Famous Cookie Pie

Here's the truth. Sometimes, I don't want to bake something complicated that's going to take 100 hours from start to finish. Some days, I just want to mix something up, toss it in the oven, and magically have the best dessert ever. I know this is hard to believe after you've browsed through my elaborate 80 step cake recipes, but, there it is. The truth.

This pie is that kind of simple, no fuss recipe. It's basically a cookie in a pie crust, and it is always a big hit. In fact, my reason for making this recently was that one of my close friends prefers this pie to a cake on her birthday. 

I know, it sounds nuts. She has at her disposal a crazy person who will spend a week making the most elaborate cake in the universe, and she chooses a basic pie. But, as unbelievable as it sounds, her decision is crazy. This pie, as simple as it may be, rocks! It's chewy, and chocolatey, and soft.

Serve it warm with a little bit of ice cream, and you may not want birthday cakes anymore either. And, as an added bonus, the recipe makes two!

Here's how you do it.

Whip up your butter and sugar until they're nice a fluffy (about 3 min).

While you're whipping, whisk together your dry ingredients. 

If you really have the urge, you can sift them together, but here's some more truth, I NEVER have that urge. I don't sift. Even when the recipe tells me to, I don't do it. I won't apologize either. No one has ever spat out my dessert and exclaimed, 'This is not sifted!' So, I think I'm safe.

Next, you need eggs. Mix them in with your butter and sugar.

Now for some flavoring. All you really need is vanilla. And, you NEED it. I bake nothing without a generous amount of this stuff.

The bourbon is optional. I find that it makes the pie taste just that much better, but if you don't want it. Leave it out, and your pie will still be wonderful.

I will not say the same about vanilla. You have to put it in. You ALWAYS need it. The end.

Pie crusts. You need to have them ready for the batter to go into.  

Here are mine. You'll notice the great amount of time and artistry I used when placing and crimping them into the pie plates. 

Okay, one last truth. I don't spend a lot of time on these either. By now I'm sure you're noticing a trend. The trend is this...I'm lazy. Well, lazy might be harsh, but I don't have a lot of patience for tedious things when I don't feel the result is worth my time. 

I have family members who make beautiful pies, and I admire them greatly for it. I wasn't born with that gene. 

My pie still tastes good. I'm fine with it.

Back to the mixing. Slowly add the dry to the wet. 

Emphasis on SLOWLY unless flour all over your kitchen was part of your plan in which case, dump it all in and let it go!

The last thing you need to add are these. Chocolate and nuts...what is better?

Nothing. Nothing is better.

(If you don't like nuts, leave them out. But, you're missing out because it's so much better with nuts!)

Once everything has been mixed in, you'll have this.

Right now you're thinking...wait a second, that looks just like cookie dough. And, you're right. It's a lot like cookie dough; it's a cookie pie...remember.

Spread that luscious batter in the crusts, and bake them.

You're done! 

No filling...coring...frosting...decorating. Just let it bake, and..TA DAAA...dessert is ready! 

Well, unless this is a birthday pie and then you aren't quite finished.

You have to put a candle in it...DUH! 

Okay, now you're done.

Famous Cookie Pie 

(adapted from Paula Deen)

Ingredients:

2 Pie Crusts

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1 cup (2-sticks) unsalted butter, softened

1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon bourbon

3 cups semisweet chocolate chips

2 cups chopped walnuts, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two pie crusts. Set aside.

2. Cream, butter, and sugars in an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 min.

3. Add the eggs, one at at time, waiting until each is incorporated. Then add vanilla and bourbon (if using).

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. 

 5. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture until fully combined. 

 Mix in the chocolate chips and nuts (if using). 

6. Divide the batter between the two crusts.

 Bake for 30 minutes, until pies are golden brown. 

Cool before slicing.

                          

ENJOY!

The birthday girl with her birthday pie...perfection!

Mexican Shredded Beef

Sometimes, even though something isn't pretty, it's comforting.  Like on days when you decide to wear an over sized t-shirt, no make-up, glasses, and yoga pants. You aren't runway ready, but you sure feel great. That's how I would classify this recipe. It's not pretty. It's not stylish. But, it is delicious and comforting, and, as an extra bonus, versatile and super easy. 

Once you have made this beef, you can eat it on its own, or you can use your imagination and the possibilities are endless . Enchiladas, chalupas, sandwiches, stuffed peppers. You name it...this beef will taste good in it or on it. Well, maybe not dessert, but anywhere else your heart and mind take you; go for it.

The extra bonus, as already mentioned, is this recipe requires minimal effort. You just throw all the ingredients in a crock pot and go about your day. When you come back, this tender, warm, slightly spicy beef will be waiting for you.

First, gather all your ingredients. 

Most of this recipe is dumping things in the crock pot, so it will be easier if you have them all on hand.

Now you have to chop a couple things. I know, I know, I said we were just dumping and forgetting, but, let's get real, we aren't putting a whole onion in the crock pot.

So, you must chop... an onion, a few garlic cloves, and a couple chipotle peppers. (If you're afraid of heat, this is probably still okay for you. I used 2, and I would by no means call it hot and spicy. But, if you prefer less, that's totally up to you.)

Now for the promised throwing in the pot... Um, throw it all in the pot.

The last time I made this, I mixed everything but the liquid the night before. Then, in the morning, all I had to do was pour in the liquid, plug it in and go on my way. 

I told you...this is easy!

After a mere 6 to 8 hours, you will return and find....this!

Okay, you actually won't find this. What you will find is a wonderful pot of very tender meat which you will need to shred. Don't worry; it's been cooking for 8 hours, so shredding won't require much elbow grease.

Quick note on shredding: A lot of people will recommend you shred with two forks, and that works great. Personally, I use my potato masher. I have one of the metal zig zaggy ones, and i just go straight in there with it. 

It's quick and easy, and it covers more ground than a fork.

So, your beef is now shredded. I know, it isn't gorgeous, but trust me. It tastes awesome. The meat is tender and savory with just a touch of heat. Your whole kitchen will smell delicious, and you'll be ready to dive in! 

And... you only got one pot dirty. I'd say that's a pretty good deal.

Mexican Shredded Beef

(adapted from Foodie with Family)

Ingredients:

3lbs lean chuck (or whatever beef you prefer), cut into chunks

5 cloves of garlic, minced

2-3 chipotles peppers, chopped (you can add more or less of these, depending on your heat preference)

4 oz can of green chiles

1 onion, chopped

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar

3 bays leaves

1 tablespoon comino

1 tablespoon oregano

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1/4 teaspoon cloves

1/2 cup beef broth

1. Mix all ingredients in the bowl of your crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, until fall apart tender.

2. Remove bay leaves, and shred beef with forks or potato masher. Mix with juices and serve.

ENJOY!

Note: This recipe also freezes extremely well,  so, if this makes too much for your plans, or you want to make extra, it will keep for quite awhile in the freezer.

Once you have this on hand, you can use it for anything, even breakfast!
Pictured is a breakfast chalupa with beans, beef, a fried egg and cheese. Yum!

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

Ok guys, so here's the deal.  This is another cake (cupcake) recipe with booze in it, and I know what you're all thinking. What is Katie's deal with alcohol in baked goods? Is she sitting around in her house having cocktails and accidentally spilling them in her mixer as it whirs, out of control on high speed and then trying to convince us that these are real recipes? 

Before I continue, let me put these thoughts of yours to rest. The answer to these questions is (usually) of course not. I'm not just dumping booze in everything I bake just for the heck of it. The booze has flavor, and as you can see, I'm never adding enough that people will walk funny after enjoying some. Liquor tastes good. Look at it this way...vanilla extract is made with..guess what..alcohol. Yep, all those extracts you love (and I generally hate, by the way)... they all have alcohol, so a little bourbon or beer here and there isn't as crazy as you think.

Back to the cupcakes.

They are fabulous. They take the drink that we are all too familiar with and transform it into a luscious, indulgent treat! The Guinness in the cake enhances the chocolate flavor and makes for a great texture. The Jameson adds just a little interest and extra punch to the chocolate filling. The Baileys, well, it does what Baileys always does. It provides a perfect extra creaminess to the sweet buttercream. And, the three combined, they make one superstar of a cupcake.

Disclaimer: There is not enough alcohol in these to justify you going crazy and making bad decisions, so if you do that after eating some, we know...it was all you!

Now, onto the cupcakes.

First, you will need all three of these. Yes, all three. 

The drink has all of them, so the cupcake must have them all as well (duh).

Pour some Guinness into a saucepan and simmer it with some butter.

I know I just went on and on about how alcohol is just flavoring, and it is. But, let me tell you, it never feels normal cracking open a beer and a bottle of Jameson at 9 am even if you know that it's only for baking... and it is only for baking.

Once the butter melts and your mixture simmers, whisk in the cocoa powder, and you will have perfect chocolately goodness for your cupcakes. (Remember: it's for the cupcakes...not for your breakfast)

Now, mix the cake batter and incorporate the Guinness, chocolate mixture. Look at that perfect, chocolate batter!

When you're done admiring your velvety batter, fill your lined muffin tins. It will make 24. Bake them and cool them...you know the drill.

Once your cupcakes are cooled, get out your weird, cupcake-coring, magic tool (or a knife works just fine, too), and take out the center of all your cupcakes.  

What you do with the cores is up to you. Toss them. Eat them. Stand them up and convince people that you've come up with a new fad called micro-cupcakes. It's entirely up to you.

Now that you have hole in all your cupcakes, you must fill them!

Finely chop up some chocolate. 

I know, my chocolate isn't that finely chopped, but as you've probably noticed, I have a limited amount of patience for these things. And, this is fine enough. It works...I have the cupcakes to prove it!

Back to the filling. You've chopped (semi-finely) your chocolate. Next, simmer some cream and pour it right on the chocolate. Once it sits for a minute, stir it and you'll have a smooth, perfect ganache filling. It's magic! Add a little butter and the Jameson, and you're done.

Fill the sad, empty holes in your cupcakes with your filling. The filling will firm up as it sits in the cupcake, so don't worry about it being too runny.

Almost done! The last step is the frosting. Whip up a basic buttercream and flavor it with the creamy, smooth Baileys, and...

Frost those cupcakes!

I also grated some chocolate on top, but how you decorate is, of course, up to you.

Irish Car Bomb Cupcakes

(adapted from brown eyed baker)

Ingredients:

For the Cupcakes:


1 cup Guinness


1 cup unsalted butter, softened


¾ cup cocoa powder


2 cups all-purpose flour


2 cups granulated sugar


1½ teaspoons baking soda


1 teaspoons salt


2 eggs


2/3 cup sour cream, full fat

For the Filling:



8 ounces bittersweet chocolate


2/3 cup heavy cream


2 tablespoons butter, softened


2 teaspoons Irish whiskey

For the Frosting:



1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened


3 1/2 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup Bailey's Irish Cream


Directions:

1. To Make the Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place liners in 24 muffin tins. Over medium heat, bring butter and Guinness to a simmer. Add the cocoa and whisk until the mixture is smooth. Allow to cool.

2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

3. In an electric mixer, beat sour cream and eggs until smooth. Add the Guinness mixture and stir to combine. Slowly, add the flour mixture mix until just combined. Divide the batter between the cupcake liners. Bake until toothpick comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.

Cool completely

4. To Make the Filling: Finely chop the chocolate and transfer it to a heatproof bowl. Heat the cream until simmering and pour it over the chocolate. Let it sit for one minute and then stir it until smooth. Add the butter and whiskey and stir until combined. Let the filling cool until slightly thickened.

5. To Fill the Cupcakes: Using a small spoon, dollop about a tablespoon into each cupcake, filling the entire cavity.


6. To make the frosting: In an electric mixer, beat the butter on medium-high until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the speed and gradually add the powdered sugar. Add the Baileys, and beat on high speed until light and fluffy.


7. Frost the cupcakes! Using either a piping bag, spatula, or butter knife, frost cupcakes and garnish as desired.


Store in an airtight container and ENJOY!

Just like the drink, but better!

Pecan Pie Cake with Bourbon Whipped Cream Frosting (A.K.A. The Best Cake Ever!)

Let me just start by saying this: I HATE making layer cakes. I hate trying to make them level (I never do). I hate trying to ice them evenly (I also never do that). And, I hate decorating them (I'm a minimalist...or impatient, I'm not saying which).  In fact, I hate making them so much that I would almost go so far to say that you will never see one cross the threshold of my kitchen. Almost. Because, as anyone who knows me will tell you, I am a sucker for the people I love. And, while there are very few people in the world who I love enough to ice a cake for, there are still those few, which is how this cake came to be (and came to cross the threshold of my kitchen ;) )

I do not believe I am overselling it when I say that this is the best cake you will ever make. If you are a fellow cake-assembly avoider like myself (yes, its a real thing), this is the cake to break your rules for. It is, for lack of a better word, awesome. This cake combines the best of two worlds: sweet, crunchy, beautiful pecan pie and a moist, luscious, crumbly cake. And, in case that heavenly combination was not enough, I covered, well..slathered, the whole thing in a light, fluffy bourbon whipped cream. Like I said, it's awesome.

I first came upon this recipe several years ago in Southern Living. One of my best friends was turning 30 (one of the "few" people referred to above), and this momentous occasion called for a special cake. This particular friend loves pecan pie, so I was looking for a recipe that would satisfy this while being a little more apropos than a pie, and there it was, in all its glory. The exact recipe I had imagined. There was only one problem: the cake wasn't iced. Normally, this wouldn't be a problem. In fact, as an avid avoider of icing cakes (see above), this would normally draw me to the recipe even more. But, this was a birthday, a big birthday, a milestone, a day you only get once! Sorry, back on track. So, I kept looking, and in my search, I finally found what I needed. BOURBON WHIPPED CREAM. And the cake was born, and it was a huge hit. It was loved and devoured, and then...I never made it again.

I know, all this build up to the perfect cake, and then I never made it again. Crazy right? That's what I thought too, so when the same aforementioned friend and my best friend had their second wedding anniversary, I thought.. I'm making THE cake! And so I did, and you can too. 

Here's how.

Disclaimer: This is not a simple cake! It has many steps, and is a royal pain in the you-know-what, but if you're willing to put in some time, it's worth it!

Ok, now that we cleared that up, here's how:

Butter some pans generously, and cover with pecans. After all, this is a PECAN Pie Cake.

Then mix up a pretty basic cake batter. Flour, eggs, buttermilk, etc.

Now, for the part we all dread...egg whites. Beat them and fold them in. It's worth it;

 I promise.

See! That wasn't so bad. Now, put it in the pans, and bake.

Cool them...

...and brush them with that sticky, sweet corn syrup.

I know it sounds a little nuts to brush corn syrup on a cake, but trust me on this one. Corn syrup gives it that distinctive, pecan pie flavor. Also, it's pretty... look at that sheen.

Ok, so here's the part where I admit that I didn't take pictures when I was making the filling. I forgot! I'm sorry! But basically, you just mix all the ingredients in a sauce pan, cook them, and chill them (don't worry, the recipe is below)

Now, that the wonderful filling is made and chilled, you can...

ASSEMBLE YOUR CAKE!  or as I like to call it... the thing I hate to do most in the world! Well, maybe not the MOST, but you get it. Now is also probably a good time for me to tell you this: I do not level my cakes. A.) Because I don't like it and it stresses me out, and B.) Because I don't think it's worth the time. If this is something you like to do, power to you. Add that step into this recipe before you add the filling, but as for my cakes...they will always lean a little, and I'm okay with that. It's my trademark, or at least that's what I tell everyone, so I can continue to make lopsided cakes.

Moving on. Place all layers pecan-side up, evenly spreading the filling between.

Then, frost it. Basically, plop all the frosting on top and work it down the sides, smoothing it as you go until you have...

..this, or something much nicer than this because you are probably much better at icing cakes than me.

I apologize for the ugly yellow plate. It's the color of my cake carrier, so it's the price I pay for keeping my cakes fresh.

Garnish it, and you're done! 

Seriously guys...BEST. CAKE. EVER.

Go make one!

Pecan Pie Cake with Bourbon Whipped Cream Frosting
(adapted from Southern Living)

Ingredients:

For the Cake

3 cups finely chopped pecans

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 cup shortening

2 cups sugar

5 large eggs, separated

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup buttermilk

3/4 cup dark corn syrup

For the Filling
1/2 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

3/4 cup dark corn syrup

1/3 cup cornstarch

4 egg yolks

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon bourbon

For the Frosting

2 cups whipping cream 

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

1 cup of the Pecan Pie Filling

vanilla and bourbon to taste

Directions:

1. To Make the Cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Generously butter 3 9-inch round pans. Divide 2 cups of the pecans between the 3, and shake to coat the bottoms and sides.

2. In an electric mixer, beat 1/2 cup butter and shortening at medium speed until fluffy (about 3 min). Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and baking soda, and add to butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour. Beat at low speed until blended after each addition. Stir in remaining 1 cup finely chopped pecans.

3. Beat egg whites at medium speed until stiff peaks form; fold one-third of egg whites into batter. Fold in remaining egg whites being careful not to over mix.  Evenly divide batter between 3 pans and bake for 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. 

Cool in pans on wire rack for 10 minutes. Then, turn out cakes onto rack and brush tops and sides of layers with corn syrup, and allow to cool completely.

4.To make the Pecan Pie Filling: Whisk together  brown sugar, corn syrup, cornstarch, egg yolks, half-and-half, and salt in a heavy 3-quart saucepan until smooth. Bring mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly; boil 1 minute or until thickened. Remove from heat; whisk in butter and vanilla, and bourbon. Place saran wrap directly on the surface of the filling to prevent a skin from forming, and chill 4 hours.

5. To make Bourbon Whipped Cream Frosting: Whip cream in mixer until soft peaks form. Gradually add sugar and  and beat until tiff peaks form. Be careful not to beat too much, or your cream will become butter. Add 1 cup of Pecan Pie Filling and beat until just combined.

6. Assembly! Divide remaining filling in half. Place first layer pecan-side up and spread half of the filling evenly over the top. Place second layer on top of the filling, pecan-side up, and spread the second half of the filling over the top. Top with remaining layer, pecan-side up. Frost cake with Bourbon Whipped Cream, garnish as desired, and chill.

Store in an airtight container and ENJOY!

This is not the best picture, but it was eaten so fast, I had to make due.