Mini Italian Mud Pies Recipes

ITALIAN MINI MEAT LOAVES WITH MAC AND THREE CHEESES

Steps:

• Put a large pot of water on to boil for pasta. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Place meat in a bowl. Make a well in meat. Fill well with egg, bread crumbs, 1/4 cup cheese, peppers, onions, garlic, tomato paste, salt and pepper. Mix meat and breading and form 4 individual oval meat loaves, 1-inch thick. Coat loaves with extra-virgin olive oil and arrange on a baking sheet. Roast 18 to 20 minutes.
• When the pasta water boils, salt water and add pasta. Cook until slightly undercooked ? pasta will continue to cook when combined with cheese sauce.
• Melt butter in a saucepan and add flour. Whisk in milk. Bring to a bubble. Thicken milk, 2 to 3 minutes. Add cheeses: Cheddar, asiago, 1/2 cup Parmesan and black pepper. Stir to melt cheeses. Drain pasta and combine with melted cheese sauce and transfer to a flameproof baking dish or casserole. Place bread crumbs in a bowl and add extra-virgin olive oil and herbs to bread crumbs. Top pasta with bread crumbs. Place under a broiler and brown bread crumbs. Serve cheese and pasta alongside meat loaf.

MINI MUD SANDWICHES (LIKE MUD PIE, BUT SMALLER...)

Steps:

• Set 8 cookies on a plate. Top with 8 small scoops coffee ice cream and set another cookie in place on top of each scoop. Lightly press down to set mini sandwiches. Serve or individually wrap and freeze.

MINI MOON PIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• To make the Dough: In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter until soft and smooth. Add the sugar and continue mixing until well blended. Add the vanilla and mix until light and fluffy.
• In a separate bowl, stir together the cocoa powder, cornstarch and flour. With the mixer running at low speed, add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and blend just until combined. Form the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill at least 2 hours or overnight.
• On a floured work surface, using a floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thick, or as thin as you can possibly get it. Use flour-dipped cookie cutters to cut out 1 1/2 inch diameter circles and place them on an ungreased sheet pan, leaving 1-inch between the cookies. You can re-roll the scraps. To make them look more like store bought, prick the disks with a fork a little. Bake until crisp, 12 to 14 minutes, then let cool on the pan
• To make the Marshmallows: Combine the 1/4 cup water, the corn syrup, and the sugar in a saucepan fitted with a candy thermometer. Bring to a boil and cook to "soft-ball" stage, or about 235 degrees F.
• Meanwhile, in a standing mixer fitted with a whisk, whip the egg whites until soft peaks form. Sprinkle the gelatin over the 2 tablespoons water and let dissolve. When the syrup reaches 235 degrees F, remove it from the heat, add the gelatin, and mix. Pour the syrup into the whipped egg whites. Add the vanilla and continue whipping until stiff.
• Transfer the mixture to a pastry bag fitted with a round tip. Pipe a "kiss" of marshmallow onto half of the cookies, and top with the rest to make sandwiches. Let set at room temperature for 2 hours.
• To make the Chocolate Coating: Melt the 2 ingredients together in the top of a double boiler or a bowl set over barely simmering water, stirring occasionally. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. One at a time, gently drop the marshmallow-filled cookies into the hot chocolate. Lift out with a fork and let the excess chocolate drip back into the bowl. Place on the cookie sheet and let set at room temperature until the coating is firm, about 1 to 2 hours.

LAURA'S HOUSE FAMOUS MUD PIES

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan bring milk, butter, sugar, and cocoa to a boil while stirring constantly. Boil for about 1 1/2 minutes. Add vanilla and peanut butter and stir well. Stir in oatmeal. Drop by any size onto waxed paper. Let cool and dry in a warm, dry place.

TARRAGON-CREAM CHICKEN AND POLENTA POT PIES

Steps:

• In a deep skillet heat 2 turns of the pan extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and lightly brown, 3 minutes, add carrots, onions, and celery as you chop. Season with salt and pepper and cook 10 to 12 minutes to soften.
• Preheat broiler. Set rack in middle of oven.
• Bring 1 cup chicken stock and 1/2 cup cream to a boil, stir in polenta and whisk, 3 minutes. Turn heat low, stir in Gruyere cheese and reserve.

MINCE PIES

Steps:

• Mince pies freeze very well, taking some of the headache out of all that Christmas preparation. If I make lots of these before Christmas, I freeze them raw and then cook them on the day. Cooked mince pies can be stored in a biscuit tin or airtight box and warmed through gently before serving. They are perfect with a glass of spicy mulled wine or a cup of coffee for a festive snack.
• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F/200 degrees C/Gas mark 6. Brush the tin with melted butter.
• On a floured work surface, roll out the pastry to 1/8-inch/3 mm thick and, using the 2 1/2-inches/6 cm cutter, cut out 24 circles for the bases. Then use the smaller plain/fluted cutter or star cutter to cut-out 24 circles/stars for the lids. Re-roll the trimmings, if necessary.
• Line the holes of the cake tin with the larger pastry rounds. Fill each base with a teaspoon mincemeat and top with one of the smaller rounds or stars. Brush the tops of the mince pies with the beaten egg.
• Bake in the oven for 10 to 13 minutes until pale golden. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from the tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Dust with icing sugar (confectioners') to serve.
• This basic pastry is used in many popular recipes, from mince pies to quiches; it's also one of the easiest pastries to start with. The uncooked dough can be frozen or kept in the refrigerator for a couple of days.
• Shortcrust Pastry:
• Put the flour, salt and butter in a food processor and whiz briefly. Add half the beaten egg and continue to whiz. You might add a little more egg, but not too much as the mixture should be just moist enough to come together. If making by hand, rub the butter into the flour until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs then, using your hands, add just enough egg to bring it together. With your hands, flatten out the ball of dough until it is about 3/4-inch/2 cm thick, then wrap in cling film or place in a plastic bag and leave in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or, if you are pushed for time, in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes. Variations: Sweet Shortcrust Pastry: In place of the pinch of salt, use 1 tablespoon icing sugar (confectioners'). Soured cream shortcrust pastry: Replace the egg with 2 tablespoons sour cream or creme fraiche, adding just enough to bring it together.
• This delicious mincemeat will keep happily in a cool dark place for at least a year. If you are making your own suet (the fat that surrounds the beef kidney), make sure that every trace of blood has been removed before you whiz it in the food processor, otherwise it will cause the mincemeat to go off.
• Mincemeat:
• Put the apple chunks in a small saucepan with 1 teaspoon water, cover and cook over low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes until the apples are cooked down to a pulp. Allow to cool.
• Mix the apples with the orange zest, orange juice, lemon zest, lemon juice, suet, raisins, sultanas, currants, candied peel, dark brown sugar, almonds, mixed spice, and whiskey in a large bowl and put into sterilized jars.* Leave to mature, if possible for at least 2 weeks before using.
• Cut the fruit in 1/2 and squeeze out the juice. (Reserve the juice for another use, perhaps home-made lemonade.) Put the peel into a large bowl, add the salt and cover with cold water. Leave to soak for 24 hours.
• Next day, throw away the soaking water; put the peel in a large saucepan and cover with fresh cold water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer very gently for about 3 hours or until the peel is soft.
• Remove the peel from the pan and discard the water. Scrape out any remaining flesh and membrane from inside the cut fruit, using a teaspoon, leaving the white pith and rind intact.
• In a clean large saucepan, dissolve the sugar in 1 3/4 pints/1 litre of water, then bring to the boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the peel and simmer gently for 30 to 60 minutes until it looks translucent (shiny and 'candied') and the syrup forms a thread when the last drop falls off a metal spoon. Remove from the heat and allow to stand for 20 to 30 minutes to slightly cool.
• Put the candied peel into sterilized glass jars* and pour the syrup over. Cover and store in a cold place or in the refrigerator. It should keep, stored like this, for at least 3 months.

BEST MUD PIE

Steps:

• Freeze the crust until firm, about 30 minutes. Place half the coffee ice cream into a bowl, and let it stand about 10 minutes to soften. Return remaining ice cream to the freezer. Mix softened ice cream with the mini chocolate chips. Spread the ice cream and chips in an even layer over the frozen crust. Cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 2 hours.
• Heat the topping in the microwave on low until warm and easy to pour, 30 seconds to 1 minute (do not let the sauce get very hot). Pour into a bowl. Set aside 2 tablespoons cookie crumbs for garnish; stir remaining cookie crumbs into the fudge topping. Remove the pie from the freezer, and layer the cookie crumbs and fudge topping mixture over the ice cream with chips. Cover with plastic wrap, and return to freezer for 2 hours.
• Take the remaining frozen coffee ice cream out of the freezer, and allow to stand for about 10 minutes to soften. Layer the ice cream over the layer of cookie crumbs and fudge topping. Cover with plastic wrap, and return to freezer for 2 more hours.
• Remove pie, and frost the top of the pie with the whipped topping. Top with the reserved cookie crumbs. Cover with plastic wrap, and return to freezer for 2 more hours to freeze the whipped topping layer. Cut the pie into serving pieces, and drizzle each serving with about 1 tablespoon of the chocolate syrup.

CORN AND CRAB CHOWDER POT PIES

Steps:

• Heat some extra-virgin olive oil, a turn of the pot, in a Dutch oven over medium to medium-high heat. Add the chopped speck and render a couple of minutes. Add the potatoes, celery, onion, garlic, chile, thyme, crab seasoning, salt, and pepper to the pot, cover, and cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and milk and bring to a boil.
• In a small skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook the roux 1 minute, then stir in the mustard and transfer the roux to the chowder mixture. When the roux has incorporated, stir in corn and bring the chowder to a bubble, reduce to slightly thicken. Turn the heat off, cool completely, and store for make-ahead meal.
• To serve, heat the oven to 425 degrees F. Unfold the pastry dough and choose the bowls or individual shallow casseroles or deep ramekins that you wish to serve in. Use one as a template and cut 4 shapes from the sheet of dough, using a sharp paring knife to maneuver around the dish shape. Arrange the pastry dough on a non-stick baking sheet or on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Beat the egg with a splash of water and brush the dough with the egg wash. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden.
• Reheat the chowder, covered, over moderate heat until the soup bubbles, then uncover and simmer.
• Meanwhile, run your hands through the crabmeat to check for shells, discard the the shells. Sprinkle the crab with hot sauce and stir into the chowder to heat through.
• Serve the chowder in individual dishes topped with pastry.

MUDSLIDE PIE

Steps:

• Lightly grease a 9 1/2-inch deep dish pie plate with cooking spray; set aside.
• Combine dark chocolate sandwich cookies, butter, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and pulse until finely chopped and mixture sticks together when pinched with your fingers, about 20 times. Transfer cookie mixture to the prepared pie dish and press evenly onto the bottom and up the sides of dish to form a crust. Place in a refrigerator until ready to use.
• Microwave fudge topping, 30 seconds to 1 minute, until runny. Set aside and let cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
• Remove crust from the refrigerator and spread softened coffee ice cream evenly over the bottom. Drizzle 1/4 cup fudge topping over ice cream. Place in a freezer until firm, about 45 minutes.
• Combine cream, coffee liqueur, Irish cream liqueur, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat until stiff peaks almost form, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Fold sweetened condensed milk into whipped cream mixture until combined and mixture is light and fluffy. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped espresso beans.
• Remove pie from the freezer and top with the whipped cream mixture. Freeze until cream mixture has hardened, about 2 hours.
• Repeat process of microwaving remaining 1/4 cup fudge topping and cooling slightly. Remove pie from the freezer and drizzle fudge topping over the cream layer. Top with the remaining espresso beans. Return to the freezer until completely frozen, 8 hours or overnight.
• Remove from the freezer 10 minutes before serving. Slice and serve immediately.