Chocolate Cream Pie

Sometimes a smell, a taste, a song can take you right back in time. I took one bite of this chocolate cream pie and I was back in time. At Bill and Janice VZ's on New Year's Day having cream pies for dessert, right there. After a day of crab cocktails and ham dinner, Dads watching football, Moms playing pinochle and kids playing we had ham sandwiches and cream pies in the evening. This pie is the chocolate cream pie.

I didn't get the recipe from my Mom but it has to be close.

It tastes real close. And really good.

Chocolate Cream Pie

1 (9") baked pie shell*

1/3 c. Hershey's cocoa

1 1/4 c. sugar

1/3 c. cornstarch

1/4 tsp. salt

3 c. milk

3 T. butter

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Sweetened whipped cream

*Pie Crust

1 1/2. c. flour

3/4 tsp. salt

2 T. milk

3 T. sugar

1/2 c. oil

Mix with a fork and press in a pie pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Watch closely.

Cool.

*I use this pie crust recipe for my fresh raspberry pie, coconut and banana cream pies. It's easy and has a sweet, salty crunch. And it doesn't need to be rolled, just pressed.

For the pie filling, combine cocoa, sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Blend in the milk; cook and stir with a whisk over medium heat until it boils. Boil and stir for 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and blend in the butter and vanilla. Pour into pie shell and press plastic wrap onto surface. Chill 3-4 hours. Serve with the sweetened whipped cream.

*Tips:

1. Stir like crazy, stir until your arm hurts or the pie filling will scorch.

2. Do not walk away from the stove or set down the whisk. Really.

3. Use the best cocoa and the best vanilla you can afford. Always. Forever and always. Amen.