Homemade Cherry Pie and Crust

Like I had mentioned in my Pumpkin Pie post, I was on a pie kick and this Cherry Pie was one of my choices to make. I used a different recipe for the crust (pumpkin pie one here) and I think I like this one a lot better. It was from an Amish Book...and my experiences with the Amish and Mennonites have been wonderful, especially in the food department! So I was very excited to try it out. Yum Yum Yum!

Recipe for Crust and Filling:

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup lard (I used Crisco... no lard in my pantry!) ;)

1 large egg

1/3 cup cold water

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

2 (21oz) "Comstock" Cherry Filling cans

1.In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Stir to blend. Add the lard (crisco) and rub it into the flour with your finger tips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the egg, water, and vinegar and stir with a fork until the dry ingredients are moistened. Form the dough into a ball and divide that into 2 balls. Form a ball into a disk and roll it out to a 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface.

2.Fit the dough into a 9-inch pie pan and trim the edges to a 1-inch overhang. Fold the dough under and crimp the edges. (NOTE: You can use my method from the Pumpkin Pie Post)

3. --save the trimmings to make a design if you want on your pie. I took a toothpick and stenciled out 2 cherries and cut them out with a knife. I am quite proud of myself for it! hehe

4. Place the Cherry filling in the pie pan -roll out the other ball of dough and place over the filling (or, if you are doing lattice design, cut the dough into strips and lay over the filling accordingly). Trim the edges and seals the pie crusts together. You can make a fancy edging if you desire as well. If you made a design to go on top go ahead and place that and make a few slits into the pie for ventilation during baking.

5. Preheat oven to 425°F.

6. Bake for 15 mins, then decrease oven temperature to 350F and back for 30 min, or until crust is golden brown. If you find your crust browning too quickly, cover it loosely with tin foil!

Pumpkin Cookies and Frosting

Now I got this recipe back in college from my room-mate Valerie. They are sooo moist, soft and flavorful! This is a must during the Fall season...and when I need a little holiday feel during the rest of the year. I was browsing through my pantry the other day and saw a can of pumpkin and thought it needed to be put to work. The outcome? YUMMINESS.

Cookie Recipe:
2 cups Flour
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 Cup Sugar
1 Cup Butter
1 Egg
1 Cup Pumpkin
1 tsp Vanilla

Frosting Recipe:
2 Tbs Butter
4 Tbs Milk
1/2 Cup Brown Sugar
1 Cup Powder Sugar
1 tsp Vanilla

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2.Cream butter, sugar, egg and vanilla -- sift dry ingredients and slowly add to the creamed ingredients.

4. Spoon onto baking sheet (greased, or layered with parchment paper)

5. Bake for 10-12 mins (don't over cook! Watch the cookies!!)

6. Transfer to wire rack -- top with frosting when cooled.

Wow, that was simple, eh? Go enjoy....in moderation!!

Strawberry Shortcakes and homemade Whipped Cream

Mmmm you know summer is here when you start craving strawberry shortcakes! We go through a lot of strawberries in our house and this one particular day I felt like making some yummy shortcake. I flipped open my Better Homes and Garden cook book and found just the thing. It was delicious! The cake was fluffy and sweet - perfect when served warm with a nice scoop of sliced strawberries and whipped cream on top....Mmmmm I want one right now!
It was a simple recipe and you just plopped the batter onto a cookie sheet and baked. Of course they won't look like your processed little shortcakes you buy in the packets at Wal-Mart...these are much better!

Recipe:
1.5 Cups all purpose Flour
1/4 cup Sugar
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/4 tsp Baking Soda
1/4 tsp Salt
1/3 cup cold Butter
1 Egg
1/2 cup Dairy sour cream
2 Tbs Milk

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Lightly grease a baking sheet (or use parchment paper!); set aside. In a medium bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. In a small bowl combine egg, sour cream, and milk. Add flour mixture, stirring with a fork until moistened.

2. drop dough into eight mounds onto baking sheet. Bake for 12 to 15 mins or until golden (dont over cook! Start low, like 11 mins... keep watch) --- Transfer to wire rack, let cool.

Serve with strawberries and Whipped Cream. ....Now, you can use the store bought whipped cream, or...make your own!! It's fast and easy - and tastes great!

Recipe for Whipped Cream:

In a chilled mixing bowl add 1 cup of whipping cream, 2 Tbs sugar, and 1/2 tsp vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form (or, for about 10 mins by hand with a whisk) That's it. Now go and enjoy! YUM!.... sit outside and eat...it makes it all that much more pleasurable.

Asian Orange Chicken

I am sorry everyone (everyone, being my 2 or 3 devout followers)!! I am still making food, but have been very busy and accidentally forgot to document a few of my creations...and then I was hit hard with a stomach virus last Monday and took the whole week to recover. I mean seriously, that virus wiped me out! The smell of food was revolting, so that was the last thing I wanted to use my ounces of energy toward. Carter got a little sick too, so this past week has just been a yucky one. I had some yummy sounding meals planned for that week too, oh well. I will just have to get my food groove on this week!

One meal I did make that I never posted on here...and that Don enjoyed thoroughly was an Asian Orange Chicken dish. Yum! I served over white rice with snow peas, carrots and chow mein noodles.

Recipe

Sauce:

1 1/2 cups water

2 tablespoons orange juice

1/4 cup lemon juice

1/3 cup rice vinegar

2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

1 tablespoon grated orange zest

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root

1/2 teaspoon minced garlic

2 tablespoons chopped green onion

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

(for another bag)

3 tablespoons cornstarch

2 tablespoons water

Chicken:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut

into 1 inch cube pieces

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

3 tablespoons olive oil

	Okay now pour 1 1/2 cups water, orange juice, lemon juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce into a saucepan and set over medium-high heat. Stir in the orange zest, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, chopped onion, and red pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat, and cool 10 to 15 minutes. Now place the chicken into a resealable plastic bag. When your saucepan has cooled, pour 1 cup of sauce into bag. Reserve the remaining sauce. Seal the bag, and refrigerate at least 2 hours. ( I only did about 30mins...the longer the better though!)
	In another resealable plastic bag, mix the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the marinated chicken pieces, seal the bag, and shake to coat. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat (4/5). Place the chicken in the skillet and brown on both sides. Scoop them out into a large bowl (don't worry, they are going back into the pan soon). Wipe out the skillet and add all the sauce. Bring this to a boil over a medium/high heat (6/8) Mix together the cornstarch and 2 Tbs of water - stir into the sauce. Reduce the heat to medium low and add the chicken pieces. Simmer and cook till chicken is tender and white in the middle. You are done my friend! Good job~ Now go sit down and enjoy your hard work. Yummy Bunny!

Cinnamon Pear Muffins

Sorry I am behind on some of my posts. I have always enjoyed making these since I discovered the recipe from the P90X nutrition book. I have modified it a bit for the ingredients I had in my house that day and have kept it the same ever since. They are delicious for a morning snack and freeze well for later enjoyment.

Recipe:
Oven @ 350F
Whisk together:
3/4 Cup canned pear juice
2 Egg Whites
2 Tbs Vegetable Oil
1 Tbs Lemon Juice
Then Stir In:
2 Cups All Purpose Flour
2/3 Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 tsp Baking Powder
1 Tbs Cinnamon
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Can of pears (the pears inside the can you used the pear juice from! silly...)Be sure to cut up into pieces the pears!
((Optional:: 1/2 Cup low fat granola, or 1/2 Cup Oatmeal))

Now the batter should be lumpy...and yummy to the taste. Not that I ever eat the raw batter, ha! that's just unheard of....uh....ummm, yeah....

Dish out into your muffin tray (which you already sprayed heavily with Pam or use a muffin paper cup)

Toss in the oven for about 16-20 mins (watch, don't burn them! Your oven might cook very hot) and enjoy them nice and warm! Scrumptious!! :)

Hoisin and Cranberry Chicken (**Good**)

Sounds kinda iffy, eh? Well don't hear... taste! :) It was fantastic! I improvised from the original recipe and made it my own. The chicken was very juicy and tender and the sauce ingredients complimented one another very well. My mother came into town this week and loved it! So did Don...and Carter thought it was "interesting". He was more into the ranch dressing and chips on top of the salad than anything else...

Recipe:
Turn oven on to 450F

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts. Trim all the fat off.
• Place in a gallon "Ziplock" bag:
• 1 Tbs Chinese Five-spice powder
• 1 tsp Salt
• and 3 Tbs white flour

Shake around the mixture in the bag then add your chicken. Bounce around the room and sing while you shake the bag, coating the chicken. The dancing and signing is very important. Do not skip that step...
Now spray a glass cooking dish and evenly space chicken out and cook for about 15-20 mins uncovered. Cut into your fattest chicken and make sure the meat is white.
(while chicken cooks)
In a Medium saucepan add:
1 can of Cranberries
1 and 1/4 Cup of Chicken Broth
3 Tbs of Hoisin Sauce
1 Tea of Brown Sugar
~1/4 cup of Lemon Juice

Mix well and bring to a boil slowly. (Careful, it foams up! - blow on the mixture if the froth gets too high) Then lower the temperature. Slowly mix in about 1 Tbs of flour to thicken the sauce up a bit. You could even add a tiny bit (1/4 tsp or so) of Corn Starch to help with the thickening. Mine was pretty runny...so no worries.

When the chicken is done take it out of the oven and pour generously the sauce over the top. Flip the chicken with a fork and cover both sides. Mmmmmm. Pour the rest of the sauce in a small bowl for dipping if desired.
Now transfer your delicious chicken to a plate and serve with whatever catches your fancy.
Enjoy~

(I served mine with a small salad and wild rice)

"Hawaiian Haystacks"

I have never had this meal before until I met Don. Super simple, and super delish'. They are called various things, like Coconut Tree Tops or Chicken Sundae - but I think more popularly known as "Hawaiian Haystacks".

Recipe:
(amount for 2 -3 people)
2 Cans Cream of Chicken
1 Cup Chicken Broth
2+ Cups of cut/cubed Chicken
Rice
Cheese
Chow Mein Noodles
Coconut
Pineapple
and any various other toppings (ex. tomatoes, nuts, celery, olives...etc.)

I took about a pound of chicken and trimmed the fat, and cut it into 1x1" cubes. Put that on a skillet and cook till done and tender. Cook about 1 cup of rice (remember, when cooking on the stove - there is a rice ratio to follow. 2:1. 2 Cups water for 1 cup rice). You can use a rice cooker, but I seem to always use the stove for some reason. (but I do have a cooker). So, just in case you don't know how to cook rice..use the 2:1 ratio, bring it to a boil..stir... place on warm (1-2 setting), cover and stir occasionally...but mostly just leave alone. :) Good, got the whole rice thing covered. Chicken is cooking, rice is cooking. Okay, now place the cream of chicken and broth in a sauce pan and warm. After chicken is done combine it with the cream and broth. Mmmm smells good already, uh? After rice is cooked through (rice is tender, not crunchy or dry) - get your plates out and plop a nice helping of rice on them. Then dish out the sauce/chicken combo. Now sprinkle cheese, celery, chow mein noodles, pineapple, coconut and any other topping your want over it. EAT. Pretty easy stuff. The way we normally have the table set up is all these different toppings are in separate bowls and you just spoon out what you would like. Normally fun building your little "islands" :)

Apple-Maple Claws...oh, and a burrito.

Yesterday I said that I was making a special treat. Well here it is! Yum~

This little beauty is called an "Apple-Maple Claw" and tastes pretty darn scrumptious! However, the work involved was a little extensive - I think mostly in part because of my 50% effort while playing with Carter. I made the quick-method croissant dough recipe (which really is not all that *quick*) and had to let chill till the next day (4-24hrs). Here is the recipe:

Croissant Dough
1.5 Cups Cold Butter
4.5 Cup All Purpose Flour
1 Package of dry yeast (I have the jar, so 1Tbs)
1 and 1/4 Cups Milk
1.4 Cup Sugar
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Egg
4th to a half Cup All Purpose Flour

1. Cut the butter into thin little slices and mix that around 3 cups of flour. After they are all mixed and separated, put the bowl and mixture in the fridge to chill.


2. For the dough, combine the remaining 1.5 cups flour and the yeast; set aside.
In a sauce pan heat and stir milk, sugar and salt just until warm (120-130F with cooking thermometer). add to flour and yeast mixture. Add Egg. Mix together well with electric mixer or wooden spoon.

3. With wooden spoon, stir chilled flour/butter mixture into dough until flour is moistened (butter chunks will remain)

4. Okay, now most places will say flour a surface real well or use a pastry cloth --well my little trick is Parchment paper for everything! The clean-up is so much better when you use this stuff. Now get your parchment out, flour it up a little and turn the dough out onto the surface. with floured (clean) hands gently knead the dough for about 8 strokes. Using a well floured rolling pin (to prevent sticking) roll dough out into about a 21X12" rectangle. (I again use parchment paper instead of flouring my rolling pin. Sprinkle a little flour on the dough and layer a parchment paper on top...then roll away!)

Rolling Process

5. Now fold the dough into thirds. (Take left side, fold it to middle, then take right side and fold it to middle - like a letter going into an envelope.). Loosely wrap that in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 1-1.5hours. ....or 20-30mins in the freezer. You want it firm but not excessively stiff.

6. Now roll the dough back out into a 21X12" rectangle and then fold back into thirds. Turn the dough around and re-roll it back out in a 21x12" and then fold back into thirds. Cut dough evenly down the middle and place in two separate plastic bags. Inflate the bag a little to allow the dough room to rise. Chill dough for 4-24hrs.

Whew! Now you're done with the most time consuming portion!

Now for the filling I made to go inside the dough I doubled what the recipe called for. You might not feel the need - but I really wanted to load those puppies up with apple goodness! So, for the following recipe double if you desire. :)
FILLING RECIPE:
1.5 Cups Chopped and Peeled Apples (I used granny smith green)
2 Tbs Sugar
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Cup Butter
1/2 Cup Powdered Sugar
2 Tbs all-purpose Flour
2 tsp Vanilla
1 tea Maple flavoring

1. In a med. saucepan combine and apples and sugar. Heat slowly until liquid accumulates. Bring mixture to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 8 to 10 mins or until the apples are tender. Uncover and simmer for 3 mins more or until most of the liquid is evaporated. Stir in cinnamon.

2. In a medium mixing bowl beat butter, powdered sugar, flour, vanilla and maple flavoring with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 mins or until light and fluffy - set aside.

3. Now take your dough you made and chilled. Roll into 12" square. Cut each square into three 4 inch wide strips (6 strips total). Now take the maple vanilla mixture and spread it across the strips. (This is where you will have to delegate how much goes on each...thus the reason why I doubled the recipe) Now delegate yet again the apple cinnamon mixture over the mixture on the strips. Fold the strips lengthwise in half to cover the filling. Pinch the edges to seal. Cut the strips into 3 4-inch long pieces. Make 4 or 5 evenly spaced cuts into each piece. Snipping from the sealed edge almost to the folded edge. Place two inches apart on un-greased baking sheet (again, I used parchment paper over my cooking sheet...no mess! yes!!). Curving slightly to separate slits. Cover and let raise in a warm place until nearly doubled. Approx. 45-60 mins. (Now I did not do this. --I just threw it in and baked.)

Pinched and separated

Ready for the Oven

All Done!

Bake in oven at 375F for 11-15 mins. Or until pastries are golden.

Maple Glaze:

In a small mixing bowl combine
1 Cup powdered sugar
1/4 tea maple flavoring
1-2Tbs milk
Enough to make a glaze that is easy to drizzle.

Now serve warm, alone or with ice cream. Or cool and seal in freezer bag for another day. Good Job!

P.S. Don't Stuff Too much....my second batch that I generously loaded sort of spilled their "guts" while cooking. Whoops. Oh well, still tasty and good with ice cream!

Always wear your seat belt

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Don tried it out....yummmm
Carter Tried it out....kind of Yummmmm

Oh, and I also made a less-than fabulous Burrito for Don and I to eat. Sorry, nothing special here. It didn't even have meat in it! Just take a tortilla, layer some re-fried beans, cheese, salsa, sour cream..whatever else and cook or microwave. Some home maker uh? haha

Chocolate chip butterscotch cookies and fruit pizza

Okay so I have not saved much from any of my previous yum-tastic endeavors; but what I do have are the following:

(post taken from a entry on my main web blog)

I love to make home made goodies, and Don thoroughly enjoys almost all my experiments. The first is a scrumptious cookie recipe that Don and the people he works with beg for all the time. It is a chocolate and butterscotch cookie recipe. Super easy and super yummy! These cookies are moist and keep their wonderful "fluffiness" even after cooled.

Here are the cookies:
"tada"

...and here is the recipe:

Oven @: 375F

Mix in a bowl with an electric mixer - till smooth and creamy:

• 1/2 Cup of shortening
• 1/2 Cup of Butter

Add to the bowl and mix till smooth:

• 1 Cup packed Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Cup White Sugar
• 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda

Then beat in:

• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla

After all that is combined start adding in as much of the 2.5 cups of Flour that you can. Use a wooden spoon, or large thick fork (I use the fork). Stir Stir Stir!

Then Add till desired:

• Chocolate chips
• Butterscotch chips

The saying you can never have enough chocolate is true in many cases, but not here. Careful not to overload the bowl with too many "chips". Your mixture will be overloaded and not have enough "cookie" to keep its form.

Final step:
Scoop out nice little balls and place on a non greased cookie sheet. I usually take my large fork I stirred everything with and scoop out just a nice chunk and then, using a Popsicle stick, scrap off onto sheet. The oven will melt the dough into a nice round cookie - so no need to flour up your hands and roll out each serving.
375F oven for 8-10 mins. Watch carefully, you don't want an over baked batch!
Take out of oven and wait a min. or so - then transfer to wire cooling rack. YUM YUM enjoy!

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Fruit Pizza! Don and I absolutely love this treat and it is actually pretty simple to make. Little costly at times, because of fruit prices, but makes a lot!

Here is the treat we made:
"tada"



...and here is the recipe/steps:

Step 1: Buy or make a batch of sugar cookie dough. I've made mine in the past, but for this one I just bought 2 pre-made Pillsbury sugar cookie dough. I took a cookie sheet, sprayed with Pam and (with flour on my hands) started to roll out and smushed to cover the whole cookie sheet. It takes a bit and a lot of spreading - but you'll get there. Don't worry! (a rolling pin is awesome, if you have one small enough to fit into the cookie sheet). After that is thinned out and spread throw into the oven at the designated temperature and cook for about 10 mins. Make sure you watch carefully, burnt "pizza bottom" is never that yummy.

Sugar Cookie Crust Bottom... post-cooked

Step 2:
For your frosting you'll need this:

• 8 oz Cream Cheese
• 1 tsp Vanilla
• 1/2 cup Powder sugar

Mix those ingredients together and spread over the top of your cooled cookie crust.

Frosting applied

Step 4:
After your spread is done, cut up any type of fruit you want to use on your pizza. Some examples that we like to have are Strawberries, Bananas, Kiwis, Grapes, Black or Blueberries.etc...
Once you have those all cut up begin your creation! Design however you like - I have made much prettier ones in the past. I was short on time (thank you Carter) so I gave no thought to my fruit order and just started putting them on. Still yummy though! :)

Step 4:
Okay, FINAL step. You have to (okay, maybe not have to, but is a good idea) to apply a glaze over the whole pizza after laying your fruit. Helps keep in all the moisture and prevent the fruit from browning and getting nasty. This recipe makes a ton, so I always cut it in half - but here is the "un-cut" version.

Glaze:

• 1 cup Sugar
• 3 Tbs Cornstarch
• Dash of Salt
• 3/4 Cup of Water
• 1 Cup Orange Juice
• 1/4 Cup Lemon (juice)

I just mix that well - then take a large spoon and start dripping it over everything. You feel like you're watering down your pizza, but don't worry - it taste great and won't ruin all your hard work. Congratulations! You've made your very own Fruit Pizza that your spouse, friends and your taste buds will thank you for. Serve up and Enjoy!..... or, if for later, cover with tin foil and place in fridge. Taste better when chilled.

Fruit Pizza
"yum"