Apple Cranberry Pie

~ Apple Cranberry Pie ~

Ingredients:
homemade pie crust {Perfect Pie Crust} The Pioneer Woman's recipe
3 large apples, cored, peeled, and sliced into 1/2-inch slices (about 6-7 cups)
1 and 1/2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 Tablespoon orange zest
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed {I use salted butter}
egg wash: 1 large egg beaten with 1 Tablespoon milk

Directions:

Prepare pie crust

Make the filling: Stir the apples, cranberries, granulated sugar, cornstarch, orange zest, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Set filling aside as the oven preheats.

Preheat oven to 400°F

Spoon the filling into the crust, leaving any excess liquid in the bowl

Dot the pieces of butter on top of the filling. Stick in the refrigerator until ready to cut the lattice.

Cut the top crust into lattice strips, or simply cover the filling with the 12-inch pie dough circle (cut slits in the top to form steam vents). Or a crumble or streusel topping would be great as well.

Lightly brush the top of the pie crust with the egg wash mixture.

Place the pie onto a large baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Keeping the pie in the oven, turn the temperature down to 350°F and bake for an additional 30-35 minutes.
NOTE: I cover the edges with a strip of aluminum foil to prevent the crust from burning and remove the foil during the last 20 minutes of baking.

Allow the pie to cool for 3 full hours at room temperature before serving. This time allows the filling to thicken up. Cover leftovers tightly and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

~~~♥~~~

 

Jello Jam ~ It's Easy and Delicious

Earlier this year, I made this wonderful Jello jam. I recently opened one of the delicious jars of jam. It was so yummy that I had to tell you about it. This is the easiest jam to make, no pectin used, just Jello.

I love the flavor of  the watermelon Jello in this plum jam.

~~~♥~~~

Jello Jam
Ingredients
• 5 cups crushed fruit   
• 2 cups crushed pineapple ; drained {I used more plums and did not add the pineapple to my plums.}
• 6 cups sugar
• 6 oz. Jello gelatin powder

NOTES : Use any fresh fruit you like, such as berries, apricots, peaches, plums, pears, cherries. Choose a complimentary flavor of Jello to go with the fruit you use.

How to make it
• Boil fruit, pineapple and sugar together for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
•Turn off heat.
• Add Jello, mix well.
• Ladle into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch from tops. .
• Wipe jar rims and threads.
• Cover with two piece lids, screw bands tightly.
• Invert onto clean towel.
• After 5 minutes, turn upright and check for seals.
• Makes 12 half pints.

{Source}

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Or see: PLUM JAM
Ingredients
 6 c. plums, ground
1 pkg. frozen raspberries (more if desired)
7 c. sugar
2 (3 oz.) pkg. raspberry jello

Directions
Boil plums, sugar and raspberries 20 minutes.
Add jello until dissolved.
Bottle and seal.

Or See: Make Your Own Jell-O Jam
Or Raspberry Rhubarb Jell-O Jam

Quick and Easy Lazy Quiche - Made with Bread

~ A favorite breakfast when having overnight guests ~

I love this recipe first of all because it is delicious (yes Delicious - so delicious it is hard to eat just one piece). Other reasons for loving it is that it is easy to make, it is best made ahead of time, and it is a great way to use up leftover foods.

~~~♥~~~

Lazy Quiche

• 16 slices of bread {This does not have to be exact}
• Optional - 1/2 cup melted butter {Actually, I add this ingredient to the recipe because my bread was SO dry. The recipe is good without butter added}
• 8 eggs {I used 12}
• 2 cups milk
• 1 large can diced chilies
• Sausage, cooked {or ham or bacon, diced}
• Green onion
• Cheese, shredded
• Salt and Pepper to taste

{I just sprinkle salt into the beaten eggs, but I see that similar recipes use 1/2 teaspoon salt}

Instructions:

Cover the bottom of a  9 x 13 inch pan with bread (broken into small pieces). (My bread was very dry, so I poured 1/2 cup melted butter over the bread) 

Mix the chilies, sausage, green onion - scatter evenly over the bread. Sprinkle cheese liberally over the bread mixture.

In a large bowl, beat eggs. Mix milk, salt and pepper into eggs - pour mixture over bread, meat, and cheese in pan.

Set in refrigerator overnight.
Bake at 350° for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Note: this is HOT right out of the oven; let it set at least 10 minutes before serving.

Really, you can change the amount of ingredients to suit your needs and to use the food you have on hand.

 ~~~♥~~~ 

Here are two similar recipes:

 BREAKFAST QUICHE 

and

 Simple Quiche Recipe – Use Bread for the Crust!. 

I ate this for breakfast yesterday, 
and it really is as good as I remember it being.

Luscious Apple Cake

This recipe from my sister notes -

This cake serves 25 hungry men or 35 slender women.

~~~♥~~~

Luscious Apple Cake

2 cups flour

2 cups packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, room temperature

1 cup chopped walnuts

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 egg

1 cup sour cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

2  cups finely chopped tart apples 

Vanilla ice cream - optional

Preheat oven to 350°
Lightly grease a 9" x 13" baking pan.

Combine first 3 ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Mix until crumbled. Stir in nuts. Press 2 cups of mixture into bottom of baking ban. (This step is what makes this cake so luscious.)

To remaining mixture, add cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Blend well. Beat in egg, sour cream and vanilla. Gently stir in apples. Spoon batter evenly into baking pan. Bake until cake begins to pull away from sides of pan and knife inserted in center comes out clean, about 35-40 minutes. Let cool completely in pan. Cut into squares. Top win ice cream, if desired. 

Griddle Cakes

~ Father's Day Breakfast ~

Recipe from:
~ Joy of Cooking ~

Ingredients:

Sift before measuring:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Resift with:

• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 3/4 teaspoons double-acting baking powder

Combine:

• 1 to 2 beaten whole eggs
• 3 tablespoons melted butter
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups milk

Mix the liquid ingredients quickly into the dry ingredients. 

Test griddle: let a few drops of cold water fall on griddle. If the water bounces and sputters, the griddle is ready. If the water just sits and boils, the griddle is not hot enough. If the water vanishes, the griddle is too hot.

Cook about 2-3 minutes before turning. When bubbles appear on surface, but before they break, lift the cakes to check brownness. Turn and cook until done.

Makes about fourteen 4-inch Cakes

~~~♥~~~

Happy Father's Day!

Homemade Pizza

Our neighbor gave us a gallon sized bag of pepperoni 

and load of mozzarella cheese. 

So, we decided to make pizza

You want quick and easy no-kneading artisan bread crust?  

We use this recipe when making pizza.

It's a breeze!

Five Minutes a Day for Fresh-Baked Bread 

This recipe makes 4 1-pound loaves. You can double or half it. You can use a KitchenAid mixer. I mix mine by hand in a large bowl.

Ingredients: 

• 3 cups warm water 
• 1 1/2 T. yeast 
• 1 1/2 T. salt 
• 1 cup whole wheat flour 
• 5 1/2 cups unbleached flour 
• whole wheat flour to sprinkle on peel 

Mixing and storing the dough:
1. Heat the water to just a little warmer than body temperature (about 100 degrees Fahrenheit). Add the yeast and salt with the water in a 5 quart bowl.
2. Mix in remaining dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon, or kitchenAid with dough hook.
3. Cover, not airtight, and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses (about 2 hours) unlike traditional artisan bread, it will not hurt the dough to sit longer than this.
4. The dough can be used immediately but it will be easier to handle if you refrigerate three hours first. It can now be put in the fridge for up to 14 days.

When you are ready to bake: 
5. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1-pound (about the size of a grapefruit) piece. If making pizza - Place your ball of dough on to a greased pizza pan or cookie sheet sprinkled with cornmeal. Dust with flour as needed (cooking spray is also handy) to roll-out or press-out with hands.  (After rolling, let the dough rest for just a few minutes before adding toppings.) If making bread - Dust with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. Allow to rest and rise on a cornmeal-covered pan for 40 minutes.
6. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Place an empty broiler pan on the bottom rack and adjust shelves so that they will not interfere with the dough as it rises during baking (Broiler pan is not necessary for pizza.)
7. For bread, sprinkle loaf liberally with flour and slash a cross, scallop or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top, using serrated bread knife. Leave the flour in place for baking; tap some of it off before slicing.
8. Put bread in oven. Pour 1 cup HOT tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door.  Bake for about 35 minutes, or until deeply brown and firm. Smaller or larger loaves will require adjustments in baking time. For pizza, I skip the hot water and I bake my pizza for 18 minutes at 450 degrees.
9. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.

Double this recipe using The “6-3-3-13” rule: 6 cups water, 3 tablespoons salt, 3 tablespoons yeast, and then add 13 cups of flour. 

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Recipe for the perfect Artisan Five Minute Bread 

 Easy to follow instructions for mixing and storing the dough 

Your family is sure to love it!

Saturday Morning Waffles with Blueberries

 I promised my husband that I would make him

waffles with blueberries...

Wonderful waffles

from 

Joy of Cooking.

Here is the recipe.

Waffles

Sift before measuring: 

• 1 3/4 cups cake flour (I use all-purpose flour)

Resift with:

• 2 teaspoons double acting baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 Tablespoon sugar

Beat well:

• 3 eggs yolks

Add:

• 2 to 7 tablespoons melted butter or vegetable oil (I use 7)
• 1 1/2 cups milk

Make a hole in the center of the sifted ingredients. Pour in the liquid ingredients. Combine them with a few swift strokes (do not over beat of over mix). The batter should have a pebbled look, similar to a muffin batter. At this time, you might want to include one of the following:

• (1/2 cup fresh berries)
• (1/4 cup raisins)
• (1/4 cup finely chopped nuts or coconut)
• (1 cup finely diced cooked ham)

Beat until stiff, but not dry:

• 3 egg whites

Fold them into the batter until they are barely blended. 

To cook, heat waffle iron until the indicator shows it is ready to use. cover the grid surface about two-thirds. Close the lid and wait for 4 minutes. When the waffle is ready, all steam will have stopped emerging from the crack of the iron. (I have a Belgian waffle maker - my waffles take 5 minutes before all the steam stops emerging.) The richer the dough, the crisper the waffle becomes. With the butter flavor baked into the waffle, there is then no reason for adding butter - unless you like lots, as do I.

~~~♥~~~

Makes 6 waffles with a traditional waffle maker
I have to double this recipe to get 7 - 8  using my Belgian waffle maker.

If you make these waffles, I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Cinnamon Rolls

  The Pioneer Woman's cinnamon rolls  Her recipe makes 9-8 pans of cinnamon rolls. I cut it in half and made three pans of 8 rolls each. Total of 24 rolls

Trust me, 

These are not only GOOD, 

They are also NOW my new 

BEST, 

EASIEST, and 

FAVORITE 

go to cinnamon rolls. 

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 cups Whole Milk 
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil (I used butter)
• 1/2 cup Sugar 
• 1 package Active Dry Yeast, 0.25 Ounce Packets (I used a tablespoon)
• 4 cups (Plus 1 Cup Extra, Reserved) All-purpose Flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon (heaping) Baking Powder 
• 1/2 teaspoon (scant) Baking Soda 
• 1/2 Tablespoon (heaping) Salt 
• Plenty Of Melted Butter 
• 1 cups Sugar 
• Generous Sprinkling Of Cinnamon

MAPLE FROSTING:

• 1/2 bag Powdered Sugar 
• 1/2 teaspoons Maple Flavoring 
• 1/4 cup Milk 
• 1/8 cup Melted Butter 
• 1/8 cup Brewed Coffee (It's the coffee that makes this so good!)
• Sprinkle of Salt 

For the dough, scald the milk, vegetable oil, and sugar in a medium saucepan over medium heat (to just below a boil). Turn off heat and leave to cool 45 minutes to 1 hour.

When the mixture is lukewarm to warm, but NOT hot (110-115 degrees F), sprinkle in the yeast on top (stir it in if you like) and let it sit on the milk for a few minutes. Add 4 cups of the flour. Stir until just combined, then cover with a clean kitchen towel, and set aside in a relatively warm place for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, remove the towel and add the baking powder, baking soda, salt, and the remaining 1/2 cup flour. Stir thoroughly to combine.

Use the dough right away, or place in a mixing bowl and refrigerate for up to 3 days, punching down the dough if it rises to the top of the bowl. (Note: dough is easier to work with if it’s been chilled for at least an hour or so beforehand.)

~ Dough after chilling for 1 hour ~

Preheat the oven to 375°F. To assemble the rolls, remove the dough from the pan/bowl. Sprinkle surface generously with flour (the dough is sticky if not chilled first). Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 30 x 10 inches. The dough should be rolled very thin.

To make the filling, 1/2 - 1 cup of the melted butter over the surface of the dough. Spread the butter evenly.  Sprinkle 1 cup (or more if you like) of the sugar over the butter. Generously sprinkle with ground cinnamon.

Beginning at the end farthest from you, roll the rectangle tightly towards you. Use both hands and work slowly, being careful to keep the roll tight. When you reach the end, pinch the seam together and flip the roll so that the seam is face down. When you’re finished, you’ll wind up with one long buttery, cinnamony, sugary, gooey log. Slip a cutting board underneath the roll and with a sharp knife, make 1/2-inch slices.

Pour a couple of teaspoons of melted butter into disposable foil cake pans and swirl to coat. Place the sliced rolls in the pans, being careful not to overcrowd. (Each pan will hold 7 to 9 rolls.)

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Cover all the pans with a kitchen towel and set aside to rise on the counter top for at least 20 minutes before baking.

Remove the towel and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until golden brown. Don’t allow the rolls to become overly brown.

While the rolls are baking, make the maple icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, butter, coffee, and salt. Splash in the maple flavoring. Whisk until very smooth. Taste and add in more maple, sugar, butter, or other ingredients as needed until the icing reaches the desired consistency. The icing should be somewhat thick but still very pourable.

Remove pans from the oven. Immediately drizzle icing over the top. Be sure to get it all around the edges and over the top. As they sit, the rolls will absorb some of the icing’s moisture and flavor. They only get better with time.