Mud Pie in the SkyIf you can make mud, you can make Mud Pie. This recipe went through several experimental renditions before I finally figured out that keeping it simple was the quickest way to EAT pie rather than watch it cook. You can read the story of how this recipe evolved at the bottom of the page if you’re interested.
Ingredients:
Substitutions: In place of Bunny Grahams, any crumbled chocolate cookies will do. In a pinch, you can substitute granola for the nuts.
At Home: I package the Bunny Grahams and the peanuts in separate 3 x 5 plastic bags, the powdered milk in a 2 x 3 plastic bag, and leave the singles packet of pudding in its original package. I place these bags inside another sandwich size bag to stay organized. On the Trail: I use a 2-cup plastic container with lid to mix the pudding. First, I combine the powdered milk with water and shake. Then I add the pudding mix and shake for a minute until the powder is absorbed and the pudding starts to thicken. If you don’t have a container with a lid, stirring briskly works fine. I like placing the pudding in the middle of this dessert, so I put the Bunny Grahams in a pot first, cover with pudding, and top with peanuts. If you want to use only one container, place the bunnies and nuts over the pudding and let your spoon guide you.
For a change of pace, here's a "green" variation of this dessert that I really enjoy: Pistachio Mud Pie Prepare as above, except use Pistachio flavored pudding instead of chocolate, and almonds instead of peanuts. Pistachio flavored pudding is not available in single serving packets, so divide the contents of the box into four parts. A single serving is two tablespoons, which you can pack in a 2 x 3 plastic bag.
How Chef Glenn Learned to Make Mud Pie On the first attempt, I put Annie’s Chocolate Bunny Grahams on the bottom of the pot, followed by peanut butter chips, and then chocolate pudding. I thought if I applied a gentle flame, the bunnies would warm up and the peanut butter chips would melt. Well, the chips melted, but some of the poor little bunnies burned. On the second attempt, I baked the pie by placing the ingredients in a small pot (12 ounce tuna can) which I placed inside a slightly larger pot with a cover. I elevated the small pot off the bottom of the outer pot with a couple of twigs, applied a gentle flame, and after about 25 minutes I had a warm, gooey dessert. Another culinary masterpiece from Chef Glenn! It should be noted that after eating both Mud Pies back-to-back, except for the burned bunnies, I experienced a sugar buzz. Later that day, I placed some macaroni and dehydrated vegetables into a pot for supper and fired up the stove. Unfortunately, I forgot to add the water which of course led to lots of smoke and a burned pot. I attributed this brain malfunction to an overdose of Mud Pie. Therefore, Chef Glenn says be safe and limit your intake to one per day. After baking several more pies, I became impatient waiting for the pies to warm-up. The final attempt at preparing this dessert quickly, but still warm, was to make the pudding with water heated on the stove. However, I discovered that instant pudding doesn’t set when you use hot water. Hmmm, I guess that’s why the directions on the box say to use cold water. A hungry “leave no trace” hiker will drink this chocolaty slop, as I did, but after that I used cold water to make perfect pudding and now I enjoy mud pie in five minutes with no cooking. My girlfriend challenged me to create this dessert with little or no redeeming nutritional value. I tried garnishing Mud Pie with a couple slices of dried banana, but she banished the bananas. O.K., no bananas, but in the end, I successfully defended my decision to substitute real peanuts for the peanut butter chips. Backpackers are more likely to have real peanuts on them than the partially-hydrogenated-vegetable oil laden peanut butter chips. Plus, peanuts don’t melt in your pack, and I like the crunch they add to this dessert. I also didn’t tell her that Annie’s Bunny Grahams are 75% organic and contain no hydrogenated oils. Eat well, make mud.
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