maggie Poppins

Mark -- other than the broiler pan, do you cook them according to the directions? Same time and temp? Thanks, this is a great idea. My husband loves frozen, breaded fish sticks/fillets and I find them disgusting. Bet this would be perfect for crispying them up as well. Maggie

Figs: My favorite fruit! When I'm being extravagant, as I was for dessert two nights ago, I take a puff pastry shell -- bake it, when slight cooled, i put about 1/2 tsp of marscapone on the bottom of the shell. Then I lay in two sliced figs, dot with Point Reyes blue cheese, 1 slice of fig, cover with the puff pastry lid (askew for presentation). I pop them in the warm oven (toaster oven as it's too hot to bake) to warm it slightly and get the cheese all soft. Then I transfer the filled shell to a plate and garnish with two or three whole figs and dot around the plate some fig balsamic reduction (St Helena is the brand I believe -- I just reduce it myself). It's fabulous!!!! I do the same exact thing in the fall but with apples, and use a cherry balsamic and dust with cinanmon and sprinkle corse salt across the apples (that are used for garnish).

Great! Thanks, I'll play with them on Friday. Haven't a knish in ages.

Comfort Me -- how many knishes will you get out of the recipe you provided? Thanks, Maggie

BTW -- Mayhaw Man, how did you pie turn out? It sounded yummers.

After an evening out with Meredith, my Southern friend, and her husband I found out more about her food loves. It turns out her favorite chess pie is chocolate and not too milky. She was quite adament about a "plain crust, nothing fancy" and served semi-warm or cold or however she can get it. I nodded and changed the subject to cheese :) I was disappointed about the crust though, i wanted to, with Fred's suggestion, make a toasted nut crust. Cie la vie. So now I know what to aim for. Sunday will be the "surprise" as they are coming over for dinner. I've planned a nice little feast to cheer her up: fried chicken, corn pudding, Varmit's fired okra (won't be using them as croutons) and the chess pie. Haven't decided on beverages yet. Are there good wine pairings for chocolate chess pie? or should I be simple and have coffee or tea? I appreciate all your help. Thank you all!!!

Thank you Edith. How would I incorporate flavors into the pie? Say chocolate? Would I use powdered cocoa or melted chocolate? Would I need to alter the other ingredients?

Thank you GG Mora. Wonderful why I couldn't find it. hmmm.. anyhoo, thanks

Morning, I am turning to the wise, great and knowledgeable people of egullet for advice. A dear friend of mine, a transplanted Southerner, is a bit depressed and home sick. In an attempt to cheer her up, I wanted to make her favorite pie: Chess Pie. I never have heard of such a pie, or at least not that I can remember, and don't know where to begin? And I don't want to ask my friend as I want it to be a surprise. I've checked the Recipe section and the forums and couldn't find a description or a recipe. Would someone be able to explain this dessert, provide a recipe or point me in the direction of a fabulous recipe? I would greatly appreciate it. Thank you, Maggie Poppins

I spent the better part of two working days reading all the posts. I forgot that I too have shaken in spices without a properly screwed on lid and drained noodles into the sink. I vow in the future not to fall asleep after putting a ham in the oven. 2 hours after it should have been removed did I wake up to a wonderful smell of ham and was confused why. No worries though, it was dark then it should be but still edible. I vow in the future to never my left my husband by parsley without first checking to make sure it's not cilantro. I vow in the future to label all my jars, bread flour in a cookies and AP in bread -- not tasty. (never made the baking powder/soda mistake though) I vow in the future to not debone a duck in mid-air. Or debone a semi-frozen piece of meat. There I feel better now.