Sparkling gelatin

Happy New Year's Eve!

I hope you have some lovely celebration in store today, whether it be a simple cozy evening at home or a large get-together to attend!  We prefer New Year's eve in so my family and I will be huddled together, enjoying the simple life that will include some good meals, a few games, and lots of relaxation.  We're getting together with more of our family on New Year's day and the weekend so there's look of fun to look forward to.

As we take a moment to look back at 2015 and forward to 2016, I'm grateful for the wonderful year we had and hopeful for more of the same in the new year.  So let's have a toast ... to a peaceful, healthy, and happy 2016! 

Thank you for stopping by during 2015 to take a peak into my kitchen ramblings and for all the words of encouragement and support!  I really appreciate it and I'm excited to continue to learn and discovery more great eats to share with my family in the new year.  Food nourishes us in more ways than one and I think time spent at the table is the very best...those are the memories I hold dear and love to create and savor.  May 2016 bring us all around the table, filling the air with the aroma of good food and the sound of laughter and chatter!

I'd like to share a toast with you but instead of pouring out a glass of champagne or sparkling wine, I made sparkling gelatin!  I think it's fun and festive, and this is a great time for both.  

I hope your 2016 shines and sparkles!  May there be peace and camaraderie over our shared passion for food.  

Lighter chocolate pudding pie

Today I'm serving up this nice, light, chocolate pudding pie.  I've made this simple chocolate pudding pie a handful of times and it's a hit with my son and husband and I also like it since it's not too heavy and you don't feel weighed down or guilty after eating it. 

This is a recipe from Ellie Krieger via a show that used to air on the Food Network.  Reruns of the show, Healthy Appetite, airs on the Cooking Channel now.  I really like her healthy recipes and I always thought she was the picture of health so she must know what she's talking about (being a nutritionist).  Seriously, the woman's skin just glows.  Then I read somewhere recently that she used to be a model...so maybe it's a combination of good genes and a healthy lifestyle that's working here but I really like her recipes and tips.

This pie is made with a simple and lighter cornstarch-cocoa powder pudding (no egg yolks) using 1% milk, along with a graham cracker crust that uses a minimal amount of butter and some water.  You add a bit of plain gelatin to set the chocolate pudding and the pie comes together and slices easily and makes a nice snack that satisfies your chocolate craving.

I made this a few days ago and going forward, I might have to think of it as "earthquake pie" because I'd just finished taking a snapshot of it when my house shook.  At first, I thought I better eat something because I'm getting light-headed!  But when my little guy, who was in the kitchen having a snack, asked me why it's shaking, I knew it wasn't just me.  I asked my son to come over and we held hands but frankly, I had no idea what to do other than to stay put and wait it out.  Luckily, the shaking stopped within a minute but it was unnerving to see the little fire extinguisher we have hanging on a nearby wall waver back and forth.  We came to find out that we were feeling the effects of a 5.8 earthquake that had taken place in Virginia.  Well...suffice it to say that we live in an unpredictable world.  In fact, we're currently preparing for a hurricane on the East Coast, which is practically unheard of.  There seems to be so much going on lately, a lot of stress and distress.  I hope we can all think positive thoughts and do good deeds to bring forth more peace and calmness.