Oh My.....PIE!!!



Growing up, my family was a cake family.  My mom was the master of everything cake and we would have one cake or another for special occasions.  When I began dating my hubby, I went through all the various cake recipes that  Mom had.  Regular cakes, specialty cakes, ice cream cakes, jello cakes, you name it, I made it.  He was always very polite, would ask for a small piece and would scrape off the frosting-every time.  When I began going to his house for holiday and celebrations, I began to see why cake was not his favorite.  He came from a "Pie family."  They would have pie for birthdays, celebrations, holidays (EVERY holiday, not just Thanksgiving and Christmas), or just as general dessert.

Once I figured that out, I began to make pies more regularly.  We did have pie in my family so it was not really that foreign.  My Dad's favorites were Apple and Chocolate Cream,  but when Mom made pie crust, everyone left the kitchen.  Pie dough could be tricky and Mom would want to concentrate completely on what she was doing.  Hubby's mother was the same way, when she made pie dough, you found someplace else to be.  (However, I was the Queen at coming in when the dough was done,  and snitch  bits and pieces. I love raw pie dough.)

Over the years I tried many pie dough recipes.  One afternoon I was visiting my grandmother, and was telling her about one of my adventures making pie dough.  I had had a failure that even the chickens wouldn't eat.  It was either too soggy, would fall apart, or be ridiculously tough.   She chuckled, got up, and began rifling through her legions of cookbooks and recipe cards.  Grandma had recipes everywhere.  She would write them on note papers, envelopes, brown paper bags, whatever surface was handy.  What looked to be a mix mash  was an organized system that worked  well for her.  She pulled out a recipe card with bold writing that said "NO FAIL PIE DOUGH" and handed it to me with the words "I was given this recipe a few years ago.  I wish I had had it sooner.  Pie dough makes me crazy.  Even your grandfather can make this, try it."    That was high praise indeed.  Before Grandma went blind, she was the master chef in the household.  Grandpa had to learn all Grandma's tricks when she couldn't see well enough. 

I went home and made a batch.  It was amazing!  No holes, or rips. One batch made enough for 2, two crust pies or 4, one crust pies.   It didn't fall apart on the board, you could pick it up and handle it, mold the crust in interesting designs,  put it in the 'fridge  for up to a week, or freeze it up to 2 months.   This pie dough has been my standard and one of Hubby's favorites for many years. 

No Fail Pie Dough

4 cups flour

1 3/4 cups Crisco

2 Tbsp sugar

1 Tbsp vinegar**

1 egg

pinch of salt

1/2 c COLD water

Mix first 4 ingredients.  In a mixing cup, beat water with vinegar, egg, and salt.  Add to flour mixture and blend with a fork (or fingers) until all dry ingredients are moistened.  Mold dough into a ball and chill for 15 min in the fridge.  (I have made pies, skipping the 'fridge step, and it didn't make any difference.)

Cut into quarters and roll out on a floured board.  Can be stored in the 'fridge up to 2 weeks in an oiled, ziplock bag, or frozen up to 2 months.

**I have been told that you can substitute cognac for the vinegar and the crust has a richer taste.

The excess crust can be made into "Bird's Nests".  Take the extra crust and roll out the bits.  Can be in any shape or size.    Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on the crust and roll it.  Bake on a cookie sheet for 5-7 minutes.  Yummy little mouthfulls!

My in-laws Anniversary is the day after Thanksgiving.  The year that they celebrated their 50th Anniversary, we came up with the idea of having a "Pie Party".  There were 50 pies at the celebration, and a buffet that was one of the most delicious I have ever seen.  There are 5 children in Hubby's family and the centerpiece was a pie stand with one pie from each family with a centerpiece on the very top. 

 Holidays or not, pie crust is not a problem,  break out the rolling pin and the flour.  If that's too much, there are crustless pies, frozen pies, graham cracker crust pies, or just call me!  We can whip one up in no time, but be warned, hubby will want some too! 

This week's recipes are all pie recipes.  There is no weekly menu as it's Thanksgiving week....it's all about the Bird...(and pie!)  Recipes with ***following can be found in the Pages section.

Crustless Coconut Cream Pie***

Green Tomato Mincemeat Pie***(My granddad's favorite and heirloom recipe)

Strawberry Pie***

Chocolate Cream Pie***

Baked, Mashed, Or Fries

Potatoes
That's where we are headed this week.  In this one brief reprieve from winter, we went out into the garden and dug the potatoes that we planted this spring.  It was a small crop by our regular standards, but due to the tomato blight that destroyed our crop last year, we didn't plant that many potatos.  The ones that we did dig up were small but perfect.

Potatos are a huge part of the American  diet.  Originating in the Andes and part of the nightshade family, these underground tubers have many different varieties.  (And yes, I did say nightshade family.  My grandfather always told us to never eat green potatos or the leaves, that we would be terribly sick.)  We never ate the green ones. So I'm passing on his wisdom,,,don't ever eat the green potatos or leaves!   The potato is the 4th largest crop in the world.  China is the world's largest potato producing country.

Anytime you go to a restaurant or now that holiday time is upon us, one sort of potatos or other will be offered at meal time.   They can be prepared in numerous ways with  ingredients from the fanciful to the simple.  Mashed potatos is one of the earliest adult foods that an infant can digest.  My infant son, when we went to a restaurant one day, ate what I always called, his body weight in mashed potatos!  He simply could not get enough.  When you are a child, french fries become the potato of choice.  You can dip them, dunk them, salt them, or sprinkle vinegar on them.  As you age, you start enjoying baked potato skins with sour cream, cheese, and bacon with your friends as an appetizer.  Then comes small meals  which includes roasted rosemary potato wedges or creamy potato chowder as you get older.  Finally in old age, mashed or baked  potatos become a favorite again. 

One of my favorite potato stories involves my grandmother.  She became blind in her 60's with macular degeneration.  Even though she was limited in her sight, she and my grandfather were fiercely independent.   My grandfather had been hospitalized for a new knee replacement.  Everyone was so worried about both of them.  What could we do?  Stay with grandpa or go up and stay with grandma?  Well, grandma, independent soul that she was, told us to take care of grandpa..that she was fine.  She was so proud of herself, because  for dinner she could get a potato, wash it, prick it with a fork and microwave it!  It would cook in minutes!  She would pop it out of the microwave and eat it with butter and salt and pepper and it was delicious. So different from when she was a child when it had to bake in the ashes of the fire for over an hour!

 I think the fact that she could make it all by herself added to the taste.  There is something about cooking for yourself and being independent that makes food taste that much better.  So mash up some spuds, bake up some chunks, or turn long strings of potato into golden, crispy fries.  Whether you are eating for one or serving up a mound full of creamy, mashed potatos for the holidays,  your taste buds will thank you.

Monday
Shepherd's Pie
Cottage cheese
Mandarin oranges

Tuesday
Steak
Crispy Potato Cakes (Recipe following)
carrots

Wednesday
Mac & Cheese
Green Beans

Thursday
Chicken casserole
Applesauce
Sugar Snap Peas

Friday
Impossible Potato Pie (Recipe Following)

Impossible Potato Pie
Preheat oven 350
Spray pie dish with nonstick cooking spray
4 large potatos peeled, cooked, and mashed
1/2 med apple
8 slices bacon crumbled
1/2 cup FF evaporated  milk
1 tsp nutmeg
Stir together
Bake 35-40 min

Crispy Potato Cake
4-5 large red skinned potatos
Bay leaf
4-5 cups of water
Cook until fork tender, drain
Heat saute pan with 2 tbsp olive oil

Mix 1 cup sour cream with mashed potatos
Add:
2 Tbsp prepared  horseradish sauce
chives
salt and pepper
Add potatos to hot pan.  Spread it out and bake in oven 350 for 20 min

Mystery of Bacon

Think about it....it's a cold morning.  You wake from a good night sleep because something has alerted your ears and tickled your nostrils.  It's the smells and sounds of bacon cooking.  You make your way to the kitchen where a hot beverage in a mug is waiting, and a plate of crispy, crunchy bacon is cooling.  Does it get any better?

Bacon is one of those dishes that when you serve it, people gather around.  Some like it chewy, some like it crispy, some like it pepper crusted, and some like it with hints of sweet, maple syrup.  Anytime we have a gathering of people for a sleepover, we always make sure that there is plenty of bacon in the house.  Often I will even cook up some bacon on the weekends, and store it in a plastic bag in the fridge.  It can be used in sauces, roasts, pasta, and salad.  It saves time, and when you warm it up by zapping  it in the microwave it's done in an instant.

My grandfather would make "Cracklings", which were the bits of bacon rind that were left over from a side of freshly butchered bacon.  He would deep fry these pork rind bits until they were puffed and crackling in your mouth.  They were deep fried,  rich goodness that had an aroma that filled the house and brought everyone into the kitchen.  It's a wonder we all didn't have heart attacks on the spot!  I haven't had them since he passed away, but oh how I remember them.

I have always cooked bacon in a skillet on top of the stove, just like my grandfather and mom.  You didn't fool around with bacon grease.  My Dad was seriously burned by grease on the stove, so there was a very strong respect for the cooking process, and no fooling around.  I even tried cooking it  in the microwave with the special bacon tray to try and eliminate the spattering and popping of the grease. 

Then one day I read how you could "bake" bacon on a cooking rack over a baking sheet.  It would reduce spatters, free up the cook top of your stove, and reduce the shrinkage of the bacon.  "Shrinkage-NEVER a good thing!"  So I tried it...400 degree oven, bacon on a wire rack over a baking sheet for 20 min.  PERFECT!  Crispy bacon, drained fat, clean cook top.  I was amazed!!!  It is the perfect way to cook a pound of bacon and have it perfect every time.  You can adjust your time to fit the way you like your bacon.  A little less time for chewy bacon, slightly more for crunchier.  The smoke alarm didn't even go off.  If you want to make the bacon wavy, and fancy, you just push it up, accordion style on the rack and it bakes perfectly.

There are new products all over that incorporate the flavor of bacon.  Bacon on top of macaroni and cheese,  bacon flavored popcorn, bacon crispies on top of maple iced donuts, bacon flavored salt, and even bacon flavored vodka!  (Hubby really wants to try THAT one!  I wonder what mimosas would taste like with that)?!

Go on....try it!   If you want to take serving bacon to a new level at your next brunch or breakfast, make this caramelized, candy bacon.  It's a salty, sweet fix that is guaranteed to make people come running to the kitchen.

Caramelized Bacon
1 lb of bacon
1/4 cup brown sugar

Separate bacon into strips.  Using a teaspoon, coat bacon with brown sugar. 
 Twist strips and lay on a baking rack on top of a baking sheet.
Bake at 350  for  15 minutes.
They are best served immediately.

Weekly Menu
Sunday
Lasagna
Green Beans

Monday
Beef Barley Soup***
Garlic bread

Tuesday
Chili
Cornbread

Wednesday
Pasta with Alfredo and bacon (Weight Watcher friendly: Believe it or not!)***

Thursday
Going to NYC  (Boys are on their own!)

Friday
Date Night w hubby

Just for Starters

There is something about a plateful of appetizers that gets a party, a gathering, or just a date night started.  Little plates of "nibbles" placed around a room set a tone and encourage mingling and munching.
When I was a kid, Chex Mix was one of the original 'nibbles" .   Bowls of  the crunchy, salty, snack would disappear at a rapid rate.  Remember the harvest gold, sunset yellow, and avocado green Tupperware bowls with the sealing lids?  They would keep the Chex Mix fresh and crunchy, and until my hands got strong enough to pop the seal, would keep the Mix safe from early munching!

Classic Chex Mix
3 cups Corn Chex® cereal
3 cups Rice Chex® cereal
3 cups Wheat Chex® cereal
1 cup mixed nuts
1 cup bite-size pretzels
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder

Directions

1. In large microwavable bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels and bagel chips; set aside. In small microwavable bowl, microwave butter uncovered on High about 40 seconds or until melted. Stir in seasonings. Pour over cereal mixture; stir until evenly coated.
2. Microwave uncovered on High 5 to 6 minutes, thoroughly stirring every 2 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool. Store in airtight container.

Another favorite were plates of cheese and crackers.  Bricks of cheddar, Munster, Swiss, and Monterrey jack would be sliced, cubed, and served alongside crackers (usually Ritz or Chicken in a Biscuit crackers).  Nowadays, there are so many different kinds of crackers and cheeses, the combinations are endless.  Some new favorites are Crandale Cranberry cheese, Halloumi, Hunter's cheddar, and Horseradish cheddar.  You can pair these with Stoneground wheat crackers, water crackers, or Parmesan crackers.  The Parmesan crackers are so easy to make.  If you have a food processor, you can make your very own snack crackers.  They are rich, crunchy, and melt in your mouth.

Parmesan Crackers

2 c grated parm cheese

1 stick of room temp butter

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp black pepper

Pulse all together in a food  processor.

Add 1 1/4 c flour

1/4 tsp salt

Pulse flour and salt to cheese mix.  When it creates a ball take it

out of the food processor and roll it into a log.  Wrap in plastic wrap and freeze until

firm.  Approx 30 min.

Slice and bake 350 for 22 min

Veggies and dip as well as fruit platters with dip are another classic appetizer.  When I was in college, we had an "appetizer night" on our last night of classes.  We all brought goodies to nosh on while we celebrated the end of  classes.  (I brought  spicy Chex Mix...how can you go wrong with that?) One of my classmates brought a fruit platter with a sweet, creamy fruit dip.  It was addictive and delicious and the perfect compliment to chunks of pineapple, strawberries, grapes and  kiwi.  She was generous and gave us all the recipe.  I couldn't wait to bring it out and amaze everyone!  It became one of my signature contributions to parties.

Fruit Dip

1 pkg cream cheese, softened

1 cup Marshmallow fluff

2 tsp vanilla

Use a mixer and combine.  Put in the refrigerator for 30 min before serving.

(Just try to keep your fingers out of it! )

So the next time you want to make an evening special, for 100, 10, or just 1, get out of your favorite plates, chill the wine, cider, or beer.   Chunk some cheese, slice some fruits and veggies,  open a sleeve or bake your own crackers, arrange them (remember mixing colors, textures, and heights make a plate interesting and appetizing  to look at) and set them around.  Mix up a batch of Chex Mix and who knows what'll get started!

Weekly Menu
Monday
Ginger Beef Soup***
Rice Noodles

Tuesday
Turkey Hash (one skillet meal using left over turkey from Sun***)
Mandarin Oranges

Wednesday
Sausage, Cheddar and apple bake***
Green salad

Thursday
Spaghetti w tuna, feta, and tomatoes***
garlic bread
Green beans

Friday
Baked "Fried"  Chicken
French Fries
Carrots

Spaghetti-Feed the Multitudes

Tis the season for company.  Have you noticed when the weather gets cooler, and the soccer games come to an end, that we all head to visit friends and family?  I think most everyone remembers their mother's spaghetti sauce.  Spaghetti was one of the very first things I learned to cook. 

Mom taught me how to make spaghetti sauce over the stove in the kitchen of our trailer.  We had a big stainless steel, copper bottomed pot, a cast iron pan to brown the ground beef and onion, and assorted slotted spoons and colanders.
The house smelled of garlic and spices, and I loved chopping the onions and green peppers.  Mom's spaghetti sauce was chunky with bits of vegetables, ground beef, and lots of tomatoes.  No one else's sauce ever measured up or tasted quite right.  We always drained our pasta when it was cooked and rinsed it under cold water.  Mom always said that rinsing it would keep the pasta from sticking together.
My dad loved spaghetti and we always had it once a week.  There is something  very warm and comforting about coming home to a spaghetti dinner.   We would have spaghetti, garlic bread, and green salad and shaker Parmesan cheese out of the green can.  Sometimes, Mom would make meatballs to drop in the sauce.  Large, cold glasses of milk would wash it all down. 
My hubby's mother will  make great pots of spaghetti sauce when the family comes home to visit. (She has 5 children, 10 grandchildren, and to date 3 great grandchildren.  A family meal is an event!  An ordinary family dinner is well over 15 people.  Pasta fits the bill nicely.  Kettles of pasta cook, while Granny fills her crockpots with sauce.  Spaghetti works because folks can choose between sauce or no sauce, plain or with cheese.   Many of her grandchildren when dinner is over will  leave and take home canning jars filled with her special sauce.  One of my nephews even requested containers of Granny's sauce for his graduation present so that he could store it in the freezer for ready made meals!
So when company comes calling, bring them down memory lane and serve spaghetti.  Ditch the green can and get a nice wedge of Parmesan cheese, grate it over the hot pasta.  Change it up, and serve pesto with the spaghetti sauce.  Toss in a handful of shrimp instead of ground beef.  The "pasta"-bilities are endless!   Do you remember rolling your first fork full?  

***Recipes can be found in the Pages section of the blog.***

Monday
Spaghetti w meat sauce***
Garlic bread
Green Beans

Tuesday
Pork Tenderloin (braised in the Crock pot)
Couscous
Applesauce
Carrots

Wednesday
Chicken Parmesan (with sauce from Mon)***
Rotini noodles
Green Salad

Thursday
Easy Clam Chowder***
Rolls

Friday
Ham Steak
Scalloped Potatos
Brussel Sprouts

My Favorite Things

Think of this in tune with "My Favorite Things."
Pizza and Cheesecake
and Ocean Waves Crashing,
Blue Glistening Earrings and
Soft 'Taters Mashing,
Red tulips bundled and Saphires in rings
These are a few of my favorite things.

Opening nights and Children who're happy
All Scottie puppies and Bubble gum snapping
White wine and Movies and People that sing
These are a few of my favorite things.

When the tics bite, when the tax stings
when I'm feeling sad,
I simply remember my family and friends
And then I don't feeeeeel soooooo bad.



That splash is me.  This is pure bliss.



 Green Margaritas and Bacon that sizzles
Sweet Breakfast Muffins and Cream cheese you drizzle
Old books and New Books and Hot cups of tea
These are what can mean the whole world to me.

When the Cold Bites
When Meanness stings
When I'm feeling bad
I simply remember my family and friends, and then I don't feeeeeel sooooo bad!

   For all of you have enjoyed my blog so far, thanks for the complements and thanks for reading.  It means more than you know.  The menu this week holds some my favorites.  Light on calories, some probably not, but these are some of my favorite comfort foods.  Michael....you are my hero.
***Recipes can be found in the Pages section of the blog.

Monday
Meatloaf  ***
Mashed Potatos
Broccoli

Tuesday
Portobello Mushroom Burgers***
Tabouli salad***

Wednesday
Grilled steak
Grilled potatos
Grilled asparagus
Margaritas (after rehearsal)

Thursday
Lasagna (Thanks Mom, This was my favorite dinner of all time!!!)
Garlic Bread
Salad
Cherry Cheesecake***

Friday
Chicken Kormi with  Apples and Coconut ***
Rice

I Really Wanted a Puppy

"I really wanted a puppy, and they brought her instead." I would say to people when they would ask how I felt about my sister.  There are 13 years difference between the two of us.  Yes, I'm older and have to say it, I'm taller.  But I'm here to set the record straight today, on the week of her birthday.  I wanted a sibling.  Badly. 

I was so excited when my parents announced that they were expecting.  I didn't care if it was a brother or sister.  When Kristal was born, I stayed with my Grandfather.  He came in at 3:00 AM and woke me to tell me that I had a new sister, and that Mom and Dad and "Kristal" were fine.  I snuggled back down into the covers, with my hand on the dog, and lay there with my eyes wide open trying to imagine this new person that I was going to meet the next day.  Dad picked me up from school early, and brought me out to the hospital.  I had a little sign that had her name on it and a picture of  the doll "Strawberry Shortcake".   I had made it  for the bassinet and flowers for Mom.  I was pretty nervous about meeting Kristal and seeing Mom.  Were they going to have room for me?  Was I going to like it? 

I remember walking into the "Snuggery" and Dad brought me up to the window of the nursery.  There in a white bassinet was my sister.  Dark haired, pink faced, and tiny.  Oh so tiny.  I fell in love right there.  We gave the sign to the nurse and she put it right on the bassinet.  We walked down to Mom's room, where she was waiting.  She had her arms out and enveloped me in a big hug.  Dad brought Kristal in, and Mom and I and Kristal sat together while Dad snapped pictures.  I wanted to bring her home right then.  There was room for me.  And yes, I was going to like it. 

Kristal called me "Sisser" for the longest time.  We lived in a trailer for many years, and she always got up earlier than me. (UGH)  With Dad and Mom egging her on, she would trundle down the hallway.  She was too short (hehehe) to reach the door knob, but she quickly learned that if she got going fast enough she could pop the door open by running into it full tilt with a "HI SISSER!"  That was NOT what I wanted to hear early in the morning after a dance or a date.  Snuggling in bed was not an option.  She would get giggling and start tickling and rough housing.  So I talked her into making a "nest".  However, the "nest" was in my laundry hamper!  She fit perfectly.  She would crawl in my hamper, I'd cover her up, and enjoy 20 minutes of sleep.  If I came up with the idea, she thought it was great.

How awesome is that?

Over the years, we have had so many good times.  13 years difference didn't phase us in the least.  In fact, it made our relationship stronger.  I got to help play Santa Claus, I got to help be the tooth fairy, I got to be the one that snapped photos of cheerleading, dancing, concerts,  & plays. I got to take her to NY city for the first time and watch her face light up when we watched the Phantom of the Opera.  (Even though I got the date wrong and we ALMOST didn't get to see the show at all!  But thanks to a very kind doorman, we had awesome seats.)  For many years, she backed me up.  Then as she got older, it was my turn to back her up.  I got to see her graduate from college, be her sponsor at confirmation, be her Maid of Honor, and held her hand when we gave Dad back to God.  I couldn't ask for a better friend. 

It's Kristal's birthday this week.  She is also expecting and there will be  13 years difference between her child and my child.  Funny how life can circle around.  So, setting the record straight once and for all....I am still older and still taller, but I really didn't want a puppy...I really wanted a sister. Not only did I get a sister, I got a best friend.   Happy Birthday!!

This week's menu is Kristal inspired.  These are her favorite childhood meals.  There are stories behind each meal, and she should remember all of them!

Monday
Stew (venison or beef)
Cheesy Garlic Biscuits ***

Tuesday
Tacos
Fruit

Wednesday
Chicken with Rice and Cashews***
Green Beans

Thursday
Fettuchini Alfredo ***
Green Salad
Garlic Bread
Marble Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Friday
Dijorno Supreme Pizza
Butter lettuce salad