Side Dish - 7th Mar

Side Dish from ABC, Brothers & Sisters.

Easy as Pie

Anyone who says “Easy as Pie” has never made a pie from scratch.

But like I’ve said all along slow food is good food and I’m sure that frozen pies are delicious, but I’ll take one baked with love by a real woman named Mrs. Smith any day of the week.  Maybe the phrase “easy as pie” came about because pie is so easy to eat….  

But I know that making pies can be time consuming. If you make an apple pie, for example, I know what it’s like to face a huge pile of apples looking to be peeled and sliced.  

And some friends (you know who you are Justin Walker!) have criticized my blog for featuring recipes that are too complicated. So, for Justin (and anyone else like him) here is a recipe that you can make – well perhaps “assemble” is a better word – using things you can easily buy in a grocery store. Of course I encourage you to make everything from scratch, but if you can’t do that feel free to just go to the store, buy these five simple ingredients and throw together a dessert that will dazzle.  Even better? It’s a simple recipe that you can even get the kids involved with…  Maybe I‘ll make this with Olivia?  

(Since I am really from Mississippi – and no doubt have friends there who read this blog – my apologies in advance for bastardizing a recipe so beloved in my home state…)  

EASY MISSISSIPPI MUD PIE  

Ingredients
·         1 store-bought chocolate pie crust
·         1 quart coffee ice cream, softened
·         1 tub whipped cream
·         1 package slivered/sliced almonds
·         1 can chocolate syrup  

Instructions
1.      Put softened ice cream into piecrust and smooth.
2.      Pour chocolate syrup over smoothed ice cream until the top is covered with a layer of the syrup (you will not need the whole can).
3.      Place in freezer until set (approx. 20 min.).
4.      Spread on whipped cream (enough to cover pie).
5.      Drizzle with chocolate syrup, and sprinkle with almonds. Return to freezer to set for about 1 hour.