Yet Another Cookie, or is it????

Okay, so I'm combining posts here. A couple of weeks ago, I wanted to recreate a recipe I love at one of our local hangouts. They're pulled pork nachos and they are scrumptious. Let's get this straight, here in North Carolina we take all things pulled pork seriously. So much so in fact, we have waring versions of it. So when I see a menu item that has pulled pork, I immediately have to try it. That's what happened with these nachos and I am so happy I did. You wouldn't thing pulled pork drenched in wing sauce and topped with a cheese sauce would be good but oh my word, it's absolutely delicious. The version I made is a little different then what I get from the tavern. Mine has a little sweeter wing sauce and a store bought Monterrey jack cheese sauce but they were still good all the same. If you love pulled pork and nachos, give these a try.



Pulled Pork Nachos
Shredded Pork (I grilled a pork tenderloin seasoned w/salt, pepper, olive oil, cumin, cayenne pepper and chili powder)
Prepared Monterrey jack cheese sauce
1 bag white corn tortilla chips
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
Your favorite wing sauce
chopped green onions

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a cookie sheet with cooking spray and place tortilla chips on sheet. Drizzle half the cheese sauce over the chips. Next place the shredded pork that has been mixed with wing sauce over the chips. Add more cheese sauce and top with shredded cheese and place in oven. Cook until cheese is melted (about 10 minutes) and the top with green onions.

Now for the the second part of the post and the reason for the title. In my quest for new cookie recipes, I stumbled upon a creation I just had to try over on the blog "Love and Olive Oil". The name caught my eye, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cream Pie". It just sounded fabulous and I knew hubby would love it. I had a dinner party to attend this weekend and thought what better time to try out a new recipe. It was a smash hit. This is a pie that begins with a chocolate cookie crust layered with cookie dough, topped with a pudding that tastes like cookie dough and finished with sweetened whipped cream and fresh baked cookies. How could it not be fabulous. If you're looking for something fun and new to make for you family, this is the recipe for you!!!!





Cookie Dough Cream Pie adapted from Love and Olive Oil

For Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cups chocolate wafer cookie crumbs
6 tablespoons butter, melted

Cookie Dough:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
3/8 cup granulated sugar
3/8 cup pack brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 1/2 tablespoons milk or soy milk
1/2 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

For Filling:
3/4 cups light brown sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups whole milk
3 egg yolks
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping:
1 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350. In a small bowl, mix together melted butter and cookie crumbs. Firmly press into a 9" pie pan. Bake for 8 minutes and remove from heat. Set aside and allow to cool completely. Keep oven on.

To prepare cookie dough, beat butter and sugars in a large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add milk and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed or by hand until incorporated. Stir in chocolate chips. Using some dough, make 8 small (1/2" diameter) balls. Place on a non-stick baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment. Bake for 7-9 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Reserve remaining dough (dough can be made 1 day in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Bring to room temperature prior to using.)

In medium saucepan, mix sugar, flour and salt. Stir in 1 cup of milk, mix until smooth and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Continue to stir until smooth and thickened, about 2 minutes, then remove from heat.

Beat the egg yolks with the remaining cup of milk. Temper the egg mixture with a small amount of the slightly cooled milk mixture then blend this into the larger saucepan with the cooling milk mixture.

Return the saucepan to the heat and bring to a boil again, stirring constantly, lower heat and simmer until mixture is the consistency of thick pudding, about 1 minute. Remove form the heat and quickly stir in the butter and vanilla and set aside.

While filing is cooling, break of pieces of cookie dough and press them into the coolie pie crust. You want an even layer of the dough, approximately 1/2" thick. Poor in the filling on top of the dough layer, leveling the top with a rubber spatula. filling should comp about 1/2" from the top of the crust. Refrigerate until cooled completely.

Whip cream until it begins to for soft folds. Add sugar and vanilla, and beat until cream holds stiff peaks. Gently spread all but 1/3 cup of whipped cream on top of cooled filling, smoothing top into a slight dome. With remaining cream, pipe or dollop mounds evenly around the pie and garnish with mini cookies.