Fresh Pear Pie

Ingredients

Classic Pie Pastry for one 9 inch double-crust pie

Filling:

½ cup granulated sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 Bartlett or Bosc pears (about 6 cups)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Topping:

Approximately 1 teaspoon milk (preferably whole milk)
Approximately 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare pastry for one 9 inch double-crust pie. Line a 9 inch pie pan with the bottom pastry.

Filling:

In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Peel, core, and dice pears into small pieces, about ¼ inches thick. Toss pear pieces into sugar mixture, stir until well mixed. Sprinkle lemon juice over pear mixture, stir until well mixed.
Spread pear mixture in the pastry-lined pie pan. Cover filling with the top pastry and flute the edges. Cut slits or decorative designs in the top pastry to allow steam to escape.

Topping:

Using a pastry brush, lightly brush milk over top pastry and fluted edges, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar.

Bake:

Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 350 degrees F. Bake an additional 60 minutes, or until the pear juices are bubbling and the crust is a golden brown. Tip: During baking, if crust is getting too brown, loosely place a piece of foil over the top to prevent the crust from over-browning.
Remove from oven. Cool on a wire cooling rack before cutting and serving.

Tip: Fruit pies are juicy and usually bubble over while baking; bubbling fruit juices are very sticky and can be hard to clean up. There are a few solutions for easy clean up. Place the pie on a rimmed baking sheet that has been lined with foil or parchment paper. If using foil, grease the foil for easier removal, or juices that have bubbled over will cause the foil to stick to the bottom of the pan. Discard the paper or foil along with the spilled juices after baking. Or, place a non-stick baking mat on top of un-greased foil, curve up the edges of the foil to keep the juices from spilling onto the floor of the oven, and place the pie directly on the baking mat. Or, place a drip pan lined with foil on a lower oven rack underneath the pie while it is baking to catch the juices when they bubble over.

Chipotle Slaw

Ingredients

1/2 head green cabbage, thinly sliced
1/2 head purple cabbage, thinly sliced
2 cups whole milk, plus more if needed for thinning
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons sugar
4 teaspoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
2 chipotle peppers in adobo, chopped, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
2 cup fresh cilantro, barely chopped

Directions

Combine the shredded green and purple cabbage in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix the milk, mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, black pepper, cayenne, salt and chipotles and adobo sauce. Add more milk if you like the dressing a little thinner.

Pour the dressing over the cabbage and toss to combine. Just before serving, toss in the cilantro. You can mix the slaw up to 2 hours before serving.

Homemade Steak Seasoning

Ingredients:

½ cup Paprika
¼ cup Kosher Salt
¼ cup Sugar
¼ cup Cumin
¼ cup Granulated Garlic
¼ cup Chili Powder
2 tablespoons Mustard Powder
2 tablespoons Ground Black Pepper
2 tablespoons Cayenne Pepper

Instructions:

In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and gently whisk together. Using a funnel, spoon the mixture into 4oz mason jars. Cover and seal.
Rub steaks with Olive Oil then, generously coat with Magic Dust Seasoning. Marinate 1 hour before grilling

Applesauce Puffs

Ingredients:

2 c. Bisquick
3/4 c. sugar (divided)
3 t. cinnamon (divided)
1/2 c. applesauce
1/4 c. milk
1 egg
2 T. oil
5 T. melted butter

Directions:

Combine Bisquick, 1/4c. sugar and 1 t. innamon.
Stir in applesauce, milk, egg and oil until well mixed.
Fill greases muffin pan 2/3 full.
Back at 400 for 10 min.
In a bowl mix 1/2 c. sugar with 2 t. cinnamon.
Dip hot puffs in bowl of melted butter and then in bowl of cinnamon and sugar.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
2/3 cup sugar
1 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin pan with non stick spray.
Stir together flour, salt, baking powder and chocolate chips in a large bowl. Combine milk, eggs, sugar, peanut butter and oil in a separate bowl; combine ingredients until just moistened. Do not over beat.

Fill 18 muffin tins. Top with a few chocolate chips. Bake for 14 minutes.

Homemade Chocolate Cream Pie

Ingredients:

½ c. cocoa
¼ cup cornstarch/or arrowroot powder (or ½ c. all purpose flour)
3 egg yolks
1 ½ c. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
2 c. milk

Directions:

Mix cocoa, cornstarch, beaten egg yolks; sugar and salt, then add milk gradually, while stirring in a pot over med-high heat. Cook until thick, beating it smooth. Cream pies take some time to thicken, so stir... and stir (10-15 min). Using a heavy bottom pan really helps. Just keep it up until it thickens. Pour into a pre-baked pie shell. Put in the fridge to chill, add whipped cream if you like, Or use the left over egg whites for a meringue topping!

Homemade Honey White Bread

INGREDIENTS

1 cup warm water (sometimes I need more or less)
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 egg
3½ cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons yeast
½ cup honey or sugar

INSTRUCTIONS

Mix all ingredients together in mixer with dough blade until dough forms. It should be dry enough to not be sticky but wet enough to not crumble.

Lift dough out of bowl, spray with olive oil (I spray the bowl) and place dough back in bowl covered with towel, allow to rise for 30-60 minutes.

Knead with dough blade (will deflate).
Remove from bowl, place dough on flowered surface and knead by hand a few times.

Divide in half.

Roll into 2 loaf shapes and place in loaf pans (mist pan with olive oil first).
Cover and allow to rise (depends upon temp in room, but usually around 60 minutes – it should be slightly over the top edge of the pan, do not allow to over-rise).

Bake at 350 for around 20-30 minutes or until golden brown on top. At around the 15 minute mark, I mist the top of the loaf with olive oil and continue cooking until done.

Homemade Coleslaw (KFC)

Ingredients:

1package cole slaw mix OR
8cups finely diced cabbage (about 1 head) and ¼ cup diced carrot
2tablespoons minced onions
⅓cup granulated sugar
½teaspoon salt
⅛teaspoon pepper
¼cup milk
½cup mayonnaise
¼cup buttermilk
1½tablespoons white vinegar
2½tablespoons lemon juice

Directions
           
1. Buy preshredded cole slaw mix( I use 1pkg) Mix with minced onions.

2.You can shred your own cabbage and carrots if you prefer, enough to toal 8 cups cabbage and 1/4 cup carrots.

3 Using regular blade on food processor process remaining ingredients until smooth.

4 Pour over vegetable mixture and mix thoroughly.

5 Cover bowl and refrigerate several hours or overnight before serving.

Jalapeño Cornbread

Ingredients:

all-purpose flour - 3 cups
cornmeal - 1 cups
Sugar - ¼ cup
Baking powder - 2 tbsp
salt - 1 tsp
milk - 1 cup
beer - 1 cup
eggs - 3, beaten
butter - 1 cup (227g), melted
cheddar cheese - 8 ounces (200 g), grated
jalapenos - 3 – 4 tbsp - pickled, roughly chopped

Directions:

In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients together.In a separate bowl, mix together the wet ingredients (including the jalapenos). Quickly add the wet mix to the dry, and stir until the batter is almost smooth. (it will be very thick)

Heat the oven to 425 F (200 C), and let the batter rest while the oven is heating. Grease a 9 x 13 cake pan, scrape in the dough, and smooth the top. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown, and a toothpick comes out clean.

(be sure and do the toothpick test, even though it can appear done on the outside, it’s very important that it’s cooked through).

Homemade Cornbread

Ingredients:

1 cup milk
1 egg
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/4 cup cornmeal
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400ºF. Grease bottom and side of round pan, 9x1 1/2 inches, or square pan, 8x8x2 inches.

2. Beat milk, butter and egg in large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients all at once just until flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Pour batter into pan.

3. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Homemade Corn Dogs

Ingredients:

1 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 egg, beaten
1 1/2 cups buttermilk (regular milk works too)
1 Tablespoon vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon honey
1 (10 count) package Hot Dogs
10 wooden skewers or chopsticks 
2 Quarts Vegetable Oil, for frying

Directions:

In a medium or large pot, add the oil. Turn heat to medium and heat oil to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl, add the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir together. Then add the beaten egg, buttermilk, oil and honey. Stir until combined. (Batter should be a little thicker than pancake batter) 

Remove hot dogs from package. Wipe them all dry with a paper towel (this will help the batter stick to them better) Insert one skewer or wooden stick into each hot dog. 

Pour the batter into a tall drinking glass. Holding by the skewer, take one hot dog and dunk it into the batter, coating all of the hot dog. Slowly remove from batter and let a little excess batter drip back into the cup. Immediately place it into the hot oil, while still holding the stick. Turn as necessary to brown all sides. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until all sides are a deep golden brown. Remove from hot oil and place on paper towels to drain grease. Repeat with all hot dogs

Corn Fritters

Ingredients:

3 cups oil for frying
1 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon white sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon shortening, melted
1 (12 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in medium mixing bowl. 

Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Drop batter about 1/4 cup at a time into the hot oil, and fry 2 to 3 minutes per side until golden brown. Remove the fritters from the hot oil, and drain on paper towels.

Pumpkin Roll

Ingredients (Roll):

3 eggs
2/3 cup pumpkin
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped pecans

Ingredients (Filling):

1 (8oz) cream cheese
2 tablespoons butter
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup powdered sugar

Directions:

Mix all roll ingredients together and spread onto a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. When done flip onto damp towel and roll up. Leave rolled up for 4 minutes. Unroll and spread filling over it and roll up again. Wrap in plastic or foil and freeze (helps it stay together easier). Lay out a few hours before wanting to eat.

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
3 cups flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Sugar or desert sprinkles

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, and egg; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Add flour, baking powder and salt; mix well. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 1 hour for easier handling.

Heat oven to 400 degrees. On lightly floured surface, roll out 1/3 of the dough to 1/8 inch thick. Keep remaining dough refrigerated. Cut with floured 2 inch cookie cutter. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet. If desired, sprinkle with sugar.

Bake at 400 degrees for 5-9 minutes or until edges are lightly golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Decorate if desired.

Makes 6 dozen cookies.

Peanut Brittle

Ingredients:

2 cups granulated white sugar
1 cup water
1 cup light corn syrup
2 cups raw or roasted & salted peanuts
1/4 teaspoon salt (if you used raw peanuts)
1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions:

1. Spray a rimmed cookie sheet with nonstick spray.

2. Combine sugar, water and syrup in a medium-large saucepan. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and cook at medium heat slowly to the soft ball stage (245 degrees F. on a candy thermometer), stirring gently every so often. Add 2 cups of peanuts and salt (if using). Continue to cook until the thermometer registers 300 degrees F. Add baking soda. Stir to blend and continue to cook until golden brown (just a minute or so more). Remove from heat and stir to combine.

3. Pour the hot mixture onto the prepared pan and spread it out as much as you can with a wooden spoon. Cool completely, and then break into pieces.

Tips:

*Keep your peanut brittle in a tightly covered container until you are ready to serve/eat it. The texture of candy can be greatly affected by the humidity in the air.

*If you are using a candy thermometer that clips to the side, just make sure that the bottom of the thermometer is resting inside the liquid and not pushed all the way to the bottom of the pan (you'll get a false reading if it's touching the bottom of the pan where the heat source is strongest).

Edible Glitter

Ingredients:

1/4 cup sugar/salt
2-10 drops food coloring

Directions:

Put sugar in a jar that has a lid. Drop 2-10 drops food coloring onto sugar, close lid, and shake. Add more food coloring to get desired color. Place foil on baking sheet and spinkle colored sugar onto it. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes. Store in air tight container.

You can do this with salt to add to the rim of a glass also.

Mini Peach Cobblers

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
a dash of salt
¾ cup milk
1 stick of melted butter
brown sugar
cinnamon
1can diced peaches

Directions:

Put 1 tsp of melted butter into each regular size muffin tin.

Combine the first 5 ingredients by hand… sugar, flour, baking powder, salt and milk.

Put 2 tbsp of batter into each regular size muffin tin… on top of the melted butter.

Then put 1 tbsp diced peaches on top of the batter.

Sprinkle with brown sugar and then cinnamon. I do a pretty generous “sprinkle”.

Bake the regular size muffin tins for 12 minutes.

Let them cool almost completely before taking out of pan.

Chicken Lo Mein - One Pot Wonder

Ingredients:

½lb boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into small chunks
12oz whole wheat linguini or fettuccini, broken in half
4 medium carrots, peeled and cut in thin 3 inch long strips
1 medium red bell pepper, cut in thin 3 inch long strips
1 bunch green onions, white part sliced and green part cut in 3 inch long strips
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon corn starch
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
½ cup water
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Instructions:

Add the chicken, then the pasta, then the remaining ingredients to a large stockpot and cover. Bring to a boil. Stir and reduce to a simmer. Cook covered for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cook until most of the liquid is gone and the chicken is cooked through.

Lasagna

Ingredients:

1 pound sweet Italian sausage (I use turkey sausage)
¾ pound lean ground beef
½ c onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 (28 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
2 (6 ounce) cans tomato paste
2 (6.5 ounce) cans canned tomato sauce
½ cup water
2 T sugar
1½ t dried basil leaves
½ t fennel seeds (I usually omit this)
1 t Italian seasoning
1 T salt (I usually reduce to a couple teaspoons)
¼ t ground black pepper
4 T chopped fresh parsley
12 lasagna noodles (regular or no cook. I usually use no cook noodles.)
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 egg
½ t salt
¾ pound mozzarella cheese, shredded
¾ c grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

In a large Dutch oven, cook sausage, ground beef, onion, and garlic over medium heat until cooked through and browned.

Add the crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce, and water, and stir everything together.

Add sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, 1 T salt, pepper, and 2 T parsley, and stir to combine.

Simmer, covered, for at least 1½ hours, stirring occasionally. I usually try to simmer for as long as possible.

If using regular lasagna noodles, cook according to package instructions and drain.

In a bowl, combine ricotta cheese, egg, remaining parsley, and ½ teaspoon salt.
Preheat oven to 375°F.

To assemble, spread 1½ cups of meat sauce in the bottom of a 9×13 inch baking dish. Arrange a single layer of noodles over meat sauce. Spread with one half of the ricotta cheese mixture. Top with a third of mozzarella cheese.

Spoon 1½ cups meat sauce over mozzarella, and sprinkle with ¼ cup Parmesan cheese.

Repeat layers, and top with remaining mozzarella and Parmesan cheese.
Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes.

Remove foil, and bake an additional 25 minutes.

Cool for 15 minutes before serving.

S'mores Brownies

Ingredients:

8 sheets of graham crackers
¼ cup butter, melted
2 Tablespoons sugar
½ cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
2½ Tablespoons cocoa powder
2 eggs
¾ cup flour
1 teaspoon vanilla
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 heaping cup mini marshmallows
3 oz milk chocolate chips or 2 1.5-oz Hershey bars, broken into pieces

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In an 8×8 pan spray the sides with non-stick cooking spray.

In a food processor, pulse the graham crackers until fine. In a small bowl, combine the crumbs, 2 Tbs sugar, and ¼ cup melted butter.

Press firmly in the bottom of the 8×8 dish.

In a medium bowl or kitchenaid mixer, combine softened butter, 1 cup sugar, and cocoa until smooth. Add eggs and stir. Add flour, vanilla and salt until the mixture is combined.

Spread half over the graham cracker crust.Sprinkle marshmallows on top of half of the layer, then spread remaining batter on the top.

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.Sprinkle the chocolate chips or broken hershey bars on top of the brownie. Return to the oven and let cook for 3 more minutes.

Remove from oven and spread chocolate with a rubber spatula. Cool completely.