Pacify your chocolate addiction

This week, my husband took all three of my children -- this includes a 6-week-old -- to the library by himself. I thought about running wild around the empty house. But then I thought about this French silk chocolate pie, and I had to make it. The recipe comes from Cook's Country, so you know it will be good. It is rich and thick and creamy and silky. My 7-year-old remarked that she loved the way her teeth felt sinking into its chocolatey goodness. The only drawback is the tired arm from all the mixing.

THE RECIPE:

1 c. heavy cream
3 eggs
3/4 c. sugar
2 Tbsp. water
8 oz. semisweet chocolate, melted and cooled
1 Tbsp. vanilla
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 cooked deep-dish pie shell*

Whip cream until stiff peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Combine eggs, sugar and water in large heat-proof bowl (I used a glass mixing bowl). On stove top, set bowl over medium saucepan containing half an inch of simmering water. Don't let bowl touch water. You are making a kind of double boiler. Beat egg mixture with electric mixer until thickened and heated through, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat several minutes more, until mixture is cooled and fluffy.

Add chocolate and vanilla to cooled egg mixture and beat until incorporated. Beat in butter. Using rubber spatula, fold in whipped cream until no streaks of white remain. Scrape mixture into pie shell and refrigerate at least three hours to set.

*Next time I'll try an Oreo crust.

Heavenly breakfast

This pile of beauty you see before you is called heavenly breakfast*. It is a yummy twist on biscuits and gravy. The recipe came from the Brewer family, who lovingly introduced it to my family years and years ago. It's comfort food at its best. Serve it with a side of fresh seasonal fruit and enjoy!

THE RECIPE:

1 16-ounce can jumbo flaky refrigerator biscuits
6 hard-boiled eggs
1/4 c. butter
1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
2 c. milk
Pepper
Paprika

Bake biscuits according to package directions. Melt butter in saucepan over medium heat. Mix flour, salt, and pepper to taste, then add to melted butter, stirring until smooth. Whisk in milk, then cook until thickened, stirring frequently to prevent sticking or burning.

Meanwhile, separate hard-boiled yolks from whites. Slice or roughly chop whites, and crumble yolks. Stir egg whites into finished sauce.

To assemble heavenly breakfast, break up a biscuit into chunks, then spoon white sauce over top. Sprinkle with crumbled egg yolks and paprika to taste.

*Dishes similar to this are traditionally known as eggs goldenrod.

Creamy goodness

For the Fourth of July, we had to have some red-white-and-blue food. But these yogurt Jell-O cups would work for any party or holiday. Just change the colors and toppings according to your preference. They taste creamy and delicious, they are very cute, and they are beyond easy to make. Next time, however, I won't use paper muffin liners. They weren't firm enough to make a good mold. I will either try the foil liners or just put the Jell-O in individual clear glass dishes for serving.

THE RECIPE:

1 6-ounce package Jell-O, any flavor
1 32-ounce container low-fat vanilla yogurt
12 muffin tin liners
Homemade whipped cream
Berries

Combine dry Jell-O powder and yogurt in microwave-safe dish. Microwave 2-3 minutes, or until powder is completely dissolved. Spoon mixture into muffin tin liners or glass dishes and refrigerate several hours. Decorate as desired.

Tropical summer treat

A great way to end a summer dinner is with a refreshing bowl of pineapple sorbet. It's light and sweet and delicious. It's very easy to make, especially if you have an ice cream maker. If you don't, you'll probably have to partially freeze it, then blend it again, then freeze it again, to create the necessary air bubbles.

THE RECIPE:

1 fresh, ripe pineapple
1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Remove pineapple skin and core. Cut pineapple into chunks and place in blender or food processor, along with sugar and lemon juice. Puree thoroughly. Pour into ice cream maker's can and place in freezer for an hour or whatever -- until well chilled but not frozen. Then place in ice cream maker and follow your appliance's directions for churning. Enjoy the results!

Popeye was right

This spinach soup with acini di pepe is wonderful and a cinch to throw together. My whole family gobbled it down, along with seconds and thirds. We used fresh spinach from our garden, which made it even better.

THE RECIPE:

1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
6 c. chicken broth
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. each pepper, garlic powder, nutmeg
3 medium carrots, chopped
1/2 c. acini di pepe noodles
4 c. tightly packed, chopped fresh spinach
Shredded Parmesan cheese

In large pot, saute onion and celery in oil for a couple of minutes. Add broth and seasonings, then bring to boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer up to 10 minutes while preparing carrots and spinach. Add carrots and acini di pepe and cook 5 minutes. Add spinach and cook a few minutes more. Soup is done when noodles and carrots are tender.

Cinnamon meets salad

How about a cinnaberry salad for your next family gathering? You can adjust the salad ingredients to suit your fancy. The cinnamon dressing adds a fun and delicious twist. We think berries and cinnamon make a great pair.

THE RECIPE:

1 head romaine lettuce
2 c. packed fresh spinach
1 c. sliced strawberries
1 c. raspberries
1 c. blueberries or blackberries
1 c. sliced almonds, toasted under the broiler
1 c. shredded Swiss cheese (optional)

Cinnamon dressing:

1/2 c. sugar
1/3 c. lemon juice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
Shake of onion powder
1/2 Tbsp. poppy seeds
1/2 c. canola oil

Mix ingredients in food processor or blender, adding oil last. Pour over salad just before serving.

Bringing home the bacon

This bacon and Swiss pasta salad is an easy and yummy side dish. It would be great for a barbecue. The ingredients are simple but flavorful, and you could always adjust them to your preference. I got the recipe from my lovely friend Kylie.

THE RECIPE:

16 oz. spiral pasta, cooked
8 oz. shredded Swiss cheese
12 to 16 oz. bacon, well cooked then crumbled
5 green onions, white and green parts, thinly sliced

Dressing:

2 c. mayonnaise*
4 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 c. sugar

Make salad and dressing separately, then combine in large bowl. Refrigerate at least an hour. I recommend reserving some of the dressing to stir in immediately before serving. The pasta soaks up the dressing during refrigeration, so the last-minute addition will preserve the creaminess.

*I used Kraft's olive oil mayo to cut down on fat.