Coconut Cream Pie & Wednesday Winning

Remember yesterday when I said that there would be a treat for one of my readers today?  Well…here’s the deal.  I have WAY TOO MANY cookbooks.  I love them all, but really only use a handful on a regular basis.  So, for the ones I don’t used that often, I simply typed up the recipes I used from those and saved them on my computer.  Now…I need to get rid of those cookbooks.  And what better way to do that than to share them with YOU!

I plan to giveaway at least one cookbook each Wednesday – “Wednesday Winning” until they’re gone.  And I have several, so it could be a while!  So tell your friends, tell your family, tell  your neighbors, tell everyone to stop by my blog in the next few weeks to try for their chance to win one or more of my cookbooks!   I’ll get pics up this afternoon when I get home from work.

As with any contest, there are rules.  But, they’re simple ones. 

1. To be fair to everyone, you can only win once each month. 
2. When you win, you must agree to cook one recipe from the book within 2 weeks, prepare it, post it on your blog and link back to my blog.

That’s it!  Pretty simple, huh?  I think you guys can handle that!  Are you wondering how you can enter?  Well, listen up!

1. Post a comment on this blog post telling me what YOUR favorite cookbook is for one entry
2. Link to this giveaway on your blog for another entry
3. Do these things by MIDNIGHT on FRIDAY, SEPT. 4th – I’ll announce the winner on Saturday!  **I’ve extended the date!!

 

Now, let’s get cookin’.  My sister in law made a fabulous Coconut Cream Pie a couple weeks ago.  I thought my husband was going to get down on the floor and kiss her feet right there in front of my eyes.  He was in heaven.  I think he ended up eating like 1/3 of a pie that day.  Seriously.  This pie is. That.  Good.  She graciously shared the recipe with me so that my husband would stop crawling behind her, pawing at her shoes, and begging her to make it again at the next family function.  You know what the best part about this pie is?  Well, that would be everything…but what I’m getting at is that it is easy.  It’s easy as…well…pie.  (Snort!)

First, you need to either buy a premade pie crust, or make your own crust.  If you choose to make your own…and seriously people…it’s easy and it tastes SO MUCH BETTER…check out my recipe here.  The only difference from that recipe is that you’ll need to prebake the crust before filling this pie.  So, toss it in the oven at 350 until it’s a light golden brown.

Let’s move on to the sinful filling for this sucker.  You’ll need:

1-1/2 cups half & half

1-1/2 cups cream of coconut (I told you it was sinful)

3 egg yolks

3/4 cups sugar

1/2 cup corn starch

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup flaked coconut

1 tsp vanilla

For the topping:

16 oz heavy cream

3 tbsp powdered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Start by combining half and half, cream of coconut, egg yolks, sugar, corn starch and salt in a large microwavable bowl.  Yes, we’re going to prepare this filling in the nuker.  I told you it was easy.

Microwave until mixture reaches the desired thickness, stirring with a whisk after each minute of cooking.  You want the mixture to be about the consistency of soft-set pudding.  Stir in 3/4 cup of the coconut and the vanilla.  Pour into prebaked pie crust.  Chill 2-4 hours.

Place remaining 1/4 cup coconut in baking pan and bake at 350 until toasted – check and stir often…it browns quickly.

 

While that coconut is cooling, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar and vanilla and whip to stiff peaks.

 

Spread over the chilled pie filling and top with the toasted coconut.

Stick your face in the pie and eat your way out.  Oh wait, no…that’s what my husband would do. 

I love this pie for two reasons.  One, as I’ve said, because it is super easy to prepare.  Two, it had whipped cream on top instead of a meringue topping.  I’ve never been a big fan of meringue on pies.  I’ll eat it if it’s there, but if I had the choice, I’d rather do without it.  So, I really like the use of whipped cream for this one.  Of course, you could swap out whipped cream for meringue on any of your pie recipes!  

Oh, and if you’re having trouble finding the cream of coconut in your grocery store – look where they sell mixed drink stuff.  Like the margarita mix and such.  That’s where they had it at my local Walmart.  OR, you might find it in the Asian section of the supermarket.  And if all else fails, you can substitute Coconut Milk, which you will also find in the Asian section.

Don’t forget to comment, blog and subscribe to enter for the cookbook(s)!!  I’ll announce the winner on Friday!