I am a Honey Bee

All about my adventures with cooking, crafts, and travel

Peanuts

Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Vermicelli Bowl

With just one bite you will be hooked on this Vietnamese Grilled Chicken Vermicelli Bowl. Fun textures and flavors will have you wanting more and more. It’s a versatile dish that will work with chicken, shrimp, pork, beef, or tofu. Have your passport ready as this will transport you!

Grilled Chicken Vermicelli Bowl-2

Bun is a delicious Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowl. This noodle salad has a wonderfully marinated chicken that is grilled. It’s packed full of great flavors and interesting textures. You’ll love every bite of it!

…

Read More

PayDay Pie

PAYDAY PIE-01

Hey today is my payday!

Woohoo! Time to pay some bills! Ugh.

PAYDAY PIE-02

Well, it’s your payday as well. I created a PayDay Pie just for you.

Price really likes PayDay bars. I do not. There is no chocolate. So I insist they are a waste of a candy bar. He can eat all the PayDay bars he wants out of Autumn’s Halloween bag when she is still of the age that we get first pass at the goodies. I’ll take the Snickers Thank.You.Very.Much.

So here is a simple pie that you can whip up while trying to pack for a long weekend. Take cans out of the slow cooker – pack bathing suits & sunblock & a hat Autumn will refuse to wear – process the cookies to make the crust – did I pack socks already? – pulse the melted butter into the crumbs – ah, yes, I did pack socks -create the crust and put it into the fridge- wipe down the counters and load the dishwasher – whip together the caramel and cream cheese – pack up the dogs stuff – fill the pie.

PAYDAY PIE-06 PAYDAY PIE-07

PAYDAY PIE-08 PAYDAY PIE-09

While the caramel is super easy to make just be aware you can still burn it. Well, at least over cook it. Just be aware of how your slow cooker runs and you should be set. If your slow cooker is on the low side then cook the caramel for 8-10 hrs. Or if it runs hotter, like mine, then stick closer to the 6-8 hrs.

PAYDAY PIE-03

The cream cheese helps cut some of the sweetness from the caramel, and makes it extra dreamy & creamy. If you want add some vanilla extract. I just believe it can never hurt.

Just like it can never hurt to have a big glass of wine while sitting under a tree. I’ll totally be doing that this weekend while we visit Price’s mom in Maine. And of course trying to keep a hat on Autumn’s head since she hates them. HATES.

PAYDAY PIE-4

But you won’t hate this pie. Nope, not one bit.

PAYDAY PIE-05

PayDay Pie

Makes a 9″ pie

Ingredients

  • 2 14.5 ounce cans of condensed milk
  • 8 oz Nutterbutter cookies ( 1/2 a package)
  • 4 Tablespoons of butter
  • 8 oz cream cheese
  • salted peanuts

Process

  1. Place 2 cans of condensed milk into a slow cooker. Fill the slow-cooker with water to completely cover the cans and have plenty of water above the cans. Turn on high, cover, and cook for 6-8 hours.
  2. Remove the cans from the water and let cool until you can handle the cans.
  3. While the cans are cooling, place the cookies in the bowl of a food processor. Process the cookies until they are crumbs. Add the melted butter and quickly pulse until the butter is evenly incorporated.
  4. Pour the cookie crumbs into the bottom of a pie plate. Gently press into the bottom and up the sides to form the crust. Chill for at least 30 minutes.
  5. Open the cans and pour the caramel into a bowl, add the cream cheese. Beat until completely blended.
  6. Pour the filling into the prepared pie crust. Sprinkle the peanuts on top of the filling. Chill for at least 2 hours to set up.

Process for creating the pie filling was adapted from Beantown Baker

Chocolate Ganache Topped Crunchifed Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie

Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie

Oh, what a week it has been!

Our poor pup starting throwing up on Monday night and has been sick since. We had hoped his stomach issues would clear up on their own but no luck. As Price was hand feeding him rice on Wednesday night we decided he would go to the vet as soon as the opened on Thursday morning. So Kemper spent the day at the vet getting tests run to figure out what was wrong with him. Thankfully, he tested negative for giardia but he definitely has a stomach bug.

Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-1

I’m hoping that his pill, powder for his food, and his prescription food help him feel better quickly. Especially since I stepped in some poo this morning before I put the lights on. It’s not like him to have accidents so I know he is sick so I can’t get mad but man, what a way to start a Friday morning.

But it’s Friday, so that means it’s time for pie!!!

Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-4 Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-5

Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-7 Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-6

I had been thinking of making a pie with a pretzel crust for a bit now. I’ve done the graham cracker crust. And the chocolate cookie crust. So I wanted to try something different and I just love the sweet and salty combo of things.

This Chocolate Ganache Topped Crunchifed Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie will leave you weak in the knees. It’s really rich. It’s the perfect triple threat of pretzels, peanut butter, and chocolate.

Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-8 Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-9

Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-10 Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-11

I highly recommend pulling out your food processor to make this crust. I’m sure that you can crunch up the pretzels in the ziplock bag using a rolling pin but I just don’t think you’ll get the pieces small enough for the crust to hold together well.

The peanut butter filling is really light and crunchy. Using crunchy peanut butter adds a little extra crunch to the pie. If you don’t have crunchy peanut butter on hand then just use creamy. Don’t hold off on making this pie just for that.

Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-12 Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-13

Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-14 Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-15

But the chocolate ganache that tops off the pie is the finishing touch! It’s silky, rich, and chocolately. And then jazzed up some more with the chopped up peanuts and pretzels that are sprinkled on top.

Plan ahead when making this pie. This is not a last minute project as it needs to chill for a few hours. I suggest making it the morning that you want to serve it. Or even the night before so it sets up really well.

Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-2

Thankfully, I am kicking it out of my house before I eat it all. Five slices will be on their merry way out the door today when our dog walker comes for Kemper today. She is the best but her flexibility this month has been incredible. There have been so many last minute changes from the typical M-Th schedule with extra vet appointments for Kemper to have a cracked molar extracted, to days I’ve worked from home because of appointments for Autumn, and now this latest adventure. I just hope they enjoy it for dessert tonight as much as we did! 🙂

Ganache Topped Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie-3

Chocolate Ganache Topped Crunchifed Peanut Butter Pretzel Pie

Makes a 9″ Pie

Ingredients

Crust

  • 7 ounces/200 grams of pretzels
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 10 tablespoons of unsalted butter, melted

Filling

  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 8 ounces cream cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups crunchy peanut butter
  • 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ganache Topping

  • 1 cup of heavy cream
  • 8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate

Garnish

  • 1/4 cup salted peanuts, chopped
  • 1/4 cup pretzels, chopped up intosmall pieces

Process

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Put the pretzels in a food processor and process until the pretzels are crushed enough to resemble crumbs.
  3. Combine the ingredients, and press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides a lightly greased 9″ pie pan.
  4. Freeze the crust for 15 minutes (which will prevent over-browning).
  5. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until it’s lightly browned around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool completely.
  6. To make the whipped cream for the filling, whip the heavy cream until there are stiff peaks. Set aside.
  7. To make the filling base, beat the cream cheese for 3 minutes, scrape the bowl every minute. Add the confectioner’s sugar and beat for another minute, scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the peanut butter and vanilla extract, beat for another 2 minutes.
  8. Completely fold the whipped cream into the peanut butter mixture.
  9. Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust. Smooth out the top and then put the pie into the freezer.
  10. Prepare the ganache but setting a heat safe bowl over a  pot with some water in it. Do not allow the water to touch the bottom of the bowl.  Heat the water to a simmer and add the heavy cream. Heat the cream until it is warm and add the chocolate. Mix the chocolate until all of it is melted into the heavy cream. Remove the bowl from the top of the pot and let cool for about 10 minutes.
  11. Mix the ganache one more time and then pour it on top of the chilled filling. Tap the pan to even out the top and to remove any bubbles in the ganache.
  12. Sprinkle the top of the ganache with the chopped peanuts and pretzels.
  13. Return to the freezer for at least 4 hours. Remove from the freezer 15 minutes prior to serving. Slice and enjoy!

Inspired by Baking the Goods