Mud Pie or How to Make Friends and Influence People

Mud Pie or How to Make Friends and Influence People. My treasured mud pie recipe as seen on TV.

Years ago, I decided to have a Christmas party. I didn’t realize it then, but the party would become a tradition and I’m convinced my friends are still in my life because of the dessert. Memorize this recipe and you too shall be blessed with many friends.  Just in case this does not work, I’ve included steps from the book How to Win Friends & Influence People

Joey Fatone approved.

Mud Pie

I still get a little teary-eyed when I make it. Oh, you’re still here?

1. Become genuinely interested in other people.

I can’t think of a better way to celebrate Oreo’s 100th birthday than to share this Mud Pie with you, unless, of course, we were to sit in front of a fire with a whole container of Oreos and eat them all together.

Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Smile

Place one package of Oreos & sugar in a food processor. Process until crumbly. Pour 1/2 cup (one stick) of melted butter over cookies & turn on again to create a crust. Taste test.

Using a 10-inch springform pan, press Oreo crust into the pan. Bake for 13 minutes and remove from oven.

Lovely. Set aside.

Line up ice creams. Allow to set out on the counter for 15-20 minutes to soften just enough so you can work with them. Taste test each.

Heat about 1 1/2 cups creamy peanut butter in a pan over medium-low heat. Keep stirring until melted. Taste test.

Pour peanut butter over crust & gently spread.

Um. Yeah.

Carefully spread chocolate ice cream over peanut butter, making sure to leave no holes. Latex gloves can be very handy for projects like this to prevent major messes while you use your hands. Using your hands so the ice cream melts enough to smooth it out better.

Drizzle with butterscotch and Hershey’s chocolate syrup. Taste test chocolate. Taste test butterscotch. Butterscotch and I go way back. We’re BFFs. I used to have an orange kitty named Butterscotch.

3. Remember that a person’s name is, to that person, the sweetest and most important sound in any language.

By the way, did I ever tell you that I made these in mini cheesecake pans for Dotter’s prom dinner? They were a hit. I’m pretty sure the people at that party will never forget me, I  mean, the mud pies. Or me.

4. Be a good listener. Encourage others to talk about themselves.

Next, layer vanilla ice cream into the pan. Drizzle with butterscotch and chocolate syrup. Did I ever tell you that I once owned a cat named Butterscotch? I love cats. Dogs are cute too but I really love cats.

5. Talk in terms of the other person’s interest.

Finally, finish the layers with coffee ice cream. Smoooooth out to perfection. There will be a little bit of leftover coffee ice cream. This is for taste testing.

Remember, the brand of ice cream you use will make all the difference in the world. Wait for the good stuff to go on sale and stock up.

Cover with a piece of parchment paper and place it in the freezer in a balanced fashion to prevent a mess. Not that I know about melted ice cream messes in the freezer or anything. Leave in the freezer overnight or for at least a few hours so that it can firm up.

Oh, momma.

Allow mud pie to sit out to soften for about 20-30 minutes before removing the pan so it is easy to cut.

Score into 16 pieces or if you want bigger friends, score into 8 pieces.

Wipe the knife clean between cuts and slice. Do not lick. That would be dangerous. See those layers? Is there anything as lovely on the entire planet? I think not.

6. Make the other person feel important – and do it sincerely.

Top with everything delicious and serve immediately. Of course, be sure to take the first piece because you need to make sure it tastes right.

I hope you find these tips to bring you more friends. I know they’ve made a big difference in my life. Maybe not as much of a difference as learning to cook has; but, my cat & I have a great relationship.