Whoopie Pies with Buttercream Filling

Whooooopie!  

It's a whoopie pie!

A cake sandwich.

 Two delicious gobs of cake 

with a vanilla buttercream filling.  

We made regular ones and mini ones.

 

We rolled them in chocolate chips,

 

in chopped up Heath bar.

  and sprinkles!!!

We start with a few basic ingredients.
It is always nice to be able 
to make wonderful things with stuff
 that you already have on hand.

A quick tip: if you don't normally
 have buttermilk in your fridge,
you can cheat by making a simple substitute.
Put 1 tablespoon of vinegar in a measuring cup. 
Then add enough milk to measure 1 cup. 

The batter is ready to go.

We offset the mounds of batter
 so they have lots of room to spread out.

There are whoopie pies that are
 made with a marshmellow creme filling,
but we prefer a vanilla buttercream filling.

We have found the easiest way 
to fill the pies is with a cake decorating bag.
Fill the bag.

Snip off the end and your ready to fill!

 

Once your pies have cooled,

 line them up two by two.

Flip one over so it is the bottom.

 Pipe the filling onto the bottoms.

Add the tops 

and 

you have whoopie pies!

Whoopie Pies

Pies:  

2 cups flour

1/2 cup cocoa

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. salt

1 cup buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup brown sugar

1 egg.

Buttercream filling:

1/2 cup butter

1/2 cup white Crisco

1 tsp. vanilla

4 1/3 cups powdered sugar

2 Tbsp. milk

To make the pies:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Beat together the brown sugar and butter until light and fluffy.

Add the egg and beat until combined.

Combine the buttermilk and vanilla in separate bowl.

Combine the flours, cocoa, baking soda,

and salt in a separate bowl.

Slowly add the dry mixture and the buttermilk alternately.

Starting and ending with the flour.

Mix until smooth.

Spray cookie sheet with baking oil.

Scoop out mounds of dough (about 1/4 cup) on cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Less dough for minis.

Bake about 8 to 10 minutes.

Check a little sooner for minis.

 Let cool.

Buttercream filling:

Beat together the butter and Crisco.

Add vanilla.

Mix.

Slowly add the powdered sugar.

Mix well.

Add the milk until you have

 the consistency that you want.

Put filling on one of the upside down pies

 and then top with the "lid". 

Finish with remaining cakes and you have Whoopie Pies.

Wrap each individually in plastic wrap 

for a great picnic dessert

Enjoy!

Neiman Marcus Dip

This chunky little dip packs a lot of flavor 

for having so few ingredients.

We're not sure why it is called Neiman Marcus Dip.

Maybe because it taste so "rich"...

Like a million bucks.

Whatever the reason...it is good!

 It just takes 5 ingredients.

Fresh green onions straight from the garden.

Thanks Jeanne!

Shredded cheddar cheese.

We love the little hand held grater from IKEA. 

It holds all of the cheese inside, 

then you can put it anywhere 

you want it...on the chopping board, 

straight in a casserole, or right in a bowl. 

Easy as can be.

Chop the onions.

Grate the cheese.

Then dump in the bacon bits,

 almonds, and mayonnaise.

Stir and refrigerate for a few hours

 so all of the flavors blend together.

 Now if you have picky onion haters in your family

 like we do in ours... 

 (You know who you are Amber & Cory) 

 then just leave out the onions.  

 Usually when we make it we stir everything together

 but the onions, set aside some for the haters,

 then throw the onions in and mix.

Neiman Marcus Dip

5 - 6 green onions

 8 oz. cheddar cheese, shredded

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise

1 jar Hormel Real Bacon Bits 

1 pkg. slivered almonds

Chop the green onions.

Shred the cheddar cheese.

Mix the onions, cheese, mayo, bacon bits,

 and slivered almonds together.

Chill for a couple hours.

Serve with Ritz crackers or corn chips.

Enjoy!

 

 

Pecan Pie

This is the best pecan pie you will ever eat!

We love pecans
and 
we love pie.
But pecan pie....
there was just too much goo
 and not enough pecans.
All of that has changed!
 Last year we were introduced to this version.
It has a melt in your mouth flakey crust
and it is chock full of pecans!

If you are not a lover of the pecan pie then try this one.
You will change your mind.
Trust us!!

 Start with 2 cups flour, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 cup white Crisco.
It has to be Crisco.
The white kind.
Not butter or lard.
Crisco.

Work the Crisco in with a fork until crumbly.

Add 5 to 7 tablespoons ice cold water
 just until it holds together.

This recipe is suppose to make enough 
for a top and bottom crust,
 but we used 3/4 of it to make the bottom crust. 

Then you can use the rest to roll out 
and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar
 and bake for a few minutes to make
little cinnamon pie crisps.

Now for the pie filling.

Beat eggs with sugar, salt, corn syrup, vanilla
 and melted butter.
Then add the pecans...lots of pecans.
Enough so you have equal amounts filling and pecans.

Just look at all of those pecans! Yum!

Now don't judge our pie's fluted edge. 
It is going to taste just fine.
Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.

Pecan pie fresh from the oven.

 Pecan Pie

Crust

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup Crisco (white Crisco) 

5 - 7 Tablespoons ice water 

Filling

3 eggs

2/3 cup sugar

dash salt

1 cup dark corn syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup melted butter

3 cups pecans 

To make the crust:

Combine the flour and the salt.

Mix in the Crisco.

Work it in with a fork until crumbly.

Add the water just until the dough holds together.

Pat it out into a disc.

Divide in half to make two pie crust.

We usually use 3/4 of the crust for this pie.

Roll it out on a floured surface.

Put it into a pie plate and flute the edges.

To make the filling:

Beat the eggs thoroughly with

the sugar, salt, syrup,vanilla and melted butter.

Add 3 cups of pecans.

Stir.

An equal part of pecans and filling is good.

Pour into the crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes.

 Remove from oven and cool.

Enjoy!

Special thanks to our dear friend, Karel H.