Pumpkin Chiffon Pie

Pumpkin Chiffon Pie:

It's June and I'm already thinking ahead to Thanksgiving and Christmas. I spent my career as a retail executive and I never had time enough to get things done at home for the Holidays, because I was so busy creating Holiday Magic at the store for all of you to enjoy during the season.
Now that I'm retired, I can spend time planning our family Holidays.

I found this recipe that was my Grandmothers favorite Thanksgiving Pie.
This may have been my mother's handwriting.
It's classic and vintage and I'll make it this year.

I was going to rewrite it for the blog but I decided to simply post a picture of the original recipe card.

Now that I've posted the picture, I'll explain some of it. It
may be difficult to read.

"Blend together": - all ingredients.
"Fold in 3 stiffly beaten egg whites."
"Turn into 9" unbaked pie shell."
"Bake 450 degrees for 10 min. then 325 degrees for 45 - 50 min. more."
"Top with cool whip & nuts."

I think the pie was topped with chopped walnuts. My grandmother rarely used pecans. I think walnuts were more abundant then.
I'll use pecans or hazelnuts.

This card was probably written in the early 1950's, when my Grandmother taught my mother how to make it.
We probably had it every year for Thanksgiving.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Christmas Grahams

I can't believe I'm posting this recipe. I was convinced that everyone knew it. Our daughter brings a variation of these every year for Christmas.
Here's how I like them.

Christmas Grahams:

Line a sheet pan with enough foil to create a crinkled rim around the entire perimeter of the pan.
Brush the foil with melted butter
Line the prepared pan with Graham Crackers.

Toffee Layer:
1 C (2 sticks) butter, cubed
1 C packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a saucepan on medium heat:
Butter
Brown Sugar
Vanilla Extract
Stir until combined and smooth.
Allow to boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Spread the Toffee even;y over the Graham Crackers with an offset spatula.
Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven and immediately sprinkle the entire surface with 2 C of Chocolate Chips, your choice of Dark, Milk or Semi Sweet. ( I use Dark).
As the Chips begin to melt, spread evenly with an offset spatula.

Top the Chocolate with 1 C of Chopped Pecans.

Sprinkle the entire surface with a bit of Sea Salt.

Allow to cool completely.
Break into pieces to serve.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Cranberry Apple Crisp

I know there are hundreds of recipes for Fruit Crisp, but I just can't seem to get enough of them.
Here's one of my favorites to make for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
I've been making this since 2009.

The success of this Crisp over other recipes is that the fruits are cooked separately.
There is less liquid and the tapioca thickens the apple mixture.
The final crisp will not be soupy like many others.
This recipe comes from Cook's Illustrated Test Kitchen.

Here's what you'll need:
1 - 9" X 13" baking dish on a baking sheet pan.

Topping Ingredients:

12 TBS chilled butter, cubed
3/4 C flour
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 C Oats

 Cranberries Ingredients:

1 pound of frozen cranberries
1/2 C granulated sugar
1/2 C water

Apples Ingredients:

5 pounds of Apples ( a combination of  2 1/2 pounds of Granny Smith and 2 1/2 pounds of Golden Apples), peeled, cored and cubed.
1/2 C granulated sugar
1 C dried cranberries
3 TBS tapioca


Topping Preparation:

In a food processor:
Butter
Flour
Granulated Sugar
Brown Sugar
Cinnamon
Long Pulses , about 12 times until pea sized pieces appear.
Transfer to a bowl.
Add Oats by hand, to create small clumps of a crumble.
Refrigerate it.

Cranberries  Preparation:

In a Dutch Oven on medium heat:
Frozen Cranberries
Granulated Sugar
Water
Cook about 10 minutes, stirring often.
Transfer to a bowl and use the same pot to cook the Apples.


Apples Preparation:

In the Dutch Oven:
Apples
Granulated Sugar
Dried Cranberries
Cook about 5 minutes to allow the Apples to release their juices
Add:
Tapioca and mix well.
Add Berry mixture and stir to combine well.

Pour into the baking dish.
Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Serve with Whipped Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Peaches and Cream Muffins

Peaches are one of my favorite fruits. When they're good, they're really really good.
We have great Peaches in Texas. This is a basic Muffin recipe, nothing special about it other that the fact that it's made with Peaches!

Here's what you'll need:

1 - 12 C Muffin Tin, sprayed with a vegetable cooking spray
2 C self - rising flour
1 C (2 sticks) butter, melted
1 C sour cream
1/4 C granulated sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 -(15 oz.) can of sliced peaches, drained and chopped into 1/4" pieces.

Spray the muffin tin cups. I use my Pan Release Mix. (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour) I start with 1 C of each and keep it in a jar in the refrigerator. I always have it available for all of my baking needs.

In a large mixing bowl:
Flour
Butter
Sour Cream
Sugar
Vanilla
Mix well.
Gently fold in Peaches by hand.

Divide the batter even;y among the muffin cups.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Cool in the pan on a rack for 10 minutes.
Release the muffins and transfer to them to a cooling rack and cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen.

Five Layer Bars / A gift in a jar, to give to friends during the Holidays!

This recipe is for a layered, baked bar . The ingredients are layered in a jar with a recipe card attached   and given as a gift during the Holidays!

1/2 C chopped pecans
1 C butterscotch chips
1 C shredded coconut
1 C semi sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs
A Jar to layer the ingredients.
A recipe card with the instructions ( information to follow the directions)

Begin by layering a jar of your choice in the following order:
Pecans
Butterscotch Chips
Coconut
Chocolate Chips

Spoon the Graham Crackers into a plastic zip lock bag and place on top of the chocolate chips.
Place the lid on the jar. You'll create a recipe tag that you can tie on the jar with ribbon, raffia, yarn or even colored string. You can cover the lid with a round piece of Christmas Fabric, trimmed with Pinking Shears, tie it on and include the card.

Add a homemade recipe card with the following information:

Remove the Graham Cracker Crumbs from the Jar.
Combine them with 1 stick of butter, melted.
Press  evenly into a 9" X 13" baking dish.
Sprinkle ingredients from the jar over the crumb mixture.
Pour 1 (14oz.) can of  Sweetened Condensed Milk evenly over the layers.
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Cool and cut into squares.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Colonial Apple Charlotte

I've been cleaning out some of my vintage recipes today and trying to transfer them to my blog.
I just discovered this recipe in my archives. It was difficult to decifer it. I know that I've made it, so I should be able to re write the recipe.
It's a very old recipe so read it several times before you attempt to prepare it.
It's a great dessert to serve at Thanksgiving or Christmas and throughout the Winter.

Here's what you'll need:
1 - 12" Cast Iron Skillet with a lid
My notes say that I made it in my large  Cast Iron Chicken Fryer that has a lid.

Brown Sugar
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
2 1/2 sticks of butter ( 1 stick small cubes, for the pieces between the layers of the Charlotte, 1 stick melted and 1/2 stick to butter the skillet.
1 French Baguette, day old, dried and crumbled ( or enough to coat the skillet, enough for 2 layers and 2 C for the top.
5 Apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Zest of 1 Lemon
Juice of 1 Lemon

In a large mixing bowl:
Apples
Lemon Zest
Lemon Juice
Mix well

In a separate bowl:
1 C Brown Sugar
1 tsp Nutmeg
1 TBS Cinnamon
Whisk well.

Butter the skillet with 1/2 stick of the Butter.

In another bowl:
1 stick of butter, melted
2 C Bread Crumbs
Some of the Brown Sugar Mixture
Mix well.

Begin layering the skillet in the following order:
Some of the Crumbs
Some of the Apples
Some of the Sugar Mixture
Bits of the cubed Butter
Repeat, ending with Apples.
Top with the Melted Butter/Crumb Mixture.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
Increase heat to 400 degrees and bake an additional 30 minutes.

Serve warm with Vanilla Ice Cream or Whipped Cream.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Bourbon Nut Bread

This bread makes a great gift for the holidays.
This is another one of Aunt Faye's original  recipes.

Here's what you'll need:
3 - 9"X 5" Loaf Pans brushed well with my Pan Release Mix. (equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil and Flour) I start with 1 C of each and keep it in a jar in the refrigerator. I always have it available for all of my baking needs. It's the best pan release. It's incredible when baking in Bundt Pans that have intricate designs.

I serve it with my Bourbon Sauce. (recipe to follow)

8 eggs, separated
3 C Granulated Sugar
4 sticks of Butter (1 pound)
3 C sifted Flour
1/2 C Bourbon
2 tsp Vanilla Extract
2 tsp Almond Extract
1 C chopped Pecans

Is a large mixing bowl:
Egg Whites
Beat until soft peaks form.
Add 1 C of the Sugar and continue beating until stiff peak stage.
Set aside.

In a Stand Mixer with a paddle attachment:
Butter
Remaining Sugar
Beat until creamy smooth, about 3 minutes.
Add Egg Yolks one at a time, beating well after each yolk.

Add Flour in thirds with the Bourbon, alternating and mix well.
Add:
Vanilla Extract
Almond Extract
Pecans
Mix well.

Gently fold in Egg Whites.
Pour into the loaf pans.
Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.
Remove pans from the oven, cool on a rack for 10 minutes .
Invert onto a cooling rack covered with Parchment Paper and cool completely.

Serve with my Bourbon Sauce:

1 C  Granulated Sugar
1/2 C Butter, melted
1 Egg, beaten
1/4 C Irish Whiskey
1 tsp Vanilla

Heat Sugar and Butter in a saucepan
Add Egg, whisk well
Remove from heat
Add Irish Whiskey
Whisk well and return to heat until it thickens, whisking
Remove from heat and add Vanilla.

Transfer to a jar and keep refrigerated.
It can be served cold or reheated.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!