Nisha gave me this recipe, it’s  really popular with her sorority sisters, rich, creamy and easy to make.  I thought some of you might enjoy it, too.  ~ jan

6 oz. chocolate bunny
18 large marshmallows halved or 180 mini marshmallows
1/4 cup milk
16 oz. unsweetened whipping cream
1 prepared graham pie shell
small piece of bunny to shave on top of pie and/or mini chocolate bunnies for the top

Melt bunny in milk, then stir in marshmallows stirring constantly until they melt.  Cool completely, whip cream until stiff, fold into cooled chocolate mixture, pour into crust and chill until firm - 2-3 hours.  Decorate with shaved chocolate and bunnies.

The follolwing is an excerpt from the LA Food Times:

Cookie for crust

Yield

Ingredients

• 2  (5-oz.) cans evaporated milk
• 2  (3.4-oz.) packages lemon instant pudding mix
• 2  (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• 2  (3-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1  (12-oz.) can frozen lemonade concentrate, completely  thawed
• 1  (9-oz.) ready-made prepared graham cracker crust
• Garnishes: whipped cream, fresh mint sprigs, lemon slices

Preparation

* 4 cups ripe peach slices
    * 2 tbs.+ 1 tsp all-purpose flour
    * 2/3 cup sugar
    * 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
    * 9-inch unbaked pie shell 
  * 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
    * 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
    * 3 tablespoons cold butter
    * 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 425°F.

Prepare the praline topping by combining the brown sugar and 1/4 cup flour, and cutting in the butter with a pastry blender, until mixture has a crumbly texture. Stir in the chopped pecans. Sprinkle one-third of the mixture in the bottom of the unbaked pie shell.

Combine the sliced peaches, 2 tablespoons flour, 2/3 cup sugar and lemon juice, and pour into pie shell over praline mixture. Sprinkle remaining praline mixture evenly over peaches.

Bake for 45 minutes to 50 minutes, or until syrup boils in heavy bubbles that do not burst. Serve warm, with or without vanilla ice cream.

by Johanne Killeen and George Germon
of Al Forno Restaurant, Providence, RI
Makes 4 tarts

Another favorite recipe from Food TV’s, “The Best Thing I Ever Ate” – this one is for Dilly, she and hubby are our apple lovers, well, John, too.  Anyway, I saw this recipe on the show and the people eating it were totally orgasmic, so it must be good!!! Right??

Because these tarts are less bothersome to make than a pie — they take all of 30 minutes to make once you have the dough prepared — you can file them under easy-to-make. I bake them for weeknight dinners, brunches, picnics, even late-night snacks.—David Leite

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 pound cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup ice water
2 tablespoons sugar mixed with 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
2 Golden Delicious apples, peeled, cored, cut in quarters and sliced paper-thin
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, quartered

Vanilla ice cream, optional

Methodomg,
1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade, pulse the flour, sugar, and salt until blended. Add the butter cubes and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal with pieces no bigger than small peas, about 13 to 15 one-second pulses.

2. With the motor running, add the ice water all at once through the feed tube. Process for about 10 seconds, stopping before the dough becomes a solid mass. Turn the contents of the bowl onto a work surface, form into four equal-size discs, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for an one hour.

3. Preheat the oven to 450°F (220°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out each disc into a 7-inch circle and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

4. Spread one-quarter of the ginger mixture on each tart, then arrange one-quarter of the slices (about half an apple) in an overlapping circular pattern on top, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle the sugar evenly on top of the apples and fold over the borders. Most of the apples will remain uncovered. Press down the dough on the baking sheet, snugly securing the sides and seams to prevent drips. Dot the center of each tart with butter.

5. Bake for 20 minutes, or until the crusts are golden and the apples have begun to brown slightly. Cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes and serve warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

This is quite possibly the most amazing, fantastic pecan pie yet, girlfriends.  I was watching FoodTV, and chefs were talking about their very favorite desserts.  One of them was this recipe, from Brigsten’s Restaurant in New Orleans.  I was intrigued because it was made with roasted ground pecans in the filling.

So I went online, sure enough, I found not only the recipe, but a video from the Chef, himself!  Is this cool or what???

It looks identical to the one they showed on television, except they served it with a caramel sauce, instead of whipped cream, which would take it still to another level.  So I’ll try and find a caramel sauce, but in the meantime I couldn’t wait to post this.

Frank Brigsten is amazing in this video.  I think I’m in love!  He’s so calm, and explains things so well, he makes it look so simple. 

It’s not exactly pecan pie season, but this looks like a keeper for sure.  I’ll be trying it this fall.

Take time to watch the video, it’s so worth it…

Link to Pecan Pie with Fresh Whipped Cream Video

If you don’t have a current version of Adobe Flash Player, you will need to download it to access the video.  It’s worth the trouble, though, pinkie swear.  ~ jan

And here is the recipe…

Serves:  8

Cooking Time:  2 hours

For the Dough

    * 1 cup all-purpose white flour
    * 1/2 tsp salt
    * 7 tbsp cold unsalted butter, grated
    * 1/4 cup ice water

For the Filling

    * 1/2 cup darkly roasted pecans, ground
    * 3 eggs
    * 1 cup granulated white sugar
    * 1 cup dark corn syrup
    * 2 tbsp melted unsalted butter
    * 1-1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
    * 1/8 tsp salt
    * 1 cup medium pecan pieces

For the Whipped Cream

    * 1 cup high quality cream
    * 1/4 cup granulated sugar
    * 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Special Equipment

    * hand grater
    * 10" pie pan

How-to

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Make the Dough

   1. To make the dough, sift the flour and  salt into a mixing bowl.  Using the large holes of a hand grater, grate the butter into the mixing bowl with the flour mixture
   2. Lightly blend the butter and flour mixture with your fingertips until the texture is like coarse grits or cornmeal
   3. Add the ice water and blend well until thoroughly incorporated.  Be careful not to overwork the dough.  Form the dough into a ball and place it on a lightly floured cutting board
   4. Roll out the dough, adding flour as necessary, to 1/8" thickness.  Place a 10" pie pan face-down on the dough and cut the dough to fit the pan, leaving a border of about 1"
   5. Line the pan with the dough, crimp and trim the edges, and refrigerate until ready to use

Make the Filling

   1. In a mixing bowl, add the eggs and whisk until frothy, about 1 minute
   2. Add the sugar and whisk for 1 minute
   3. Add the corn syrup, melted butter, vanilla, 1/8 tsp of salt, and the ground roasted pecans.  Whisk until well blended.  Stir in the pecan pieces and blend well

Bake the Pecan Pie

   1. Pour the filling into the pie shell.  Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.  Reduce heat to 325 degrees and bake until the filling is browned on top and the crust is light golden brown, 30-40 minutes
   2. Remove from oven and cool at room temperature for at least 1 hour before serving

Make the Whipped Cream

   1. Have a stainless still bowl chilled in the refrigerator
   2. Whisk together cream, sugar & vanilla to stiff peaks

Ingredients

# 5 large egg yolks
# 1/4 cup cornstarch
# 3 to 3 1/2 cups heavy cream
# 1 1/2 cups sugar
# 1 vanilla bean, split and scraped
# 3 cups graham cracker crumbs
# 1/2 ripe banana, mashed
# 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
# 3 pounds of bananas, cut crosswise into 1/2-inch slices
# 3/4 cup caramel sauce
# 1 cup chocolate sauce
# 2 cups heavy cream whipped to stiff peaks with 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
# shaved chocolate
# powdered sugar

Caramel Drizzle Sauce
# 1 cup granulated sugar
# 1/4 cup water
# 1 cup heavy cream   

Chocolate Sauce
# 1/4 cup half-and-half
# 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
# 1/2 pound semisweet chocolate chips
# 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract   

Directions for the Pie

In a mixing bowl, combine the egg yolks, cornstarch and 1 cup of the heavy cream. Whisk to blend well. Set aside. Combine the remaining 2 cups cream, 1 1/2 cups of the sugar, and the vanilla bean in a large heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat, Whisk to dissolve the sugar and bring to a gentle boil, about 10 minutes.

Slowly add the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly until it thickens, about 5 minutes. Be forewarned: the mixture will break. Don't be alarmed! Pour it into a glass bowl. Press a piece of plastic wrap down over the surface of the mixture to prevent a skin from forming. Let cool completely at room temperature.

When cooled, remove the vanilla bean and pour the mixture into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a wire whip. Beat at medium-speed to combine the mixture. If it will not combine, warm another 1/2 cup heavy cream and slowly add it to the mixture. Whip until you have a thick and creamy custard.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, the remaining sugar and the mashed banana. Mix thoroughly. Add the butter and mix well. Press the mixture into a 9-inch pie pan. Bake until browned, about 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and cool, for about 10 minutes.

Directions for the Caramel Sauce

1. In a small, heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the sugar and water and bring the mixture to a boil, stirring often. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is a deep caramel color and has the consistency of a thin syrup, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from the heat. Stir in the cream, return the saucepan to the high heat and boil the sauce until it regains the consistency of a thick syrup, about 2 minutes. Cool.

2. The sauce can be refrigerated until ready to use. Allow it to reach room temperature before drizzling it over the pie.

Directions for the Chocolate Sauce

1. Combine the half-and-half and butter in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Heat the mixture until a thin paperlike skin appears on the top. Do not boil. Add the chocolate and vanilla and stir until the chocolate melts and the mixture is smooth.

2. Remove from the heat and let cool.

3. The sauce can be kept refrigerated for several days, but it must be returned to room temperature before serving.

Assembling Directions

1. To assemble, spread about 1/2 cup of the custard on the bottom of the crust. Arrange about a third of the banana slices, crowding them close together over the custard. Next, spread 1 cup of the custard over the bananas. Arrange another third of the banana slices close together over the custard. Top with 1 cup custard and the remaining banana slices. Top with the remaining custard, covering the bananas completely to prevent them from turning brown.

2. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours.

3. To serve, cut pie into wedges and drizzle on the caramel sauce and chocolate sauce. Top with the whipped cream and shaved chocolate. Sprinkle with confectioners sugar.

Yields: One 9-inch pie, 8 to 10 servings

Add the lemon juice to taste in step 2 according to the sweetness of your peaches. If ripe peaches are unavailable, you can substitute five 10-ounce bags of frozen peaches, thawed overnight in the refrigerator. The topping can be baked ahead of time, as directed in step 3, then cooled and stored in an airtight container. As directed in step 4, sprinkle the topping evenly over the fruit and continue to bake.
INGREDIENTS
Filling
3 1/2 pounds ripe but firm peaches (6 to 7 medium), peeled and pitted; each peach halved and cut into 3/4-inch wedges (about 6 1/2 cups prepared peaches)
1/3 cup granulated sugar (2 1/3 ounces)
1 1/4 teaspoons cornstarch
3-5 teaspoons fresh lemon juice from 1 lemon (see note above)
Pinch table salt
Pinch ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
Topping
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
1/4 cup granulated sugar (1 3/4 ounces) plus 1 tablespoon
1/4 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark), 1 3/4 ounces
1/8 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
6 tablespoons unsalted butter , cut into 6 pieces and very soft
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1. Adjust oven racks to lower and middle positions; heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. FOR THE FILLING: Gently toss peaches and sugar together in large bowl; let stand for 30 minutes, tossing several times. Drain peaches in colander set over large bowl. Whisk 1/4 cup drained peach juice, cornstarch, lemon juice, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in small bowl; discard excess peach juice. Toss juice mixture with peaches and transfer to 8-inch-square glass baking dish.
3. FOR THE TOPPING: While peaches are macerating, combine flour, sugars (reserving 1 tablespoon granulated sugar), and salt in workbowl of food processor; drizzle vanilla over top. Pulse to combine mixture, about five 1-second pulses. Add butter and half of nuts; process until mixture clumps together into large, crumbly balls, about 30 seconds, pausing halfway through to scrape down sides of workbowl. Sprinkle remaining nuts over mixture and combine with two quick pulses. Transfer mixture to parchment-lined baking sheet and spread into even layer (mixture should break up into roughly 1/2-inch chunks with some smaller, loose bits). Bake on middle rack until chunks are lightly browned and firm, 18 to 22 minutes.
4. TO ASSEMBLE AND BAKE: Grasping edges of parchment paper (following "Transferring the Baked Crumble" illustrations 1 and 2 below), slide topping over peaches and spread into even layer with spatula, packing down lightly and breaking up any very large pieces. Sprinkle remaining tablespoon sugar over top and place on lower oven rack. Increase oven temperature to 375 degrees and bake until well browned and fruit is bubbling around edges, 25 to 35 minutes. Cool on wire rack until warm, at least 15 minutes; serve.
1. After crumble is baked, lift short sides of parchment paper. (Crumble will break apart into uneven 1/2- to 3/4-inch pieces.)
2. Carefully slide broken crumble pieces onto peaches or apples, spreading into even layer with spatula.
STEP BY STEP: Overhauling Ho-Hum Peach Crumble
MACERATE
Problem: Bland peaches
Solution: Macerating the fruit in sugar and draining off excess juices helps to concentrate the peach flavor.
SEPARATE
Problem: Soggy topping
Solution: Baking the topping separately before sliding it onto the fruit filling keeps it crumbly and crisp.

Here is a lighter version of this recipe -

Topping
1 cup rolled oats
1/4 c flour
1/2 c brown sugar, packed
2 T unsalted butter, melted
pinch of cinnamon

Mix the above together, toast in the oven as called for in the CI recipe and follow the CI recipe for the filling and combining the filling and topping.

Recipe from Cook's Illustrated