happy valentine's day

I'm making a flipping ice cream cake.

I told Justy B. if this baby didn't come by today, I was making a dang ice cream cake.  Except I sent it via text.  And when I text, I spell things wrong.  And one of the things I spell wrong is ice cream.  My texting brain thinks it's one word [it also thinks "every time" is one word.  It's a phenomenon I cannot explain].  I accidentally taught my phone to spell "ice cream" as one word.  However I taught it in caps lock so I told Justin:

If this baby isn't here by Friday, I'm making a dang ICECREAM cake

Anyways.  Layer one is in the freezer.  I bought gluten free chocolate cookies to make into fudgie crunchies.  This is going to be unhealthy.  And contribute to the three pounds I gained in the past week.  Seriously, I'm winning at gaining weight.  I can't wait for dessert.  I don't even care about dinner.  Which is steak on the grill.  Which we're having because I love Justin.  I'm still not sure how I feel about the grill.

Also we meet with the doula tomorrow.  And I'm going to try and find someone to walk around the mall with me.  And I'm getting a pedicure next week.  And I'm in such a better mood today and yesterday than I've been in lately about being pregnant.  Also, don't even start a sentence with the word "and".

For a final comment on the day, when I was at the old Hyvee grocery store, there was a creepyish guy walking around with ZERO groceries.  He just kept popping up.  He gave me those creepy, skeeved out feelings.  I was on the phone with my mom, so someone would know if I got abducted.  Although I'd be an annoying adductee, all pregnant and whiney like this.  Anyway, as I was walking to find some tea tree oil, I looked ahead of me and lo!  There he was, with his hand down the back of his pants scratching his bum.  And now you're skeeved too.

a week of traditions

This week we lost the matriarch of our family.  My mother and her brothers have gotten to spend a few days this week together remembering their mom.  I've been blessed by having a job allowing me to spend the whole week with my family.  We've been honoring my Grandmother's memory all week starting with a Kessler's and ginger ale toast Tuesday after her prayer service.  Last night we had a taco feast with margaritas, because those were her second favorite drink.  And for dessert I made her date nut pudding.

If you've never had date nut pudding, you may be imagining a creamy viscous liquid pudding.  This is not the case with this pudding.  It is a more traditional English pudding studded with soft dates and nuts.  It's honestly the easiest dessert ever.  I love taste inspired memories.

Recipe:

1 cup chopped dates

1 cup chopped nuts [pecans or walnuts]

1 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 cup milk [dairy, almond, coconut, soy...]

1 tsp. vanilla

1 Tbl. gluten-free flour [just rice flour would be fine in this case, but my mom had an already made blend, so I used that.  this is not the situation in which you can substitute in a nut flour]

Method:

Combine all ingredients into a bowl until well combined.  Pour into a greased glass baking dish (size 7x11 is ideal but 8x8 would do).  Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes or until top is golden brown and no longer jiggly.  

Enjoy as is.  

Or with whipped/ice cream.  Or my favorite way, cream drizzled over the top.

Reese's Peanut Butter Pie

I have a cousin-in-law [is that what you call them?] named Reece whom I lovingly call Reecey-Pie just to get his goat.  He and my Brother-in-law [I know that one is right], JB, have been kicking some major bum this season in football.  In fact, Thursday is the state final game for their little town.  The team is a great group of boys playing their hearts out and I'm so glad to be in-law-related to some of them.  I'm so blessed to have married into such a wonderful family.  J and I are playing hooky on Thursday to cheer the boys on and hope with the rest of the town, no joke, that they'll finish up this year with an undefeated season.  It means a lot to them, they're all playing for another cousin-in-law [or whatever they're called] of mine that is cheering them on from heaven.  Win or lose, these boys have done amazing.  They continuously bring tears to our eyes for their hard work and awesome team spirit.

Tears aside, this post is about one of my favorite desserts.  

Reese's Peanut Butter Pie. Oh my.

Recipe:

1 package of instant chocolate pudding

1 1/2 cups almond/soy/coconut/regular/rice milk

2/3 cup of peanut butter

1 package of cool whip

8-10 regular sized reese's peanut butter cups

1 cookie pie crust

or

2 cups graham or cookie crumbs with 6 Tbl of melted butter (graham only add 2 tsp of sugar)

Pre-bake the crust at 350 for 8-10 minutes if it is not a store bought crust.

Combine pudding, milk and peanut butter and whip for 2 minutes.  The stand mixer with whisk attachment is super convenient for this recipe.  Chop up the Reese's while the pudding mixture is whipped and set aside about 2-3 peanut butter cups worth for sprinkling on top.

When the pudding mixture starts to thicken, remove from mixer and fold in entire carton of cool whip and the rest of the Reese's.

Pour in cooled pie crust, sprinkle garnishing Reese's, cover and freeze for at least 3 hours.

Cut.  Eat.  Think about what heaven will taste like.  Imagine that it's going to taste like peanut butter pie.  Share the pie with someone.  Agree that it's the best thing you've ever eaten.  Share your theory about heaven.  Be happy.

Oh.  And here is the real deal Reecey-Pie

My brother-in-law [JB] is the blonde football player in the middle.  Reecey-Pie is the handsome baldish football player.  Look at that wonderful family I acquired.  Lucky girl.