smooth dough. Divide the dough in half and flatten into 2 disks. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to a 12-inch round, 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a 10-inch metal pie plate and freeze for 20 minutes. Roll out the remaining dough 1/8 inch thick. Transfer to a baking sheet and freeze for 20 minutes.
3. Make the Filling: In a small bowl, whisk 1 cup of sugar with the tapioca and salt. In another bowl, toss the cherries with the raspberries and blueberries. Sprinkle with the sugar mixture and toss gently.
4. Mix the flour and the remaining 1 teaspoon of sugar. Sprinkle in the crust; tap out the excess. Spoon the filling into the crust.
5. Using a fluted pastry wheel, cut the remaining dough into 3/4-inch-wide strips. Arrange the strips across the pie in a lattice pattern. Trim the overhanging strips to 1/2 inch and press them to the crust. Pinch the rim between your fingers to flute it. Freeze the pie for 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 400°. Brush the cream over the lattice crust and rim and sprinkle with sugar. Bake in the upper third of the oven for 1 hour, or until the crust is richly browned and the filling starts to bubble. If necessary, cover the pie with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking. Let cool on a rack until warm before serving.

Cherry-Berry Pie

Key Lime Pie

Last night, we celebrated my Step-Dad's birthday with a low-key dinner at home. I know that his favorite thing on the planet is key lime pie so I offered to make a couple and bring them with us as a surprise. I've made countless key lime pies for him in the past and this is the recipe I use each time with little variation. The only things worth mentioning is that, if you have it in you, buy fresh key limes and squeeze them instead of using the bottled stuff. It really makes a huge difference. As for the crust, save yourself the time and money and buy store bought. No one will ever notice. Lastly, I like to add about a teaspoon of sugar and vanilla to the whipped cream for a little extra flavor.

Key Lime Pie

For crust

• 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs from 9 (2 1/4-inch by 4 3/4-inch) crackers
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For filling

• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh or bottled Key lime juice (if using bottled, preferably Manhattan brand)

For topping

• 3/4 cup chilled heavy cream

Make crust:
Preheat oven to 350°F.

Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl with a fork until combined well, then press mixture evenly onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch (4-cup) glass pie plate.

Bake crust in middle of oven 10 minutes and cool in pie plate on a rack. Leave oven on.

Make filling and bake pie:
Whisk together condensed milk and yolks in a bowl until combined well. Add juice and whisk until combined well (mixture will thicken slightly).

Pour filling into crust and bake in middle of oven 15 minutes. Cool pie completely on rack (filling will set as it cools), then chill, covered, at least 8 hours.

Make topping:
Just before serving, beat cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Serve pie topped with cream.

Key Lime Pie

Recipe of the Week: Bittersweet Chocolate Pecan Pie

My brother has asked me to help him cook Thanksgiving dinner this year. I am obviously very, very excited about this. So, I spent my weekend looking for recipes and I came across this one for pecan pie but with a little twist. Enjoy.

bittersweet chocolate pecan pie

Gourmet November 2007
Here we've taken pecan pie above and beyond its usual corn-syrupy incarnation. A layer of bittersweet chocolate adds richness to the dessert while simultaneously balancing its sweetness. And an abundance of pecans makes for a supremely satisfying filling.
Makes 8 servings
Ruth Cousineau

1 (3 1/2- to 4-ounces) fine-quality 60%- to 70%-cacao bittersweet chocolate bar, finely chopped

2 cups pecan halves (7 ounces), toasted and cooled

3 large eggs

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

3/4 cup dark corn syrup

Pastry dough

Accompaniment: lightly sweetened whipped cream

Preheat oven to 375°F with rack in middle.Melt chocolate in a metal bowl set over barely simmering water, stirring. Remove from heat. Roll out dough into a 13-inch round on a lightly floured surface with a lightly floured rolling pin. Fit into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim excess dough, leaving a 1/2-inch overhang. Fold overhang under and press against rim of pie plate, then crimp decoratively.Spread chocolate in bottom of pie shell with back of spoon and let it set, then cover with pecans. Whisk together eggs, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a bowl, then whisk in corn syrup and pour over pecans.Bake pie until filling is puffed and crust is golden, 50 to 60 minutes. (If pie is browning too fast after 30 minutes, loosely cover with foil.) Cool pie on a rack to warm or room temperature. Serve with whipped cream.Cooks' note: Pie can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled, uncovered, until cool, then covered. Reheat in a 350°F oven until warm, about 10 minutes.

Recipe of the Week: Bittersweet Chocolate Pecan Pie

Recipe of the Week- Key Lime Pie

Carrie Wass made this in Napa last weekend and it was gone before she put it down on the table. Only bummer is that you have to wait a minimum of 8 hours to eat it due to chill time. Worth every minute, though.

Key Lime Pie
Gourmet May 2003

Key limes are also known as Mexican or West Indian limes. If you can't find them in your area, substitute bottled Key lime juice. We've tried several different brands in our test kitchens, and prefer the taste of Manhattan.

* This recipe is modified from the classic one found on many condensed milk and Key lime juice labels; we've added additional lime juice for more tartness.

Active time: 20 min Start to finish: 10 hr (includes chilling)Makes 8 servings.

For crust1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs from 9 (2 1/4-inch by 4 3/4-inch) crackers
2 tablespoons sugar
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

For filling
1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons fresh or bottled Key lime juice (if using bottled, preferably Manhattan brand)

For topping
3/4 cup chilled heavy cream

Make crust: Preheat oven to 350°F.
Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and butter in a bowl with a fork until combined well, then press mixture evenly onto bottom and up side of a 9-inch (4-cup) glass pie plate.
Bake crust in middle of oven 10 minutes and cool in pie plate on a rack. Leave oven on.
Make filling and bake pie: Whisk together condensed milk and yolks in a bowl until combined well. Add juice and whisk until combined well (mixture will thicken slightly).
Pour filling into crust and bake in middle of oven 15 minutes. Cool pie completely on rack (filling will set as it cools), then chill, covered, at least 8 hours.

Make topping: Just before serving, beat cream in a bowl with an electric mixer until it just holds stiff peaks. Serve pie topped with cream.

Cooks' note: • Pie (without topping) can be chilled up to 1 day.
*Available at Manhattan Key Lime (212-696-5378).

Recipe of the Week- Key Lime Pie

French Silk Pie and Key Lime Magic

**Recipes from Julie Whiting from Indiana University**

I love chocolate. Chocolate covered raisins, almonds, espresso beans, just about anything that can have chocolate on it, I’ve eaten. I was looking to make a chocolate cake that would be a cool break from the hot summer sun. I originally found the recipe online, but I’ve tweaked it so much that I think of it as my own:

Mouth Watering French Silk Pie

Pastry Crust:
(I’ve made the crust before- it adds a lot of extra time- so I prefer using… GASP!... Pillsbury’s pastry dough- which works just as well (sometimes better) and is lickety spilt fast)
1 c. flour
½ t salt
1/3 c.+ 1 T. shortening
2-3 T COLD water (depending)


Mix the flour and salt- cut in the shortening using a pastry blender until the mixture is little balls (about the size of peas). Sprinkle the cold water on top- one tablespoon at a time- make sure all the floor is moistened.

Gather all the dough into a ball- then flatten it a little- wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until the dough is firm and cold, but still shapeable (about 45 minutes).

Heat oven to 475°F. With floured rolling pin, roll pastry into round 2 inches larger than upside-down 9-inch glass pie plate. Fold pastry into fourths; place in pie plate. Unfold and ease into plate, pressing firmly against bottom and side. Trim overhanging edge of pastry 1 inch from rim of pie plate. Fold and roll pastry under, even with plate; flute as desired. Prick bottom and side of pastry thoroughly with fork. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown; cool.

See why I like the Pillsbury dough?

Filling:
1 c. granulated sugar
¾ c. softened BUTTER
1 ½ t. vanilla
3 oz unsweetened baking chocolate (melted)
¾ c. egg beaters (you don’t cook the pie, so egg beaters are much safer than raw eggs)

Melt the chocolate.
Beat the sugar and butter together until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla and chocolate. Slowly add the egg product (beat on high)- make sure mixture is light and fluffy- about 3 minutes. Pour into the pie crust and refrigerate (2-4 hours).

Topping (my favorite part!):
1 c. chilled whipping cream
3 T granulated sugar
1 ½ t. vanilla
Chocolate shavings

In a chilled bowl, beat the whip cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff. Refrigerate for 20 minutes. Pour mixture over the cooled pie. Shave chocolate over the whipped topping.
Serve immediately.

Not everyone has my obsession with chocolate, so to be the people pleaser- I alternate with my key lime pie.This is the easiest thing you could ever make.

Key Lime Magic

The crust:
1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs from 9 (2 1/4-inch by 4 3/4-inch) crackers2 tablespoons sugar5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
The filling1 (14-oz) can sweetened condensed milk
4 large egg yolks
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons key lime juice

The topping
Look to whipped topping from French Silk Pie (above) Depending on your time limit- the crust can be store bought (regular graham cracker crust)- otherwise:

Use your food processor to make graham cracker crumbs- add the sugar while still in the processor (one less thing to mix in). Then poor the butter over the crumbs and mix until all of it sticks together. Press into your 9 inch pie pan and bake for about 10 minutes at 350.

Whisk together the s.c.milk and yolks. Add in the key lime juice. Poor filling into crust. Bake at 350 for 15 more minutes. Cool pie 15 minutes. Refrigerate for 4-8 hours.

Make whipped topping. Serve with pie. Eat.

Julie Whiting

French Silk Pie and Key Lime Magic