MoonPie, Mardi Gras, & Mobile!

Moon Pies are a very Southern snack food, and Moon Pies in their packaging are thrown from floats during Mardi Gras in Mobile, AL, and other towns along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. They might not have the allure or shine of purple (justice) green (faith) and gold (power) beads, but they are a tradition, and people covet them--and they're great to eat! Catching items from floats means good luck, but sometimes, as in this case, it means a tasty treat!

I have a friend from Mobile, Alabama, and Moon Pies are definitely a Mardi Gras throw there. The first group to throw these chocolate covered marshmallow treats were the Maids of Mirth in 1956. The Chattanooga MoonPie company supplied the MoonPies after crackerjack boxes were banned because of dangerous sharp corners, and the MoonPie became a traditional "throw" of Mardi Gras krewes in Mobile, Alabama. The westernmost outpost of the Moon Pie as an important Carnival throw is Slidell, Louisiana, which has a parade by "The Krewe of Mona Lisa and MoonPie." The Moon Pie Company actually now offers smaller bite size individually wrapped MoonPies for throwing off floats.

So what is a MoonPie? Although it's often mistaken for a Whoppie Pie, it's not the same thing at all! A moon pie is a sandwich composed of brittle soft crumbly graham crackers and thick soft spongy marshmallow and then covered with rich dark chocolate.

The Moon Pie Brand began in 1917 with its trademark registered on Jan 1, 1919 in Chattanooga. According to the MoonPie Company, the story goes that Earl Mitchell, Sr, a bakery salesman, visited a company store that catered to coal miners. The Miners wanted something solid and filling because they didn't get time to break for lunch. About how big? he asked. A miner held out his hands, framing the moon, and said, "About that big!" When Mitchell returned to the bakery, he notices some workers dipping graham cookies into marshmallow & laying them on the window sill to harden. The idea of adding another cookie and a generous coating of chocolate was tried, and samples of this new MoonPie were distributed. It had a great response and became a regular item for the bakery.

During the 1930s, the MoonPie found its place in Southern folklore as part of the 'workingman's lunch." Coal miners and laborers could enjoy the biggest snack on the rack, a MoonPie, and a 10 oz RC Cola, each for a nickle. This inspired the 1950s country music hit "Give me an RC and a MoonPie. Double Decker MoonPies with three cookies and two layers of marshmallow appeared during the 1960s, and they were easier for vending machines.

So if you're in Alabama or Louisiana for Mardi Gras, try to catch some MoonPies!

Want to make your own Moon Pies? Here are some recipe links.

BrownEyedBaker
TidyMom
Delish
Serious Eats

KEY LIME PIE WITH CHOCOLATE GRAHAM CRACKER CRUST: National Key Lime Pie Day!

Key Lime Pie is one of my favorite pies. There seem to be several different Key Lime Pie Days (September 23, 26, and June 15). You pick... or have this easy delicious pie whenever you want. I'm going with September 26 for the purposes of this blog!

Several years ago during a trip to the Florida Keys, my sister and I tasted over 25 different key lime pies. We judged them on tartness, firmness, sweetness (too sweet is unacceptable), whipped cream vs. meringue, and crust. It was a hard job, but we had to do it. 

FYI: Key Lime Pie is the official pie of the Florida Keys.

I've made different variations of key lime pies, and, as I always say, you can never have too many recipes. Variety is what it's all about. One ingredient that is essential is using real key limes.

I buy key limes at my market. Key Limes are definitely different from 'regular' limes. Key limes are smaller, about the size of a ping-pong ball. They are round, think-skinned, and contain very few seeds. They're juicier than other limes, too. Green key limes are actually immature fruits. They ripen to yellow as they mature. That being said, I buy them green, probably because that's they way they sell them at my market. Just an FYI: bottled Key Lime juice is sometimes used in Key Lime Pies. This juice is not always made from key limes. Find fresh key limes, if you can. It will make a huge difference.

Key limes are also known as Mexican limes and West Indies limes. Cultivated for thousands of years in the Indo-Malayan region, this variety made its way to North Africa and the Near East via Arabian traders, and then carried on to Palestine and Mediterranean Europe by the Crusaders. Columbus is credited with bringing the Key lime to Hispaniola (Haiti), where it was carried on by Spanish settlers to Florida. Key Limes are found in in South Florida, particularly the Florida Keys, hence the current common name of Key Lime. Due to hurricane-depleted soils, locals switched from pineapple commercial crops to limes in 1906, and business boomed until a hurricane once again reared and wiped out the lime groves, never to be restored. Sadly, even if they had been, they would be gone again after several other hurricanes. Most Key limes now come from Mexico.

Key Lime Pies are yellow, not green (unless you add food coloring--ugh!). And, some people top Key Lime Pie with Meringue.. some with whipped cream!

Key Lime Pie with Chocolate Graham Cracker Crust

Ingredients

Crust
1 1/2 cups crushed chocolate graham crackers
3 Tbsp sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
Spray pan with non stick spray.

Filling
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
2/3 cup fresh squeezed Key Lime juice
1 Tbsp grated Key Lime zest

Directions

Crust
Mix together crumbs and sugar in bowl, add butter, and mix well. Press into bottom and up sides of  9-inch pie pan. Make it tight.
Bake 350 F for 8 minutes.
Allow to cool on a wire rack.

Filling
Beat egg yolks and grated Key Lime zest for about 5 minutes until fluffy.
Add sweetened condensed milk and beat for 4 more minutes.
Reduce speed and beat in lime juice until combined.
Pour into prepared chocolate graham cracker crust.
Bake at 350 for 15 minutes (until firm in center)
Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.
Cover and chill for 2 hours.
Top with Whipped Cream or Meringue (whichever you prefer)

CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER WHOOPIE PIES: National Peanut Day!

Today is National Peanut Day. I have many fond memories of the Peanut. My nickname as a child was Peanut. Only one person called me that, but she was so special to me. She was address me as Peanut and chuckle.

I also loved Mr. Peanut. I couldn't wait to see him when we went down the shore. Mr. Peanut would walk the boards, shaking hands with all and sundry. I'm sure I believed he was a large peanut.... but that's another post. So if you want to celebrate National Peanut Day, eat some chocolate covered peanuts. It's easy to dip them in chocolate.. of course, remove the shell. The saltiness of the peanuts goes so well with dark chocolate.

But if you want to take it a step further, mke this recipe for Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies and serve them on a bed of salted peanuts!. I love Whoopie Pies whatever their origin. See a previous post on Whoopie Pies. The following recipe is from Martha Stewart's recipe for miniature Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies. As always use the very best chocolate, and in this case the best cocoa, too. Same goes for the peanut butter. The better the products, the better the taste.

Here's a tip for Presentation: Serve the Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies on a bed of peanuts. And, you can also sprinkle the Whoopie Pies with confectionary sugar!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Whoopie Pies

For the Cookies:
1 - 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup unsweetened DARK cocoa powder, not Dutch-process  (I use Ghirardelli)
1- 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt (Kosher salt)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed dark-brown sugar
1 large egg
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling:
2/3 cup natural, creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup umsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
Coarse salt, optional

Directions
Make cookies: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt in small bowl; set aside.
Put butter, shortening, and sugars in bowl of electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg; mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in half flour mixture, then milk, and vanilla. Mix in remaining flour mixture.
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake until cookies spring back when lightly touched, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks using a spatula; let cool completely.

Or you can use a Whoopie Pie Pan (I have several): Whoopie Pie Pan post

Make filling: Put peanut butter and butter in bowl of electric mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Mix on high speed until smooth. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add confectioners' sugar; mix until combined. Raise speed to high, and mix until fluffy and smooth, about 3 minutes. Season with salt, if desired.

Assemble cookies: Spread 1 scant tablespoon filling on bottom of 1 cookie. Sandwich with another cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies and filling. Cookies can be refrigerated in single layers in airtight containers up to 3 days. Bring to room temperature before serving.

CHOCOLATE FRIED HAND PIES: Fried Pie Day

Who doesn't love Pie? Fried Pie? Oh, yes.. Chocolate? Be still my heart ... literally. Chocolate Fried Hand Pies! What a great way to celebrate Fried Pie Day!

CHOCOLATE FRIED PIE!

Ingredients:

Chocolate Pudding (filling) 
1/2 cup Dutch unsweetened cocoa powder
1-1/8 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
3/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups milk
1-1/2 cups half & half
2 tsp pure vanilla
2 tsp butter
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Buttermilk Crust 
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp sugar
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
 2/3 cup shortening
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 egg
1 Tbsp water

Directions:

Chocolate Pudding

Filling 
In medium saucepan, mix cocoa, sugar, cornstarch, and salt, whisk well. Gradually add milk and half & half to dry ingredients in saucepan. Whisk until smooth and well blended. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly. Bring mixture to a boil and boil for 1 minute, remove from heat.
Add butter, vanilla, and chocolate chips.
Whisk until chocolate and butter is melted, pour into bowel and place plastic wrap pressed onto surface to prevent skin and refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours.

Pie Dough/Crust 
Mix all dry ingredients and cut in the shortening. Beat egg with buttermilk and add in all at once. Stir just enough to form a ball. If it feels like you are forcing it into ball, you made need to add 1 more tablespoon of water. Roll out dough 1/8-inch thick, cut your shapes with cookie cutters (heart shapes for Valentine's Day?). Place 2 to 3 tablespoons of cooled pudding, brush water around edge of bottom dough. Gently stretch top over bottom, press edges down with fingers and crimp with fork.
Fry for about 1-1/2 minutes on each side in hot oil.
If using a deep fryer, total frying time is about 3 to 3-1/2 minutes at 365.
If you bake, brush tops with a beaten egg or milk & bake for 20-22 minutes at 425.

STRAWBERRY MOON CHOCOLATE PIE

Last night was the June Full Moon. It's called the Strawberry Moon. Yes, all the full moons have names. This Full Moon got its name from the Algonquin tribes who used it as a signal to gather the ripening wild strawberries. To celebrate, make this easy Strawberry Moon Chocolate Pie! It will also be perfect for Fourth of July!

STRAWBERRY MOON CHOCOLATE PIE

Ingredients
1 box (9 oounces) thin chocolate wafer cookies, crushed
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
4 egg yolks
2/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 cups milk
8 oz bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1/2 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons sugar
Fresh strawberries

Directions
In medium bowl, mix cookie crumbs and butter. Press mixture firmly and evenly in bottom and up side of ungreased 9 1/2-inch glass deep-dish pie plate. Freeze 30 minutes.

In another medium bowl, beat egg yolks with fork; set aside. In 3-quart heavy saucepan, mix 2/3 cup sugar and the cornstarch. Gradually stir in milk. Heat to simmering over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium. Slowly stir half of hot milk mixture into egg yolks; return mixture to pan. Cook over medium heat about 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Remove from heat. Immediately stir in chocolate and vanilla until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Spoon filling into crust. Press plastic wrap on filling. Refrigerate at least 8 hours or until set.

In chilled small bowl, beat whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sugar with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Spread whipped cream over filling to within 1 inch of crust.

Top with ripe strawberries, point side up to fill whole whipping cream surface.