30 Days of Being Thankful - November 7 - Chocolate

November 7 - Today I am thankful for chocolate! Yummy, gooey chocolate. It calms the nerves, it soothes the soul. It doesn't judge or disappoint. It lifts you up when you're feeling down. It can even bring a grown woman to her knees! OK wait, that's getting a little carried away, sorry. I just LOVE chocolate!

When I was a little kid, I was allergic to chocolate. When everybody else was eating the sweet treat, I had to sit along the sidelines. On Easter, my dear, sweet dad always made sure that I had a white chocolate bunny though, which still warms my heart when I think about his kindness.

However, when I got older I outgrew the allergy, and I've been making up for lost time ever since! Jim tried telling me the other day that M&M's are not a good lunch. I beg to differ. They represent the colors of all the food groups, don't they? They even have the illusive blue food group! That's my defense and I'm sticking with it!

There are so many wonderful chocolate recipes on the web, but I chose to go to my favorite recipe source to find an awesome and oh so tempting one for you, in case you're a chocomonster like me! This wonderfully decadent dessert is brought to us by Oh So Shabby by Debbie Reynolds. She has the best confection collection I've ever seen! Please be sure to check out her page for this and other oh so yummy sweet treats!

Mississippi Mud Fudge Pie w/ S’Mores
    

       2 cups graham cracker crumbs

      chocolate baking bar, chopped

       1/2 cup butter, melted

        2 1/4 cups sugar, divided

        1 1/2 cups coarsely chopped pecans, toasted and divided

        1 (4-oz.) semisweet 1 cup butter

        1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

        1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa

        4 large eggs

        1 teaspoon vanilla extract

        3/4 teaspoon salt

        3 cups regular marshmallows, cut in half horizontally

        2 cups miniature marshmallows

Preparation

1. Stir together first 2 ingredients and 1/4 cup sugar; press on bottom and 2 inches up sides of a shiny 9-inch spring form pan. Sprinkle 3/4 cup pecans over crust.

2. Microwave chopped chocolate and 1 cup butter in a large microwave-safe glass bowl at HIGH 1 minute or until melted and smooth, stirring at 30-second intervals.

3. Whisk flour, next 4 ingredients, and remaining 2 cups sugar into chocolate mixture, whisking until blended. Pour batter into prepared crust.

4. Bake at 350° for 1 hour to 1 hour and 15 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Remove from oven, and cool in pan on a wire rack 20 minutes.

5. Preheat broiler with oven rack on lowest level from heat. Place pie (in pan) on a jelly-roll pan. Toss together both marshmallows; mound on pie, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edge. Broil 30 seconds to 1 minute or until marshmallows are golden brown. Remove from oven, and immediately remove sides of pan. Cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.

6. Meanwhile, prepare Chocolate Frosting. Drizzle over marshmallows; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup pecans.

FROSTING

1/4 cup butter

3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa

3 tablespoons milk

2 cups powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Preparation

Cook butter, cocoa, and milk in a saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly, 4 minutes or until slightly thickened; remove from heat. Whisk in powdered sugar and vanilla until smooth.

A Southern Living Recipe