Coconut and Banana Cream Pie

This is a recipe I've used before for coconut cream pie. This time I wanted to try it with a normal pie crust and a graham cracker crust since I prefer the graham cracker crusts. I also did the same with the banana cream pie. Most of the pie was gone when I remembered to take pictures so my mom took these of what was left of the pie. I love Marie Calendar's coconut cream pie but this is so much better!

Coconut Cream Pie

• 3/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 cups milk, scalded
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon coconut extract
• 1 cup coarsely shredded fresh coconut
  
• (I use 2 c. (1 3/4 c. in pie and 1/4 c. on top); I also toast it in the oven)
  
• 1 baked 10-inch pie shell
• 4 cups whipped cream

Preparation:

Combine cornstarch, sugar and salt; mix well. Gradually stir scalded milk into cornstarch mixture. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, and boil for two minutes, or until thickened and shiny. Add a small amount of the hot mixture to eggs and beat until well blended. Return to pan and beat for two minutes over medium heat until slightly thickened, being careful not to let mixture curdle. Remove from heat and add vanilla and butter, mixing until smooth. Place plastic wrap directly over filling; set aside to cool.
Add coconut extract and half the coconut to the cooled pie filling. Pour filling into pie shell; chill. Spread whipped cream over pie, mounding in center. Sprinkle with remaining coconut. Coconut cream pie recipe makes one 10-inch pie.

(To make a Banana Cream Pie omit the coconut and coconut extract and layer sliced banana's and the cream filling)

Graham Cracker Pie Crust

2 C. Graham Cracker Crumbs
1 stick butter, melted
2 T. sugar

Mix sugar and crumbs. Add butter and mix with fork until combined. Press in 10-inch pie pan and up the sides. Bake at 325 for 10 minutes. Cool.

Creamy Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta

Kaleb has never complimented my cooking as much as he did when I made this. He LOVED this dish (minus the mushrooms). He's always loved shrimp but he's not much of a sauce person. So I was crossing my fingers he would like it. He kept saying, "this is just so good, mom" as he was eating it. Ashton wasn't a fan of the shrimp but he loves mushrooms so it was a hit for him.

Creamy Shrimp and Mushroom Pasta
From: Chaos In The Kitchen

* 1 (8 oz) package fettuccine or linguine (I only had thin spaghetti on hand)
* 10 tbsp butter, divided (I know, but I’ve tried it with less and it’s just not the same)
* 8 oz fresh, sliced mushrooms (I used more than this because I love mushrooms)
* 2 garlic cloves, minced
* 3 oz cream cheese, cut into small pieces
* 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
* 1 tbsp fresh basil, chopped (you can use dried herbs if that’s all you have)
* 2/3 cup boiling water (from your noodle pot)
* 1 lb cooked shrimp (feel free to buy frozen-gasp!)

1. Boil and salt a large pot of water and cook your pasta. I usually only use about half of an 8 oz box, preferring fewer noodles.
2. While your pasta is cooking, cook your shrimp if necessary and reserve. If your shrimp are pre-cooked and frozen, quickly thaw them under running water.
3. In a large skillet melt 2 tbsp of butter over medium heat and saute mushrooms until soft and brown. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Reserve cooked mushrooms and melt remaining butter in the skillet. Add minced garlic, cream cheese, and herbs. At this point, I generally feel like something has gone terribly wrong. The cream cheese doesn’t really melt and starts to look almost curdled, don’t worry about it! It will all smooth out and be wonderful when we add the water. I promise.
5. Simmer cream cheese mixture until well blended. Get a scoop of boiling pasta water from your noodle pot and mix it in, stirring quickly to smooth out the sauce.
6. Keep sauce hot and add shrimp and mushrooms, mix well and make sure everything is hot-you wont ruin this sauce by accidentally boiling it so don’t worry.
7. Toss sauce with cooked noodles and serve.

I'll have to try more pasta dishes with cream cheese in them. I've never used it before in a sauce but it made the sauce really creamy. I've heard that Olive Garden uses it in their Alfredo sauce and that would make sense because it's the same thick, creamy texture.

I also made a cupcake cake from a mold a couple of weeks ago for a birthday. The mold was easy to use. The bottom section was chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache frosting and the top was strawberry cake with a cream cheese buttercream frosting.