Fire in the hole!

      I will admit I am a pretty good cook. Growing up, I spent long hours at Nanny's side, learning how to make good, old fashioned farm food. Nothing fancy, just plain, wholesome food, much of it raised right here on the farm. So tonight I thought I would try a new dessert. It is a "S'more Pie", and has a rich chocolate layer on a graham cracker crust, with broiled marshmallows on top. The filling came out perfectly, so I spread the layer of marshmallows on it and popped it into the oven to lightly brown the top and melt the marshmallows.
       It wasn't long at all when I heard the stove start a continual beep. I thought, " Huh, I must have hit the timer when I set it to broil." As I got up from the table to go check and see if it was done yet,  I noticed the stove's panel read "F1" and it kept blinking. "Huh," I said again. "What do you think that means, Cliffy?" I asked as I opened the door. Well, apparently it stands for FIRE, as yes, my dessert was burning like a bonfire when I opened the oven door.
      "CRAP!" I exclaimed, as I dragged out the pie and set it down on top of the burner. Liam jumped up from his chair by the stove, afraid for some unknown reason. I didn't know why. I took my pot holder and kind of beat down the flames, and stood back looking at my new dessert. My little mini marshmallows looked like dark, cultivated blueberries scattered over the top. Now, if you read yesterdays blog, you know darn well if I wasn't going to let a coyote killed turkey go to waste, I was sure as heck not going to waste chocolate! After all, chocolate is the base of my own personal food pyramid.
      What did my beloved have to say to all the fireworks he had witnessed? I believe it was as follows, and I quote.."I'm surprised that's the first time you've seen that F1 message in all the years you've had that stove." Funny guy, my Cliffy. I took a fork, and carefully peeled off the blackened marshmallows, and brought the "not quite as pretty as the picture on the recipe" pie to the table. Oddly enough, I was the only one that wanted to eat some. And perhaps even more oddly, except for the occasional crunch of blackened marshmallow, it was quite tasty. I think my kitchen bloopers are inherited because, even though my grandmother was a great cook, she too had a few mistakes in the kitchen.
       There was one time she was preparing a delicious Thanksgiving dinner at her house next to the farm. The whole family was there to eat, and all except my sister and I were in the livingroom, laughing and chatting as Kim and I helped Nanny get dinner on the table. Back in those days, we not only cooked a turkey for dinner, but also a roast pork and gravy. Us farm folks were good eaters! We were bustling around the kitchen, setting the table, mashing potatoes and turnip, and getting everything ready. Nanny reached in the oven and took out the roaster. She set it on the stove and took off the cover. There was the succulent roast pork, all golden and yummy looking. I got her the platter and she took the meat out and set it on the platter. Then she picked up the platter of meat to go set it on the table. As she made her turn, platter in hand, it happened. That golden brown, juicy cooked to perfection pork roast, slid right off the platter and into the sink of hot, soapy water.
       Kim, Nanny and I all froze. Nanny looked down at the now empty platter in her hands, and then at me. I looked at Kim, and then at the sink full of water. Suddenly, we were jolted out of our coma by Nanny swearing, something she NEVER did. We all rushed to the sink, and watched as Nanny plunged her hands into the water and pulled out the dripping, sudsy, sparkling clean pork roast. I turned on the water, and Nanny rinsed off the meat. Kim held out the platter and Nanny plopped the meat on it, then grabbed a paper towel and started to blot it dry. By now, we were ALL trying not to bust a gut from laughing. From the living room came, " Everything all right out there??" "Oh yes," my grandmother said, as she rushed to the spice draw and took out the "Bells Seasoning" she uses on her pork. She gave the meat a liberal shake, and a sprinkle of fresh salt just as people started to file into the kitchen. Kim and I tried not to let on anything, as we finished getting the food on the table.
      Everyone sat down, grace was said, and we all started to pass the food around the table. Once everyones plates were full, the good natured laughing and chatting stopped and  the family started to eat. We had only just begun, when my mother exclaimed " Ma, this is the best pork I've ever had." As everyone nodded in agreement, Kim and I burst out laughing, as we told them the story of how our dinner was washed before it was served.
     I thought I would include a photo of tonights dessert and the recipe for those people that like S'mores. It is a very rich, chocolatey good pie. However, I would caution everyone..The marshmallows? Yeah, they brown very quickly, and should smoke roll from your stove? Its done.

                                    S'More Pie

One graham cracker pie crust
one cup heavy cream
8 oz semi sweet chocolate -chopped or use choc chips like I did..no chopping!
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups mini blue, oh, umm mini marshmallows

 Put your chocolate chips, or choc pieces into a bowl, then     
 Bring the cream just to a boil. Pour it over the chocolate chips.
 Let it sit for 5 minutes, then whisk until it is smooth. Then whisk in eggs,
 and vanilla. Pour into shell and bake at 350 degrees, until it is set. When ready to serve, pour the marshmallows over the top.Turn your oven on broil, with the rack set 5 inches from broiler. Place pie in oven and DONT TURN YOUR BACK ON IT. As I was just reading the recipe to write this, the last line says.."Broil until toasted, watching carefully to prevent scorching, approx 20-30 seconds. NOW they tell me......
     

Comments

  1. Wow- they do look like Blueberries!

    As for Thanksgiving dinner - that was the only time I ever recall Nanny saying a bad word! I think it was also that meal prep that she also somehow knocked her glasses off. It was a fun feast!

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  2. The adventures that Carmen writes about at Homeland Farm are true, and they happened just the way she shares them. Knowing this makes your imagination run away with itself. Maybe you can think of similar experiences and will make you grin, smile or even give you an out belly laugh. Enjoy!

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