Fun Food Friday- Chocolate Silk Pie

This is a pie that my Grandma Vanden Heuvel makes and I'm pretty sure is a cousin's favorite.  It's one of my favorites to make because it is super easy and you can just have it in your freezer for times when you all of the sudden need a dessert.  It's also versatile, you can make it full flavor by using regular cream cheese & heavy cool whip or you can make it lighter by using low-fat or fat-free cream cheese, light cool whip and a reduced-fat graham cracker crust.  When I had gestational diabetes I would make it with Splenda and seriously, it still tasted great and wouldn't effect my blood sugar (as long as I didn't have a big piece :)).  I made this once when I had Steve's mom's side over for Mother's Day one year and Steve's younger cousin said it tasted like Heaven. :)  So yes, it's really good and best of all, so easy a 2 year old could make it (with just a little help).

Ingredients: Oreo Crust (I just use a pre-made one), Baker's Germen Chocolate Bar, Milk, Cream Cheese, Sugar, Cool Whip

The first thing you want to do it break up all the squares in the chocolate bar and put in a microwave safe bowl (or measuring cup).  If you're making this with a young child this gives you a great opportunity to practice counting.  There are 18 squares in a chocolate bar. :)

To the chocolate add 3 Tablespoons of milk.  Microwave on high for 1 minute.

Always make sure to have a spatula ready.  I've decided Micah equates a spatula with getting to eat batter so that is why he must always have on in hand.

Stir the chocolate mixture...

Until the chocolate is completely melted and combined with the milk.  Allow to cool for at least 5 minutes.

To a mixer bowl add 3 ounces of softened cream cheese

And 1 cup sugar

Put on the paddle attachment...

And mix until nice and smooth.  It is not necessary to watch it this closely, but if you do then you know exactly when it's ready :)

Add the chocolate mixture.

And mix until combined with cheese/sugar mixture.  Notice, spatula ready to dig in :)

Add 8 ounces of cool whip

And mix, mix, mix. 

Notice, Micah is no longer concerned with watching the mixer, he has a spatula full of batter.

Mix until everything is combined and smooth.

Pour mixture into an Oreo crust.

I like using the pre-made crusts because then you have a nice cover for the pie.

Put the pie in the FREEZER.  You will want to freeze it for at least 4 hours. 

He takes cleaning the spatula very seriously

 

When ready to serve top the pie with cool whip.  I like to use a big star tip to make it look pretty.

Chocolate Silk Pie

Enjoy!

If you happen to have any left over, store in the freezer.

Chocolate Silk Pie
1 Bakers German Chocolate Bar (found in the baking section)
3 Tablespoons Milk
3oz. Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
1 8oz tub cool whip + more for top of pie
1 Oreo pie crust

Break up the chocolate bar into a microwave safe bowl.  Add milk.  Microwave on high for 1 minute.  Stir until chocolate is completely melted and blended with milk.  Let cool for at least 5 minutes.  Cream together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth.  Add chocolate mixture and whip together till combined.  Add one 8oz tub cool whip and mix till combined and smooth.   Pour mixture into a pre-made Oreo pie crust.  Freeze for at least 4 hours.  Top pie with cool whip.  Store in freezer.

Week 27

The boys are constantly pulling their pants up.  They are ready for shorts season :)

 

Jonathan: 19.8lb (percentages from Friday- weight:75%; height: 65%; head circumference: 40%)

David: 17.2lb (percentages from Friday- weight: 35%; height: 25% (26"); head circumference: 15%)

 

Both boys had very good 6 month appointments.  The doctor was very happy with their growth and where they are developmentally.  One thing we discovered through the appointment is we don't say their names all that often.  The doctor asked us if they seemed to recognize their name.  I thought about it and realized that a lot of the time we call them "the Bobbies" because that's what Micah calls them. :)  So it was a good reminder to us that we need to use their names more often because we don't want them both thinking their name is Bobby. :)  

The sleep problem has not gone away yet although David isn't waking up in the middle of the night much anymore, just waking up early.  He seems to think he only needs 8 hours of sleep (before he was sleeping 9 1/2 hours) and since mommy needs at least 8 hours of sleep in order to function like a normal human being, unless I go to bed immediately after putting him to bed, I do not function like a normal human being the next day. :) We let him talk and cry in his crib for a little while, but the last couple of days that just has woken his 2 other brothers up early. :)  I know that this too will pass, but in the meantime I'm thinking I need to take up coffee drinking.  But despite waking up early and not always napping well (Monday both boys decided they didn't need an afternoon nap at all), they really have been pretty pleasant especially at night.  They are two happy, sweet boys that bring a lot of joy into our lives. 

I wanted to get a picture of all 3 boys in their shirts my mom got them for Valentine's Day that we were waiting to wear when it got warm out but since it seems like that isn't ever going to happen we decided to just put them over long sleeves.  It's really difficult to get 3 little boys to look at you (even when you're the only one in the room besides them) :).

 

 

Saturday I had a shower for Steve's cousin's fiancée and my mother-in-law asked if I'd make the cake.  There were quite a few people and I wasn't sure if there'd be enough cake so I decided to also make a cupcake bouquet.  They turned out so cute I just had to share (their initials are A & M their last name initial is S so that's what the topper stands for).  

 

 

Steve and I got to go out last night for a Classis Pastor & Spouse event which was so fun.  We went out to dinner and then to the Titanic exhibit.

It was so nice to be able to get out and spend time with my hubby!





 

Fun Food Friday- Red Garlic Mashed Potatoes

 

 

Ingredients: Red Potatoes, Crushed Garlic (I just used Minced Garlic because I forgot to buy garlic), Butter, Sugar, Half & Half, Sugar, Steak Seasoning, Garlic Powder

Boil water in a large pan with minced garlic added to it

 

Wash & dice 8 medium red potatoes

  

Add potatoes to boiling water and boil until potatoes are nice and tender

 

 While the potatoes are boiling it gives you enough time to feed some cute little boys

 They were happy Mommy fed them :)

When the potatoes are tender drain them...

And add to a mixing bowl

Add a stick of butter

And mix until butter is melted

Add 1/2 cup of half and half (I heated up the half and half in the microwave for 1 minute so I didn't add something cold to the potatoes and make them cold)...

2 tablespoons of sugar...

1/4 teaspoon steak seasoning...

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder...

and little bit more minced garlic

and whip, whip, whip until they are nice and smooth.  Give them a taste to see if you need to add anything.

And there you have it, yummy red garlic mashed potatoes

 

They go great with ham and glazed carrots

Micah's a fan :)

 

 

Red Garlic Mashed Potatoes



 8 medium red potatoes, cubed
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup half-and-half
2 Tablespoons white sugar
1/4 teaspoon steak seasoning
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

Add water to a large pot and add 1 teaspoon of crushed garlic.  Bring water to a boil, add the dice potatoes and boil for about 10 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.

Drain the potatoes and add to mixer bowl.  Add the butter, mix until butter is melted.  Mix in the half-and-half (heat in microwave 1 minute), sugar, steak seasoning, garlic powder and remaining garlic.  Mix potatoes until smooth.