Kids in the Kitchen? German Chocolate Pies

A few weeks ago I shared with you a few of Pickles' adventures in the kitchen. She had fully embraced her inner calling to cook. She love it, and when I tell you we have moved from the children's cookbook to Bon Appetite  I am not kidding.  She has been reading anything that she can get her hands on, and I guess it has more pictures than most magazines, so that is her new light reading material.

The Paula Deen's children's cookbook is wonderful. The recipes are simple and easy to follow.  Pickles has wanted to make everything she sees.  One such example is the German Chocolate Pies.  This recipe was in the bake sale section, and even I was impressed.  As Pickles said, what is not to love about chocolate, pecans and coconut?  I am with you sister! Only problem was she doesn't like pie, so I was left giving it away to the neighborhood.

She was so proud of her pies!  Don't you just love the "just out of the bath" look?

I have since used this same recipe to make mini-pies. They are just as good, and have a fun, sophisticated air about them.  I took the individual pies to the dove hunt, and they were a perfect since they could be picked up and eaten with your hands.

Don't they look lovely!

A closeup so you can see the chocolaty, coconut, pecan goodness.

To make the individual pies, I used a large round cookie cutter and cut the pie crust into a 4 inch circle. I then fitted them into muffin tins and filled with the filling. They were fairly easy, it just took some patience to get the crust into the individual muffin cups.

So, enough blabbing out this wonderful pie...her is Paula Deen's recipe...

German Chocolate Pie

3 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
7 tablespoons powdered cocoa
1 12 ounce can evaporated milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 eggs, beaten
1 stick butter, melted
2 cups flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
2 9-inch unbaked pie shells

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, place the sugar, salt, cocoa, evaporated milk, vanilla, eggs and melted butter.  Mix with an electric mixer until smooth.  Stir in the coconut and pecans.  Divide the batter evenly between the two pie shells.  Place the pies on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 40 minutes, or until the pies are set in the middle.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

I hope you enjoy these as much as we did.  Until next time, keep adventuring and looking for joy in the small details of life!

Sarah