If you get in a quandary about a dessert this spring I highly recommend the delicious blender pies. Place everything except the coconut into the blender and then stir the coconut in by hand, poof, you’ve got a great pie. However the best part is when unexpected company pops over you can have a pie made and baked within 60 minutes. The mess is kept to a bare minimum and you can tidy the house while the pie bakes! Wait…..this week that statement was totally false! I would say 95% of the time the mess is kept to a bare minimum. While I was making this pie Saturday night the blender decided to quit. In the poor blenders defense I’ve owned it since about 1986. I was so thankful I had a hand blender because it saved the day. And…I had more to clean up than usual.
This week our office was present at ‘Pinwheels for Prevention’, held at the Branson Recplex. 20-30 agencies were present to promote the prevention of child abuse. One business associate said she had never heard of blender pie and asked me if I would run it in the upcoming column. Well, I am to please.
If you get on line you will find lots of versions of this pie style. Today when I made the pie I made a small change, I used half and half instead of milk. And, my bisquick was expired so I added about 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder to the mix.
You will find many simple recipes on line for making your own form of ‘Bisquick’.
Make your own and keep it in the deep freezer. I’ll let you know at the end of the column if I liked it better with the half and half or not.
This week I decided early to chatter a little about dining changes since the arrival of Covid. My biggest ‘beef’ has been the use of all the plastic and paper products. We are going to have plastic utensils in our environment way past some of our lifetimes. As a chef I’ve always known that you can’t beat the dishwasher for sanitation. Especially commercial dishwashers. My culinary team served many dinners in past years and we washed all our silverware 3 times, and air dried. This was also before 2019. Have you ever tried to eat fried chicken with a plastic fork, it’s not easy. How about senior adults and their challenges with eating in the later years. My ‘diagnosis’ is society used the Covid challenge as a reason to be lazy. True, some places were required to use the plastic, but I’ve also noticed many have continued. One of the things my good friend, Sharon Short, taught me about entertaining and catering was: ‘Use real plates & silverware.’ When you are building your kitchen foundation consider big dinners especially with silverware and dinner plates.
The paper and plastic spent on parties can often raise the end outcome by a great deal of money. Use real tablecloths that wash, dry and fold. (Call me I have PLENTY, I make them myself.) Visit flea markets and purchase extra dishes for big family events. Purchase silverware from a restaurant supplier.
I’m aware some may disagree because they don’t want to wash dishes. Also; in some homes the extra storage for dishes becomes an issue. It’s all about personal choice, but I’ll still be carrying the banner for the environment.
Have an outstanding week my friends, enjoy the sunshine and for those of you in the Ozarks, cover the outdoor furniture, the yellow season (pollen) has arrived!
Simply yours, The Covered Dish. www.thecovereddish.com
Blender Pie
2 cups milk, usually I use 2%*
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup biscuit mix
1 cup baker’s angel flaked coconut, I prefer sweetened to not
4 large eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
Combine milk, sugar, biscuit mix, eggs, butter and vanilla in the electric blender, cover and blend on low for 3 minutes. By hand, stir in the coconut. Pour into a well- greased 9 inch pie pan. Let stand about five minutes and then bake at 350 degrees for approximately 40 minutes. The pie is done when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm or cold. I like to serve this with a small dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkling of cinnamon or nutmeg on top. You could also toast additional coconut and sprinkle it over the whipped cream. Serves 6-8 persons.
*May use all half and half, or 50/50 on the dairy. Both work. 2 cups of milk works fine too.
