Butterscotch Pie

Cold outside....   Brrrr....  need something comforting and classic.  I find this time of year, when the weather is cold and I'm inside more, I turn to those classis recipes that are always in favour.  I have been making this classic Butterscotch Pie for many, many years.

It's not low-fat, nor is it healthy, but sometimes that's okay.  A little sliver of pie is just what this weather calls for.  Bathing suit season be damned.....

Not my best meringue!  I can do better, really I can.

This recipe is from Betty Crocker Classics cookbook (1980).   Told you I've been making this pie for awhile!

Ingredients:

• 1  9" baked pie shell
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 cups milk
• 4 egg yolks, slightly beaten
• 2 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tsp vanilla

Put egg yolks in a large glass mixing bowl or saucepan, as you will be adding the hot mixture to the egg yolks when ready.

Mix sugar, cornstarch and salt in saucepan.  Stir in milk gradually.  Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils.  Boil and stir 1 minute.  Stir half the hot mixture gradually into the egg yolks.  Blend this mixture back into the saucepan.  Boil and stir 1 more minute.  

Remove from heat, stir in butter and vanilla.  Pour into pie shell, press plastic wrap over filling.

You can leave the pie as is or top with whipped cream or meringue as I did above.

Singapore Noodles

I admit that I'm not generally a big curry fan, but in this case, it really adds a special zing to the dish.  

This dish is light and healthy.  Chocked full of vegetables, it's a welcome change at this time of the year.

Ingredients:
8 oz rice vermicelli noodles
1 Tsp hot curry powder (I used medium hot and it had a bite still)
2 cloves garlic
1 inch fresh ginger (I didn't have any so didn't use it)
3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 bunch bok choy (I used baby bok choy)
4 medium carrots
12 oz bag bean sprouts
1 bunch green onions
1/4 soy sauce
1 tsp sesame oil
1 chili garlic sauce (optional)

Place the dry rice noodles in a bowl and cover with room temperature water.  Let soak for 15 minutes.  Drain in a colander after they have soaked and are softened.  Return the noodles to the bowl, cut the noodles into pieces (approx 6" in length) to facilitate stir frying later.  Sprinkle the noodles with the curry powder and toss to coat.  Set aside.

Combine the soy sauce, sesame oil and chili sauce in a separate bowl.  Set aside.

Meanwhile, prepare all of your vegetables.  Peel and mince the garlic and ginger, julienne the carrots, wash and thinly slice the bok choy, rinse the bean sprouts and slice the green onion.

Heat vegetable oil in a wok over high heat.  When the pan is hot, add the garlic and ginger and stir fry quickly and briefly, about 1 minute.  Add the vegetables, reserving some green onion for garnish.  Stir fry the vegetables until they begin to soften.

Add the noodles to the pan and stir fry for 1-2 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and add the wet ingredients.


Notes:

• I added thinly sliced sweet onion to the dish.
• I also added cooked chicken.
• Don't let the curry intimidate you - it was good!
• I'm not sure where I got this recipe from, so if it's yours or you know where it came from, I'd like to give credit to the chef.....