My mother is from Germany and has taught me from little on that a meal isn’t complete unless you have something sweet to finish it off. Not too great for the waistline but my taste buds say thank you every time.

In order to be prepared for impromptu guests or coffee with the girls, I try to keep this great tasting pie in the freezer at all times:

Chocolate Candy Bar Pie:
Ingredients:

1/2 cup milk
1 (4-ounce) chocolate bar with almonds
18 large marshmallows
1/2 pint heavy whipping cream
1 prepared graham cracker crust

Directions:

In the top of a double boiler (a stainless steel mixing bowl over a pan of boiling water can be used if you do not have a double boiler) melt the chocolate bar, milk and marshmallows.

Whip the whipping cream in a bowl until stiff and fold this into the chocolate mixture. Pour into the crust and refrigerate until cool. When cool, store in freezer until time to serve. At the start of dinner remove the pie from the freezer and set on counter top. The pie should be thawed by the time the meal is over and its time for dessert.

Another great thing about this pie recipe is that it only requires 4 ingredients plus the pie crust and if stored in a freezer container, can be kept frozen indefinitely.

Chocolate Winslow’s Chocolate Candy Bar Pie is always a big hit at potluck dinners and bake sales. Find your next great dessert recipe at http://womenlovechocolate.info

Guiltless Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato Pie is always a Thanksgiving and Christmas favorite. And with one minor ingredient substitution, you can change this favorite from a fat and calorie negative to an acceptable low-fat treat. This change can also be made to your favorite pumpkin pie recipe. The change I am referring to is the simple switch from using canned evaporated milk in your pie to using plain soy milk. While making this change does not affect the texture or flavor of sweet potato pie, soy milk has about one – third the calories of canned evaporated milk. Remember the soy milk should be plain and not vanilla flavored.

Pie Crust:

1 deep – dish pie shell, 9” unbaked

Pre-made pie shells are convenient and readily available, however they are not difficult to make. One simple recipe is:

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

½ cup canola oil

5 tablespoons cold water

Mix flour and salt well. Add water to oil then mix with flour. Roll the crust dough between two sheets of waxed paper. If you dampen the counter top, it will prevent the waxed paper from sliding while you roll the crust. This recipe will easily make one 9” deep-dish pie shell.

Filling:

¾ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon (ground)

½ teaspoon ginger (ground)

¼ teaspoon cloves (ground)

2 large eggs

2 ½ cups cooked and smashed (unseasoned) sweet potatoes

1 ¼ cups plain soy milk

Mix all dry ingredients well. Add eggs, sweet potatoes and soy milk.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake for 15 minutes at 425 degrees then lower the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 45 minutes. Place the pie on a cooling rack and allow it to cool for 2 hours before serving or refrigerating. Just like pumpkin pie, sweet potato pie can be served with a low-fat whipped topping and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon.

Mary Spargo Marquez was first published in 1994 and writes about a variety of topics. She has a degree in Computer Science and has been employed in business, state government, and for a national laboratory. Please visit her at http://usefulideas.info.