German chocolate pie has the same flavors as its classic cousin, the German chocolate cake. So if you like the cake, you’re gonna love the pie with its smooth and creamy chocolate base and a crunchy pecan and coconut topping.

I used Venetian chocolate in my pie because that’s my favorite, but you can use your favorite. We have at our store a huge variety of chocolate.

Serve this pie for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any special occasion. It’s sure to be a hit!

German Chocolate Pie

• Pastry for single crust pie (9-inch)
• 4 ounces good quality milk chocolate, chopped
• 2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 4 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped pecans

Topping:

• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/4 cup butter, cubed
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup chopped pecans

Instructions:

1. Place the pie crust in a 9 inch pie pan and crimp the edges. Chill for 30 minutes. Blind bake by lining the crust with aluminum foil. Add pie weights and bake at 375 degrees F for 10-15 minutes. Remove from oven and lift the foil with the pie weights out of the crust. Bake for another 7-10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
2. In a microwave, melt chocolates in a large bowl; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Whisk in milk, egg yolks and vanilla; stir in pecans. Pour into crust. Bake 16-19 minutes or until set. Cool 1 hour on a wire rack.
3. Meanwhile, in a small heavy saucepan, combine brown sugar, cream and butter. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat.
4. In a small bowl, whisk a small amount of hot mixture into egg yolks; return all to pan, whisking constantly. Cook 2-3 minutes or until mixture thickens and a thermometer reads 160°, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in coconut and vanilla; cool 10 minutes.
5. Pour over filling; sprinkle with pecans. Refrigerate 4 hours or until cold.

Did you know you can make jelly from dandelions and it actually tastes good? It does. It tastes like a mild honey. I’ll bet pretty much everybody has dandelions growing somewhere in their yard, so if you have an abundance of dandelions, why not give this jelly a try?

This is one of those things that at first I turned my nose up at. Then I saw a recipe that said it tastes like honey, so my curiosity got the better of me and I just had to try it. I wasn’t disappointed.

Of course, you need to use dandelions that haven’t been sprayed with weed killer. You need nice clean ones. But go ahead and give this a try. I think you’ll be surprised at how good it is.

Recipe adapted from Homestead Acres.

Meringue cookies are, in my opinion, a perfect treat for Valentine’s Day. They’re light and airy, crunchy and sweet, and a perfect change from the chocolatey-ness of the usual Valentine’s treats.

These cookies are nice and fancy too, without being difficult or time-consuming to make. (Hands-on time anyway. They do take about 3 hours in the oven, but you can whip them up in about 10 minutes.) Everyone will love these classic meringue cookies, so I hope you make some for your valentines this year.

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