The follolwing is an excerpt from the LA Food Times:

Sold at Momofuku Bakery & Milk Bar in Manhattan, this pie has taken New York City by storm, partly because of the audacious name, party because of the jaw-dropping price tag -- $44 a pie, yes, $44 a pie -- and partly because anyone who has tried it, including myself, CNN bigwig Anderson Cooper and the people who are buying the 60 to 90 Crack Pies sold each day or two, can't stop raving about it.

Still not convinced? Out-of-town demand is so high that the bakery just started shipping the pie by FedEx. They've even sought trademark protection for the name.

Crack Pie is a twist on Chess Pie -- an old-school dessert found in the "Joy of Cooking," popular because it can be made with common pantry ingredients such as butter, eggs, sugar and vanilla.

But Milk Bar pastry chef Christina Tosi's reimagining makes Crack Pie an original. Instead of just a humdrum pie shell that serves as a container for the filling, Tosi dreamed up a shell that begins with a homemade oat cookie blended with a bit more butter, sugar and a healthy dash of salt.

The result is a crust that is divinely rustic and unrefined -- don't bother trying to get a perfect edge as you press it into the pie plate. It just won't happen.

Under Tosi's reconsidering, the interior of this pie takes a glug of heavy cream, a bit of milk powder to help give the mixture body and egg yolks instead of whole eggs.

It's baked at 350 degrees for 15 minutes, and then 325 degrees for about 10 minutes, just until the top is golden brown. The interior will jiggle when you remove it from the oven.

You will fear that the pie is undercooked.

But you must have faith.

It's not an understatement to say that this pie defies description. But I'll try. It's ooey-gooey. Buttery and rich. Silky. Pillowy. I'll wager that it's not like any pie you've ever had before because that salty-sweet-crunchy-oaty crust is as much a part of the pie as the filling itself. In a weird way, it remind me of kettle corn, with that one-two, salty-sweet hit that keeps you coming back for more. And more. And more.

Now, Tosi says Crack Pie must be served cold. And this is where she and I disagree. Take it out of the oven and let it cool just a bit -- otherwise, it's like pouring molten lava on your tongue, and I tell you this from personal experience -- but you want it to be warm when served.

Tosi and I agree, however, on how it should be eaten.

With a spoon.

While it's still in the pie plate.

With your favorite someone.

Total time: 1 1/2 hours, plus cooling and chilling times

Servings: Makes 2 pies (6 to 8 servings each)

Note: Adapted from Momofuku. This pie calls for 2 (10-inch) pie tins. You can substitute 9-inch pie tins, but note that the pies will require additional baking time, about 5 minutes, due to the increased thickness of the filling.

2/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (3 ounces) flour

Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking powder

Scant 1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup (1 stick) softened butter

1/3 cup (2 1/2 ounces) light brown sugar

3 tablespoons (1 1/4 ounces) sugar

1 egg

Scant 1 cup (3 1/2 ounces) rolled oats

1. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light and fluffy.

4. Whisk the egg into the butter mixture until fully incorporated.

5. With the mixer running, beat in the flour mixture, a little at a time, until fully combined. Stir in the oats until incorporated.

6. Spread the mixture onto a 9-inch-by-13-inch baking sheet and bake until golden brown and set, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to the touch on a rack. Crumble the cooled cookie to use in the crust.

Crust

Crumbled cookie for crust

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter

1 1/2 tablespoons (3/4 ounce) brown sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine the crumbled cookie, butter, brown sugar and salt in a food processor and pulse until evenly combined and blended (a little of the mixture clumped between your fingers should hold together). Divide the crust between 2 (10-inch) pie tins. Press the crust into each shell to form a thin, even layer along the bottom and sides of the tins. Set the prepared crusts aside while you prepare the filling.

Filling

1 1/2 cups (10 1/2 ounces) sugar

3/4 cup plus a scant 3 tablespoons (7 ounces) light brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon (3/4 ounce) milk powder

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, melted

3/4 cup plus a scant 2 tablespoons heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

8 egg yolks

2 prepared crusts

Powdered sugar, garnish

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, brown sugar, salt and milk powder. Whisk in the melted butter, then whisk in the heavy cream and vanilla.

3. Gently whisk in the egg yolks, being careful not to add too much air.

4. Divide the filling evenly between the 2 prepared pie shells.

5. Bake the pies, one at a time, for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake until the filling is slightly jiggly and golden brown (similar to a pecan pie), about 10 minutes. Remove the pies and cool on a rack.

6. Refrigerate the cooled pies until well chilled. The pies are meant to be served cold, and the filling will be gooey. Dust with powdered sugar before serving.

Each of 16 servings: 432 calories; 4 grams protein; 45 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 27 grams fat; 16 grams saturated fat; 187 mg. cholesterol; 36 grams sugar; 125 mg. sodium.

Source: LA Food Times

 

Want to see more?   Here’s a video of Martha Stewart visiting Momofuko’s Milk Bar, where they make crack pie for her.

For the hot dog:
6 Boar's Head hot dogs (98% beef, 2% pork)
6 Pepperidge Farm oversized hot dog buns
1/4 cup Jack's Sweet Potato Mustard
Blue cheese slaw

Blue cheese slaw:
1 small head green cabbage, finely sliced
1/4 small head red cabbage, finely sliced
1 carrot, peeled and finely sliced
1 cup sour cream
1 cup mayo
1 1/2 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. dried oregano
1/2 t. onion powder
1/2 cup crumbled high-quality blue cheese (around here that's Clemson Blue Cheese)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Up to 2 hours before serving, combine all of the slaw ingredients in a large bowl, stirring well to combine. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Cover and reserve at room temperature.

To assemble the hot dogs: spread a generous T. of Jack's Sweet Potato Mustard on both sides of the inside of each bun. Top the mustard-swathed buns with the warm hot dogs (if I remember right from the show, Jack's boils the dogs and then grills them in butter on a flat top) and about 1/4-cup of the slaw.

To get some of the sweet potato mustard, check out their website: Jack’s Cosmic Dogs

Dear SOS: Having encountered the best chocolate pie ever at Cold Springs Tavern, an old stagecoach stop in Santa Barbara, I'm wondering whether you can persuade the restaurant to share its recipe. I am quite certain it is prepared on premises, is served warm and contains walnuts.

Dee Dee Ruhlow

Burbank

Dear Dee Dee: We loved the combination of chocolate with walnuts and rum in this very rich pie, perfect for chocolate lovers! Each slice is great served slightly warmed with a big glass of milk.

Rum-walnut chocolate-chip pie

Total time: About 1 hour

Servings: 10 to 12

Note: Adapted from Cold Springs Tavern. If using a homemade pie shell, blind bake the crust (lined first with foil and weights, then with weights removed) just until set, about 10 to 15 minutes. For store-bought pie crust, par-bake the pie shell just until set, using the instructions on the package.

3 eggs

2 tablespoons rum, preferably Puerto Rican white rum

3/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

Scant 1/2 cup (2 ounces) flour

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 (12 ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

1 1/2 sticks ( 3/4 cups) butter

1 par-baked pie shell

1. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs with the rum and vanilla. Whisk in the sugar and brown sugar until incorporated, then whisk in the flour. Fold in the walnuts and half of the chocolate chips until evenly incorporated.

2. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter. Remove from heat and stir in the remaining chocolate chips until melted and combined.

3. Fold the melted butter and chocolate mixture into the large bowl with the rest of the filling. Pour the filling into the par-baked pie shell. Place the pie in the oven and bake just until the pie sets (it will jiggle just slightly when tapped), 30 to 45 minutes.

4. Remove and cool completely before serving.

Each serving: 477 calories; 6 grams protein; 48 grams carbohydrates; 3 grams fiber; 31 grams fat; 14 grams saturated fat; 83 mg. cholesterol; 85 mg. sodium.

Source:  LA Food Times

Get the recipe here - 
 Confections of a Foodie Bride 

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup cherry preserves
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 cup canola oil
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

PREPARE VINAIGRETTE:
In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the balsamic vinegar, sugar and garlic and bring to a simmer, stirring frequently to dissolve the sugar. Simmer the mixture, uncovered, until reduced by half, about 10 minutes. Add the cherry preserves and cook for 1 minute longer. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature, then whisk in the red wine vinegar followed by the canola oil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

COOKING TIPS
*The vinaigrette recipe yields about 2 1/2 cups of dressing. Place extra dressing in a sealed jar and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Use on other salads, or drizzle over grilled shrimp or lobster.

Source: Nordstrom Entertaining at Home Cookbook