Pick Myself Up Pie

First of all thank you to all my dear friends for your support and loving thoughts after my "temporarily fell out of the Universe's orbit " last week.  I'm back and now it's time to celebrate getting my land legs back so to speak.  Or as my favorite Old Blue Eyes, Frank Sinatra would sing:

I've been up and down and over and out

And I know one thing:

Each time I find myself, flat on my face,

I pick myself up and get back in the race.
That's life

I tell ya, I can't deny it,

I thought of quitting baby,

But my heart just ain't gonna buy it.

For my " little picking myself up and getting back in the race celebration" I'm baking the Grasshopper Pie. I've become so enamored with Mrs. Rowe's Little Book of Southern Pies, I want to bake each and every one .    I mean what better way to celebrate than by combining pie + alcohol.  Moderation with both won't hurt.  But let me tell you if you are going to go overboard do it with the pie ! It's old fashioned dreaminess and that first minty bite ..mmmm just tastes so good. Did you know that Grasshopper pie was based on the drink by the same name. A Grasshopper is made by shaking 1/2 ounce cream, 1/2 ounce white creme de cacao, and 1 ounce creme de menthe together with ice cubes, then straining.  It always amazes me how creative people can be-seriously -who would ever think of calling a drink or pie "Grasshopper". But during the 50's and 60's both were very popular and at one point the pie was labeled  "The Queen of Pies". I mean I think you would have to be drinking a lot to associate something that is usually associated with "a swarm of locusts" to a creamy,minty chocolaty pie ! So put away the alcohol,except what you need for this recipe, and make this pie for your friends.  

You can find the recipe on page 94 of Mrs. Rowe's Little Book of Southern Pies.  I said it in my last post-BUY THIS BOOK !  I'm not receiving any pie kickbacks on this- I just think this is an incredible little treasure and should be added to your cookbook library. And if you know me you know that I don't like to publish recipes -support the author !  However I found this one already published at Serious Eats and adapted my mini grasshoppers from there .

Mini Grasshopper Pies
1 recipe Chocolate Cookie Crust, baked and chilled (recipe follows)
1/4 cup milk
24 large marshmallows (just over 6 ounces)
1/4 cup crème de menthe
2 tablespoons white crème de cacao
1 to 2 drops green food coloring (optional)-I didn't use-if you use the green creme de menthe you don't need it either.
1 cup heavy cream, whipped to firm peaks

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until warm, then add the marshmallows can continue to cook and stir until the marshmallows are melted and the mixture is smooth. Cool until lukewarm. Add the liqueurs and mix well, then stir in a drop or two of green food coloring if you like. Fold in the whipped cream.
Spread the filling in the crust and freeze for 3 or 4 hours, until firm, before slicing

Chocolate Cookie Crust
Makes one thick 9-inch crust or one thin 10-inch crust -or 12 mini tartlettes (muffin cup size)
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2 cups crushed plain chocolate cookies (without icing or filling)
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Combine the crumbs and butter and mix well. Firmly and evenly press the mixture into a 9- or 10-inch pie plate.Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the crust darkens to a deeper (almost black) brown, then cool on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes before filling. This crust can be made a day ahead and stored in the refrigerator.