Whip up some treats as winter ends

I was thinking: if we get enough snow, I can make snow cream. But I really do not think we will have much – but you never know.

I think it was about 1968 when we had the 12-inch snow in Memphis, and the corn was up about 6 inches, but under the snow it was just fine. All the plants are tender, and if it stays cold, it will damage them. If you can, cover them, but please uncover if the sun is coming out. They will bake, and you sure will not have any plants.

When it turns cold I think of cooking, and I have been craving Divinity.

Orange Divinity

2 1/2 cups of sugar

2/3 cup of light corn syrup

½ cup water

¼ teaspoon of salt

2 egg whites

3 tablespoons grated orange rind

½ teaspoon vanilla

(You can leave the orange rind out if you want to.)

Combine sugar, sprup, water and salt. Cook slowly, stirring constantly, until sugar dissolves. Continue to cook slowly to 265 degrees.

Beat egg whites until stiff. Pour syrup over egg whites gradually, beating constantly until mixture holds its shape, and add rind and vanilla.

Drop by teaspoonful onto waxed paper. If the air is dry, you should not have any problems; when raining, sometimes it will not set up and get firm.

Luscious Chocolate Pie

½ cup of graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup of finely chopped pecans

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup melted butter

Mix all ingredients and pack firmly onto bottom and sides of a 10-inch pie pan. Bake at 350 degrees for ten minutes and let cool.

1 1/4 cups milk

½ cup sugar

2 egg yolks

1 envelope plain gelatin softened in ¼ cup milk

1 square semi-sweet chocolate

1 cup whipping cream

2 egg whites

1/3 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

Heat milk with sugar; add egg yolks and cook two minutes, stirring constantly.

Soften gelatin in milk, add hot mixture and stir until dissolved. Melt chocolate, add to milk mixture and beat well with mixer. Cool. Fold in whipped cream and egg whites that have been beaten stiff with 1/3 cup of sugar. Stir in vanilla and chocolate hips. Pour into graham cracker crust and chill.

When filling has set, heat ½ cup chocolate chips with 1/3 cup water and 1 tablespoon of butter to make a smooth sauce. Drizzle over top of pie and serve chilled, topped with whipped cream.

Sweet-Potato Pie

4 medium sliced sweet potatoes

1 cup brown sugar

½ cup of butter

1 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon ginger

¼ teaspoon salt

3 eggs, separated

1 cup heavy cream

Unbaked pie shell

Bake sweet potatoes until they are well done. Scoop potato from skin into a mixing bowl. Mix with sugar and butter and season with spices. Blend well then fold in egg whites beaten until stiff but not dry and pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake in 350-degree oven for about one hour or until center is set when tested. To brown, raise oven temperature to 450 degrees for last five minutes of baking time.