Peanut Butter Pie (for two)

Before yesterday, I had never heard of Jennie from In Jennie's Kitchen. I'd never read her blog. But yesterday I kept seeing references to peanut butter pie with links to her blog on Twitter. So I clicked through. And, as I read her post for mikey, I cried. It turns out her husband passed away of a sudden heart attack last weekend, leaving her devastated and alone to raise two small children.

It's a story I can't even imagine. One I don't want to imagine. A story I worry about on those days when worries like that pop up. My heart aches for her, her children, her family.

Her response to an overwhelming outpouring of "what can I do to help?" was to say, make a pie today, Friday. A peanut butter pie. It was her husbands' favorite. She had been meaning to make it for him for awhile, but hadn't found the time. She asked that we make a pie for him and then that we go hug our loved ones because you just don't know what will happen tomorrow.

So I made a peanut butter pie for Mikey. I didn't have the ingredients on hand for her recipe, or even for a full pie. But I didn't want to wait until tomorrow. I made two little pies, perfect for two. Perfect to make and share with someone you love.

Last night, after I read Jennie's story, I hugged my husband. Hard. And I am sending virtual hugs to all my family and friends afar. Because you just don't know what the future brings.

So, for Mikey, here is a Peanut Butter Pie.

Peanut Butter Pie (for two)
Ingredients:
4 large graham cracker squares
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips, divided, plus more for garnish
1/4 cup peanut butter
7 ounces (1/2 can) sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grind your graham crackers into a fine crumb in a food processor. Transfer to a bowl and add melted butter. Mix with a fork. Grind 1/4 cup of the mini chocolate chips in the food processor and stir into graham cracker mixture. Press into the bottom and up the sides of two mini tart pans (I used 4 1/2 " pans). Bake for 7-8 minutes. Cool before filling (this can be done faster by freezing for about 10 minutes).
2. To make your whipped cream, start with a cold bowl and cold beaters or whisk attachment. Add cream and sugar to the bowl and whip on high speed about 3 minutes until fluffy. Chill until ready to use.
3. Add peanut butter, sweetened condensed milk, and lemon juice to a medium bowl. Mix with a hand mixer until incorporated. Add remaining 1/4 cup of chocolate chips and stir. Fold into whipped cream.
4. Filled cooled tart shells with peanut butter mixture. Garnish with additional chocolate chips. Chill until ready to serve. (There will be left over filling. That's okay. Eat it with a spoon - Yum!)

Yield: Serves 2