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FOOD FOR THOUGHT |
| • | Chili supreme |
A recipe we ran a few weeks back using a mouth-watering (but diet-busting) Ritz cracker crust recalled to Sharron McMorrow's mind a dish her piano teacher made up. She hasn't made it in a long time, she said: "It's so old that there was no Cool Whip when it was devised." But she has used Cool Whip in recent years.
This pie, which goes together very quickly, begins with a light, sweet, crunchy nut meringue, baked just until it sets and is topped with coffee-flavored whipped cream or Cool Whip. It is delectable, with a very pleasing contrast of textures.
My husband loved it, threatening dire consequences if I took the leftovers into the office as is my habit when I test desserts; he wanted it all to himself. However, it was a little sweet for my taste. When I make it again, I'll reduce the sugar in the egg whites to 3/4 cup and dispense with it altogether with sugar in the Cool Whip. If using whipping cream, I'd add a tablespoon or so of powdered sugar; it's the coffee that really makes the mixture. I'm also considering adding a very thin layer of melted bittersweet or semisweet chocolate between the meringue and the whipped topping.
ELIZABETH'S PIE
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter or spray a 9-inch pie plate. In a bowl, combine beaten egg whites and sugar and beat until stiff but not dry. Stir in vanilla, Ritz crackers and pecans. Pour into prepared pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees 25 minutes. Cool on rack. Whip together whipping cream and powdered sugar. Beat in instant coffee. Spread over cooled pie. Chill 2 hours and serve.
Makes 8 servings.
• Per serving: 330 calories, 30 g fat, 8 g saturated fat, 40 mg cholesterol, 95 mg sodium, 35 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 29 g sugar, 3 g protein
The last recipe we ran with Ritz crackers used them in a crust that was composed solely of crackers and butter, a sturdy underpinning for a 9-by-13-inch pan of lemon ice cream cake.
I thought I'd share the standard Ritz cracker crust recipe in case you wanted to try it with a chilled, unbaked pie filling of some kind. Because of the sugar, it's a bit lighter-seeming and more crumbly than the other. If you, like me, have trouble with standard pie crust, this standby works well.
RITZ CRACKER CRUST
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, toss together crumbs and sugar. Pour a slow stream of butter into the mixture while tossing with a fork. Press into a 9-inch pie plate, molding to bottom and sides (pressing an 8-inch pie plate into the mixture can help with this). Bake for 10 minutes.
• Per serving: 220 calories, 14 g fat, 6 g saturated fat, 20 mg cholesterol, 275 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 7 g sugar, 2 g protein
Send recipes and queries to Wanda A. Adams, Food Editor, Honolulu Advertiser, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. Fax: 525-8055. E-mail: wadams@honoluluadvertiser.com.
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