Eggsellent Egg Salad!

 If it's good enough for Mickey, it's good enough for us

Egg Salad
Recipe adapted from Mickey's Gourmet Cookbook
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy



Egg Salad

12 eggs, hard-boiled, peeled

1 cup mayonnaise

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 teaspoon seasoning salt

Directions

1. PLACE eggs in a bowl and mash with a pastry blender.  Eggs should be diced into small pieces, but not blended or turned into "egg puree".
2. STIR in mayonnaise, mustard, and seasoning salt.  A bit of lemon juice and pepper might be added here too, depending on your taste.  Just give it a sample and see what you think!
3. SLAP on some bread (we recommend whole-wheat pocket pitas!) and your favorite veggies (we recommend tomato and spinach) and enjoy!
4. REFRIGERATE any uneaten portion, or until ready to use!

Oh Me, Oh My - A Chocolate Cream Pie!

You'll want to give this Hershey's dish more than kisses

Chocolate Cream Pie with Whipped Cream
Recipe adapted from Hershey's and King Arthur Flour
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy



Chocolate Cream Pie

1 9" pie crust (we recommend the vodka pie crust)

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup Hershey's Special Dark cocoa
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 3 cups milk
• 3/4 cups Hershey's Special Dark chocolate chips
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 
  

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered (confectioners') sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. PREPARE pie crust.
1. If you are baking the vodka pie crust, line a 9" pie pan with the crust.  Cover the crust with foil and fill with rice or beans to add weight.  Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes.
2. Remove foil and weights, then bake for an additional 5-10 minutes.  Crust should be golden brown and crisp.
3. Set aside.
2. COMBINE sugar, cocoa, and cornstarch in a medium sauce pan.
3. STIR in eggs and milk to the sugar mixture gradually, blending well.
4. COOK over medium heat, continuously stirring with a wire whisk.  Continue stirring until mixture begins to thicken and begins to boil.  Remove from heat.
5. ADD chocolate chips, butter, and vanilla to mixture while still hot.
6. STIR until chocolate chips and butter are melted and entire mixture is smooth.
7. POUR into prepared crust and cover with plastic wrap.  Refrigerate for 3-4 hours, or until firm.  
8. POUR whipping cream into a chilled mixing bowl.  Whip with a wire whisk until the whisk leaves streaks in the cream.
9. ADD the sugar and vanilla.  Continue whisking until the cream begins to hold a peak and resembles whipped cream.
10. SPREAD whipped cream on top of pie, gently. 
11. SPRINKLE chocolate shavings* on top of whipped cream.   Refrigerate until serving, and ENJOY!

*We took a Dove dark chocolate bar and used a vegetable peeler to make the shavings.  The shavings were fantastic, and we highly recommend this method.  Grab your favorite chocolate bar and get peeling!

We're Nuts About These Treats

Feeling squirreley?  Get your paws on these treats!

Pretzel Pecan Turtles
Recipe from Bake Yourself Happy
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy

Pretzel Pecan Turtles

• Square "Snaps" pretzels
• Rolo chocolate candies (or Hershey Kisses)
• Pecans (or M&Ms)

Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with tin foil.
2. PLACE pretzels on baking sheet.  Place a Rolo candy (or Hershey Kiss) on top of the pretzel.
3. INSERT baking sheet into oven for roughly 3 minutes, testing periodically.  Rolos should be easy to depress, but not melted over or bubbling.
4. REMOVE from oven and immediately press a pecan on to each Rolo, flattening the chocolate candy.  If you are not using pecans, press the M&M on top of the Rolo (or Hershey Kiss).

Edible Acorns
Recipe from Bake Yourself Happy
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy


Edible Acorns

• Bite sized Nutter Butter sandwich cookies
• Hershey Kisses
• Chocolate chips
• Chocolate frosting

Directions

1. HALF the Nutter Butter sandwich cookies so all peanut butter is on one side.  Eat or discard the half with no peanut butter.
2. STICK a Hershey Kiss on the half of the Nutter Butter with peanut butter.
3. SPREAD chocolate frosting on a chocolate chip and stick the chocolate chip to the back of the Nutter Butter with Hershey Kiss.
4. ENJOY!

Making This Is a Piece of Cake - But, It's a Slice of Pie

The perfect addition to your Thanksgiving feast

Pumpkin Pie with Vodka Pie Crust and Butterscotch Whipped Cream
Recipe adapted from Libby's Famous Pumpkin Pie, Cook Illustrated, and from Bake Yourself Happy
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy


Vodka Pie Crust

• 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 6 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1/8 cup cold vodka
• 1/8 cup cold water
• 
  

Pumpkin Pie

• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon ground mace
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups pumpin (or 15 oz canned)
• 12 oz (1 can) evaporated milk

Butterscotch Whipped Cream

• Heavy whipping cream
• Butterscotch syrup
• 
  

Directions

1. MIX 3/4 cup flour, salt, and sugar in a bowl.  Add butter and shortening until the dough is homogenous and begins to clump.
2. ADD remaining flour and mix until evenly distributed.
3. SPRINKLE vodka and water over mixture and use a rubber spatula to fold the dough onto itself.  Dough should be slightly tacky and stick to itself.
4. Using a rolling pin, spread the dough into a 13" circle and place in a pie pan.
5. PREHEAT oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Mix sugar, cinnamon, salt, ginger, cloves, and mace in a small bowl.
6. BEAT eggs in a large bowl.  Stir pumpkin and sugar/spice mixture into eggs.
7. STIR in evaporated milk gradually, and pour into pie crust.
8. BAKE for 15 minutes.
9. REDUCE heat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes, or until tooth pick comes out clean from the middle.
10. ALLOW to cool for at least 2 hours.  After 2 hours, if you don't plan on serving place in fridge.
11. The butterscotch whipped cream is going to be totally to your taste.  Here is our recommendation.
1. Pour a heaping pile of butterscotch syrup into a bowl (8-10 oz).  Add 1 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream, and whip with a wire whisk until you have whipped cream.
2. Taste, and add more butterscotch or whipped cream to your taste.
3. Put in fridge to set, then place on pie.

Ready to Roll - Pumpkin Style

We love fall, especially because of the pumpkin and of course, 'It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown'.

Pumpkin Roll with Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing
Recipe adapted from Libby's Pumpkin Roll and Baked Perfection
Photos by Bake Yourself Happy


Pumpkin Roll

• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (to sprinkle on towel)
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup pureed pumpkin*
• Parchment paper

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Icing

• 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 - 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 6 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 teaspoons cinnamon

Directions

1. PREHEAT oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan; line with lightly floured parchment paper. Sprinkle towel with powdered sugar.
2. COMBINE flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, pumpkin pie spice, nutmeg and salt in small bowl. Beat eggs and sugar in large mixer bowl until thick. Beat in pumpkin. Stir in flour mixture. Spread evenly into prepared pan.
3. BAKE for 13 to 15 minutes or until top of cake springs back when touched. Immediately loosen and turn cake onto new sheet of parchment paper.  The parchment paper should be lightly coated with powdered sugar and placed on top of a towel. Carefully peel off the old parchment paper (now on top). Roll up cake and towel together. Cool on wire rack at least 45 minutes to one hour.
4. BEAT cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, butter, cinnamon, and vanilla extract in small mixer bowl until smooth.  If desired, here you can add in additional powdered sugar.  Carefully unroll cake (once cool); remove towel. Spread cream cheese mixture over cake. Reroll cake. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour. Sprinkle with powdered sugar before serving, if desired.

*Pureed Pumpkin

You can always buy canned pumpkin puree, but here's how to make it yourself.  Trust us - it's better this way (WAY better).

Start with a pie pumpkin (the little ones - but save the real tiny decoration pumpkins for your centerpiece).  Cut it in half and take the stem off.  De-gut it...that is, take out all the seeds and pumpkin stringys.  Place each half in a microwave safe bowl with a little water in the bottom of the bowl.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and cook in the microwave for 7-10 minutes.  You'll know its done when the pumpkin is soft to the touch and comes right off the peel.  Careful - it'll be hot!  Unwrap the plastic wrap and scoop the pumpkin off the peel with a spoon...again, it should come right off.  Put the pumpkin in a food processor and puree until it's a homogenous texture - just like baby food.