Chocolate Brownie Peanut Butter Mousse Pie... with Chocolate Ganache

This pie is gorgeous and delicious, and WAY easier than you'd think!

There ARE a lot of steps, but it isn't terribly time consuming, and you can split the steps up over a day or two so it isn't too bad. And besides, who doesn't like chocolate and peanut butter?!

Mmmmm.

Chocolate Brownie-Peanut Butter Mousse Pie

1 box brownie mix*, plus ingredients to make according to package directions
3/4 c. smooth peanut butter
4 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. vanilla
3 Tbsp. milk
1/2 c. powdered sugar, sifted
2/3 c. + 1/2 c. heavy cream, chilled, divided
1/2 c. dark chocolate chips
Special equipment: 9" springform pan

Preheat oven to 350*. Line springform pan with foil and grease foil. (I take the bottom piece out, put a big square of foil over it, then clamp the top piece on with the foil still sticking out. It makes removal infinitely easier.) Prepare brownie mix according to package directions. Pour into springform pan and bake 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let cool completely. Meanwhile, make peanut butter mousse. With an electric mixer, beat together peanut butter, cream cheese, vanilla, and milk until smooth (ish) and fluffy. Add powdered sugar and beat together. In a separate bowl, beat 2/3 c. heavy cream to stiff peaks. Working in batches (it should take 3-4 times), fold whipped cream into peanut butter mixture. Cover and chill for at least one hour.

LEAVE BROWNIE IN PAN. Smooth peanut butter mousse evenly over cooled brownie. Cover and refrigerate at least an hour (preferably 3-4 hours or overnight). When ready to serve, run a knife around the edge of pan, unclasp and remove top portion. Using foil handles, lift brownie from bottom portion of pan and place on serving platter.

Make ganache: Heat 1/2 c. cream in microwave until almost boiling. Pour over chocolate chips and leave until chips are totally melted. Stir together until smooth and glossy. Pour into plastic baggie, snip off one corner, and drizzle over pie. Drizzle extra ganache over individual pieces of pie if desired.


*Yep, I totally cheat here. I haven't found a homemade brownie recipe that I think is significantly better than the boxed. I use Betty Crocker Fudge Brownie mix, and just mix according to the package directions.

Potato Chowder - Slow Cooker!

This potato chowder is amazing for two reasons: it's incredibly delicious, and it's incredibly easy. (Not everything has to be healthy, right? Especially when it's comfort food? ...that's what I tell myself anyway.)

Whenever I know I'm going to have a long day and I won't want to cook at the end of it, I get this started in the morning. It needs to cook for at least 8 hours, but it's so worth the wait!

Serve this delicious chowder with pepper, shredded cheese, crumbled bacon (I cook mine in the microwave for easy cleanup and fat drainage), and snipped chives for that mild onion flavor.

While I LOVE this soup in the winter or on a cold rainy day, there's NEVER a day that I make it and wish I had made something else. By the way, for those following the picky palate of my brother, he LOVES this one. (It probably has something to do with the bacon, but hey - he still loves it!)

If you have any leftovers, they're delicious the second day. Past that I wouldn't know - they don't last around here!

Slow Cooker Potato Chowder

8 c. peeled, diced potatoes (about 5 large russet potatoes)

1/3 c. chopped onion

3 (14-oz.) cans chicken broth

1 can cream of chicken soup

Pinch salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

8-oz. package cream cheese, cubed

Bacon (cooked and crumbled), shredded cheese, and snipped chives, for garnish

In a slow cooker, combine the first 6 ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or until potatoes are tender. Add cream cheese; stir until blended. Turn slow cooker to high for 15-20 minutes to help melt cream cheese. Garnish with bacon, cheese, and chives, if desired.

The Law School Gourmet

Be sure you check out thelawschoolgourmet.blogspot.com.

I'd love to make the cake or treats for your next get-together.

I can also make treats for the next time you teach Sunday School / Relief Society / Priesthood, and make you look super amazing to all the wardies. ;)

Extreme Chocolate Cheesecake

Coming soon: Creme Brulee Cheesecake, Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake, Carrot Cake Cupcakes

Minestrone (Italian Soup with Pasta)

I've mentioned before that my dear brother (with whom I live) is a very picky eater. In fact, picky doesn't begin to describe it. So whenever I make a dish and he turns around and says, "This is good! ....I would eat this again. ....Yeah, you can make this again," I KNOW I have a winner! This soup really is very delicious and incredibly healthy! I've marked it as a vegetarian dish because 1) most of us aren't strict vegetarians and 2) bacon/pancetta doesn't count as meat if it's only used as a flavoring, right?! ;)

This dish does require a bit of prep work, but because there's a 6-8 minute lapse between adding the onion/carrot/celery mix and the zucchini/potato/bean/tomato mix, it's pretty easy to get everything put together.

Also, this makes a TON of food. I have a 4.5-quart Le Creuset (mmm... I LOVE my dutch oven! But that's for a later post), and it was literally full to the brim - look at the last picture! That's about 18 cups of soup, in case you weren't counting.

I also love that this dish has pasta in it. If I had more room in the pot, I would have added more. As it is, the dish was still delicious and I can't wait to devour those leftovers.

Just look at all that food!!!

I served this soup with crescent rolls (yep, the kind from the tube... we love them around here) but it would easily stand alone or go with a salad or a grilled cheese.

Try this soup! You'll be glad you did.

Minestrone

1 c. (4 oz.) ditalini pasta, cooked to al dente, tossed with olive oil (to prevent sticking)

Extra-virgin olive oil
6 c. chicken stock
1/4 lb. pancetta*, diced
6 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp. red chile flakes, or more or less to taste
2 c. finely chopped yellow onions
1 c. small-diced celery
1 c. small-diced carrots
1/2 tsp. dried thyme or rosemary, crushed
14-oz. can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
14½ -oz. can crushed tomatoes
4 c. small-diced zucchini
2 c. small-diced, peeled russet potatoes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 c. freshly grated Parmesan

In a 6-qt. saucepan over high heat, heat 2 Tbsp. oil. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add pancetta and cook until it begins to brown, 3 to 4 minutes, turning occasionally. Add the garlic and chile flakes; cook 1 minute. Lower heat to medium and add onion, celery, and carrots. Cook until vegetables are soft, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add herbs. Raise heat to high. Add beans, tomatoes, zucchini, potatoes, and chicken stock; bring to a boil. Lower heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender, 12 to 15 minutes, skimming off any foam. Season generously with pepper. Add salt, to taste. Just before serving, add cooked pasta. Serve warm with Parmesan and olive oil passed at the table.

*Pancetta is essentially an Italian bacon. It is very delicious and you can find it at most deli meat counters. If not, or if you don't want to spend the money, you can easily substitute a few slices of bacon, diced.

Homemade Oatmeal - with pictures!

So I'll admit upfront that oatmeal just doesn't photograph well. But is delicious and healthy (except when you choose the mix-ins that I do!) and I'm convinced that seeing pictures will make you want to try it. :)

Start with steel-cut oats - look for them in a package like this, or find them in a bulk bin.

This is what steel-cut oats look like - not exactly what you're used to!

Mix 1 1/2 oz. oats and 3 oz. water in a small saucepan and simmer for about 20 minutes with a pinch of salt.

Pick your mix-ins. I, for one, like my breakfast to taste like dessert, apparently.

Oh, my.

Finished product.

Try it - you will NEVER go back to that packaged stuff again!