Coconut Cream Pie

I recieved a coconut cream pie recipe from a family friend the other day and compared it to mine only to find that the descrepencies were few.  It was a proud moment!! 

Pie Filling

3 cups whole milk 
4 eggs separated, 
1 cup sugar 
1/8 tsp salt, 
1 tsp vanilla extact, 
1/2 tsp coconut extract, 
6 tbls flour, 
3/4 cup flaked coconut.. 


Meringue-

4 egg whites
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 tsp  cream of tartar
1/4 cup coconut


Mix flour, salt, and sugar together, set aside. 
Separate eggs , put whites aside, combine yolks and 3 cups milk in heavy sauce pan, heat until scalded, whisk in flour/sugar mixture, whisk continually until thick, add vanilla and coconut extract, and 3/4 of the coconut. 
Remove from heat and let cool. 
Put in baked pie crust. 

Then whip the egg whites and 1/8 tsp salt until they start to foam, slowly add 1/2 cup sugar beat until glossy, add 1/4 tsp coconut extract and 1/8 tsp cream of tarter and beat until stiff. 

Top pie with meringue and remaining 1/4 cup coconut, bake at 350 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. cool on counter before placing in fridge to keep meringue from 'weeping'

Pumpkin Loaf (Better than Starbucks)

Not too long ago, I came up with a copy-cat version of Starbucks lemon loaf.  My oldest daughter Valerie Martin, requested I do the same for the Starbucks Pumpkin Loaf- so... Here it is, enjoy!! 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

1 ½ cups flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

½ teaspoon baking powder 

¾ teaspoon cinnamon 

½ teaspoon ginger 

¼ teaspoon cloves 

¼ teaspoon allspice 

½ teaspoon salt 

4 eggs 

3/4 cup sugar 

1/2cup brown sugar 

½ teaspoon vanilla 

3/4 cup pumpkin puree (fresh or canned) 

¾ cup peanut oil 

(¼ cup chopped pumpkin seeds, optional)

Drizzle-
1/2 cup sugar
1/2cup water
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Butter an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan. Combine the flour, soda, powder, spices and salt in a bowl, set aside. Beat the eggs, sugars and vanilla together in an electric mixer on high speed for 30 seconds. Add the pumpkin and the oil and mix well. Add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated, do not overbeat. Pour into prepared loaf pan and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds, if desired. Bake 50 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove from pan and turn onto cooling rack. 

Make drizzle by combining sugar, water, cinnamon, bring to a boil on stove top until sugar dissolves, spoon over loaf carefully allowing drizzle to soak in. Cool completely.

Fluffy Buttermilk Biscuits

Ingredients

2 cups good quality flour (Montana Wheat, Lily, King Arthur)

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon sugar

8 tablespoons cold butter

1 cup buttermilk

¼ tsp baking soda for buttermilk

2 tablespoons melted butter

1 tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, sugar.

Cut 6tbls of the butter into flour with fingers.

Put the flour and butter mixture into freezer for 15 minutes.

Add baking soda to the buttermilk.

Take flour mixture out of freezer, grate 2 tbls of frozen butter into the mixture

Add in buttermilk,  mix with hands. Mixture will be very wet.

Lightly flour the counter.

Flour hands and pat dough down to an inch and a half thickness.

Using a biscuit cutter, cut biscuits with up and down method. Do not twist! If you do not have a biscuit cutter, do not use a glass or cup or bowl as, these will seal the edges and your biscuits will not rise.  Use a knife and resign yourself to square biscuits.

Place on baking sheet, touching. Brush with milk.

Bake for 8 minutes. Turn over gently back another 5-7 min. All ovens are different.

Brush with butter when they come out of oven.