Creamy Peanut Butter Pie, A Food Blogger's Request & Remembering Mikey

Creamy Peanut Butter Pie

in Memory of Mikey

Photo & Information Courtesy of: http://www.foodista.com/blog/2011/08/12/a-peanut-butter-pie-in-memory-of-mikey

Food Blogger, Jennifer Perillo from In Jennie's Kitchen recently lost her husband, Mikey, to a sudden heart attack. Many of us who follow her blog do not know her personally, but still grieve for her and her girls in their tremendous loss. Jennie has asked anyone and everyone in her personal blog post to make Mikey’s favorite dessert, Creamy Peanut Butter Pie, in his memory. Food Bloggers are a "sharing, caring" type of people and recognize that we are one big family knit together not only by our love for food, but our love for family and tradition. How many of us are using recipes handed down by a loved one...or make a special dish for a special someone in our life and think of them each time we make it? One of my favorite foodie quotes is from Laurie Colwin, author of several books including Home Cooking (1988) and More Home Cooking (1993)...she left us at only 48 years old:

"No one who cooks, cooks alone. Even at her most solitary, a cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks past, the advice and menus of cooks present, the wisdom of cookbook writers."

I think we are also surrounded by the memories of those who lovingly cooked for us and those for whom we lovingly cooked. Share this recipe with the ones you love today because you don't know if you will get a tomorrow. Today is the only guarantee we have. This one is for you, Mikey.

Creamy Peanut Butter Pie
(recipe from In Jennie's Kitchen)
Serves 10 to 12
8 ounces chocolate cookies
4 tablespoons butter, melted
4 ounces finely chopped chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup chopped peanuts
1 cup heavy cream
8 ounces cream cheese
1 cup creamy-style peanut butter
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs. Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well. Press mixture into the bottom and 1-inch up the sides of a 9-inch springform pan.
Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave. Pour over bottom of cookie crust and spread to the edges using an off-set spatula. Sprinkle chopped peanuts over the melted chocolate. Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
Pour the heavy cream into a bowl and beat using a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks form. Transfer to a small bowl and store in refrigerator until ready to use. Place the cream cheese and peanut butter in a deep bowl. Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar. Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and filling is smooth.
Stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream into the filling mixture (helps lighten the batter, making it easier to fold in the remaining whipped cream). Fold in the remaining whipped cream. Pour the filling into the prepared springform pan. Drizzle the melted chocolate on top, if using, and refrigerate for three hours or overnight before serving.

Mikey...a Picture Taken by Jennie

on their Last "Date"

Jennie Now Wears His Wedding Ring

Around Her Neck

Photo Courtesy of: http://www.injennieskitchen.com/2011/08/for-mikey.html