Chocolate Pie - Yum!

My first job was working at a small diner/cafe, A Taste of Home, opened by one of best friend's mother. I've had a few different jobs since, including teaching; but to this day working at the lunch cafe is one of my favorite places to have worked. I later would work in the food chain world and come to hate  the food industry. However, there is just something about the quaint small town diners that makes working in the food service enjoyable.

We were opened only for lunch and I think there was a total of only five employees. The cafe was located inside a small white cottage style home near the local college campus and downtown. Big single paned windows gave a view of the porch and passing vehicles on the street. Old wooden floors creaked with every step. The kitchen door swung open and close and we cooked the special meal of the day on an older stove inside a tiny kitchen. We served a variety of sandwiches, a different home cooked meal for each day of the week, and our desserts were amazing. Oh, and the fruit tea was a favorite among our patrons.

I think one of the reasons why I loved working there was the patrons themselves. We had new customers of course, but what kept us going were our regulars. They were friendly, becoming family after the daily conversations and jesting. They'd show up at the same time everyday and through the big windows I could see them pull up. By the time they came in and sauntered up to the counter I'd already have their sandwich or lunch plate ready - they never changed their order. Of course one of the best compliments a waitress could get when you repeatedly surprised them with their already prepared lunch would be, "Where have you been all my life?" followed by a wink.

I learned a lot working there. However, one of the best things I did learn was how to cook. To this day my mother swears that I learned my cooking skills from Rachel. She taught me fried chicken, chili, cornbread, banana pudding, and a long list. But the best recipe I learned was Chocolate Pie.

My husband will deny it, but to this day I still believe I won him over with my awesome cooking skills. It wasn't until after I made him chocolate pie that he asked me out on a date. Honestly, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach.

For Thanksgiving I made another chocolate pie. I haven't shared a recipe on here before, but I thought no time would be better than now since the holidays are here.

Chocolate Pie
5 eggs                                            1 tsp. vanilla
1 c. sugar                                       1 stick of butter
4 Tbsp. flour                                  1 c. milk
2-3 Tbsp. baking cocoa                  pie crust (I usually make my own, but for the sake of time frozen  
cream of tarter                                                always works great)

Bake pie crust for a few minutes at 350 degrees so it will be partially done.
Separate the egg whites from the yolks. Yolks go in a pot while the whites go in a bowl. Add sugar, flour, cocoa, vanilla, butter, and milk to the pot of yolks. With a whisk constantly stir over medium/high heat. Remove from heat. Eventually it will boil and will thicken. In the bowl of egg whites, add a dash of cream of tarter and sprinkle a tsp of sugar. Using a hand mixer, fluff the egg whites until thick and fluffy. Remove pie crust, pour in the chocolate mix and cover with meringue (if you get it right, the meringue will be tall - mile high). Bake in oven until meringue has a pretty golden hue. Remove and let cool.

Enjoy!