Chocolate Peanut Butter Cream Pie - A Pie for Mikey

I have never met Jennie or her husband Mikey, I don't even believe I have ever come across her blog before this past weekend, but I know now that I will be a dedicated follower and that Jennie and Mikey and their two young daughters will always hold a special place in my heart. I'm fairly new to the world of food bloggers and I myself am overwhelmed by the response by bloggers and people around the world in response to Jennie's post about Mikey's passing.


Her request was so beautifully written with these words:

As I spend Friday reflecting on the love and life that was gone in an instant, I'd like to invite all of you to celebrate his life too. Mikey loved peanut butter cream pie. I haven't made it in a while, and I've had it on my to-do list for a while now.

I kept telling myself I would make it for him tomorrow. Time has suddenly stood still, though, and I'm waiting to wake up and learn to live a new kind of normal. For those asking what they can do to help my healing process, make a peanut butter pie this Friday and share it with someone you love. Then hug them like there's no tomorrow because today is the only guarantee we can count on.

Her words were so poignant and touching and on the day of Mikey's memorial services pies were being made by the hundreds, perhaps even by the thousands. I read Jennie's words after Mikey's memorial service passed and after a day or so I still couldn't shake the feeling that I needed to make this pie to celebrate Mikey's life. Her words touched more people than she will probably ever realize, myself included. I myself have been guilty of putting things off til tomorrow, and I hope that from this point forward I can learn to live for today and not rely on tomorrow.

It is not secret that one of my own husband's favorite flavor combinations are chocolate and peanut butter. It only seems appropriate that at Jennie's request to share her pie with someone you love to make it  for my husband. In addition to making Mikey's Pie I decided to make my husband's favorite dinner as well which I will feature in a separate post.

It cost me less than $20.00 to buy the ingredients to make the pie and dinner for my husband. That's all it will take for me to make him a dinner he has been asking me to make for months and to share a pie with someone I love. I will be sharing this pie with as many people as I possibly can. And as Jennie requested I will hug my  loved ones a little tighter and perhaps even you will make this pie for someone you love as well.

Jennie I hope you and your little girls feel the love of those around you and know how many people support you even those who only know you from your words. It's humanity at its best when people can come together even via the Internet to show their love, support and compassion for one of our own.

Creamy Peanut Butter Pie 
(Adapted from In Jennie's Kitchen)
Yield: 10-12 servings
Prep Time: 20 minutes     I     Cooling Time: 3 hours or overnight

Ingredients

• 8 ounces chocolate cookies (I used Chips Ahoy)
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 4 ounces finely chopped chocolate or semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 1 cup creamy-style peanut butter (I used Skippy's Natural PB with Honey)
• 1 cup confectioner's sugar
• 1 – 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice 

* The original recipe calls for chopped nuts sprinkled over the chocolate layer and on the top of the pie which I omitted.

Add the cookies to the bowl of a food processor and pulse into fine crumbs.  Combine melted butter and cookie crumbs in a small bowl, and stir with a fork to mix well.  Press mixture into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan or spring-form pan.

Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or in the microwave.  Pour over bottom of cookie crust and spread to the edges using an off-set spatula. Place pan in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.

Pour the heavy cream into a bowl and beat using a stand mixer or hand mixer until stiff peaks form.  Transfer to a small bowl and store in refrigerator until ready to use.  Place the cream cheese and peanut butter in a deep bowl.  Beat on medium speed until light and fluffy.  Reduce speed to low and gradually beat in the confectioner's sugar.  Add the sweetened condensed milk, vanilla extract and lemon juice. Increase speed to medium and beat until all the ingredients are combined and filling is smooth.

Stir in 1/3 of the whipped cream into the filling mixture, then fold in the remaining whipped cream.  Pour the filling into the prepared pan.  Refrigerate for three hours or overnight prior to serving.