Lower Fat Coconut Cream Pie

As you may have guessed already, I love dessert.  My family specifically loves pie.  One of our favourites is coconut cream.  However, as the name implies, the CREAM part is loaded with fat and calories.  Every recipe I've ever seen calls for half and half cream or at the very least full fat milk.  I thought I'd try making it at one point with 1% milk.  Guess what? There's not much difference.  It's still a creamy yummy pie.  Don't get me wrong, it's still a desesert that has quite a few calories and fat, but replacing the half and half cream with 1% milk, helps a lot, and you can feel a lot less guilty.

I still opt for the real whipping cream as the topping option, however there are lower fat/caloric options out there, so if you are making this pie, you can use that to top it.

It's a pretty easy recipe, and can be made with either regular pie crust or a graham cracker crust.

Lower Fat Coconut Cream Pie

Recipe by Fluudbloggler

Ingredients

• 3 cups 1% milk (or reduced fat cream)
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/2 cup all purpose flour*
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup flaked coconut, toasted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure)
• 1 9 inch pie shell (or graham cracker shell)
• 1 cup whipped cream or low-fat whipped topping

Cooking Directions

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the milk, eggs sugar, flour (corn starch) and salt.
2. Bring to a boil over medium-low heat, stirring constantly with whisk. Once it has boiled, continue stirring for another 2 minutes.  It should be nice and thick, and will thicken more on cooling.  
3. Remove from heat and add 3/4 cup coconut and vanilla.
4. Pour into cooled pie shell and cool in the fridge at least 2 hours.
   
5. Top with whipped topping and and sprinkle top with remaining 1/4 cup coconut.
   
   
   
   
6. To toast coconut: spread it in an ungreased pan and bake at 350 oven for about 10 minutes or until golden, stir now and then.

*if you are looking for a gluten free option, you can use corn starch as the thickening agent, and you can buy gluten free graham crackers for your crust.

For graham cracker crust:

2 cup graham cracker crumbs

1/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup melted butter

Combine all ingredients, press into pie plate, bake for 20 minutes at 350.

Hand Made Irish Cream

I like a little splash of Irish Cream in my coffee, hot milk, hot chocolate, or vanilla ice cream.  I don`t like how expensive it can be though.  I have tried some of the "wine-based" creams, and while they are fine in a pinch, they still don't have the full-bodied taste of a true Irish Cream.  I recently found a recipe on line that was so easy, I thought I'd try it.  I've seen other "home-made Irish Cream" recipes before, but some of them were complicated, and some of the ingredients difficult to find.  This one is easy, and tastes very rich and creamy.  Don't drink too much, it's strong, it's FULL of calories.  It also can't stay on the shelf without being refrigerated.  Cheers!

Hand-Made Irish Cream

Ingredients

• 1 2/3 cups whisky any brand (technically you are supposed to use Irish Whisky, but I used Canadian Club)
• 1 cup whipping (heavy) cream
• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tbsp Nesquick (or other chocolate syrup)
• 2 tbsp strong coffee
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Cooking Directions

1. Combine all ingredients together in a jug or bowl you can pour easily from.
   
   
2. Blend with immersion blender.
   
3. Pour into pretty bottles, or mason jars.
4. Label (optional).
5. Refrigerate.
6. Keeps refrigerated up to two months.

Chicken Curry Caserole

Sorry I have not been posting for a week or so.  I've been on a cruise ship in the Caribbean, seeking out new recipes to try myself.  Alas, I was too busy enjoying them to take any pictures.

And although this recipe here, would never be found on a cruise, it's a great easy comfort food recipe - simple for coming down off vacation mode.

Hints:

1) I buy chicken breasts in bulk usually.  However, when I get them home, before I put them in the freezer, I wrap each breast individually, then put all of them in a large Ziploc bag.  That way, when I need some chicken, I can thaw out just what I need, and the breasts don't stick together.

2) When cutting up chicken or any meat for a caserolle or stew, I try to cut them before they are completely thawed.  Chicken especially, isn't as "slimy" and it's just a lot easier to cut.

Mild Curry Chicken Casserole

Recipe by Fluudbloggler

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 90 minutes
Total time: 110 minutes
Yield: 4 servings.
Ingredients

• 3 - 4 skinless chicken breasts (uncooked)
• 1 1/2 cups fresh broccoli (can also use frozen)
• 2 cups milk
• 3 cups water
• 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp curry powder
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• 2 tsp chicken bouillon powder (I use Knorr pictured below)
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2 cups uncooked long grain white rice
• 1 tbsp butter (Optional)
• handful saltine crackers (Optional)

Cooking Directions

1. Cut chicken into bite-sized pieces and set aside.
   
2. Cut broccoli into small florets, set aside.
3. In a medium pan put milk, water, flour, curry, bouillon, and butter.
   
   
   
4. Whisk until smooth.
5. Cook over medium heat until slightly thickened.
   
6. Put rice in a large bowl.
7. Pour milk mixture over rice and stir until combined.
8. Add chicken and broccoli, and stir until well combined.
   
9. Pour into casserole dish.
   
10. Optional: If you want to have a crispy topping - Fill small Ziploc bag with saltine crackers and crush into fine crumbs using a rolling pin or bottle or if necessary just your hands.
11. 
12. Melt 1 tbsp butter.
13. Combine crackers and butter, and mix with a fork until crumbly.
    
    
14. Sprinkle over top of casserole.
    
15. Cover tightly with tin foil.*
16. Bake at 350 for 60 minutes, remove tin foil, and continue cooking for another 30 minutes.**
    
17. When ready to serve, sprinkle a little freshly grated Parmesan cheese if you wish.

*This is an important step.  I tried making this without covering with tinfoil, and cooking for only 60 minutes.  However, the rice did not cook evenly, and the broccoli ended up being a bit mushy, and the whole dish was a bit dry. The tin foil and additional cooking time, made all the difference. 

**Also important - this is not a make ahead dish.  When mixed together, it's important that you put in the oven right away.  If you don't the rice will absorb too much of the liquid before cooking, and will make your dish dry.