Classic Apple Pie with Crumb Topping

I love a good apple-crumb pie.  Like my mother and grandmother before me, I prefer using a softer apple, such as a MacIntosh that really cooks down.  I hate finding big, hard chunks of apple in my homemade pie, so I avoid using the firmer granny smith type apples usually recommended in apple pie recipes.

Variation:  Apple-Rhubarb Crumb Pie
For an added twist, substitute some cut rhubarb for an equal amount of apples, and increase the sugar by 1/4 cup to compensate for the tartness of the rhubarb.

FILLING:

6 cups thinly sliced, peeled apples (6 medium)
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
3/4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 T lemon juice

CRUMB TOPPING:

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup oatmeal
3 tablespoons butter, chilled in freezer and cut into small pieces.

Prepare a 9 inch pie crust (single layer).  Do not bake.  For pie crust recipe, click here.

Heat oven to 425.  Mix all filling ingredients in a large bowl.  Turn the mixture into the prepared pie shell.

In medium size bowl, combine dry ingredients.  Drop in the butter. Use a pastry cutter and your fingers to mix the crumb mixture.  When satisfied, spread the crumb topping over the apple mixture.

Bake at 425 for 40 - 45 minutes, on the middle rack of your oven.  I use a pie shield to protect the crust and usually end up having to place a piece of tin foil on top to prevent crumb topping from burning.  Also, be watchful that the pie doesn't bubble out of the shell and onto the oven floor.

Serve warm with vanilla ice cream!

Poached Pears in Red Wine

These deliciously festive pears, tast fabulous served as a dessert.  Enjoy them as is, or heat and serve over vanilla ice cream.  Dice, and toss them into a fresh green salad (throw in a little crumbled goat cheese too), or add to raspberry jello (I substituted the syrup for the cold water).

If you're looking for a quick, elegant dessert, make a small batch and serve warm with ice cream and fresh whipped cream.

3 cups red wine3/4 cup sugar
4 pounds, ripe but firm pears
1/4 cup mulling spice

In a large skillet or dutch oven, heat the red wine, sugar and mulling spice until the sugar is dissolved.

Peel, halve, and core the pears. Lay the pears in a single layer in the red wine syrup.  Poach them over low heat for about 15 minutes.  Turn them over if needed, half-way thru the cooking time, making sure that each pear-half is stained red.  Remove from the skillet, and place in sterile mason jars.

Repeat until all pears are poached.  Pour the hot wine syrup over the pears inside the jars (leaving 1/2 inch head space), and seal with lids. Process in boiling water bath (15 minutes for pints - 25 minutes for quarts).

Easter Basket Cupcakes

These festive little cupcakes will delight young and old alike.

I like to fill my baskets with strawberry cake, but you can use whatever flavor cake you choose - be creative!

You'll Need:
1 recipe of cake batter
1-2 boxes ice cream cones (depending upon how many you want to make)
1 recipe of buttercream or cream cheese frosting (ready-made will work too)
green food coloring
coconut (optional)
tiny jelly beans
pastel pipe cleaners

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Fill 2 standard cupcake pans with ice cream cones.  I usually buy more cones, than I need just in case a few are cracked or crushed.

Prepare your cake batter.  Carefully spoon the batter into each ice cream cone, filling them to about 1/2 inch from the rim.  

Bake according to your recipe's directions for cupcakes (usually about 20 - 30 minutes).  I ALWAYS check the centers for doneness with a toothpick.  If the batter spills over the top and down the side of a cone, don't worry about it.  Just pick it off when the cake cools.

Frost the top of each cone. I use a basic buttercream, or cream cheese frosting, and tint it green with a drop of food coloring.

To tint your coconut, put a drop or two of food color in a medium size plastic container.  Add a cup or so of coconut, leaving at east two inches of headspace.  Cover the container with a lid, and shake it. The food color with turn your coconut green.

Decorate the frosted tops with coconut and candy.  Finally, insert your pipe cleaners. Happy Easter!

Strawberry Cake

This pretty, pink cake is moist-fully delicious, and very easy to make as it has a cake mix base.

Cake Batter:
1 (18.25 oz) boxed white cake mix
3 oz box of strawberry-flavored instant gelatin
1 (15 oz) package of frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water

For Frosting:
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 8 oz package cream cheese, softened
1 small package of frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed (you only need 1/4 cup - use what's left in smoothies)
1/2 tsp strawberry extract (for added berry flavor)
7 cups (more or less) confectioner's sugar (powdered sugar)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease two 9-inch, round cake pans, and line the bottom of each with parchment paper.

In large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin.  Add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth.

Pour batter into prepared pans and bake according to the directions on the cake mix box, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Invert cake from pans, and cool on wire rack.

For frosting:
In large bowl combine the butter and cream cheese.  Beat until smooth.  Add the berries and extract.  Slowly add in the powdered sugar, beating after each addition.  If your frosting is too stiff, add a little more puree.

Assemble the cake.  If I can find them, I sneak a few sliced strawberries between the layers, along with the frosting.  Enjoy!

Bread AND Butter Pudding with Whiskey Sauce

My mother never prepared a sandwich, no matter how humble the ingredients, without first buttering the bread.  When it became apparent, that not everyone came to school with a buttered bread sandwich, I asked Mom why she added the butter.  Her response was both practical and esoteric, "Because it keeps the bread from tasting dry, AND because we're Irish."


When I stumbled upon this bread pudding recipe in an Irish cookbook, I stopped to examine it further because I was intrigued by its title reference to bread AND butter.  I immediately thought of Mom, and her penchant for buttered bread.  This simple recipe and the whiskey sauce, are proven winners!


In Ireland, bread puddings were born out of the thrifty-desire to find a use for day-old, bread.  For a special treat, substitute a yummy, swirled, cinnamon bread.  Be creative!!


1/4 cup golden raisins (optional, but recommended)
1/2 cup hot water
4 tablespoons butter, softened
10 slices white sandwich bread
1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs, beaten

Whiskey Sauce
1 large package of vanilla pudding (cook and serve), prepared according to directions on box
2 tablespoons Irish whiskey

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Grease an 8 inch square baking dish.  In a small bowl, combine the raisins and water, and soak for 10 minutes.

Butter the bread, remove the crusts, and cut each slice in half diagonally.  Arrange half of the bread, buttered-side-up, in the prepared pan.  Drain the raisins, and sprinkle them over the bread.  Top with remaining bread slices.

In a small saucepan, combine the milk, cream, vanilla, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.  Cook over medium heat, just until mixture begins to boil.  Remove from heat, and whisk in eggs, one at a time (whisk quickly so eggs don't cook in the hot milk).  Pour the custard over the bread, and let soak for 10 minutes before baking.

To bake, cover the dish with aluminum foil, and place it inside a larger baking, or broiler pan.  Place all inside the oven.  Carefully add hot water to the large baking pan, to reach two-thirds of the way up the sides of the pudding dish.  Bake until the custard is set, 50 to 55 minutes.  When done, carefully remove pudding from the water.

Scoop the warm pudding into decorative glass dessert dishes, and spoon the Whiskey sauce over the top.

Sauce:  Whisk the Irish whiskey, into the prepared vanilla pudding (I've made my own for this recipe, but it's hardly worth the effort it takes to keep the homemade pudding from curdling) until smooth.  Serve warm or at room temperature.

S'MEEPS

Living in rural, northwestern, Pennsylvania as we do, weekend campfires with the nieces, nephews and grandkids are common-place, and as any child familiar with the outdoors will tell you, no bonfire is complete  without S'mores.

Before Rick can even light the fire, the children, roasting sticks in hand, start jockeying for positions around the fire-pit.  My job, in addition to acting as fencing referee, is to provide the marshmallows,  graham crackers, and chocolate bars.

Last May, my little cousin, a city-gal, and fellow foodie through and through, arrived on the banks of Mill Creek with her four boys, and a shopping bag loaded with marshmallow PEEPS - purchased at a discount after Easter.

The brightly-colored, marshmallow treats, were a delightful substitute for the plain, old-fashioned marshmallows usually sandwiched between the chocolate and graham squares, but roasting them required a bit of extra vigilance, as the sugar coating had a tendency to burn quickly if exposed to direct flame.

On the plus-side, the PEEPS held their shape better than their staid conterpart, were a little less messy, and thus easier to eat.

All in all, the S'MEEPS were a big hit, but remember to stock up during the Easter season. The PEEPS will stay fresh in their original packaging for months after the holiday.

Viennese Brownies

These sinfully delicious brownies, were a favorite of my late aunt, who made them each year during the Christmas season.  Not a big fan of chocolate, I especially like them because they have a cheese-cake-like layer sandwiched between the layers of fudgie, brownie.  These will stay moist for days in the fridge, or you can freeze to serve at a later date.

8 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 and 1/3 cup sugar, divided
3 eggs
2 ounces unsweetened baking chocolate, melted
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350.  Grease 8 x 8 glass dish.  In small bowl, combine cream cheese, 1/3 cup sugar, and 1 egg.  Beat until smooth, and set aside.

Beat two additional eggs, until fluffy. Add remaining cup of sugar, melted chocolate, and butter.  Add sifted dry ingredients, and stir to blend.

Pour half the chocolate batter into the pan.  Spread cream cheese mixture over all.  Top with remaining chocolate batter.

Bake at 350 for 40 - 50 minutes.  Cool and dust with powdered sugar, or chocolate frosting.

Frozen Peanut Butter Pie

This recipe belonged to my best friend's mother, Rosemary Powers, an Irish lady from outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  I liked it enough to ask her for the recipe.  Imagine!  I was only sixteen, and already a foodie :)

3 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup peanut butter
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cups Cool Whip
36 vanilla wafers, crushed
1/3 cup butter, melted
chocolate sauce

Combine vanilla wafers and butter.  Spread evenly in bottom, and up sides of a pie plate.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes.  Cool completely.

Combine remaining ingredients until well combined.  Spread in pie shell.  Cover with plastic wrap and freeze.  To serve, cut into wedges and drizzle with chocolate sauce.

Kentucky Derby Pie

Rick and I were introduced to this slightly drunken cousin of the traditional, southern, pecan pie, while entertaining clients at the Kentucky Derby, back in the early 1980s.  It became an instant favorite of mine.  Its easy to prepare, and will keep a day or two, but is really best enjoyed the day it's baked.

1 stick butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup flour
pinch salt
2 T Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup chocolate chips
1 - 9 inch pie shell, partially baked

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream butter and sugar.  Add beaten eggs, flour, salt, and bourbon.  Add chocolate chips, and pecans.  Stir well.

Pour into a partially baked pie shell, and bake for 30 minutes, or until the center is set.  Serve with sweetened, whipped cream (I add a bit of bourbon to the cream while whipping), or vanilla ice cream.

Churros

Better than anything you'll get at the county fair!  Cuddle-up with a plate of churros and a pot of hot chocolate - yum.

Churros are a Mexican pastry, and favorite fair food in the American southwest.  I tried to steer clear of buying them from mobile vendors for years because they always seemed to be more grease than good.  

When I came across this recipe in a Cuisine at home magazine, I was intrigued, so I made a trip to the Strip District to buy some cardamom.  The trip was well worth the effort, as these churros were delicious, and easy as one, two, three, to assemble and fry.  Regan and Richard agree!

You'll need a sturdy pastry bag and a 1/2 inch star tip.  

1 gallon vegetable oil

1/2 cup plus 2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon cardamom

4 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

grated zest of one small orange

3/4 cup flour

2 eggs

Note:  if you absolutely can't find cardamom, don't worry about it.  Cardamom is a delightfully different middle-eastern spice.  It gives the churros their distinctive flavor, but the cinnamon/sugar mixture will do just fine in a pinch.

Heat oil in a large, deep skillet or chef's pan, until very hot (350 degrees).  In a wide shallow dish, combine 1/2 cup sugar, cinnamon and cardamom.  Set aside.

Heat butter, water, 2 teaspoons sugar, salt, and orange zest (I used my microplane nutmeg grater to render a really finely grated zest), in a medium size saucepan.  When mixture begins to boil, stir in the flour, mashing the lumps as they form.  When the mixture is fully combined, and pulls away from the sides of the pan, remove from heat.  Transfer to a bowl and beat by hand for one minute.  Add eggs, one at a time, beating well to incorporate.  Pastry should be shiny and gooey.   Transfer dough to a pastry bag or tube, fitted with a 1/2 inch star tip.  

Pipe 3-inch long strips of dough into the hot oil.  Slice dough from end of piping tip with a paring knife dipped into frying oil.  Fry churros until golden brown on both sides (about 2 minutes on each side). Its fun to watch them puff as they cook.  Don't try to fit too many in your skillet at once or they'll grow together. 

Remove the churros from oil, and drain on a paper-towel-lined plate.  Immediately coat each with the sugar and spice mixture, and enjoy while warm.