Apple Pie

Nice and simple apple pie.

So I was looking at pie crust recipes in my King Arthur Flour Book (The King Arthur Flour 200th Anniversary Cookbook by Brianna B. Sands)

Ken Haedrick's Three Grain Butter Pastry

1/2 cup yellow cornmeal (preferably stone ground) [I used Quaker]
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats (or at flour) [I used Quaker rolled oats]
1 1/2 cup Flour (I used Gold Metal)
1 Tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
14 tablespoons butter
1 egg yolk
3 1/2 to 4 1/2 tablespoons ice water [each type of flour absorbs water differently, for what Gold Metal flour I used about 6 tablespoons of water]

Put cornmeal and rolled oats into a blender and pulse the machine, on and off, until oat flakes are reduced to small flecks; a few remaining larger pieces are fine. (Do this only if using rolled oats rather than oat flour)

Transfer to a larger bowl and stir in the flour, sugar, and salt. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients. It should resemble coarse bread crumbs with some larger pieces the size of a pea.

Beat egg yolk and 3 tablespoons of water and sprinkle over mixture. If the dough is too dry and one tablespoon at a time until it holds together and is damp, not tacky.

refrigerate 1/2 hour before rolling out.

For the filling I used 6 Granny Smith apples, sprinkled with some sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, and a bit of ginger, and dropped a little butter over the top.

I also rubbed the top crust with water and the covered it with cinnamon-sugar.

I baked it at 450f for 15 minutes and then lowered the oven temp to 350f for 15 minutes.

I did bake it for 8 more minutes, it could have gone longer.

Caramel Apple Bunt

So yeah I have not baked in a while! I made this yummy creation last weekend

Cake
2 1/4 Cup Flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
3/4
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup butter, softened
4 eggs
teaspoons vanilla
3/4 cup milk
Sauce
1 cup butter
1/2
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla

directions
1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease bottom and side of 12-cup fluted tube cake pan or 10-inch angel food (tube cake) pan with shortening; lightly flour. In medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups brown sugar, the granulated sugar and softened butter with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl constantly. Beat on medium speed about 5 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally, until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla. Beat in flour mixture alternately with 3/4 cup milk on low speed until smooth. Pour into pan.
3. Bake 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 2 hours.
4. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat sauce ingredients except vanilla to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly; boil and stir 2 minutes. Remove from heat; cool to room temperature. Stir in 1 teaspoon vanilla. Serve warm sauce with cake.


notes:
• Extra special sauce. 13 Caramels, 1/2 cup of butter 1/4 cup of brown sugar, 1 tablespoon (+) of milk, 1/2T light corn syrup, 3( -ish) T [Caramel] Apple Butter Melt all ingredients together, bring to a boil for 2-3 minutes. Take off heat and put in a cinnamon stick and let seep while the cake is baking.
• Cinnamon-Apple cake. 2-3 apples, chopped small, fold in after cake is all mixed. Pout half the batter into pan, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar and then top with remaning batter. When cake comes out of oven brush a small amount Extra Special Sauce on. Remeber to reverve some to you can top the cake slices. {amazing warm}

So that is all of it. I the extra stuff :p take a look under notes

Caramel-Apple Cookies with Pecans

So I was looking for a caramel-apple cookie recipe with chunks of apples and caramels but could not find any, so what is a girl to do? Make one up! I found a basic recipe (I don't remember where anymore) and just adapted it.

ingredients
1 cup butter
2 cups packed brown sugar (I used light)
2 each eggs
1 tsp vanilla
3 cups flour
Cinnamon and nutmeg to taste (lol I just sprinkled it in)
1 tsp. baking soda
20 caramels, quartered (and don't forget to remove the plastic :p)
1 medium apple ( a heaping cup) finely diced
1 cup chopped pecans
OPTIONAL: 1 Tbsp liquid, in case you need to loosen the batter. I used milk.

directions
1. cream butter and sugar
2. add 1 egg at a time until incorporated, add vanilla
3. add dry ingredients
4. add caramels, apples, and pecans (you may need to do this by hand)

I lined my tray with parchment paper due to the fact that caramel melts and make a gooey-hot mess.

bake at 350ºF for 16 minutes.

ENJOY!

Mudslide Cupcakes

Same recipe I used for the other mixed drink cupcakes. Except I used the TGiFriday's Mudslide mix and added about 8oz of the mix in place of the fruit concentrate

Onion Garlic-y dip, soup thing

This is yesterday's pic todays try came out a little thinner, not much. Since this is very savory I have no measurements

basically sautéed a couple of onions, get them get some nice color. Roasted some garlic until nice and soft and then chopped it into a paste. Once the onions are almost done add in the garlic. season with salt and pepper. One that is all done add some heavy cream and let thicken. Put a giant heaping tablespoon of cream cheese add in hot onions and garlic mixture.

I like eating it Ritz crackers. You can eat how ever you want.

Peach Cobbler

So this weekend we and my family went to Vermont. One of my aunts brought some home grown peaches so we made peach cobbler....with Bisquick.

1 cup (+) Bisquick
1 cup sugar
to taste cinnamon
1 cup milk
7(ish) peaches

cinnamon/sugar mix (topping)


so when I made it I added in a bunch more bisquick to make it a little thicker

bake it at 400ºF for about 30 minutes

and of course you need ice cream with hot peach cobbler!!

Danish Raspberry Cookies

I got the recipe from a web site called Cookie Recipes "Your Source for Cookie Recipes Online" here is the recipe. I only made a couple small changes and that was I did not roll it into a log. I took a small ice cream scoop this is the size I used. I LOVE it! two scoop of it (or 1 2oz) is the perfect cookie, but for these one scoop was perfect!

....and... 1/3 are raspberry, 1/3 are Hershey's Hot Fudge topping and the last 1/2 are caramel. But and flavor that goes well with chocolate would be great!

Oh yes, and I doubled the recipe

[by the way...going clock wise starting at the stop the flavors go: Raspberry, Chocolate, and Caramel]

Biscuits and Gravy

I got the recipe from I got the recipe from A Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman (again)

The original recipe was Giant Sweet Cheddar Biscuits (I added in some scallions)

2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup unsalted butter, cut into chunks
1/2 cup shredded medium or sharp cheddar cheese (I used the 4 cheese pre shredded stuff)
{To Taste (or omit) scallions}
1 large egg
2/3 cup, approximately, milk
1 cup generous, 1/2-inch chunks sharp cheddar cheese (since I was using pre shredded and since the diced cheese has more volume I only added in an additional 1/2 cup of shredded, it worked out very well)
Melted, butter for brushing
flour, for dusting

Preheat oven to 425F

in a bowl add flour, sugar, salt, baking powder and blend. Rub in butter. Make well and add in the egg and half the milk and mix. Then slowly add in the other milk until the dough is stiff, you could have some left, if you added too much add in a dusting of flour. Add in the remaining cheese.

Dump onto a floured surface. Roll out until 3/4-inch and cut into rounds with a cutter or glass (you also press into pan an make square and half way threw cooking process score to the size you want.

brush tops with melted butter (the recipe said to add flour but I skipped that)

Bake for 17-22 minutes, mine only took 15 minutes since they were smaller than suggested.

Milk Gravy

(from Paula Deen)

1/4 cup bacon grease

1/4 cup ap flour

1-1/2 cup warmed milk

1/4 teaspoon salt (I added more)

1/4 teaspoon pepper

2 Tablespoons melted butter

okay so Paula said to make in cast iron skillet....but since I don't have one...my dad made bacon for breakfast to I took the grease.

so what I did was warm the pot and the add the grease and let it warm for a short time more and then add the flour and whisk until smooth and bubbly about 1 minute. Slowly add warm milk and bring to boil. Reduce heat and bring to a low simmer and stir until thickened about 5 minutes, you can add more milk to adjust the thickness. Stir in melted butter (my add) and salt and pepper.

smooth them biscuits and enjoy!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I so did not have enough chocolate chips for I threw in some butterscotch chips and pecans to make up the difference.

I got the recipe from A Passion for Baking by Marcy Goldman

Tender, Buttery Chocolate Chunk Cookies

yield: 3-4 dozen

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 large eggs

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoons salt

3 cups chocolate chips (or any other "garnish")

Preheat oven to 350F

In a mixer bowl, cream butter and both sugars until very smooth, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add vanilla and eggs blend well. Fold in flour, baking soda, and salt and mix well about 2 to 3 minutes. Fold in the chocolate chips

Bake for 10-13 minutes for smaller cookies and 14-18 minutes for larger cookies.

I like using ice cream scoops, I have a I think a 3 Tablespoon one I love it!

Madelines!

ingredients

6 each eggs

4 cups flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

2/3 cup milk (divided)

2 t baking powder

12 T butter, melted

2 t vanilla

directions

1. beat egg, sugar, vanilla, and half the milk until think & light yellow

2. combine flour & baking powder, add a little at a time

3. Stir in remaning milk & butter

4. Bake @ 375F for 15 minutes

I added in crushed almonds but I have added in so much more. I even made bigger batched and divide the and stir in flavors to make them different.

very easy to half this recipe! but the only thing is you need a madeleine pan. I have the silicon ones, they on down fall is the brown spots from where it rests on the baking sheet, but they were on sale! These are little babies took a flight with me from North Carolina

Dust with powdered sugar to look nice and cute for a function or eat right out of the oven.

Onion, Rosemary, and Roasted Garlic tartlets

I got a tart book a while back I have made two recipes from it for school, and they were really good. I made one again. The Onion, Rosemary, and Roasted Garlic tartlets. I got it from Tarts Sweet and Savory by Maxine Clark

I made the crust from the same book.

and here are the recipes.

Crust (rich shortcrust pastry dough)

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 1/2 Tablespoons butter, cold

1 large egg yolk

1-2 Tablespoons ice cold water

1. Sift flour and salt into a bowl and sift (if you don't sift I won't know :p) then rub in your butter

2. Mix egg yolk with 1 tablespoon ice water add flour and mix with knife (or hands, really your hands rock) You may need to add more water you don't want it too dry.

3. Dump mixture onto floured surface.

4. Knead lightly with your hands until smooth.

5. Form into ball

6. Flatten slightly and wrap in plastic wrap, chill for 30 minutes...(or stick it in the freezer till its chilled, you put it in the freezer keep an eye on it or it will be hard.

Onion and Garlic Filling

6 Tablespoons butter

1 1/4 pound sweet onions (sliced)

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cup heavy cream or creme fraiche (I used heavy cream)

2 sprigs of rosemary (I chopped my rosemary a little)

6 large garlic cloves (I used 8, I would use more I L-O-V-E LOVE garlic

olive oil

4 large egg yolks

nutmeg (to taste)

2 Tablespoons chopped fresh rosemary (I left this out, since I did not strain it)

salt & pepper

Kalamata Olives, chopped or rosemary sprigs, to finish

1. bring dough to room temp, preheat oven to 400f

2a. roll out dough thinly on a lightly floured surface, and use to line tart pans (or muffin pans like I did) prick bases and chill (or freeze) for 15 minutes, bake blind.

2b. to bake blind. Line shells with parchment paper or foil. Add in dry beans.

2c. bake for 5 minutes, remove beans and bake for 1-2 minutes. (I skipped the beans and chilling, worked for me.

3. Melt butter in a large sauce pan and add onions, stirring to coat. Add a few tablespoons of water and 1 teaspoon of salt and cover with a lid. Steam very gently for 30 minuted to 1 hour (trying to look to often) until meltingly soft. When onions are cooked, remove the lid (raise the heat a little) and cook for a few minutes to evaporate any excess liquid-the liquid should be quite thick. Let cool.

4. Put the cream and rosemary leaves into a saucepan and heat until almost boiling. Remove from heat and leave [covered] to infuse as long as possible

5. Put garlic cloves into a small sauce pan and just cover with olive oil, simmer over gentle heat for 40 minutes or until golden and soft.

6. Remove the garlic from the oil (you can save it for something, you should keep it refrigerated, and it will separate, so just heat it up and bam! all set). You can strain the cream or not. Poor until a blender, and then add the garlic and egg yolks. I did not have a blender handy to I tried to whisk it...yeah that did not work so well. Add in the extra rosemary, salt, pepper, and nutmeg.

7. If using tart pan put on a baking sheet, if not forgo the baking sheet. Spoon the cooled onions evenly into crusts, filling just about half full. Pour the rosemary garlic cream over the top. Bake for 15-20 minutes (depending on the size) or until pale and golden brown on top.

garnish with olives (yuck) or rosemary or even no garnish.

Cupcake Cake

I made it with my recipe that I use the concentrate for. For this one I used Strawberry Breeze mix (it had apple and pineapple mixed in)

Donuts

Its from Betty Crocker....

vegetable oil (for frying)

3 1/2 c flour

1 c sugar

3/4 c milk

2 T shortening (I used butter)

3 t baking powder

1/2 t salt

1/2 t cinnamon

1/4 t nutmeg

2 ea. eggs

Heat oil (2 to 3 inches) in deep fryer or Dutch oven to 375F Beat 1.5 cups of the flour and the remaining ingredients in 1.5-quart bowl on low speed, scraping bowl constantly, 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed, scraping bowl occasionally, 2 minutes. Stir in remaining flour. Turn the dough onto generously floured cloth-covered board; roll around lightly to coat with flour. Gently roll 3/8 inch thick Cut with floured doughnut cutter. Slide doughnuts into hot oil with wide spatula. Turn doughnuts as they rise to surface. Fry until golden brown, 1 to 1.5 minutes on each side. Remove carefully from oil (do not prick surfaces); drain. Serve plain or shake one at a time in a bag with powdered sugar.

For the chocolate frosted one I metaled some chocolate and butter and spread it on the donuts and then dipped them into chocolate sprinkles.

Marble Cupcakes

It was one of my friends last softball game so I made cupcakes that look like softballs

I used the recipe from Hello, Cupcake!

2 1/2 cup flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup vegetable (I used 1/2 cup melted butter)

1+ tsp Vanilla

1 stick of butter

1 cup of sugar

Beat butter and sugar, add eggs one at a time

alternately add the wet ingredients and dry, ending with dry.

I separated out some batter and added some water and powdered Chocolate.

Bake at 350* for 15-20 minutes

They were very crumbly

Eggplant Parmesan

woot savory from me!!

and this was nice and easy.

I thinly sliced an eggplant and then coated in egg and then Italian Bread Crumbs and Parmesan Cheese. Then I heated up for Vegetable oil, but you can use Olive Oil. You fry it until it is nice and crispy. Then spray a pan and put some tomato sauce on the bottom. Layer eggplant, sauce, and cheese until you are out of eggplant. Top with sauce but NOT cheese.

I bake it for about 15 minutes and then put in it for 15 more minutes, after 10 minutes I turned my oven to broil to make the cheese nice a brown.

For the cheese in the layers I used a 4 cheese mix, but it is all up to you what you want. The top was (white) cheddar cheese infused with roasted garlic.

I got the general recipe/idea from a friend of a friend.

Lemonade Cupcakes

So I just really like this recipe. It is the same one I used for the Pina Colada Cupcakes and the Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes I also added yellow food coloring because it looked boring...and I did let it rest for 30-minutes - 40-minutes ish.

S'more Tarts

So these are the only 3 that came out resembling a tart. I think I used the wrong mini muffin pan I should not have used the black one :( oh well...we are is the "recipe" or the beginning of one.

CRUST
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
4 T butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar

bake like 5 minutes

melt 3 oz chocolate and 2 T butter in a small pot (no water bath) and stir until smooth.

spoon some chocolate into the graham cracker crusts and them top with marshmallow fluff. Put under the broiler until the fluff is lightly browned.

make 12-ish

Watermelon basket (lol so not baked)

wooot a watermelon basket! I want to make another one sometime soon-ish I will post steps then :)

Rainbow Cupcakes

So I have a birthday party I am going to tomorrow and there are going to be kids so I stayed away from my current "mixed drink cupcake" phase.

ingredients
2 cup white sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup milk
neon food coloring (purple, pink, green, blue)

directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F Grease muffin cups or use liners
2. In a medium bowl, cream together the sugar and butter. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine flour and baking powder, add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Finally stir in the milk until batter is smooth.
3. Pour or spoon batter into 4 small bowls. Add one color to each bowl and stir in. Add a dolp of each color to the prepared muffin cups. DO NOT STIR
4. baked 20-25 minutes

Obviously you don't have to use neon colors or 4 they would be sweet for a school function using the school's colors or sports too...okay anything the involves colors. And I made these with Raspberry extract once they were yummy yummy yummy.

The frosting I used the Wilton's its like the Betty Crocker but stands up wayyyy better to piping. Especially if you have hot hands like mine.

Cream Cheese Almond tarts

So I would like to start off by saying I got a job! At Wal*Mart...in the bakery department so you better believe I will take some photos of my work because that is the way I am.

okay so now onto the Tarts. I want to just get it our there. They are a pain! the fall apart wayyyy to easy. I can never figure out the right amount to put into the little muffin tin. I have made these loads of time and can never get it right. But my sister Kristina wanted them and she got into University of Vermont so she can get them!

So I have made them in silicon mini muffin tins and it works nicely.

Sooo as always here is the [pain in the butt] recipe

Crust:
1 stick (4 oz) Butter
4 oz Cream Cheese
1 cup Flour
1/2 tsp salt (unless using "salted" butter then omit)

Mix all ingredients by hand until nice and combined. Shape into 24 balls, place in each mini muffin cup, and make into little cup make sure the bottom and walls are not too thin (lol or thick good luck) (Spraying the muffin tin makes no difference, for me)

Filling:
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup (about) Almonds, you can use any nut you want.

wisk everything and spoon into crust, do not over fill.

Bake tarts at 350* for 20-23 minutes

well enjoy.

Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes

So this is essentially the same recipe as my Pina Colada Cupcakes. This is the first time I used this recipe as cupcakes and I notices something. My first batch that I baked were sunken in, in the middle, my second batch we slightly better, and my third batch (of only 4) were perfectly "domed" cupcakes. This makes me think that since time has passed that in order to get nice "domed" cupcakes I should let them sit like one hour. I will see next time I make them what happens.

and the recipe!

2 1/4 cup cake flour*
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, very soft
1 (10 oz) Bacardi Strawberry Daiquiri Frozen Mix (you know the one in the can)
2 each eggs
1/3 cup milk
TT Vodka (optional)

1. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Mix for 30 seconds with mixer on low.
2. Add butter, and strawberry mix. Mix on medium until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes)
3. Add eggs in one at a time and then the milk just until combined. Let rest 1 hour (see not above)
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes in a 350* oven. Let cool

I topped them with fresh sweetened whipped cream and half a strawberry. You need like 1 pint of whipped cream.
so just incase you never made whipped cream; start off mixing slowly and gradually raise the speed and sugar. You will need to mix it to stiff peak. When you stick your finger in and them pull it out it will look like a Troll Doll's hair, standing straight up.

and I also used cute little drink umbrellas :)

*for every 1/2 a cup of all purpose flour you can use 1 tsp of corn starch.

Nutella Chocolate Chip Cookies!

And of course the recipe!


ingredients
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/2 cup Nutella
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

directions
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Cream the butter, nutella and sugars until light. Add the egg and mix until fluffy.
3. Blend the flour, baking powder, soda and salt together well.
4. Add these dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Add the chocolate chips.
5. Drop cookie dough by teaspoonfuls onto lightly greased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°.

on a side note I made these at like 8'o Clock at night because I was bored. My next bake is going to be Strawberry Daiquiri Cupcakes for Mother's Day....just after I buy butter...

Pina Colada Cupcakes

and what would it be with out a recipe!?

2 1/4 cup ap or cake flour *
1 1/2 cup Sugar
3 tsp Baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 sticks butter, very soft
6 oz frozen pineapple concentrate
2 eggs
1/3 cup milk
about 6oz Stewart's Original Key Lime soda†
1 (7oz package) sweetened flaked coconut, toasted, divided
To Taste RUM (optional)

directions
1. Pre heat oven to 350, line and spray 2 muffin pans
2. Put flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and half of the coconut into a mixing bowl blend on low for 30 seconds
3. Add butter, pineapple, soda mix, and rum if using on medium speed until light and fluffy
4. add milk and eggs until blended
5. put into pans and bake 20 minutes
6. frost with a simple frosting with pineapple and soda added, lightly frost, and top with toasted coconut and quarter slice of lime


notes: • * when using ap add a small handful more
• † up to the "Key Lime" on the lable