Coconut Cream Pie

I have been craving coconut cream pie since the day before Mother's Day. They had samples at Costco. It was so good. I sat and debated whether or not I should get one. I decided against it since my mom was coming over for dinner and is allergic to milk. I decided it would be mean to have such a yummy dessert that she wouldn't be able to eat.

Since Mother's Day, I have been to Costco many times. Every time I go look at the coconut cream pie. Every time I decide that I don't need it. Plus, it's HUGE and I really don't need that much of it. So, I decided to make my own.


It was delicious. Looking at the pictures makes me want to make another one to eat. I found some recipes online and modified them for the ingredients I had and what sounded good.

Crust (I kind of made up my own recipe that sounded yummy)

Vanilla Wafers
Almonds
Shredded Coconut
Butter

I added everything to my food processor until crumby (I didn't really measure, I just added things in the ratios I thought they'd be good). I pressed into the 9" pie pan and baked on 350 for about 8 minutes.

Filling

1 1/2 c. coconut milk
~3/4 c. whole milk
~3/4 c. heavy whipping cream
~3/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 c. corn starch
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 c. flaked coconut

Make a custard by mixing coconut milk, milk, cream, sugar, salt, corn starch, and eggs. Heat and medium heat whisking constantly for ~20 minutes until thickened (you want it very thick). Remove from heat and mix in vanilla and coconut.

Pour into crust and let set in fridge for at least a couple of hours (I made 2 pies and the one that set overnight was better).

Topping:
~1 c. heavy whipping cream
2 Tblsp powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 c toasted coconut

Toast coconut in 350 degree oven for 5-7 minutes on cookie sheet (stirring as needed).
Whip cream, sugar, and vanilla until stiff peaks form.

Put cream on top of pie filling. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Serve. Yum.
3/4 c. flaked coconut

12.5 lbs

Garden update: As of today, I have harvested 12.5 lbs from my garden (radishes, lettuce, and peas). There are 2 peppers (about 4 and 1.5 inches), almost all of the pepper plants have buds, 4 tomatoes that are about golf ball size, and 3 squash plants that are flowering.

This picture was from last week.


Since then, I picked quite a few radishes and a few heads of lettuce to make room for some additional pepper plants (bringing my total to 11 plants) and zucchini (bringing total of plants to 7). The newly transplanted zucchini is not looking so good though. Squash transplants can take awhile to set and I'm hoping that I didn't put them in too late. (The additional plants were all free, however. So if they don't make it, it's not too big a loss.)

This is my garden today (after picking):
Today's harvest: 1 lb 10 oz radishes, 1 lb 3 oz peas

Many people have asked me how I am weighing my produce. I use my kitchen scale. Here it is in use weighing my daughter when she was 2 weeks old (Yes, she still had her cord and was just 6 lbs 11 oz. Hard to imagine her being that small now).