I've been going through and editing all of my Something Swanky recipes over the past few weeks and found this one in the archives. I decided not to keep it on Something Swanky, but I don't want to lose it since it's more of a personal post and about my Grandma Epps, who passed away before I was born. So I'm posting it over here so that I can print it off with our other family stories.
Posted on Frosting For the Cause on November 13, 2011
I'm so thrilled to be able to participate, along with so many other dessert bloggers, in an effort to raise awareness for cancers that specifically affect women.
In preparation for this post, I hosted a small girls night tonight.
And we made sweets that I will be taking to a Women's Hospice tomorrow.
And I fully intended to blog about Chocolate Covered Caramel Pretzel Rods.
And then I started doing a little research about my Grandmother's life and what it was like just before she died of Breast Cancer.
I found a short passage written by my Grandpa about her, and I just love it.
It goes like this:
"When you're young and in love, it doesn't take too many physical comforts to be happy. We were young and happy, and Doris cooked some great meals for us. She also baked a beautiful, fresh coconut meringue pie, and while walking to the table, dropped it upside down on the floor. She cried a good portion of the night, and 27 years have passed, and she still hasn't baked me another coconut pie..." (41)
On May 15, 1978, Grandmother called Grandpa on his business trip and told him that what she thought had been mastitis was actually erysipelas and had been prescribed Penicillin and lots of rest. On June 27, she was informed that she had an aggressive case of breast cancer and treatments began a few days later.
On October 18th, Doris was declared cancer free. But after many months of painful irritation left on her skin from her radiation treatments, and a lot of time sick in bed, she found more lumps. Biopsies revealed active cancer cells. Chemotherapy, and all that it entails, began.
The treatments were hard and it wasn't too many more months before her body couldn't handle any more. She died on August 1, 1980 with her husband of 31 years by her side.
Her family of four children now include four spouses, 20 grandchildren, and 3 great-grandchildren in addition to my Grandpa's second wife and their two children. She left us a loving family. Even those of us who never knew Grandma, grew up with her name in our homes, always spoken in happy reverence.
No doubt about: cancer has definitely touched our lives.
But my Grandmother has left a stronger impression in our hearts.
I'm so grateful for this opportunity to honor my Grandmother by doing something I love:
baking dessert and blogging about it.
In remembrance of Doris' failed Coconut Meringue Pie, and instead of Chocolate Covered Caramel Pretzel Rods, I made my own version of Coconut Meringue Pie.
And also failed.
{not even on purpose!}
Today, I have for you, a Coconut Meringue Mousse.
It's so delicious. I promise you.
Don't you dare write it off because it can't hold the shape of a pie slice!
Quick explanation: I don't "do" real meringue-- yuck. I stick with marshmallow meringue, and most of the time it works like a charm! Also, I chose to make a chocolate "crust" instead of something more traditional.
Quick explanation: I don't "do" real meringue-- yuck. I stick with marshmallow meringue, and most of the time it works like a charm! Also, I chose to make a chocolate "crust" instead of something more traditional.
Coconut Meringue Pie Mousse
Ingredients:
Ingredients:
- 2 small packages of vanilla instant pudding mix
- 2 cups of milk
- 3/4 cup shredded coconut
- 8 oz. cool whip
- 6 full sheets of chocolate graham crackers (honey grahams are ok too), crushed
- 3 tbsp. butter, melted
- another 8 oz. container cool whip
- 1 small jar marshmallow fluff
- toasted coconut to garnish (optional)
- Mix together the graham cracker crumbs and the butter. Press into a pie dish or a bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk together the pudding mixes and milk. Add to that the shredded coconut. And then the 8 oz. cool whip. When thoroughly incorporated, pour about 3/4 of the mixture over the graham cracker "crust."
- Go ahead and put the rest of the pudding mixture into the fridge to snack on later when you think no one is looking.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the marshmallow fluff and the 8 oz. cool whip. Spread over the pudding mixture.
- Garnish with toasted coconut. Serve with a spoon in sundae glasses and enjoy!!
No comments:
Post a Comment