Chocolate Pie

Filling
2 1/2 cups milk
5 oz. semisweet chocolate, chopped into slivers
4 egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
3 Tbs cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cookie crumb crust made with chocolate cookies

Topping
1 cup heavy cream
1 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Chocolate curls for decorating

To make the filling, in a heavy non aluminum saucepan over low heat, warm together the milk and chocolate, whisking until the chocolate is melted; the mixture will be speckled. In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale yellow. Add the cornstarch and salt, then the vanilla, and whisk until well blended. Slowly pour the warm chocolate mixture into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly until well blended. Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat until it thickens and begins to bubble slowly, 6 to 8 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir until smooth, about 1 minute. Pour the filling into the crumb crust and smooth with a spatula. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly onto the surface, and refrigerate until completely cold and firm, 2 to 3 hours. To make the topping, using an electric mixer on medium-high speed or a whisk, beat together the cream, sugar and vanilla until stiff peaks form. Spread the whipped cream on top of the pie. Decorate with chocolate curls. Refrigerate until ready to serve, but let the pie stand at room temperature for 20 minutes before serving to take the chill off. Makes one 9-inch pie;
serves 8.

Fruit Salsa and Cinnamon Chips

Cinnamon Chips
2 Tablespoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon
4 large flour tortillas
2 Tablespoon water
Preheat oven to 350
Combine Sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with water and sprinkle each side with cinnamon mixture. Cut each tortilla into 12 wedges and arrange wedges in a single layer on a cookie sheet . Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until crisp.

TROPICAL FRUIT SALSA
( I add honey to this for extra sweetness if the fruit is not quite sweet enough)
1 cup finely diced peeled firm-ripe papaya
1/2 cup finely diced peeled firm-ripe mango
1/3 cup finely chopped white onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
*1/2 to 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh jalapeno chili without seeds ( optional)
1/2 teaspoon salt
Stir together all ingredients.

Bran Apple Muffins Freezer Cooking Recipe

1 cup bran cereal
1 cup untoasted wheat germ
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup nonfat dry milk
1 tbsp baking powder
3/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 large eggs
12 oz frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
1/4 cup salad oilmuffin tins, either with paper lined cups or greased

In a large mizing bowl, combine cereal, wheat germ, flour, milk, baking powder, raisins and walnuts. In a smaller bowl, combine eggs, apple juice concentrate and oil, beating well. Then add this mixture to dry ingredients, mixing well. Allow to stand 5-10 minutes so dry goods can absorb wet.

Preheat oven to 375F. Spoon mixture into muffin tins, filling to rim. Bake for 30 minutes or until a dark golden brown. Cool and freeze, then transfer to large freezer bag.

Classic Chocolate Truffles

Classic Chocolate Truffles

1 pound bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 ½ cups whipping cream
3 to 4 tablespoons cocoa powder
1 ½ pounds bittersweet chocolate, to be tempered

Melt the chopped chocolate in the top of a double boiler over hot, not simmering, water, stirring frequently with a rubber spatula to ensure even melting. In a 1-quart saucepan over medium heat, bring the cream to a boil. Remove both pans from the heat, remove the top pan from the double boiler and wipe it dry, pour the cream into the melted chocolate, and stir together until thoroughly blended. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, let cool to room temperature, and chill in the refrigerator until thick but not stiff (2 to 3 hours).
Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Fit a 12-inch pastry bag with a #5 large, plain round tip and fill partway with the truffle cream. Holding the pastry bag 1 inch above the paper, pipe out mounds about 1 inch in diameter. Cover the mounds with plastic wrap and chill in the freezer for 2 hours or in the refrigerator for 6 hours.
Dust your hands with cocoa powder and roll the mounds into balls. These will be the truffle centers. Cover and chill the centers for another 2 hours in the freezer.
Melt and temper the 1 ½ pounds bittersweet chocolate. Line two more baking sheets with parchment or waxed paper. Remove the truffle centers from the freezer 1 sheet at a time. Place a truffle center into the tempered chocolate, coating it completely. With a dipper or fork remove the center from the chocolate, carefully shake off the excess chocolate, and turn the truffle out onto the paper. After dipping the truffles place 6 tablespoons of the tempered chocolate in a paper pastry cone and snip off a tiny opening at the end. Pipe several parallel lines across the tops of the truffles. Repeat with the remaining sheet of truffle centers.
Let the truffles set at room temperature or chill them in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes. When the truffles are set, place them in paper candy cups. In a tightly covered container wrapped in several layers of aluminum foil, the truffles will keep for 1 month in the refrigerator or 2 months in the freezer. The truffles are best served at room temperature.

Lion House Taco Soup

1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 c. chopped onion(to taste)
1 pound ground beef
1 pkg. mild taco seasoning mix
2 c. frozen corn
1 16 oz. can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 28 oz. can stewed tomatoes
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 c. water
Tortilla chips, grated cheese
In a large soup pot, saute' onions in vegetable oil until softened.
Place sauteed onions in a bowl and set aside. Brown ground beef in the same pot; drain off fat.
Stir in sauteed onions, taco seasoning, corn, kidney beans, stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, and water. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and let simmer for 20 to 30 minutes. Serve topped with tortilla chips and grated cheese. Makes 8 servings.
This is easily doubled. When I double it, I add a whole bag of frozen corn, and whole onion. I also changed a bit the kidney beans. I take a can of pinto beans and kidney beans and either split them in half if only making one recipe, or use all of both kinds when doubling. I also serve with diced avocado and sour cream. It is the best, and so very easy!

Zuchinni Casserole

This is a recipe that has been in the family for a long time and no one can seem to make it quite like my grandma :)


2 zucchinis, cut into small peices
1 bell pepper, diced up small
dry bread, torn into medium sized peices
1 1/5 cups Cheddar cheese or velveeta, shredded
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp basil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 eggs, pre-beaten
Combine everything in a greased baking dish and bake for an hour at 350 degrees.
YUMMY!! you can sprinkle extra cheese and/or bread crumbs on top, or parsely.

Belleneve's Cheesecake

Easy Cheesecake (no bake)

2 blocks cream cheese
1/2 c. honey
2 TBS. Lemon Juice
1/2 c. Cool Whip
1 Graham Cracker Crust

Soften cream cheese and add all top ingredients together, mix well.
Spread into Gramcracker crust, and chill 3 hours before serving, or freeze and thaw 1/2 hour before serving...