Mmmm That Smell!

Oh the smells that came from the kitchen when baking. They filled the house with the most comforting aromas.

One of my fondest memories growing up was how our family loved to bake. All of the women in our family were fabulous bakers. The art and science of baking has been handed down for years.

I remember watching my mom, grandma, and aunts in the kitchen. I studied every move they made. I was amazed at the wonderful things they could create with flour, water, milk, eggs, spices, sugar and more. Their patience with me watching and wanting to help was phenomenal.

There always seemed to be a lot of chocolate desserts. Oh how I loved the smell of chocolate. It brought  a sense of calm and well being over me. Chocolate felt like love.

Scientist have proven that chocolate makes you feel good and contains more than

300 known chemicals. Stimulates in chocolate include caffeine, theobromine, phenylethylamine which increase activity in neurotransmitters in the brain that control your ability to stay alert, pay attention and a sense of well being.

I can tell you this...I didn't need scientist to tell me that chocolate made me feel good.

My favorite of all the chocolate creations that were made in our kitchens is the Chocolate Pie with Meringue. The pie starts with the pie crust. Our grandma and moms did not run to the local grocery store to pick up frozen pre-made pie crusts. Their crusts were made from scratch. My Aunt Janie and cousin Rhonda Addison recently found some of the handwritten recipes which were written in my Grandma's handwriting. You'll notice that there are only ingredients listed no instructions. Grandma didn't need the instructions. She could make something one time and she would remember.

Grandma's Handwritten Pie Crust Recipe:

Grandma's Handwritten Chocolate Pie Recipe:



I remember watching her make the crust and her teaching me to make it. Below is the recipe she used.

Grandma's Pie Crust

Contributed by Janie and Rhonda Addison

1/2 cup shortening

1 1/2 cup flour

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

5 tbsp ice water

• Mix well until dough comes together.
• Make into ball and wrap in wax paper. Chill pie crust for 30 minutes to an hour.
• Preheat oven to 475ºF.
• Roll out dough on a lightly floured board.
• Roll out to fit pie plate.
• Place crust in plate fitting it to the shape of the pie plate. Crimp the edges around the top of the crust. Poke holes in the bottom of the crusts.
• Place in oven and bake 8 to 10 minutes until lightly brown.
• Remove from oven and let cool.
• While your crust is chilling in the fridge. Start the pie filling.

Grandma's Chocolate Pie

2 Tbsp Flour

2 Tbsp Cocoa

1 Cup Sugar

1 Cup Milk

2 Tbsp Butter

3 Egg Yolks (Reserve the egg whites for the meringue)

1 Tbsp Vanilla

Combine flour, cocoa and sugar in saucepan. In a separate bowl beat egg yolks and add milk. Continue to beat mixture a couple more minutes. Pour liquid over the cocoa mixture in the saucepan. Add butter. Cook on medium heat until the chocolate is to a pudding consistency. Pour into cooled pie shell land top with meringue. Place in heated oven to 350 degrees and brown meringue to a rich golden brown. Cool pie on wire rack. Once cool place in refrigerator until ready to serve.

The chocolate pie filling and meringue recipe below was contributed by my cousin Peggy Runnels.

Chocolate Pie

Contributed by Peggy Joyce Runnels

3 Tbsp  Self Rising Flour
3 Tbsp Cocoa Powder

1 Cup Sugar

1 ½ Cup Milk

½ Stick Butter/Margarine

2 Egg Yolks – reserve the egg whites

1 Tsp Vanilla.

• Put the milk in a sauce pan and add the butter until melted. 
• Beat egg yolks in a separate bowl.
• Take mixture off the stove and add vanilla. 
• Add tempered egg yolks. (To temper the egg yolks add a little bit of the hot liquid while constantly stirring with whisk. Continue process until the eggs have be brought up to temperature. Tempering the eggs keeps the eggs from cooking and curdling in the mixture.)
• Pour tempered mixture in sauce pan and cook until thick stirring constantly. (Consistency is that of pudding/custard)
• Pour mixture into baked pie crust.  Put the meringue over and brown.

Meringue

Contributed by Peggy Joyce Runnels

1 Tbsp Corn Starch

6 Tbsp Sugar

½ Cup Water

2 to 4 Egg Whites

• Mix first 3 ingredients together and bring to boil.
• Beat Egg Whites until peak.
• Pour mixture slowly over egg whites while beating.  Meringue mixture should be firm and peak.
• Bake in 400 degree oven for 8 minutes, until golden brown.
• Cool and Serve!