Family Recipes: Inspired by Mom – Chocolate or Vanilla Cream Pie

Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday and school (and, if you were lucky, work) break! The Christmas decorations are all put away! Everyone in my family is back to their normal routine, school and work, activities and homework. I want to thank everyone for continuing to follow me on my blog in 2015! I am almost approaching my 1 year anniversary for Home Sweet Mama Mia! In 2016, I will continue to share family recipes, simple recipes I find in books and online and use often, crafts and activities with my kids, some of my daughter’s baking and craft ideas and, of course, simple ways to get more organized in your busy life!

This week, I wanted to share a recipe I brought to our cousin’s house for a Christmas Day dessert. It is a recipe that I learned from my Mom many years ago. She made this recipe for many birthdays and special gatherings in our family. She actually found this recipe in the cookbook her old blender came with…a Waring brand blender she received as a wedding shower present almost 42 years ago! She does not have the Waring blender anymore, but she still makes this awesome recipe for Chocolate OR Vanilla Cream Pie. Over the years, we have both simplified the recipe by using store bought graham cracker pie crust and whipped cream topping (we all love short cuts!)…but we have never been able to replace the creaminess of the middle … the made-from-scratch pudding center! So here is a recipe passed on by my Mom, which I am sure both of my children will be saving… A true fan favorite!

Chocolate OR Vanilla Cream Pie Recipe  (Inspired by my Mom and her old Waring blender’s cookbook- that she still has!)

Ingredients: 2 tbsp flour, 2 tbsp corn starch, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 cup sugar, 3 egg yolks, 1 tsp vanilla, 1 tbsp butter (melted), 2 cups hot milk, 1/4 cup cocoa (Use ONLY for the Chocolate Cream Pie Recipe), a graham cracker pie crust*, and whipped cream* (*Use your own homemade crust and whipped topping recipes. I use Keebler’s Ready Crust Graham Pie Shell and Cool Whip.)

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients except for the hot milk in a blender. (Add cocoa at this time if you want to make a Chocolate Cream Pie, for the Vanilla Cream Pie, omit this ingredient.)
2. Pour hot milk into blender after about 15 seconds of blending other ingredients. Blend again.
3. When all of the ingredients are blended together, pour into a saucepan on the stovetop. Stir on low heat for about 5 minutes or until thickened.
4. Pour into crust and cover with plastic wrap.
5. Let cool and refrigerate for about 2 hours.
6. Top with whipped topping. Serve cold. Tip: Top with mini chocolate chips, fruit, or graham cracker or cookie crumbles.