Recipe(tried): American Chop Suey and Coconut Cream Pie for Dinner Tonight

Hello Everyone,

I love making this for my DH who enjoyed it as a kid back in NH, it is easy to make and very delicious. Even better the next day!

The Coconut Cream Pie is an equally yummy dish, very good with a glass of ice-cold milk or a nice cup of coffee.

Enjoy!

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AMERICAN CHOP SUEY
(A New England favorite...kids and husbands love this dish!)
Serves 8

3 Tbsp. butter
1 medium Vidalia onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. ground beef
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
kosher salt to taste
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
1 (14.5 oz.) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup tomato paste
2/3 cup tomato juice
pinch of sugar
1 lb. uncooked elbow macaroni

Heat the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion and bell pepper, cook stirring occasionally until soft, about 5 minutes. Make yourself a Bloody Mary with some of the leftover tomato juice!

Add the garlic and stir for about 1 more minute. Then add the ground beef and continue cooking stirring and breaking up the chunks of meat. Cook for about 7 minutes until the meat is no longer pink.

Sprinkle on the herbs and pepper over the meat, add the salt and taste and mix in well. Add the canned tomatoes with their juices, tomato paste, and juice. Add the sugar to taste. Simmer while you cook the pasta.

Bring a large pot of water to boil over high heat. Serve yourself another Bloody Mary! Add the macaroni and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Drain. Mix the macaroni into the Chop Suey. Mix well, Serve hot.

This can be served with a side salad and garlic bread. It is better the next day and really good to take to work for lunch. People will be asking you what it is once they smell the aroma from the microwave. Make sure not to take any Bloody Mary's to work!

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I will be serving this for dessert tonight too!

COCONUT CREAM PIE
Makes 1 (10-inch) pie

3 cups whole milk, divided use
3 large eggs
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
3/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/4 cups untoasted shredded sweetened coconut
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1 (10 inch) single-crust pie crust, baked (like Pillsbury)
1/3 cup toasted coconut
whipped cream (optional)

Whisk 1/2 cup milk, eggs and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth.

In a medium saucepot, whisk together the rest of the milk with the sugar, butter and salt. Bring just to a boil over medium heat. Slowly whisk in the egg mixture. Continue to cook, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil and is very thick.

Remove from the heat and whisk in the 1 1/4 cups of untoasted coconut and the vanilla. Pour the coconut custard into the pie shell. Spread evenly into the crust and scatter the toasted coconut on top. Refrigerate until chilled and set about 2 hours.

Slice and serve with whipped cream if desired.