by Mary Maxwell
I giggled at the confession. “That’s a lot of corn,” I said. “And a lot of dog.”
She smiled. “I was sick for two whole days. My parents actually took me to the emergency room at the hospital in Cedar Rapids because I couldn’t stop…” She put one hand to her cheek. “Well, I’m sure you can imagine the aftermath, Kate. It wasn’t pretty.”
“Was that when you were little?”
She looked down at her hands. “No,” she murmured. “It was a couple of years ago when Wilbur went on a fishing trip with his boss. They invited me and Harvey’s wife to come along, but the last place I wanted to be was in a boat on a lake with two beer-guzzling heathens and a case of beef jerky.”
“I don’t blame you,” I said. “Even with the corn dog overdose, the state fair sounds like a better deal.”
She smiled again and started to say something when her phone buzzed. She pulled it from her purse, read the display and announced that Wilbur was getting antsy.
“He’s waiting for me,” she said. “We’re going to the printer to pickup some new flyers after I’m done here.”
“Is he out front in the car?” I asked.
“Yes, but I thought it might be best if I brought the pie in by myself.”
“I’d love to walk you out and say hello.”
“Are you sure?” she asked cautiously. “If I was you, I don’t know how soon I’d want to come face-to-face with the man who was telling lies about me all over town.”
“Oh, c’mon,” I said, getting up from the chair. “Let’s go into the kitchen first. I took a batch of potato chip cookies out of the oven about a half hour ago. I’ll put some together for you and the bad dog to enjoy tonight.”
As she followed me out of the office and down the hall, I smiled and relished the effortlessness and homespun charm of life in Crescent Creek. I’d never met Wilbur and Patsy Sprague until a few days earlier. And I’d never had anyone start such a mean-spirited rumor about me. But I knew that forgiveness and grace were as essential to a bountiful life as a circle of trusted friends, the love of a kind-hearted man and a slice of fresh-made Key lime pie.
Nana Reed’s Sky High Recipes
Potato Chip Pecan Cookies
Ingredients
2 cups softened butter
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups crushed potato chips
1 cup chopped pecans
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
2. Prepare two baking sheets: lightly grease or line with parchment paper.
3. Cream butter, sugar and vanilla extract in mixing bowl.
4. Slowly add all-purpose flour and blend until fully incorporated.
5. Fold in potato chips and pecans.
6. Use teaspoons to scoop dough from mixing bowl and drop onto prepared baking sheets.
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown.
8. Remove from oven and cool thoroughly on wire racks.
Dutch Chocolate Crisp Cookies
Ingredients
1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup Dutch process cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup milk
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
2. Prepare two baking sheets: lightly grease or line with parchment paper.
3. Cream butter, white sugar, dark brown sugar and vanilla extract in mixing bowl.
4. Use separate bowl to combine flour, Dutch process cocoa powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
5. Whisk and sift dry ingredients to remove cocoa powder lumps.
6. Slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, blending until thoroughly combined.
7. Pour milk into dough, mixing until completely incorporated.
8. On marble pastry board or similar surface, divide dough before rolling into two logs that are 1 to 1-1/2 inch thick.
9. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for two hours.
10. Cut dough into 1/8-inch thick slices.
11. Place slices on baking sheets with 1-inch gap between each.
12. Bake for 7 minutes.
13. Rearrange baking sheets in oven: rotate and switch from top to bottom racks.
14. Bake for 3 minutes.
15. Remove from oven and cool thoroughly on wire rack.
Mountain Mud Pie
Ingredients
For the crust
2 cups Dutch Chocolate Crisp crumbs
3 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1 tablespoon sugar
For the filling
3 cups Half & Half
2/3 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cornstarch
4 large egg yolks
3 ounces finely chopped semisweet chocolate
3 ounces finely chopped dark chocolate
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the garnish
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup Dutch Chocolate Crisp crumbs
Directions
1. Place rack in center position and preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
2. Lightly grease 9-inch pie pan.
3. For the crust, combine cookie crumbs, melted butter and sugar in mixing bowl.
4. Press mixture into pie pan.
5. Bake until firm, approximately 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Place pie pan on wire rack to cool.
7. For the filling, stir sugar and salt into 2-1/2 cups of Half & Half in pan over medium heat.
8. When sugar and salt are thoroughly dissolved, pour mixture into heat-resistant bowl.
9. Dissolve cornstarch into remaining Half & Half in small bowl.
10. Whisk egg yolks in separate bowl until completely blended before adding to cornstarch mixture.
11. Slowly combine all wet ingredients in clean saucepan.
12. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly to prevent scorching. When mixture begins to boil, reduce heat and continue stirring for 2 minutes.
13. Remove from heat and add chocolate, butter and vanilla extract. Whisk combined mixture until chocolate melts.
14. Pour filling into cooled pie crust and press plastic wrap directly on top to prevent skin from forming.
15. Refrigerate for 2 hours before topping with whipped cream garnish.
16. For the garnish, place cream, vanilla extract and confectioners’ sugar in chilled bowl.
17. Whip ingredients until stiff peaks form.
18. Remove plastic wrap from pie and top with whipped cream.
19. Sprinkle remaining cookie crumbs on pie before serving.
