Pi Day Pecan Pie

Today is March 14th or 3.14 for short. 

That means it is Pie Day.  Remember geometry?  This symbol π means something to someone in the math world.  All I remember is it is 3.14.

I was not a horrible math student.  I was just quick to rule out what I thought wouldn't be useful in later life.

I was correct about most math.  I have never used π since I finished geometry.  So, up until now, that was some useless information for me. 

Someone should have explained to me about how this little symbol, π, could translate into some yummy dessert.  That would have made me pay more attention. 

And I have seen some of the cutest baby clothes that say "Cutie π".  I really think that math teachers should really have explained to me the real value of π.  Desserts and shopping I understand.  Math scores could really go up with this information.

So, in honor of Pie Day, I am giving all you mathletes a Pecan Pie recipe.  Here you go.  You are welcome.

Ingredients

1 pie crust, unbaked

1 cup white sugar

3 Tablespoons brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup dark Karo Syrup

1/2 cup light Karo Syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup melted butter (Flieshmann's unsalted is milk free)

3 eggs, beaten

1 cup pecans, chopped  slightly

Mix up your sugars, salt, Karo syrups, vanilla, eggs and melted butter in a bowl.

Pour your chopped pecans in the bottom of the pie crust. 

Pour the syrup mixture over the top.  Cover the top and crust loosely with foil.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and continue baking another 30 minutes. 

Watch your crusts.  If it starts to get too brown, recover with foil and continue baking.  Your pie should not be too jiggly when it is done. 

Cool pie completely before serving. 

Happy Pie Day!

I am linking up with Metamorphosis Monday and these other Awesome Parties!



Menu Plan Monday March 12

Ever since I started adding an extra meal to the plan, we have had more left overs than normal.

So, once again, I am carrying over a meal from last week to this week.

Here is the plan for this week.

Monday

Crock Pot Rotisserie Chicken

Potatoes

Green Beans

Cantaloupe

Tuesday

Crock Pot Chicken Tortilla Soup

Cantaloupe

Wednesday

Pizza with Beer Batter Pizza Crust

Salad

Corn

Thursday

General Tso's Chicken

Pot Stickers

Rice

Friday

Bacon-y Chicken and Rice Bake

Broccoli

Mandarin Oranges

Weekend

Oyster Roast over the fire pit

Corn Bread

Slaw

What do you have planned for this week?

I am linking up with Menu Plan Monday.  Go check out what every one else has planned for this week.

Friday Favorites

It is Friday Internet peeps! 

Today is the day to talk about all the wonderful and yummy things I pinned this week.

There have been lots!

I have narrowed it down to the top 5 favorites.

Here they are:



Chocolate Frosting Shots

This sounds like genius to me.

Peanut Butter Ice Cream Sammies

How good does this look?  Pretty good.

Brownie Roll Ups

This looks like a great idea.

Soba Noodles with Sweet Ginger Sauce

My family would love this one!

Bacony Chicken and Rice Bake

I will give this a try pretty soon.

What have you pinned this week?

I am linking up with Finding Joy in My Kitchen.  Go check out what has made everyone else's list.

Cinna Sticks

Exercise is not my thing.  Not any part of it.

I pretend to do it.  I don't think I am fooling anyone though.  Wearing yoga pants around town doesn't fool anyone.  Everyone knows they I am only wearing them because of the elastic.

I am trying to break the cycle of exercise hating with my children.  Butter Beane and Jelly Beane started gymnastics this week.  They loved it.  I pretended to know how to do the moves they were learning. 

There was jumping and rolling and twisting and stretching.  I watched and smiled.  I felt tired for them.

Here they are on their way to the first class.

The other main reason I wanted to sign them up for gymnastics is so I could buy leg warmers.  No lie.  Aren't they the cutest? 

Since I am all about pretending to love exercise, I decided to share the secret with my kids early. 

You exercise so you can eat better stuff. 

I made them this sinful breakfast before we went.  They ate it up and then burned off all the calories.  I ate it up and kept all the calories.  I took one for the team.

Cinnasticks

Ingredients

12 Rhodes rolls, thawed overnight

6 Tablespoons margarine (Flieshmann's unsalted is milk free)

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/8 teaspoon cloves

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 Tablespoons melted margarine (Flieshmann's unsalted is milk free)

Before you go to bed, put the frozen rolls in a greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. 

In the morning, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface until it is close to a 9x13 size.  Cut the dough in to strips using a pizza cutter.

In a 375 degree oven, melt the 6 Tablespoons of margarine in a 9x13 dish. 

Transfer the strips of dough to the 9x13 dish.  Roll each dough strip in the melted margarine and line them up side by side until you have all of them in the pan.

In a bowl, mix together the sugars, cinnamon, cloves, salt and 2 T melted margarine.  Sprinkle the cinnamon mixture over the bread dough and let it rest for about 10 minutes.

Bake the Cinnasticks in a 375 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

While they are baking, make the sugar glaze.

Sugar Glaze

1 cup powdered sugar

2 Tablespoons softened margarine (Flieshmann's unsalted)

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons milk (I used almond milk)

Whisk together until smooth.

When the Cinnasticks come out of the oven, let them cool for about 10 minutes and then drizzle the glaze all over them. 

I might not have been able to wait the full 10 minutes before I drizzled the glaze on these babies.  I believe I was hungry and we were running late.

This should be every one's reward for a good workout!

I am linking up with Metamorphosis Monday and these other Awesome Parties !

I altered this recipe to make this milk free for my family.



Menu Plan Monday March 5

We had a few shake ups last week with our menu plan.

We ended up eating out one night and going to my mom's one night.

The extra bonus in that is two meals from last week carry over to this week.  Woot!

Here is this week's plan.

Monday

Chicken and Dumplings

(String Beane's Favorite meal)

Tuesday

Waffles of Insane Greatness

Bacon

Strawberries

Wednesday

Slow Cooker Beef Stew

7-Up Biscuits

Thursday

Honey Spice Pork Kabobs

Rice

Broccoli

Friday

Homemade Vegetable Beef Soup (Recipe to come)

Pizza Bread

Mandarin Oranges

Weekend

Crock pot Rotisserie Chicken

Rice

Green Beans

I am linking up with Menu Plan Monday.  Go check out what is on everyone else's menu this week. 

What is on your menu this week?

My Favorite Dips

 I love appetizers.

I love dips.

These are two of my favorite dips.

Both can be made without milk.  Bonus.  

String Beane would not touch either of these with a 10 foot pole.  So, sometimes I make them with milk and sometimes without.  Depends on the situation.

Both get a lot of positive comments and people always ask for the recipes.

So here are the recipes:

Spinach Dip

Ingredients

1 package of frozen chopped spinach, thaw and squeezed dry

1 cup sour cream (Toufutti Sour Supreme if making milk free)

1 cup Mayonnaise 

1 package Knorr dried Vegetable Soup Mix

1 can water chestnuts -chopped (optional)

1/2 of a medium onion, chopped or grated, to taste

Directions

Mix all ingredients and refrigerate overnight.  

Give this a quick stir before serving.

I love to dip this with the Barely Naked Pita Chips or Triscuits.

 There goes Mr. Homegrown with a Triscuit.  He loves this stuff.

My other very favorite dip is more of a Cheese Ball.  This one can also be made without milk.  Double bonus.

Dried Beef Cheese Ball

Ingredients

2 8oz blocks of cream cheese, softened (Toufutti Cream Cheese if you need it to be milk free)

1 teaspoon Worcestershire

2 Tablespoons Mayonnaise

1 Tablespoon Horseradish

1 teaspoon Dried Minced Onion, soaked in a little water to rehydrate

2 (2oz) packages dried beef, shredded in the food processor

Directions

Mix all ingredients together.  Form into a ball and refrigerate overnight.  You can also serve this immediately and will be more "dip" like in consistency.  

My favorite is to eat this with a Wheat Thin.  

 Here is Mr. Homegrown digging in with a Wheat Thin.

I have made both of these with and without the regular milk ingredients.  I can tell no difference in the Spinach Dip at all.  There is a small taste difference in the Dried Beef cheese ball, but both are really good.

These are great to have at a party where you want all the food allergy friendly so there will not be any chance of people dropping or mixing milk foods on safe foods.  

 

This way you can actually move away from the food table instead of guarding it like some sort of watch dog and offering to make everyone's plate.  Been there.   

I am linking up with Metamorphosis Monday and these other Awesome Parties!  Check 'em out.

Friday Favorites

I think I have the munchies!

Everywhere I look, there is something yummy looking to eat.

I think I am going to spend some time in the kitchen this weekend.

Here are my to 5 favorites to put on my 'to do' list.

Bacon Corn Griddle Cakes

Have you seen this?  OMG!  This looks genius.

Mini Corn Dogs on a Stick

I haven't tried corn dogs in a while for the little Beanes.  I think it is time to give it another whirl.

Teriyaki Chicken

This looks yummy and healthy.

Mt Dew Cake

I will join the 'Dew Crew' and make this cake pretty soon!

Chocolate Chip Lava Cookies

No explanation necessary.

What have you pinned this week?

I am linking up with Finding Joy in my Kitchen again this week.  Go and check out what has made everyone else's list.