Pear Pie

I come from a major pie making family.  Thanksgiving is our holiday.  Last year we had 13 pies, and it was just my family, my parents and a few of my siblings.  When we travel to my Grandma Mott's house for Thanksgiving the amount of pies is insane!  My Grandpa was the General Manager of the Frontier Pies Restaurants.  Grandma developed many of the recipe's and was the official pie making trainer.  She traveled from restaurant to restaurant teaching how to make beautiful and delicious pies.  

Several years ago my mom called me up in September and said, "I think we need to add Pear Pie to the Thanksgiving menu."  I said, "I'm on it!"  I searched high and low.  I baked a lot of pear pie's that Fall.  I baked every Pear Pie recipe I could find, until I found this recipe.  I have never baked any other Pear Pie recipe's since.  It is very much like a pear custard in a pie shell.  It is easily my children's favorite pie.  

(I was given this recipe by Beverly Morgan.)

3-4 Fresh Pears, Peeled, cored and sliced thick

single pie crust, unbaked 

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

4 T. flour

2 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

Place Pears nicely in the unbaked pie shell.  

Mix the rest of the ingredients with an electric mixer, until creamy.  Pour batter evenly over pears and spread so it is smooth on top.  Bake at 325 degrees for about an hour, or until golden brown on top.  

I sometimes need to bake it another 10 minutes.  Make sure it is solid, and not liquid at all in the center.  I can tell this just by moving it slightly to see if it stays firm in the center.

Fresh Apple Cake with Carmel Sauce

Taking a bite of this cake, is like taking a bite of Autumn.  It is my mother in law's recipe, and I try to make it only once a year, because I love it too much.  

Prepare in a 9x9 pan or double it and cook 15 minutes longer in a 9x13 pan.  I double the recipe and bake it in the Demarle Sunflower Mold.  I am posting the original recipe, so if needed, double this.

Cake

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup shortening

1 egg

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped walnuts (if doubling, I do not fully double the walnuts.)

2 large apples, peeled and grated

1 cup flour

Mix sugar, shortening and egg till fluffy.  Add apples, then rest of ingredients and nuts.  

Bake at 30 minutes at 350 degrees.  Serve with Carmel Sauce.

Carmel Sauce

4 Tbsp. butter

1 1/4 cup brown sugar

2/3 cup white corn syrup

3/4 cup cream, half and half or canned milk (I usually use half and half)

Melt butter, add syrup and sugar.  Cook till forms very soft ball stage (takes just a few minutes - I just wait for it to bubble)  Then, add the cream.  

Serve warm over cake and ice cream. 

Quick and Easy Black Beans

 This is our favorite side dish!  I make it all the time.  Thanks to a good friend who shared this recipe with me.  She found it on Our Best Bites (linked on my side bar.)  I serve them with my own version of spicy rice.  Together they are great on the side of any Mexican kind of meal.

 2 Cans Black Beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 T olive oil
2/3 C diced onion
2-3 garlic cloves, pressed or finely minced
2/3 C chicken broth (or water, I use broth for extra flavor)
1/4 t cumin
1/4 t coriander
1/4 t oregano
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 lime

In a saucepan on the stove, heat the olive oil to med-high heat. Saute onions for about 3 minutes or until they just start to become translucent. Add garlic and saute abut 30 seconds more. Add beans, broth, and remaining seasonings and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a low simmer and simmer for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

When they are done cooking, remove from heat and add in a few squeezes of fresh lime juice. Then use the back of a spoon or rubber spatula so smoosh (yes, that’s a technical culinary term) some of the beans. You don’t want to pulverize them, but you want to take a bunch of good smooshes so that some of the beans are smashed, which will thicken the sauce. I like mine on the thicker side so I smoosh quite a bit. They will thicken more upon standing.

If you want a more soupy consistency, just add a little more broth.

Serve as a side dish, or on top or rice, in fajitas or tacos, or on top of chicken or steak.

Mustard Pork Marinade

I am not a mustard lover, but I love this recipe!  That should tell you how dang good it is!  My entire family, including all kids, loves this for dinner.  Not only is it delicious, but it is so easy to prepare and make.  If making it as a freezer meal, reserve some of the mustard mix and freeze in a separate, smaller bag, to thaw and use when the dish is served.

Boneless Pork Chops, Cut up Pork Loin or Pork Ribs (If using pork ribs, boil for 1 hour in salt water to create about 1/2 inch shrinkage.)

¾ cup mustard                                     1/8 teas. Thyme

6 drops liquid smoke                            ½ teas. Seasoning salt

1/8 teas. Garlic powder                        2 T soy sauce

1/8 teas. Paprika                                  3 T Worcestershire sauce

1/8 teas. Oregano                                1 T Apple Cider Vinegar

Mix all together, set aside about 1/4 of mixture to use later for basting and dipping.  If I am doing more than 5-6 pork chops, I double the marinade recipe, so we have more later for dipping and basting. 

After Marinating, grill or broil till cooked all through.

If doing as a freezer meal, put pork in a freezer bag, with the marinade, some being set aside and frozen seperately. 

Tortellini Soup

I got this out of a ward cookbook from Colleen Widmer.  My family LOVES this soup!  It is often made in our house!  I have changed the recipe a bit - the measurements, to fit my family.  This is the recipe as I make it.  When I make it as a freezer meal, I prepare the whole dish without the tortellini.  I thaw the soup and bring to a simmer before adding the tortellini.

1 1/2 lbs. turkey sausage (sweet or mild)               
1 can tomato sauce

2 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 cup chopped onion                                        
1 1/2 cups chopped zucchini

5 cups beef broth (water with beef bouilion)          
3 cups cheese tortellini

1/2 cup water                                                       
1/2 tsp. oregano

1 can chopped tomatoes                                       
1/2 tsp. basil

1 cup peeled, sliced carrots           

Brown sausage, drain off any grease and rinse with hot water to eliminate more fat.  Add garlic and onions to cook and stir a little longer.  Add everything else and simmer for 25 minutes. 

***If doing a freezer meal simmer for 10-15 minutes in order to half cook the vegetables before cooling and freezing in a freezer bag.  When ready to prepare, thaw, heat and add tortellini.  Simmer for another 15-20 minutes.                        

Strawberry Cheese Cupcakes

The most delicious cupcakes ever made!  I got the recipe from a Betty Crocker grocery stand cookbook.  I made them several years ago for my sisters August Birthday.  I recently made them again for Maxwell's Birthday.  They are pretty to look at and yummy for kids and adults.  I highly recommend this crowd pleaser.

1 package (Betty Crocker Super Moist) yellow cake mix

8 oz. Sour Cream

1/2 cup vegetable oil   ***I have used 1/2 cup applesauce as a substitute.

1/2 water

2 eggs

3 Tblsp. Strawberry Jam

3 oz. Cream Cheese, cut into 24 pieces

Sliced Fresh Strawberries, if desired

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Line 24 muffin cups with paper baking cups.  

2. Mix cake mix, sour cream, oil, water and eggs in a large bowl.  Divide batter evenly between the 24 muffin cups.

3. Place strawberry jam in small bowl, stir until smooth.  Place 1 piece of cream cheese on top of batter in each cupcake; press in slightly.  Place 1/4 tsp. of jam over cream cheese on each cupcake.

4. Bake 18-24 minutes or until tops are golden brown and spring back when touched.  Some preserves may show in tops of cupcakes.  Cool 10 minutes.  Remove from pan to wire rack.  Cool completely, about 30 minutes.  Frost with frosting.  Just before serving, garnish with with sliced strawberries.  Store covered in refrigerator.











***The original recipe suggests using a store bought, ready to spread, cream cheese frosting.  I prefer to make my own.  Also, for this recipe I prefer something lighter than straight cream cheese frosting.  I use  Whipped Cream Frosting.

 

It is always fun to watch the surprise on peoples faces when they bite into this yummy cupcake!

Perfect Birthday Party Treat for August!

Sturdy Whipped Cream Frosting

 I got this recipe on allrecipes.com.  I really love using it for so many things.  It is light and fluffy with a hint of cream cheese. 

1 (8 ounce) package reduced-fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup white sugar 

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon almond extract (I sometimes use other extracts.  For example when making Strawberry Cheese Cupcakes I use Lemon Extract.)

2 cups heavy cream

1. Combine the cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract and almond extract in a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Fit the mixer with the whisk attachment and mix on medium speed until smooth. While the mixture is still whipping, slowly pour in the heavy cream. Stop and scrape the bottom of the bowl a couple of times while you continue whipping until the cream can hold a stiff peak.