Peanut Butter & Chocolate Icebox Pie

Two words make me weak at the knees when used in the same sentence.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate.  

I should not be left alone with large amounts of anything that contains these two ingredients.  The fact that this particular combo takes peanut butter and turns it into a smooth thick peanut buttery sugary whipped custard topped with drizzled chocolate and crunchy peanuts, and not to mention that it is nestled in a graham cracker crust, is breathtaking. 

Are you ready for the best part?

It just so happens that this recipe can make you one big pie and four baby pies. 

Discovering a recipe like this is the equivalent of what I can only imagine some people feel when the get to the top of Mt. Everest.  Yep, that epic.

Here are a few of my favorites about this dish:
1.  I hate taking a dessert to someone when you haven't tasted it yourself and as far as I know,  it is still  socially unacceptable to deliver 9/10 of a pie to someone.

2.  Mr. Hungry gets irritable when I bake and he doesn't get a good portion of the goods.

3.  This pie in particular happens to the be the bees knees because both the mama crust and baby crusts came straight from the grocery.

Who's ready to jump on the bandwagon and make this pie?  I mean come on, it will change your life.  Let's do this.

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Peanut Butter & Chocolate Icebox Pie
{loosely} Adapted from Bon Appetit
Recipe Notes
You have got three options for what this pie will yield.  You can have one 6 oz. pie and four mini pies (this is what I did),  you can have one extra large pie or at least twelve mini pies.  You can't go wrong, but just know you might use a few more peanuts or a little less chocolate so use the toppings to your taste.  Graham cracker crusts both small and large are sold at most all grocery stored on the baking aisle.  If you cannot find them or just cannot find anything else to do with your time besides making a graham cracker crust, grab a box of graham cracker crumbs and use the recipe on the back.  But store bought works great for this recipe. You should definitely use a fresh vanilla bean for best results, but you can replace with two teaspoons of vanilla extract if you must.
Ingredients
Graham cracker crust (see recipe notes)
8 large egg yolks
12 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise (click here for details on using a vanilla bean)
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher or sea salt
For the Topping
2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (no more than 61% cacao), chopped
2 1/2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup roasted, salted peanuts
Step by Step
Mix yolks and 6 Tbsp. sugar in a medium size bowl using a handheld mixer.  Beat at high speed until ribbons form, stopping once to scrape down side of bowl, about two minutes.  Combine milk and remaining 6 Tbsp. sugar in a large saucepan; scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and add bean.  Bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve sugar.  Remove bean.  With mixer running, gradually add hot milk mixture to yolk.  Pour mixture back into saucepan.  Clean bowl.  Whisking constantly, bring to a boil over medium heat.  Remove pan from heat; whisk vigorously for one minute.  Return custard to mixing bowl; beat on high speed until cool, about 4 minutes.  Mix in butter one Tbsp. at a time.  Add peanut butter, powdered sugar, and salt; beat to blend.  Scrape filling into graham cracker crust and smooth top.  Chill until set, 2-3 hours.

While pie is cooling stir chocolate and butter in a medium size glass bowl set over a saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth.  Remove pie from refrigerator.  Drizzle the chocolate over the top in a thick layer.  Sprinkle with roasted peanuts and add more chocolate if desired.

How To: Use a Fresh Vanilla Bean

When I first started cooking a few years ago, I would never consider making anything with an exotic ingredient such as a vanilla bean ( I also didn't make anything with chicken unless you were grilling a boneless, skinless chicken breast).  This was on my way too fussy ingredient list.  And then I actually found out how expensive they are and vanilla beans got added to my I'm too cheap to buy that list as well.  

Well, the stars seemed to align when I was in a cooking class and realized that there is nothing in the whole wild world that will replace the taste of a fresh vanilla bean.  I don't care if you have vanilla extract from the Himalayas.  Followed by the fact that I found out Costco sells vanilla beans in bulk.  I think I got 8 for about $10.  This is an outrageously good deal.  

If you don't go to Costco, you can find them at most upscale grocery stores and it's worth splurging for a really special dessert. 

I haven't thrown out my vanilla extract.  It still has plenty of uses, but creams and custards deserve the good stuff. Here are your two easy steps to getting to the good stuff. 

Using a very sharp knife... 

... from top to bottom. 

Using the back of that sharp knife...

That stuff that looks like dirt is the good stuff. 


Before you toss the pod, check and make sure your recipe does not use it.  Some call for simmering the pod with a custard before you discard it.

Check back {very soon} for a way to put this bad boy to good use. 

Gorgonzola Iceberg Wedge Salad

 

I just about never pass up an iceberg wedge salad on a restaurant menu.  And I can guarantee if I do, I already know their dressing is no good.  There is something so refreshing and satisfying about a good wedge  and I figured if you get the dressing down, the rest would be a piece of cake.

This gorgonzola dressing is absolutely perfect.  You'll never come close to matching its taste with a  bottled dressing.  And it's a whole lot healthier than those dressings made with mayo and sour cream.  Tastes even better the next day.


From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Gorgonzola Iceberg Wedge Salad

Ingredients
2/3 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup Greek yogurt (I used fat free)
1 large garlic clove, minced
8 ounces crumbled Gorgonzola cheese
salt & fresh ground pepper
1 head iceberg lettuce, cut into 4 wedges
1 cup grape tomatoes, sliced in half
Optional: 4 pieces of cooked, crumbled bacon
Step by Step
In a medium bowl, stir the buttermilk, Greek yogurt, and garlic together. Add in 2/3 cup of the Gorgonzola to the dressing. Smash the cheese into the sauce to help it blend.  Stir in a few more sprinkles of the gorgonzola and leave them chunky.  Season with salt & pepper and set aside.

Arrange the lettuce wedges on individual plates. Spoon the dressing over the wedges, top with tomatoes and remaining Gorgonzola (and bacon if using). Sprinkle fresh cracked pepper on top and serve.

Refrigerate dressing in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Makes 4 salads.  Or two salads one night and two the next...

Sangria

What prestigious award did this sangria win, you ask?

Oh, it was big.  Real big.

Mr. Hungry, our friend JD and I  headed to Barcelona, Spain for one of our weekend trips from Florence this summer.  We found the most amazing tapas bar... so amazing we ate there both nights of our stay.  The waiter told us that their sangria was very popular and we immediately ordered a pitcher.  I was surprised when he started making it from scratch right in front of us.  I was under the impression that you let Sangria sit for a long time to really get it good.

 

After I had one sip, I was on a mission to find out this recipe.  All three of us decided we could most definitely make it the best.  Long story short, we knew there was a sangria competition to be held when we got home.  Well, that contest has officially taken place and I just happen to have the award winning recipe.  (I can't say I was that surprised considering I schmoozed our waiter for the recipe).

Are you ready for the secret?  Lemon Fanta!

Sadly, I could not find this when it was competition time so I used Fresca, but I'd go with Lemon Fanta if I were you.

It's a pretty perfect summer drink.  Cheers to staying cool.

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Sangria
Recipe Notes
The key to keep this fresh is only adding the ice and Fanta (or Fresca) right before serving.  You can mix all other ingredients and refrigerate ahead of time, but add those two at the end.  Cointreau is an orange liqueur and is a little pricey.  However, you can use it in all sorts of drinks.  You can buy and small airplane size bottle of gin and brandy if you do not have those on hand.  I did not have a pitcher that was good for mixing so I mixed in a bowl and added to a pitcher.  Mixing in a pitcher or bowl will work just fine.
Ingredients
1 small orange, cut into thin slices
2 small lemons, cut into thin slices
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon Cointreau
1 Tablespoon Gin
1 Tablespoon Brandy
1 bottle red wine (I used a Cabernet)
1 can Lemon Fanta (or Fresca)
Ice
Tools
Wooden spoon
Glass pitcher
Step by Step
Place orange and lemon slices in the bottom of a glass pitcher (or large bowl).
Pour sugar and 3 liqueurs over the slices.
Mash the fruit with the wooden spoon until the juice is released from the slices. Fill the pitcher with ice.  Pour bottle of wine and can of Lemon Fanta and stir with wooden to spoon to mix.  Pour into glasses, garnish with fruit slices and serve cold.

{slightly chunky} Tomato Gazpacho Soup

It's hot as blazes around here.  Until further notice, my oven is closed.

Who's with me?  If you're not with me, it means you live in one of those places with perfect summer weather and I would rather not hear from you right now.

But if you are in my boat... the temps are above 95 or the humidity hits you in the face like a wool blanket when you walk outside...then get ready.

This heat has even changed my taste buds.  I've never been one for cold soups.  Just no appeal really.  I liked em hot and savory, but since this i-must-eat-only-cold-things hit, it sounded like a pretty good idea to have something both cold and savory.

Not to mention the fact that tomatoes are out of this world right now.  It's amazing how good foods taste when they are actually in season.

There is a little bit of prep work here, but no heat so that's a plus.  Have any favorite chilled or frozen recipes you'd like to share?  Email me, please.  Let's band together against this heat, shall we?

From my little kitchen to yours... Enjoy.

Here are a few pics from the process...

The way I like to go about getting the seeds out of a cucumber.  Slice in half and then slice diagonally on both sides to remove the strip of seeds. 

but as the saying goes, there's more than one way to skin a cat. 

This is a good size chunk to aim for with all your veggies...

This thing is a work horse...

Finally got all those veggies processed.  As you can see, I still had some chunks, which is why I chose the hand blender to help me out at the end.

Tomato Gazpacho
Adapted from Ina Garten
Recipe Notes
I prefaced that this was slightly chunky because if you like gazpacho and you like it extremely smooth and creamy, that is not what you are going to get from this recipe, but I love the texture.

Ingredients

1  cucumber, halved and seeded, but not peeled

1 red bell pepper, cored and seeded

4 plum medium sized vine ripened tomatoes

1 small red onion

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 cups tomato juice (23 ounces)

1/4 cup white wine vinegar

1/4 cup olive oil

1/2 tablespoon kosher or sea salt

1 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

Special Equipment

Small food processor
Optional Equipment
Hand blender

Step by Step

Roughly chop the cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, and red onions into small 1 inch chunks. Put each vegetable separately into a small food processor fitted with a steel blade and pulse until it is coarsely chopped. Leave slightly chunky; do not completely liquefy.

After each vegetable is processed, combine them in a large bowl and add the garlic, tomato juice, vinegar, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix well and chill before serving. Optional:  If you would like a little more creaminess with small chunks, you can use a hand blender at the end to get the consistency that you like.
The longer gazpacho sits, the more the flavors develop.

Keep covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Serves 4-6. 

Taste Florence Winner!

And we have a winner...

Congratulations to Stephanie! You were #33 on the comments... Congrats!
If you didn't win, you definitely should still put Taste Florence on your itinerary when in Italy!