Chocolate Ice Box Pie {4 Ingredients}

October 28, 2014 by 8 Comments

Chocolate Icebox Pie 5

I’m not sure that the weather realizes that it’s almost November. Somebody really oughta tell it that it’s a little late this year. We are just now seeing the leaves change. And the temp? We haven’t had many cold snaps and just the other day it was close to 90 again. Welcome to good ole Tennessee!

I’m mostly ready for the bugs to leave us alone. I’ve had to set up one of my Fruit Fly Traps. After seeing about five of them near the sink I told the hubby that it’s time to get one made up and set out. After a couple of hours we counted them to find out that the five we thought we had was really closer to 50. Um, ew!

 

I’m sorry y’all. It appears that our family has a thing for desserts. You might have noticed that by my last three recipes. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again- dessert is my best bribing tool. Why wouldn’t I make it?! Though sometimes I find it hard to keep up with demand. Trying to get better at it since I’ve discovered its power. 

This pie has quickly become a hubby favorite. Requested many times and made just as many times because of how easy it truly is. Y’all know me and my few ingredient recipes. This one?

Just four ingredients.

Chocolate Icebox Pie 1

The first is none other than a pie crust. Easy to make yourself if you’re in the mood. Easier to purchase at the store when you’re not in the mood.

Chocolate Icebox Pie 2

The next two ingredients include some very tasty staples that totally make me want a s’more right now. An 8 ounce chocolate bar and pile of jumbo marshmallows. You melt them down until they are good and combined. The original recipe didn’t call for anything to help them along, but I have been using a tablespoon or so of milk.

Chocolate Icebox Pie 3

After they combine, they look like this. Ooey, gooey, yummy goodness.

You let this mixture cool a little and then fold in a tub of whipped cream. Pour this mixture into your pre-baked pie crust and refrigerate a little while.

Chocolate Icebox Pie 4

Oh goodness y’all. It’s sooooo good.

I think a lot of its charm comes from how easy it is. Do you feel that way? When things are easier all of the sudden they are that much more amazing? It’s like getting things free. You give me something FREE, I’m going to be uber excited about that thang.

Chocolate Icebox Pie 6

You have to try it.

You just do.

Chocolate Icebox Pie
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Ingredients
  1. Pie crust (pre-baked)
  2. 20 large marshmallows
  3. 1 (8 oz) chocolate bar
  4. 1 (8 oz) tub whipped topping
  5. 1 tbsp (or so) milk
Instructions
  1. Melt marshmallows and chocolate bar with milk over low heat or in a double boiler. Cool partially.
  2. Fold in whipped topping.
  3. Place in pie shell.
  4. Chill.
Adapted from The Four Ingredient Cookbook
Adapted from The Four Ingredient Cookbook
Pennywise Cook http://www.pennywisecook.com/

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Simple Mini Cottage Pies

July 2, 2013 by 2 Comments

My husband and I went to England a few years ago. We indulged in all of the meals that you might associate with England like Fish ‘N Chips, Bangers and Mash, and of course Shepherd’s Pie. I think I was more excited to eat their food than I was to see the sites!

You may have heard of Shepherd’s Pie here in the US and have most likely eaten it before. It’s such an easy dish that almost anyone likes. But did you know that the term started out as Cottage Pie? Cottage Pie dates all the way back to 1791 when the potato was found to be an affordable option for poor folks to eat. They’d use whatever meat they had leftover and line the dish with mashed potatoes and then top it with them as well. Sound familiar? It wasn’t until 1877 that folks started calling it Shepherd’s Pie. (via Wikipedia) There are tons of variations on making this dish, but I wanted to share this easy one with you!

I’ve been making this for years. Probably not as often as I should, but when I do it’s a hit!

You guys know me and my healthification (technical word there) of my meals. In this one, I of course use ground turkey or extra lean ground beef, but I also wanted to work on portion control. When something is really good like Cottage Pie, you need a stopping point! Or at least I do…

I busted out my little souffle dishes to make these and it was the perfect individual amount. As a side note, I just realized that I’ve never made a souffle before. Challenge ACCEPTED!

Anywho, if you need a really easy dinner idea this week you should definitely consider this meal. Here’s how to make them!

Simple Mini Cottage Pies
Recipe Type: Main Dish
Cuisine: Brittish
Author: Pennywise Cook
A simple way to change up your every day Shepherd’s Pie. Try these super simple Cottage Pies!
Ingredients
  • 1 lb Lean Ground Beef (or turkey)
  • 1 Medium Onion, Chopped
  • 1 can Mixed Vegetables (drained)
  • 1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup
  • 2 tsp Minced Garlic
  • 1/2 tsp Dried Oregano
  • 1 (4 serving) pkg Instant Mashed Potatoes cooked according to package
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste
  • 1/2 c. Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 350°.
  2. In a skillet over medium-high heat, brown the ground beef with onion until onions are translucent. Drain. Add minced garlic and cook until it becomes fragrant.
  3. Add can of mixed veggies and can of cream of mushroom soup. Mix and cook until all is warmed through.
  4. Place equal amounts of meat mixture into 4 or 5 ramekins. Top with equal amounts of mashed potatoes.
  5. Sprinkle with cheese. Put ramekins on a baking sheet and place in the oven for 5-10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve!
Notes

You can add whatever kind of “cream of” soup that you’d like to these, but the mushroom version tastes wonderful. I think cream of celery would also make a good choice.
Depending on the size of your ramekins, you may need 5 of them.
And don’t feel obligated to use instant mashed potatoes. It’s a shortcut on busy nights for me, but when I have the time homemade tastes the best hands down!

 


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Banana Cream Cheesecake

July 20, 2012 by 4 Comments

Happy FRIDAY pennywise cooks! May your day be filled with productivity and a little bit of fun, too. 🙂

It’s been just a little while since I shared a cheesecake recipe with you. I’m fond of cheesecakes to say the least. I’m not sure if it’s their creaminess or the fact that you can pair them with practically any sweet flavor that makes them so appealing to me. I’d eat them plain too.

There used to be this cheesecake shop where I used to live. Leonelle’s Cheesecakes. A slice was $2 and it was HUGE! A large cheesecake was $28 and the smaller versions were $19 and worth every single penny. They were low carb without any added preservatives or artificial gunk. He even used a natural sugar. Those were the best cheesecakes we’ve ever eaten. When we moved from that city and came back to visit, we found that his shop was closed. It made me sad. My husband and I would always grab one and eat the entire cheesecake in one night while watching a movie.

I guess it’s best that it’s no longer there…

I was talking to someone the other day and they told me about a banana cream cheesecake they had eaten recently. They raved about this cheesecake. My gears started turning and I knew I had to make one. You know me and my love of bananas.

I made a few changes to Kraft Foods’ recipe for Banana Cream Cheesecake. I adapted it to healthify it a bit. But believe me, it’s still incredible.

It starts off with white cake mix, egg, oil, and sugar made into this crumbled mixture. This is the crust. Never thought of using white cake mix as a crust before, but this was a great idea. It wasn’t cakey at all and tasted really good.

You press the crumbled mixture down into a springform pan to form the crust. Pardon my rippling fingerprints. You can make yours a little prettier I’m sure.

Next comes the nanners. This is really the only point in the entire cheesecake that bananas are involved. To be honest with you, I don’t really care for bananas being in there. I know, kinda weird huh? I have never liked real bananas being in my banana pudding. It’s a texture thing and it bothers me when the bananas get brown.

If you aren’t a banana person, I promise that this cheesecake would be just as amazing without them.

Then its time for the cream cheese mixture. It’s a little runny, even after reducing the amount of milk from the original recipe. But that doesn’t matter because it still bakes up correctly.

Here is it out of the oven! I could just dive right in with my fork right now. It could have cooked another 5-10 minutes I’m convinced, but it was practically done. I’ll add the additional time to the recipe for you.

I’m in love. With a cheesecake.

*cue the teasing “so why don’t you marry it”*

I will, thank you.

Banana Cream Cheesecake
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Adapted from Kraft Foods’s Recipe
Ingredients
  • 1 White Cake Mix
  • 2 Egg Whites
  • 2 Whole Eggs
  • 3 Tbsp Oil
  • 2/3 c. Packed Splenda Brown Sugar, divided
  • 2 Bananas, Sliced
  • 1 Package (8 oz) Fat Free Cream Cheese
  • 1 Package (8 oz) 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese
  • 2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
  • 1 c. Skim Milk
  • 1 and 1/2 c. Thawed Whipped Topping
Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Reserve a cup of cake mix. Mix the remaining cake mix with 1 egg, oil, and 1/3 Splenda brown sugar with a mixer. (will be crumbly) Press into a greased round springform pan or 9×13 baking dish to form the crust. Top with bananas.
  2. Beat cream cheeses and remaining sugar with mixer. Add the reserved cake mix, 2 egg whites, last whole egg, and lemon juice. Beat for about a minute, then add the cup of milk. Batter with be thin. Pour onto crust and smooth top.
  3. Bake 45-60 minutes or until the center is almost set. Cool and then refrigerate at least 4 hours.
  4. Top with whipped topping and refrigerate leftovers.

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