All American Apple Pie for the 4th of July!

For all of my friends around the world. We all have our favorite recipe for Apple Pie. It's such an iconic dessert in America.
Here's one example of a recipe for Apple Pie.


1/3 C Brown Sugar
1/3 C Granulates Sugar
1 TBS Flour
1 tsp Lemon Juice
1/3 tsp Cinnamon
7 1/2 C Peeled, Cored and Sliced Apples, your choice.
1 C Raisins
1 recipe for a 9" double Pie Crust
1 Egg, beaten and additional Granulated Sugar to Glaze the Crust just before baking.



Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Spray the Pi Pan with  cooking spray or heaving grease with butter.

In a large mixing bowl:
Brown Sugar
Granulated Sugar
Lemon Juice
Cinnamon
Mix well.
Add Apples and Raisins
Stir well to coat the fruit.

Spoon into the crust, blade the second crust on top and trim or crimp the edges.
Brush the top with a bit of beaten Egg and sprinkle with Granulated Sugar.

Bake 35 - 40 minutes.
Remove pan from oven and cool on a rack for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

On Vacation

I just wanted to let everyone know that I am on vacation until the end of July. I may be blogging from one of my destinations, but not as much as I usually do.
I'll be back home at the end of the month, so....... expect some great recipes and posts then!
Thank you all for your continued support and making this a fun part of my life.

And, as always:
Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Vintage Jello Salads in America . A flashback of vintage pictures and 2 recipes that I had as a child !

I wanted to share some of these vintage pictures of the unusual Jello Salads that we ate in the 1950' and 1960's.
I included two recipes that I remembered as a child.
Americans loved Jello!

My mother made this.

My mother made this one.

My mother made these.

My mother made this one.

I ate a lot of this salad as a child.

This would have been a typical table presentation at Christmas in the 1950' and 60's

This is a vintage recipe, a family recipe and a Mennonite/Amish recipe.
My mother made this when I was a child...... and continued to make it as my sister and I grew older.
I remember it during the holidays, any holiday.... Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter. It's definitely a Mennonite Funeral recipe too!

1 (3oz.) package of lime jello
1 C boiling water
2 C miniature marshmallows
pinch of salt
1 (9oz.) can of crushed pineapple
2 C cottage cheese
1 C whipping cream, whopped
1/2 C chopped pecans

The directions aren't clear as to what to make it in. I remember my mother making it in a bundt pan , some type of mold or a clear glass bowl... you pick!

Dissolve jello in boiling water
Add marshmallows, let them melt
Stir in salt and pineapple
Chill until slightly thickened
Fold in cottage cheese , whipped cream and nuts.
Pour it into your favorite bowl or bundt pan
Chill in the refrigerator until set.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!



This was always served at our Christmas Dinner when I was a child, and that was ages ago!

2 - 16 ounce cans of pitted Dark Sweet Cherries, drain and reserve the juice.
2- 3 ounce package Cherry Jello
1 envelope of unflavored Gelatin
2 C Boiling Water
1/3 C Sugar
1/2 C Port Wine
1/4 C Lemon Juice
1 - 8 ounce package of Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 C Toasted and Chopped Pecans.

Stir together the Jello and the Gelatin and 2 C Boiling Water until dissolved.
Stir in 1 C of the reserved juice from the cherries,sugar,wine and lemon juice.
Stir in Cherries.

Pour 1/2 of the Gelatin mixture into a lightly greased 10 C ring mold or Bundt Pan.
Chill for 2 hours or until set.


Stir together remaining Gelatin mixture, Cream Cheese and Pecans and blend well.

Pour this mixture over the slightly set Gelatin mixture in the mold.
Chill 6 hours or until firm.
Release from the mold onto a serving plate.

Garnish with Whipped Cream and Fresh Cranberries.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Pumpkin Crumble Cake

Just another one of my favorite Pumpkin recipes.  I've been making it for many years. My Aunt Faye used to make it and I found this recipe in her recipe collection. This is a great Thanksgiving cake.
I'm always thinking about Holiday recipes. It's difficult to choose which ones will make it on our menu each year. Some of them are always serve, like my Homemade Pumpkin Pie From Scratch. It's my favorite Pumpkin Pie recipe.
I always make my Pecan Pie Muffins too. If you haven't tried them, I suggest you do. You will probably make them every year like I do.
We love Thanksgiving and all of the wonderful recipes for the Holiday.

Pumpkin Crumble Cake:

1 can (15oz.) Solid Packed Pumpkin
1 can Evaporated Milk
3 Eggs, beaten
1 1/2 C Granulated Sugar
4 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
1/2 tsp Salt
1 Yellow Cake Mix
1 C Butter, melted
1 C Chopped Pecans

Preheat the Oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a 9" X 13" Baking pan with my Pan Release Mix. (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour) I start with 1 C of each, mix well in a jar and refrigerate. I always have it available for all of my baking needs.

In a large Mixing Bowl:
Pumpkin
Evaporated Milk
Eggs
Sugar
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Salt
Whisk well by hand.
Pour into the pan.

Crumble the Cake mix evenly over the top.
Drizzle with the Melted Butter
Sprinkle the Pecans evenly over the top.
Bake for 55 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Texas Fruitcake , Merry Christmas Y'all

I know there aren't a lot of Fruitcake fans, however, I happen to be one! This recipe is simple and delicious. It's not overly sweet like most are. It has no additional sugar or sugary Citron and Candied Fruit like a lot of them do.
I say, give it a try and see what you think. It may change your mind about Fruitcake.
It can be frozen and thawed at room temperature. I make them ahead of time and freeze them for the Holidays.

4 C Chopped Dates
2 C Chopped Pecans
1 C Shredded Coconut
1/2 C Flour
3 TBS Lime Zest
1 TBS Orange Zest
1 tsp Sea Salt
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Ground Ginger
1 tsp Chile Powder
1 (14 oz.) can of Sweetened Condensed Milk

Here's what you'll need:
1 - 9" - 10" Spring Form Pan
Brush well with my Pan Release Mix ( equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil, Flour) I start with 1 C of each, mixed well and refrigerated in a jar. I always have it available for all of my baking needs.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

In a Large Mixing bowl:
Dates
Pecans
Coconut
Flour
Lime Zest
Orange Zest
Salt
Cinnamon
Ginger
Chile Powder
Mix well by hand until well combined.
Stir in the Sweetened Condensed Milk.

Pour the batter into the Pan.
Bake at 350 degree for 30 minutes.
Remove from oven and cool completely on a rack.
Serve with Whipped Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Amish Pumpkin Cake

I have so many recipes using Pumpkin. I recently found this recipe in one of my vintage  Amish recipe books. It's the perfect cake to make for the Holidays.
I've adapted the recipe because Amish recipes can sometimes be vague, and this one was.

Amish Pumpkin Cake:

1 box of Yellow Cake Mix
4 Eggs
1 1/2 Sticks of Butter (12 TBS) softened
1 1/2 C Canned Pumpkin
1/2 C Brown Sugar
3/4 C White Sugar, divided
1/2 C Heavy Cream
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 C chopped Pecans

Remove 1 C of the Cake Mix, put the rest of it in a bowl with 1 Egg, beaten and 1 stick (8TBS) Butter.
Mix well and press into a 9" X 13" baking dish.

In a mixing bowl:
Pumpkin
3 Eggs
Brown Sugar
1/2 C White Sugar
Heavy Cream
Cinnamon
Mix well to combine.
Pour over the crust.

In another mixing bowl:
1 C of the Cake Mix
1/2 C chopped Pecans
4 TBS Butter
1/4 C White Sugar
Mix with your hands and form a crumble.
Sprinkle over the Pumpkin Mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 50 - 55 minutes.
Serve with Whipped Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Creamy Cranberry Pretzel Pie from Better Homes and Gardens Recipe File

What can I say........ I love Cranberries!
This recipe has been adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.

Here's what you'll need:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

1- 9" Pie Plate brushed with my Pan Release Mix. (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour)
I start with 1 C of each , mix well and refrigerate in a jar. I always have it available for all of my baking needs.

1/2 C Butter
1/2 C Granulated Sugar, divided
1 1/3 C finely crushed pretzel sticks.
1 Egg White
1 1/2 C Heavy Cream
12 oz. (1 1/2 packages) Cream Cheese, softened
1 - 14oz. can of Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce
1 TBS grated Orange Peel

Additional crushed Pretzel Sticks.

Crust

In a medium saucepan on medium heat:
Butter, heat until melted
Remove from heat.
Stir in 1/4 C Granulated
Stir until sugar dissolves completely.
Add:
Crushed Pretzels, mix well.
Egg White, mix well.
Press evenly into the Pie Pan, bottom and sides.
Bake for 7 - 9 minutes, the edges should be lightly browned.
Remove from oven and place on a rack to cool completely.

In a large Mixing Bowl:
Beat Heavy Cream on high until stiff peaks form.
Set aside.

In a medium Mixing Bowl:
Cream Cheese
1/4 C Sugar
Beat until creamy

In another Mixing Bowl:
Cranberry Sauce
Grated Orange Peel
Mix to combine well.
Stir this into the Cream Cheese Mixture.
Fold in Whipped Cream, by hand.
Spoon int the Crust.

Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
Just before serving, garnish with  additional Crushed Pretzels and Sugared Cranberries.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!