Coconut Cream Pie

The last slice of birthday pie!
Made by my daughter Kate xox

My birthday was Friday, and it was a terrific day. As my chronological odometer rolled over from 58 to 59, I wondered how it would feel to enter my last year as a 50-something. One short year from now, I'll be officially "in my sixties" and leading up to that has me a bit apprehensive, but just a bit. If the start of this year of Sixty-Eve is any indication, life is only going to get better. I'm feeling so much better since embarking on this low-carb lifestyle. And there are other changes in the works: after 22+ years and two degrees earned, I just (finally!) jumped from support staff to administration and landed a dream job at Skidmore College where I have worked for decades.  I'll start work at my new position on April 1st.  Such great news...AND spring is almost here!

So, it was a great birthday, beginning with a small celebration at work. Toward the end of a crazy-hectic day (we're about to send out almost 8,000 decision letters to applicants to the College), I was asked to stop by an office upstairs to find that my co-worker Wendy brought in a carb-friendlier cheesecake, and the rest of the staff singing "Happy Birthday." They presented me with a card signed by all and it was a touching moment. We do this for each others' birthdays in our office, everyone assigned their own party planner, and this way we all get a little bit of a big deal on our special day. I loved it.

After work, I stopped by to see friends who toasted my birthday with a little bit of the bubbly (!) and after a sip or two left to meet my family at home for a bountiful and healthy dinner Katie put together, the crowning glory a coconut cream birthday pie, and a low-sugar, low-carb one at that!  Katie found the recipe at Diabetic Living online, and it was not only beautiful, but absolutely delicious and could take its place nicely among much more decadent desserts.  It was a light yet substantial coconut cream crowned in a pillow of sweet meringue, with a confetti of toasted coconut.  I can't even tell you how much I loved it, and have already put my order in for another one on my next birthday!

I'd like to share a little story about the day I was born, a memory my father shared with me when I was a little girl. It was Monday, March 15, 1954, and they were living in Dayton. My dad was 37 and my mom 35 at the time. He was headed out the door to work, saying good-bye to my mother, brother Michael, sister Patsy, and baby Steven, a year old just a week before. (Irish Catholic, no explanation necessary, and they went on to have 3 more after me!)  I was due to be born a month later, on April 15th.  Before he got out of the driveway, my mother called him back.  She was in labor. I was born a few hours later, a tiny 5 1/2 lb. baby girl with a ton of black hair and chubby cheeks. Seems I surprised my family that day, and apparently that's been my M.O. ever since!

Anyway, back to Coconut Cream Pie -- that was a nice surprise! And here's the recipe, followed by a photo of my grandboys and me, just about to blow out the candles!

COCONUT CREAM PIE
Diabetic Living

Ingredients:
Baked pastry shell (recipe follows)
3 eggs, room temperature, separated (whites must be out of fridge for 30 minutes, minimum)
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1 12-oz. can evaporated fat-free milk
3 tbsp. flaked coconut
1/2 tsp. coconut extract
1/4 tsp. cream of tartar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/3 cup sugar
2 additional tbsp. flaked coconut

Directions:
In heavy, medium sauce pan, stir sugar and cornstarch. Stir in milk and evaporated milk. Cook over medium/medium high heat until thick and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and quickly whisk 1 cup of hot mixture into the three egg yolks. Return egg yolk mixture back to pan; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and keep warm while you make the meringue.

In very clean mixing bowl, beat room temperature whites for 30 seconds until soft peaks form. Add vanilla extract and cream of tartar. Beat until stiff peaks form and meringue is thick and glossy, about 2 minutes more.

Pour hot filling into pie shell. Immediately spread meringue, sealing it to the edge of the pastry.  If it doesn't seal, the meringue will shrink and it won't be as pretty.  Sprinkle meringue with the last two tablespoons of coconut.  Bake at 350 degrees Farenheit for 15 minutes. Cool 1 hour on wire rack.  Chill 3-6 hours.  10 servings.

Pastry shell:
Oven, 450 degrees Farenheit
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
4-5 tablespoons very cold water

Combine flour and salt in bowl. Cut in shortening until it is the size of small peas.  With for, work in cold water, just a bit at a time, until the dough comes together.  Form into disk and chill.  When chilled, on floured surface roll into 12-inch diameter circle.  Fit into 9-inch pie plate.  Crimp edges.  Prick holes all over.  Line with a double layer of foil. Bake at 450 degrees Farenheit for 8 minutes.  Remove foil and continue to bake 5-6 minutes more until golden brown.  Cool.

Cupcakes for the boys, pie for me!
Who could ask for anything more?  Not me, that's for sure!
60, a year away - bring it on!!!

Nutritional information per serving (1/10th of pie)

Calories: 249
Fat: 10
Cholesterol: 66
Sat. Fat: 4
Fiber: 1
Protein: 7
Sodium: 147

Diabetic Exchange:
Other carbs: 2
Fat: 2

Winslow's and Coconut Cream Pie

Russ and I had dinner last night at Winslow's, just north of Saratoga Springs on Route 9.  We've been going there for years and have always enjoyed it.  We got there a little too late last night, though, because the chicken piccata special I ordered had run out.  Russ ordered their famous turkey dinner which is always consistently good.  My next choice was the smallest steak on the menu, a "junior" which was still about 13 ounces, and I ordered it "medium."  Paired with mashed potatoes and a broccoli/squash combo, it was a terrific meal.  Our waiter, Matt, was very apologetic because I didn't get my first choice, but I was happy.  In consolation, he told us that dessert was on the house.  I usually never order dessert, simply because after a salad and a meal, there's no way.  But last night I paced myself because I saw that coconut cream pie was on the menu.  I LOVE coconut, and in a creamy pie -- that's heaven.  We ordered our desserts and Matt came to me and said "You're not going to believe this..." to which I replied, "You're out of coconut cream pie."  Yep.  Matt said they felt bad about it so they were making one for me.  They made another coconut cream pie just so I could have my first choice.  Russ ordered a slice of peanut butter fudge pie. He really liked his dessert, but soon after we left the restaurant he had regret -- he'd eaten too much and was in pain!  (Russ is 6'4" and 175 lbs.  He can eat dessert every day and be just fine).  It was a matter of capacity, and he exceeded his own.

Anyway, in honor of attentive service if not inadequate supply of first-choice menu items, today I am posting a recipe for coconut cream pie from allrecipes.com.   My adaptation is to use real whipped cream for the topping, rather than the frozen, whipped stuff. (Original Recipe Yield 1 - 9 inch pie)

COCONUT CREAM PIE

Ingredients

3 cups half-and-half
2 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flaked coconut, toasted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked

1 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed (*Make it better:  use real heavy cream, whipped and sweetened)

Directions

1.In a medium saucepan, combine half-and-half, eggs, sugar, flour and salt. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in 3/4 cup of the coconut and the vanilla extract. Pour into pie shell and chill 2 to 4 hours, or until firm.

2.Top with whipped topping (preference: real whipped cream), and with remaining 1/4 cup of coconut.

3.Note: To toast coconut, spread it in an ungreased pan and bake in a 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.
Photo credit:  http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Old-Fashioned-Coconut-Cream-Pie/Detail.aspx