Frozen Chocolate Velvet Pie

Frozen pie crust

3/8 c white corn syrup

1 1/2 T water

1 1/2 T vanilla (yes, Tbs)

1 bag semi-sweet choco chips (use the best you can find....I like Guittard)

1 c chilled sweetened condensed milk (don't forget to put in fridge ahead of time)

1 pint heavy whipping cream

Cook pie crust and set aside. (I found that the cheap thin crust works better for this pie than the better thicker crusts) Barely boil corn syrup and remove from heat. Add choco chips, water, and vanilla and stir till melted. Let cool for a few minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add milk and cream. Blend on low until well mixed and then on med/high until soft peaks form. Pour into pie crust and stick in the freezer. Take it out a few minutes before you cut it.

There ya go!

Butternut Squash Risotto

Ingredients

• 6-8 cups chicken broth (use vegetable broth for vegetarian option, and gluten-free stock for gluten-free version)
• 5 Tbsp unsalted butter, divided into 4 Tbsp and 1 Tbsp
• 1 sweet onion, finely chopped
• 2 cups butternut squash, peeled, and finely diced
• 2 cups arborio rice (can substitute medium grained white rice, but arborio is preferred)
• 1 cup dry white wine (such as Sauvignon Blanc) (I used white cooking wine in the vinegar section)
• 1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves of garlic (which goes in with the onion) OR 2T of minced chives (which go in at the end)
• 1 teaspoon salt

Method

1 Heat broth in medium sized saucepan and keep warm over low heat. Melt 4 Tbsp of butter in a large saucepan; add onion, garlic, and butternut squash. Cook over medium heat until onion is translucent, about 5 minutes.
2 Add rice to onion and squash. Cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add wine. Cook, stirring constantly until wine has been absorbed by the rice or evaporated. Add a few ladles of broth, just enough to barely cover rice. Cook over medium heat until broth has been absorbed. Continue cooking and stirring rice, adding a little bit of broth at a time, cooking and stirring until it is absorbed, until the rice is tender, but still firm to the bite, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3 During the last minutes of cooking, add remaining tablespoon of butter, 1/3 cup Parmesan (I add about 3/4 of the cup of cheese), and chives (I've never used chives, so I just include garlic at the beginning). At this point the rice should have a creamy consistency. Add salt to taste. Serve with remaining grated Parmesan.

This is SOOOO good. I've made it 8 times, and every time it's been delicious (I even made it at Sean's and he admitted it was good).

NOTE 1: Costco sells butternut squash pealed and cubed which is WAY easier than using the real thing.  I chop their chunks more finely.

NOTE 2: Just as good with sweet potato instead of butternut squash

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Prep Time:

30 min

Inactive Prep Time:

--

Cook Time:

50 min

Level:

Easy

Serves:

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 egg
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.

To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.

Serve with fresh whipped cream.

We made this at Brie's house in 2010 and it was the favorite dessert of the night.....well, maybe it tied with frozen chocolate velvet pie.