Passing on Pie

This past summer at our family reunion in Oceanside, CA, my nieces helped me make 9 chocolate pies. I couldn't have done it without them. Jessica and Darcy were great to measure and stir (and stir and stir and stir) and poor and scrape and lick and then start all over again. The pie was the perfect end to our meal of chicken fajita enchiladas, green salad, tortilla chips with freshly made salsa, and refried beans. We served about 50 happy people. I hope the girls learn to love making pies as much as I do.

Double Chocolate Cream Pie

(Cooking Light magazine)

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa

3 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 cups low fat milk

1 large egg, lightly beaten

1 1/2 ounces semisweet chocolate, grated

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups frozen whipped topping

To prepare filling, combine 3/4 cup sugar, cocoa, cornstarch, salt and milk in a medium saucepan; stir well with a whisk. Cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute until mixture comes to a full boil. Gradually add 1/3 cup hot milk mixture to beaten egg; stir well. Return egg mixture to pan. Cook 2 minutes or until mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Remove from heat; add grated chocolate, stirring until the chocolate melts and mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla. Spoon mixture into pastry crust. Cover surface of filling with plastic wrap. Chill until set, (about 2 hours). Remove plastic wrap; spread whipped topping evenly over filling.