Brighten Holiday Spirits With My Special Chocolate-Peppermint Mallow Pie!

Delicious Chocolate-Peppermint Mallow Pie!

Baking something sensational to serve your family and friends for the holidays is easier when you have a really great recipe at your fingertips like my Special Chocolate-Peppermint Mallow Pie.  Imagine cooked chocolate-pudding like filling with mini marshmallows and shredded coconut melting through that velvety mix spiked with peppermint extract and bourbon vanilla to play off that dark deliciousness.  The taste is a decadent chocolate indulgence that you won't be able to resist once you get your first bite.

You simply pour this cooked filling into a prebaked pie shell and will later cover and chill it in the refrigerator.  Please use my oil pie crust recipe if you haven't tried it yet.  No joke, readers, this is the ultimate foolproof pie crust recipe that you will ever come across. 

Even if you never baked a pie before, your crust will turn out flaky with this simple recipe that I am sharing with you.  You have my word on it.  Trust me, but you won't see another pie crust recipe on Nuts 4 Stuff because this is the only one I make these days for any dessert pies, pot pies, quiches, or tarts.

If I already made your mouth water, then I do apologize.  However, I hope when you start your holiday baking that you will remember my recipe and give it a try. 

Here is a piece of my Chocolate-Peppermint Mallow Pie.

My Special Chocolate-Peppermint Mallow Pie

2/3 cup of sugar
4 tablespoons of cornstarch
5 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa
4 large egg yolks
3 cups of evaporated milk
1 cup of mini marshmallows
1 cup of shredded coconut (reserve about 1/4 cup to sprinkle on top)
1 teaspoon of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Pure Peppermint Extract
1 teaspoon of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Bourbon Vanilla Extract

Mix  the cornstarch, cocoa and sugar in your pan. 

Add the egg yolks to the milk and whisk together before pouring into the dry ingredients in your saucepan.

Heat the mixture until it thickens to a boil, stirring constantly.

Take off of the heat and stir in the marshmallows, coconut, and extracts before pouring into your baked pie shell.  

Use the reserved coconut to sprinkle on top.

Cover and refrigerate.

ENJOY!

Chocolate-Peppermint Mallow Pie

The Perfect Holiday Indulgence for Your Sweet Tooth--My Wickedly Delicious Coffee-Almond Bars Supreme!

My Coffee-Almond Bars Supreme

The holidays are the ideal time to start baking all sorts of heavenly treats to have on hand like a variety of delectable cookies.  One of the best bar cookies that I ever made is this particular recipe for my Coffee-Almond Bars Supreme that I want to share with you.  

It is a shame that there is no way that you can taste this fine-textured cookie through the computer with its intense almond and coffee flavor, clinging to every crumb, enhancing the peanut butter and brown sugar taste.  Adding some yummy chocolate chips to the equation does further compliment those ingredients and one out-of-this-world bar cookie is born!  

My delicious Coffee-Almond Bars can be addictive!

Now I had made this easy recipe many times before with wonderful results.  However, I can honestly say Nielsen-Massey Vanillas pure extracts are so concentrated flavorings that it pumped up the taste beyond belief.  Any doubters to my claim, then I do challenge you to do your own comparison with your normal pure extracts and then make that recipe again with Nielsen-Massey Vanillas.  Once you do, I know you will want to have their wonderful products in your kitchen as well.  

By the way, this cookie does not have any eggs in it so don't think I missed an ingredient.  It does stick together. 

I will be sharing more incredible holiday recipes with you that I made using Nielsen-Massey Vanillas products in the near future like my sinfully rich Chocolate-Peppermint Mallow Pie! 

When you do start your cookie baking, I hope you print my recipe and make these to serve your family and guests.  They will be nuts about them--and you for baking these.

My Coffee-Almond Bars Supreme

1 cup margarine or butter (not spread)
1 cup of brown sugar (light or dark)
1 teaspoon of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Pure Almond Extract
1-1/2 teaspoons of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Pure Coffee Extract
2-1/4 cups of sifted flour
1/2 teaspoon of baking powder, leveled
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1  6-oz. package of chocolate chips
1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter

All you do is cream your butter, sugar, extracts, and peanut butter with your electric mixture until well combined.

Add your dry ingredients and mix through before pouring in the chocolate chips.

Press into a greased 13" x 9"-baking pan and bake in a 350-degree oven for about 30-35 minutes, depending on how your oven is regulated.

Test with a toothpick or a slender knife to see if anything sticks.

ENJOY!

This is my Coffee-Almond Bars, uncut and fresh from the oven.

Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanillas & Assorted Extracts Review + ($49) Giveaway!--Ends December 23, 2013

Disclaimer:  This post is based on free products provided by a company as a press sample so that I may offer my own  opinion, which may be the same or differ from yours.

Nielsen-Massey Vanilla products that you can win!

The holidays are even more special when you serve family and friends delicious homemade cookies, pies, cakes, and candies that you make from scratch. Of course, you can buy whatever you need, but bakeries can't reproduce that unique scrumptiousness of a treasured family recipe in quite the same way.  

All bakers know quality ingredients like pure vanillas and extracts can turn a great beloved recipe into a sensational one to be remembered holiday after holiday.  You can trust Nielsen-Massey Vanillas for helping you heighten the flavor of whatever you plan on creating this season with their fabulous line like the seven extracts kindly provided to me for this review and giveaway.

Tahitian Pure Vanilla Extract is a luscious cherry-vanilla delight.

Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract  intensifies the flavor of ordinary vanilla beyond belief.

Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract is a clove type of spicy, woody vanilla that gives an instant flavor boost.

Pure Almond Extract is sweet and nutty perfection.

Pure Coffee Extract is full-bodied brewed coffee in concentrated form.

Pure Peppermint Extract is an invigorating burst of fresh mint.

Pure Lemon Extract is power-packed with sunny lemon without the need to grate.

With all sincerity, I can tell you that the same recipes I have once made are vastly improved using Nielsen-Massey Vanillas products. Their vanillas and extracts really seem to infuse the flavor through every morsel and are so much more distinct.  For instance, I will be sharing several recipes with you that are simply out of this world starting tomorrow with my Coffee-Almond Bars Supreme!

However, the only way to truly convince you is to buy some and make a favorite recipe only substitute Nielsen-Massey Vanillas products for whatever vanilla or extracts required.  With all my heart, I know for sure you will agree once you sample your work.  Better yet, I dare you to bake your original recipe first with your usual vanilla and extracts and before baking another with their products as substitutions.  I have no doubt that you will agree with me that when it comes to dishing out the most flavor, Nielsen-Massey Vanillas products are how you do it.

If you want to shine for your family and guests this holiday season, I recommend visiting Nielsen-Massey Vanillas for more information or finding where to buy.  You will thank me later because those compliments on your culinary efforts will never seem to stop.

An assortment of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas and Pure Extracts would make a fantastic gift for the holidays for anyone that appreciates great food!  

Thanks to Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, one lucky Nuts 4 Stuff reader in the United States or Canada wins all seven 2-fl. oz. bottles of the following Nielsen-Massey Vanilla extracts:  Madagascar Bourbon  Pure Vanilla Extract,  Tahitian Pure Vanilla Extract, Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract, Pure Almond Extract, Pure Lemon Extract, Pure Peppermint, and Pure Coffee Extract ($49 value)!

Mandatory to Enter:

You must follow me on Google Friends Connect before any of your entries will count.  If you already follow, then INCLUDE your ***EMAIL*** with name in a comment!

Extra Entries:

(Provide proof once with email when doing each form of entry and number the rest):

Tweet Experience Real Flavor! #Win #NielsenMasseyPureExtracts #Giveaway ($49) @Nuts4Stuff http://bit.ly/1bjfTqs Ends 12/23 (Tweet up to 3 times a day, but at least 3 hours apart for each tweet.)--1 to 3 extra entries to leave in separate comments with proof.

Go to Nielsen-Massey Vanillas and tell me which product you would love to try first or something you learned from the site --2 extra entries to leave in two separate comments.

"Like" Nielsen-Massey Vanillas on Facebook--2 extra entries to leave in two separate comments

Share Nielsen-Massey Vanillas on your Facebook Wall--5 extra entries to leave in five separate comments (show me the proof) 

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Add Nuts 4 Stuff to your blogroll  (using my URL) with a link back to me (comment where you left it for 2 more extra entries to leave in two separate comments)

Enter the Ko Denmark Pure Organic Jasmine Neroli Rose Perfume, Body Oil, and Lotion Giveaway--1 extra entry

Enter another Nuts 4 Stuff giveaway (enter as many as you want, however, only 1 extra entry will count) and tell me which one in a comment--1 extra entry

Leave a separate comment for each entry.  Be sure you include your email address inside your comment so I can contact you if you win.   This giveaway is only open to residents of the United States and Canada.  Do follow the rules because I check entries.   Be alert that if you attempt to enter using multiple identities will be grounds for disqualification. 

This giveaway ends December 23,  2013 at 12 PM Eastern Standard Time. The winner will need to respond to my email with name and shipping address within 48-hours or another winner will be picked.  

Make Your Holidays More Merry With My Decadent Tahitian Brownie Pie!

My Decadent Tahitian Brownie Pie

Besides all those fancy varieties of cookies, a festive dessert to serve family and guests over the holidays is my Decadent Tahitian Brownie Pie.  This delight is a velvety chocolate pie with not quite a custard or a pudding texture that is infused with sweet cherry vanilla that will make your mouth water. 

I used Nielsen-Massey's Tahitian Pure Vanilla Extract, one of the five extracts from my review/giveaway yesterday so do enter after reading this.

When you take a look at my photo above, you might think this resembles more a pumpkin pie than the dark-brown of a chocolate one.  This is just outside deception because once you slice into it the dark-brown chocolate beauty awaits.

Also, I forgot that I made this recipe in the past in a smaller pie pan.  What you are seeing is the size of a 10" shell, which is the reason the filling looks thinner.

This pie is sinfully delicious!

As always, I encourage you to try my no-fail oil pie crust recipe.  This is the only recipe that I use whenever I make pastry for pies, quiche, pot pies, and tarts because it is simply the best and easy.  Trust me when I promise you will make a flaky crust unlike riskier recipes with shortening that if you work the dough too much will result in hard crust.

Another thing I want to mention is to check the type of margarine you have on hand.  Whenever you bake, you need to have a margarine that specifically states it is a margarine and not a spread.  Spreads have more water in them and will spoil baking.  So if you blamed yourself for being a bad baker for something in the past if you happened to use a spread, it was not your fault.  You were a victim of spread.

We finished this pie already and the gang already demanded another.  If your family loves chocolate as much as mine, my bet is they would probably feel the same way so do try this one because it is a winner!

 
My Decadent Tahitian Brownie Pie

unbaked 9" pie shell
1 cup of evaporated milk
2/3 cup of sugar
3 eggs
1/4 cup of a margarine (not spread) or butter
2 tablespoons of Nielsen-Massey Tahitian Pure Vanilla Extract
3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa


Beat the eggs and sugar together with your electric mixer until light. 

Cook the cocoa with one-fourth cup of the milk for several minutes to thicken slightly before slowly adding and beating to combine to the eggs and sugar in your mixing bowl.

Add your melted margarine or butter, the rest of the evaporated milk, and the vanilla.  Beat those ingredients together until everything is well mixed.

Pour the mixture into an unbaked 9" pie shell.

Bake in a 400-degree oven for ten minutes before reducing the temperature to 350-degrees for about 40 minutes.  Test with a toothpick to see anything sticks.

Cool thoroughly and top with whipped cream, if desired.   Plain is just as fabulous, but the whipped cream is a nice special touch for guests.

ENJOY!

Nielsen-Massey Pure Vanillas & Assorted Extracts Review + Giveaway!--Ends December 31, 2012

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

Pure extracts  like the Nielsen-Massey ones above make all the difference in your baking.

Holiday baking calls for special blends of pure extracts and extra flavorful exotic vanillas like the ones I was sent from Nielsen-Massey Vanillas when hoping to create memorable treats to share with family and friends.  This year, I am pleased to be working with them again with a review and giveaway of five of their extraordinary extracts.

Tahitian Pure Vanilla Extract is cherry-vanilla decadence.

Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract gives vanilla a hearty kick.

Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract is a clove type of spicy, woody vanilla that gives an instant flavor boost.

Pure Almond Extract is sweet and nutty.

Pure Orange Extract is a power-packed dose of orange.

And if have never tried any of those world-famous Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, then you also will be pleased to know a tablespoon of any of those pure vanilla extracts are equivalent to one vanilla bean.

You'll really love how much more heightened the flavor of using pure extracts over any imitation ones will be once you try and compare.   The result of what you bake or cook is almost indescribable for bringing some tasty magic to the same recipes like the my Decadent Tahitian Brownie Pie that I will be sharing tomorrow so be ready! 

Honestly, you really can taste a huge difference with any of the pure extracts and vanillas from Nielsen-Massey Vanillas.  If you too want to look like a culinary star for the holidays, I recommend visiting their website for more information or finding where to buy.  

*Disclaimer:  This is my own honest opinion.   I received free products to facilitate this review.*

Thanks to Nielsen-Massey Vanillas , one lucky Nuts 4 Stuff reader in the United States or Canada wins all five 2-fl. oz. bottles of the following Nielsen-Massey Vanilla extracts:  Madagascar Bourbon  Pure Vanilla Extract,  Tahitian Pure Vanilla Extract, Mexican Pure Vanilla Extract, Pure Almond Extract, and Pure Orange Extract ($35 value)!

Both Are Mandatory to Enter:

1. You must follow me on Google Friends Connect before any of your entries will count.  If you already follow, then tell me the name you follow me by with email  in a comment.

2.  Go to Nielsen-Massey Vanillas and tell me which product you would love to try first or something you learned from the site in another comment.

Extra Entries:

(Provide proof once with email when doing each form of entry and number the rest):

Tweet Experience Real Flavor! #Win  #Nielsen-MasseyVanillas #PureExtracts #Giveaway @Nuts4Stuff http://bit.ly/VIjRhr Ends 12/31 (Tweet up to 3 times a day, but at least 3 hours apart for each tweet.)--1 to 3 extra entries to leave in separate comments with proof.

"Like" Nielsen-Massey Vanillas on Facebook--2 extra entries to leave in two separate comments

Share Nielsen-Massey Vanillas on your Facebook Wall--5 extra entries to leave in five separate comments (show me the proof) 

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"Like" Nuts 4 Stuff on Facebook--3 extra entries (leave three separate comments)

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three separate comments

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List this giveaway on any giveaway site just leave a link to this post wherever you share it--3 extra entries (leave three separate comments and tell me where in each comment)

Blog about this giveaway and comment with a link to the post--5 extra entries (leave five separate comments and tell me where in each comment)

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Enter the South Tex Organics Large Combo Citrus Box Giveaway--1 extra entry

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Leave a separate comment for each entry.  Be sure you include your email address inside your comment so I can contact you if you win.   This giveaway is only open to residents of the United States and Canada only. 

***Any entries that contain a link or website address for redirecting readers to your site to sell your products will be deleted when found.  I am giving you a chance to win, not advertise for free.*** Do follow the rules because I check entries.   Be alert that if you attempt to enter using multiple identities will be grounds for disqualification. 

This giveaway ends December 31,  2012 at 12 PM Eastern Standard Time. The winner will need to respond to my email with name and shipping address within 48-hours or another winner will be picked.  

Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla & Pure Lemon Extracts Review + My Wickedly Delicious Lemon Pound Cake Recipe + GIVEAWAY!--Ends February 13, 2012

**Disclaimer:  This post has been compensated through a free product (s) or monetary payment.  Opinions are solely mine. All links are "no-follow" links.**

This is the Nielsen-Massey Vanillas prize that you can win!

Since I was sent the Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla and their Pure Lemon Extracts plus their A Century of Flavor cookbook for this review and giveaway,  I made my Wickedly Delicious Pound Cake in two delicious varieties.  I made one in lemon and another with their Bourbon Vanilla instead of my regular vanilla.

Sometimes, I make this recipe as a plain vanilla cake and was curious what their Bourbon Vanilla would do to enhance an already fabulous tasting cake. This extract turned something already delicious into beyond description with the added intensified mingling of pure vanilla and bourbon, a perfect marriage for this fine-grained pound cake!  

My guess is their cold extraction process is how they get the most flavor out of those certified organic vanilla beans.  

Later that week, I made another pound cake using my same recipe.  This time I turned it into lemon in this recipe that I am featuring.  Even though I use pure lemon extract, I didn't expect too much difference.  And yet, the lemon taste was multiplied to new extremes with Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Pure Lemon Extract.

I do hope you try my pound cake because it is wickedly delicious either way you make it!

My Wickedly Delicious Lemon Pound Cake

My Wickedly Delicious Lemon Pound Cake

3/4 cup of a margarine
2 cups of sugar
3 eggs
3 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of baking soda
1 cup of buttermilk or sour milk
1 teaspoon of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Pure Lemon Extract 
1 tablespoon of lemon juice

Cream margarine with sugar.  Add the eggs, one at a time.  Sift flour, salt, and soda.  Add to the creamed mixture alternating with buttermilk or sour milk.  Add the lemon juice and extract last.  Pour into a greased 10-inch tube pan and bake for about one hour or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

Lemon Glaze:

1/4 cup margarine
1 cup of confectioners' sugar
juice of 1 lemon or a few tablespoons of bottled to beat and drizzle as the topping.


Wickedly Delicious Bourbon Vanilla Pound Cake

The only thing different is to take out the lemon juice, lemon extract, and substitute one teaspoon of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract for the cake batter when making this version.

Bourbon Vanilla Glaze

Follow the above glaze except add three tablespoons of milk in place of the lemon juice and add one teaspoon of Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract.

I do suggest trying their products and see for yourself how much better your recipes will turn.  To find out where to buy Nielsen-Massey Vanillas products, then click here.

Thanks to Nielsen-Massey Vanillas, one lucky Nuts 4 Stuff reader in the United States or Canada wins a bottle of  Nielsen-Massey Vanillas Madagascar Bourbon Pure Vanilla Extract ($7 value), a bottle of Pure Lemon Extract ($7 value), and  A Century of Flavor hardcover cookbook with the company's best recipes from their 100 year history ($27.95 value) for a total of $41.95!

Both Are Mandatory To Enter:

1. You must follow me on Google Friends Connect before any of your entries will count.  If you already follow, then tell me the name you follow me by in a comment and email (if not in your profile)--in a comment.

2. Go to Nielsen-Massey Vanillas and tell me which product you would love to try first or something you learned from the site in another comment.

Extra Entries:

Add @Nuts4Stuff to Your Twitter and tell me so in your comment with your Twitter id--for 2 extra entries (leave two separate comments)

Tweet Experience Real Flavor! #Win #Nielsen-MasseyVanillas #PureExtracts #Giveaway @Nuts4Stuff http://bit.ly/ziAlnB Ends 2/13 (can be done daily)--1 extra entry per day in another comment

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List this giveaway on any giveaway site just leave a link to this post wherever you share it--5 extra entries (leave five separate comments and tell me where with proof in each comment)

Blog about this giveaway and and comment with a link to the post--5 extra entries (leave five separate comments and tell me where with proof in each comment)

Grab my Nuts 4 Stuff button and paste it in your sidebar--5 extra entries (leave five separate comments and tell me where you left it in each comment)

Add Nuts 4 Stuff to your blogroll  (using my URL) with a link back to me (comment where you left it for 2 more extra entries to leave in two separate comments)

Enter another Nuts 4 Stuff giveaway (enter as many as you want, however, only 1 extra entry will count) and tell me which one in a comment--1 extra entry

Leave a separate comment for each entry.  Be sure you include your email address inside your comment so I can contact you if you win.   This giveaway is only open to residents of the United States and Canada.  Do follow the rules because I check entries.   Be alert that if you attempt to enter using multiple identities will be grounds for disqualification. 

This giveaway ends February 13, 2012 at 12 PM Eastern Standard Time. The winner will need to respond to my email with name and shipping address within 48-hours or another winner will be picked.