Recipe(tried): Miss Betty Brown's Chocolate Mountain Pie

Hi Everyone!

It sure is nice to be back home but I will admit, I sure do miss the beauty and splendour of the Western North Carolina Mountains! We arrived late Saturday evening and relaxed all day on Sunday.

It was a bit cool for our neck of the woods on Sunday evening, so DH built me a nice fire and we enjoyed one of our favorite "cozy" meals. That's right folks, nothing better on a cold night than Campbell's Tomato Soup with crushed saltines in the soup and a nicely grilled double cheese sandwich! Can't get easier than that and it hits the spot!

I have stories and recipes for you and will share one a day with you. The best recipes always have a story to them and here's the first one for you....

When we arrived last Saturday in Bryson City, the leaves were still their majestic colors; the amber hues and assorted golds, crimson reds and some jade greens. They were still on the trees...but when we left on the following Saturday, most had fallen and you could see that winter would soon be creeping in. All in one week's tu=ime, amazing, huh?

We had breakfast at the Smokey Mountain Cafe and read in the paper that Whittier was having their annual craft and bake sale. Whittier is only 10 minutes down the road so we decided to go.

The local ladies had really outdone themselves with their assorted hand-made crafts, many of their Halloween and Christmas items were displayed as well as a few patriotic items. "Ooooh, looky here, a thrift sale" I squeeled to my DH!! As we entered the hall, I quickly scanned and spied the table spread out with books, magazines and cookbooks!! Lucky me, I found several good cookbooks for only 25 cents each!! And one of them was an old Jr. League of Tampa cookbook, an oldie but goodie!!

But what really caught my eye was the bake sale table laden with many homemade goodies. One particular one was a chocolate cream pie and as I made conversation with the ladies about who had made the pie, they assured me that Miss Betty Brown who made the pie was an excellent cook. "Why if you don't like it, you come back and we will give you a refund, how about that?" declared one of them.

We took that pie back to the cabin and enjoyed it with a glass of milk as we "ummmmed" and ate it!! I carefully looked at it sideways and said to DH, "this has got to be some sort of mousse", this is really very good, don't you think?" And he replied, "uuuummm". "Well, you know what?, I gotta get this recipe, this is too good" I said. And off I went, down the mountain and across the road into Whittier hoping against all hopes that I would find this wonderful baker with the delicious recipe that I just had to have.

As I walked up to the ladies once more, one of them recognized me and said, "Oh, oh, you're not back for a refund, now, are you?" "Oh no m'am, we loved that pie so much that I was just wondering where I could find Miss Betty Brown and kindly persuade her to part with her recipe for that pie". They chuckled and told me she would get a kick out of that and did I know the way to Timberlake Campground. I didn't and they proceeded to tell me to go over the railroad tracks, turn left, go under the overpass take a right and then your first left and follow the mountain road til you get to the campground. "It will be a pretty drive up, you'll see" one of them said.

Oh, it was a pretty ride indeed, I passed old delapidated barns, worthy enough of stopping and taking a picture of them. Rolling green fields with their bundles of hay, cows grazing... I had the windows down enjoying the cool brisk air and listening to the chirps and whistles of assorted birds. Up and around the winding and sometimes steep road I went til I got there. What a sight to behold, a beautiful woodsy area, cozily nestled in the heart of the great Smokey Mountains!

I crossed a small wooden bridge and was greeted by two small lakes stocked with fishes for free fishing and a creek for wading. A lake for swimming and hiking trails too! It just took my breath away...now how in the world was I going to find this lady...and was she going to think I was crazy!! I couldn't very well stand there and scream her name out...and then I saw the red house with a little wooden sign, OFFICE---->

I knocked on the door of the office and a kindly lady answered. After introducing myself I asked where I could find Miss Betty Brown. "Why, that's me". So I told her my story about buying the Chocolate Pie and could I please have that recipe. She laughed and laughed and with a twinkle in her eye said, "Hold on, I'll be right back".

She came back out and was cutting the recipe from the side of a Jello Chocolate Pudding box. "Here it is", she said. "Nothing fancy". "But Miss Betty, how did you get it to be so fluffy?" And the answer was that she mixed in 1/2 of the Cool Whip with the pudding. We then visited for another hour or so talking about cookbooks, the mountains and frogs! So, if you are ever inclined to go camping in the Smokies, you look up Miss Betty..she owns Timberlake Campground and she will treat you right!!

This pie will be one of my desserts this Thanksgiving. It is absolutely yummy! Here is the recipe for you to try out and see.

Enjoy!! Gina
Miss Betty Brown's Chocolate Mountain Pie

1 ready made graham cracker pie crust
1 1/4 c. cold milk
1 package large Jello Instant Choc. Pudding
8 oz. tub Cool Whip
1 small chocolate bar, shaved in curls

Pour the cold milk into a large bowl. Beat in the chocolate pudding mix using a whisk. Fold in half of the Cool Whip and spread into the prepared pie crust. Top with the remaining Cool Whip and shave the chocolate bar in curls over the top. Refrigerate before serving.

Serves 8