I got this great recipe from Robert Gourley's (caramel lady) daughter. Looks like she got it from Cook's Country.   Haven't made it yet but Michelle tells me that it is fantastic and that everyone asks for the recipe.
Take the time to Watch This Recipe (link below).  It's worth it!

French Silk Chocolate Pie

February/March 2009

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Why this recipe works:We wanted a French Silk Pie recipe with ramped-up chocolate flavor that didn’t call for raw eggs. Testing showed that only real eggs would do, but rather than incorporate them raw, we cooked them with sugar on the stovetop, almost like making a custard. Once the egg and sugar mixture was light and thick, we removed it from the heat and continued whipping it until it was fully cooked. Bittersweet chocolate folded into the cooled egg and sugar mixture boosted the chocolate flavor. And to lighten our French Silk Pie, we incorporated whipped cream into the filling before spooning it into the pie shell.

From our TV Show Watch This Recipe Once an award-winning recipe, this no-bake pie has an incredible light and fluffy texture-but we wanted to amplify the chocolate flavor.
Season 4: Icebox Desserts

Serves 8 to 10

You will need a fully baked pie shell for this recipe. Use your favorite pie dough or use our No-Fear Pie Crust recipe (related). Serve with lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Ingredients

• 1 cup heavy cream, chilled
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces and softened
• 1 (9-inch) pie shell, baked and cooled (see note)

Instructions

• 1. Whip cream: With electric mixer on medium-high speed, whip cream to stiff peaks, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer whipped cream to small bowl and refrigerate.
• 2. Beat eggs: Combine eggs, sugar, and water in large heatproof bowl set over medium saucepan filled with ½ inch barely simmering water (don’t let bowl touch water). With electric mixer on medium speed, beat until egg mixture is thickened and registers 160 degrees, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove bowl from heat and continue to beat egg mixture until fluffy and cooled to room temperature, about 8 minutes.
• 3. Beat, fold, cool: Add chocolate and vanilla to cool egg mixture and beat until incorporated. Beat in butter, a few pieces at a time, until well combined. Using spatula, fold in whipped cream until no streaks of white remain. Scrape filling into pie shell and refrigerate until set, at least 3 hours and up to 24 hours. Serve.

Great pasta sauce last night!

Jen and I made a great pasta sauce last night.  Veggies (2 red pepper, 2 green peppers, 1 onion) all blended so kids like this sauce.  Cream makes it a bit creamy.  Here's the recipe:

Sausage Pasta Sauce - makes a lot!  Eat it for one meal and freeze the rest for another meal later.

• 2 pounds Johnsonville® Ground Sausage
• 2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 medium sweet red peppers, chopped
• 2 medium green peppers, chopped
• 6 to 8 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 cans (29 ounces each) tomato sauce (6 8-oz. cans)
• 2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) Italian stewed tomatoes, drained
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1-1/2 pounds uncooked bow tie pasta
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• Shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink; drain and set aside. In a Dutch oven, saute the onions, peppers and garlic in oil until tender. Stir in the tomato sauce, tomatoes, brown sugar and seasonings. Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a blender, process tomato mixture in batches until smooth. Return to the pan.  Add sausage; heat through. Gradually stir in cream. Cook and stir over low heat for 5 minutes. Drain pasta; top with sauce. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 12 servings.

We have been making cupcakes lately. Here are two very good recipes. Lindzi is here from Hawaii and is very enthusiastic about cooking. Aimee is our resident expert on cupcakes. I just love to bake so we have a great combination going. Here's the recipes: (sorry no pix - they all got eaten)

Lemon Curd Cupcakes

Curd:
3 T. plus 1 1/2 t. sugar
3 T. fresh lemon juice
4 1/2 t. butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 t. grated lemon peel

Cupcake batter:
3/4 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1 t. grated lemon peel
1 1/2 c. cake flour
1/2 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. salt
2/3 c. buttermilk

Frosting: (we used fresh whipped cream with a little lemon juice and lemon peel. We extruded it through the tips I gave some of you for churros - zigzag cut 1/2 inch opening. Looked great. Garnished the cupcakes with lemon zest.
2 T. butter, softened
1/2 t. vanilla extract
pinch of salt
2 c. confectioner's sugar
2 to 4 T. milk
grated lemon peel, optional

Make the curd first. In heavy saucepan cook and stir sugar, lemon juice, and butter until smooth. Stir a small amount of hot mixture into egg; return all to pan. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring constantly; cook minutes longer or until thickened. Stir in lemon peel. Cool for 10 minutes. Cover and chill until thickened.

Cupcake batter: In large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each one. Add vanilla and lemon peel. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk.

Fill paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 full. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until middle springs back when touched lightly. (We made 24 cupcakes which were only 1/2 filled. Bake only 15 minutes or so.)

Cut a small hole in the ziplock bag; insert a small round pastry tip. Fill bag with lemon curd. Insert tip 1 inch into center of each cupcke; fill with curd just until tops of cupcakes begin to crack.

Frosting: Combine butter, vanilla, salt, and confection's sugar and enough milk to achieve frosting consistency. Frost cupcakes. Or whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add confectioner's sugar, and grated lemon peel. Lindzi added a bit of lemon juice as well. Pipe this on top of the cupcakes in a circular motion. They look fantastic - like Martha Stewart herself made them.

These cupcakes were delicious, especially with the lemon curd in the middle.

Here's the second recipe:

Fluffy Key Lime Cupcakes with Whipped Cream topping - 24 cupcakes

Cupcake batter:
2 1/4 c. cake flour (cake flour has less protein - you can substitute reg. flour but you may have a less tender cupcake)
1 T. baking powder
1/2 t. salt
1 1/4 c. buttermilk
4 large egg whites at room temperature (this makes the cupcakes a very white color)
1 1/2 T. fresh lime zest
1/2 c. unsalted butter at room temp (salted ok)
1 T. fresh lime juice
1 t. key lime extract (didn't have any so we used lemon extract - anxious to try key lime)

Preheat oven to 350. Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together the buttermilk and egg whites in another bowl. Put the sugar and lime zest in a mixer bowl and rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is moist and fragrant. Add the butter and with the paddle attachment beat at medium speed with a stand mixer until ingredients are light and fluffy. Beat in the extract and lime juice, then add one third of the flour mixture, still beating on medium speed. Mix in half of the buttermilk-egg mixture, then beat in half of the remaining dry ingredients until incorporated. Add the rest of the buttermilk and eggs, mixing until the batter is well mixed, then add the last of the dry ingredients. Continue beating the mixture for another few minutes to ensure that the batter is thoroughly mixed and well aerated. (I actually disagree with this. My philosophy is to barely stir when adding the flour so you don't develop the gluten.) Divide the batter evenly between the prepared liners, filling each about 3/4 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes. or until the cupcakes are well risen and springy to the touch and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. (It only took 13 minutes for our cupcakes to be done. Allow to cool in the pans for a few minutes and then transfer to wire rack to completely cool.

While cupcakes are cooling, prepare the whipped cream. Using a standing mixer fitted with the balloon whisk attachment, whip the chilled heavy cream on high until it just holds soft peaks. Slowly sprinkle in the sugar until you reach a thick consistency. Add in the zest and whip until combined. Fill a piping bag with a fitted tip. Pipe on the whipped cream on top of the cooled cupcakes. Garnish with additional lime zest and lime slices.

These were delicious! I'm really not a cake fan, but these cupcakes were irresistible. Try them. Love to all, AA

OK, so how did that happen?  I thought I was adding to this blog and it came up as an entirely different blog called Ann Takasaki blog.  I want to continue adding to this blog.  Help!