Growing up, the only kind of chocolate pie I knew about was made from instant pudding and Cool Whip, so when I first tasted my mother-in-law’s version my mind was blown! The filling is so thick and rich, and homemade whipped cream is so much better than the frozen kind from a plastic tub.

Anytime my mother-in-law would ask what she needed to bring to a family gathering, I would always request this pie. I now have the recipe for myself, and although it’s a little more complicated than instant pudding, it is so worth it!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 pie crust, cooked according to package directions
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 4 tbs flour
• 4 tbs butter (1/2 stick)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 can (12 oz) Pet milk
• 1 bar German sweet chocolate

This chocolate is found on the baking aisle of the grocery store and comes in a green box. Start by breaking it into smaller pieces and melting it with the butter on medium heat, stirring occasionally.

While that is melting, whisk together the Pet milk and egg yolks in one bowl, and the flour and sugar in another.

Once the chocolate and butter have melted, alternate adding in the sugar/flour mixture and the egg/milk mixture, whisking constantly. Continue cooking on medium heat, whisking the entire time, until the mixture comes to a rolling boil and becomes thicker. This may take about 5 minutes or more, so don’t panic if it doesn’t happen right away. Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, then pour into the cooked pie crust.

Allow to cool a little while, then put it in the refrigerator to finish cooling and setting up. Top with whipped cream – 1/2 pint heavy whipping cream and 1/4 cup sugar beat together with mixer until thick.

Thanks y’all! (And thanks Mimi for sharing your recipe with me!)

   – Nikki

It’s been quite a while since I’ve posted any recipes, and that is because it’s been quite a while since I’ve actually cooked anything. It’s baseball season, which means it’s fast food season. When you are at the ballpark more than you are at home, it can be hard to make supper for your family. This is a quick and easy recipe that can be made ahead and heated in the oven when you get home, and we always have enough leftovers for the next night as well.

It’s got meat, vegetables (if you count Rotel as vegetables, and I do!), and lots of cheese!

Here’s what you’ll need:

• 1 box medium shell pasta
• 1 package pre-cooked fajita chicken
• 2 cups cheddar-jack cheese, divided
• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can Rotel
• 1/2 cup milk

This bag of chicken is possibly the best thing ever discovered. It’s all-natural, seasoned perfectly, and already cooked! It comes in pretty big slices, so I always chop it up into smaller pieces for this dish.

Start by boiling the pasta and preheating your oven to 350 degrees. Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add in the soup, Rotel, milk, chicken pieces, and 1 cup of the cheese. Mix well and pour into a greased 13×9 baking dish. Top with the other cup of cheese and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

That’s it! So easy and so good! You can add more vegetables, like chopped onion or chopped green chiles, but my kids are pretty grouchy when it comes to added vegetables so I don’t even bother.

So next time you’re short on time and sick of fast food, give this easy recipe a try!

Thanks y’all!

   – Nikki