Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

I was raised on Strawberry Rhubarb Pie!
My Grandmother made it, Aunt Faye made it , my Mother made it, my Wife makes it and I make it!
If you have never had it, get baking!


Strawberry Rhubarb Pie:

Here's what you'll need:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

A 9" Pie Pan

A Food Processor

Crust:
3 C Flour
2 1/2 tsp Granulated Sugar
3/4 tsp Salt
2/3 C Cold Vegetable Shortening (Crisco), cubed.
1/2 C + 2 TBS  (1 1/4 sticks) Chilled Butter, cubed.
10 TBS Ice Water


Filling:
3 1/2 C of diced Rhubarb, 1/2" slices. About 1 1/2 pounds untrimmed.
3 1/2 C Fresh Strawberries
1/2 C Brown Sugar
1/2 C Granulated Sugar
1/4 C Cornstarch
1 tsp Cinnamon
1/4 tsp Salt
1 Large Egg Yolk, beaten and blended with 1 tsp Water, for the Glaze.


Crust Preparation:
In a Food Processor:
Flour
Sugar
Salt
Pulse to blend.
Pulse in Crisco and Butter until it resembles Coarse Meal.
Add enough Ice Cold water , 2 TBS at a time to form a Moist Clumpy Dough.
Remove, Form into a Ball, cut in Half and flatten each into a Disk.
Wrap in Plastic Wrap and Refrigerate for 1 Hour.
Bring to Room Temperature before Rolling.


Filling Preparation:

In a large Mixing Bowl:
Add the first 7 Ingredients.
Fold by hand to combine.

Pie Preparation:

Roll out 1 Disk on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 13" circle.
Transfer to a 9" Pie Pan. Allow at least a 3/4" overhang.
Roll the second Disk the same size.
Cut into 1/2" wide strips.

Pour Filling into the Crust.
Create a Lattice Top with the Strips.
Tuck the ends of the Lattice and crimp into the Crust.
Brush the prepared Glaze over the entire Lattice Crust.

Place on a Sheet Pan .
Bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue Baking for 15 minutes.
Remove the Pie to a Cooling Rack and Cool completely.

Serve with Whipped Cream or Vanilla Ice Cream.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Italian Almond Cookies

I've adapted this recipe from allrecipes.com.


2 pounds of Almond Paste, break into pieces for convenience.
1 C Flour
8 Egg Whites
2 C Granulated Sugar
2 C Confectioner's Sugar
2 C Slivered Almonds ( place in a medium bowl to roll the cookies before baking)


Here's what you'll need:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a Sheet Pan with Parchment Paper


In a Stand Mixer with a paddle attachment:
Almond Paste
Flour
Egg Whites
Granulated Sugar
Confectioner's Sugar
Beat until well combined.

Use a 1 1/2" Cookie Scoop and roll each cookie in the Almonds to completely coat them with the Almonds.
Place the cookies 2" apart on the Sheet Pan.
Bake for 15 - 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven and cool on the Sheet Pan for 10 minutes.
Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Roasted Red Pepper Dip, Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Dip and Red Pepper Dip

I posted  other recipes for  Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Dip and another Red Pepper Dip made with fresh Peppers, which I really like.  I'll repost them at the end of this one. This is my favorite Roasted Red Pepper Dip without the addition of Eggplant.
Traditionally I would serve this with Pita Chips or on Toasted Slices of French Baguette Bread. However, I'm eating healthier now so I serve this with fresh vegetables ( Celery, Bell Peppers, Broccoli, Cauliflower , Cucumber Slices, etc.)

This version is easy to make and packed with spices for a great flavor.

You'll need a Food Processor.

1 - (15oz.) Can of Garbanzo Beans
1 - (4oz.) Jar of Roasted Red Peppers, drained
3 TBS Tahini
1 Garlic Clove, minces
1/2 tsp Chile Pepper
1/4 tsp Salt

Combine all ingredients in a Food Processor.
Pulse until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
Refrigerate before serving.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

I've been looking for a good Roasted Red Pepper Dip.

I haven't had much success finding something that impresses me.

I decided to create my own, based on several that I researched, here's what I came up with.

Roasted Red Pepper and Eggplant Dip:

3 medium eggplants, cut in half long ways

4 cloves of garlic, sliced

3 TBS olive oil, divided

1 C Roasted Red Peppers, (you can purchase them in a jar)

1 TBS chopped fresh oregano

2 TBS lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Arrange the eggplant, cut side up on a baking sheet pan

Make slits in the eggplant and insert pieces of garlic

Drizzle the eggplant with 2 TBS of olive oil

sprinkle with salt

Bake at 400 degrees for 1 hour

Remove the eggplant from the oven , cool completely, scoop out the interior and add to a food processor.

Add:

red pepper

oregano

1 TBS olive oil

lemon juice

salt and pepper

Puree until smooth.

Serve with pita chips, toasted baguette slices...... etc!

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Red Pepper Dip:

I'm fascinated with red peppers right now. I've been searching for good dips. Here's one that I like. It's flavorful, it goes together quickly, it has few ingredients and I usually have all of the ingredients on hand except the peppers.

2 red peppers, cut in half and seeded
3/4 C cream cheese, softened.
1 C sour cream
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp paprika
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper


Put the peppers, cut side down in a covered microwavable dish.
Microwave the peppers for 8 - 10 minutes, they should be tender.
Remove them to a bowl of ice water and remove the skin.
Place everything in a food processor and puree until smooth.
Chill completely.

Serve with chips or toasted sliced of baguette bread.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Carrot Cake Waffles with Maple Cream Cheese and other favorite Waffle Iron recipes

This recipe comes from Willow Bird Baking. It sounds amazing. I don't have the right to post their photograph so I'll post it when I make them. I was going to do an entire post dedicated to Waffle Iron Cooking. The recipes are endless. I've posted some of my favorites and I am adding this one. I reposted some of them at the end of this one.


Carrot Cake Waffles:

2 C Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
2 TBS granulated Sugar
1 1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1 tsp Cinnamon
1 tsp Nutmeg
1 tsp Allspice
1 3/4 C Buttermilk
2 Eggs, separated
1/2 Stick Butter (4 TBS)
1/2 tsp Vanilla
1 C Raisins
1 C chopped Walnuts
1 1/2 C finely grated Carrots
Vegetable Cooking Spray for the Waffle Iron


Maple Cream Cheese:

8 oz. Cream Cheese, room temperature
4 TBS of the best Maple Syrup you can buy
1/4 Cup finely chopped Walnuts
Combine all ingredients in a serving bowl and refrigerate until serving.

In a Skillet on medium heat:
Butter, until melted and light brown, 2 -4 minutes, swirling constantly.
Add:
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Allspice
Mix well and cook only for 15 seconds.
Remove from heat and cool for 30 minutes.


In a medium bowl:
Flour
Salt
Sugar
Baking Powder
Whisk well.

In a small bowl:
Buttermilk
Egg Yolks
Whisk.
Add the Butter and Vanilla, whisk well.

Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

At this stage, preheat the waffle iron sprayed with the vegetable cooking spray.


In another medium bowl"
Beat Egg White until soft peaks form.
Fold into the batter by hand.

Fold in:
Carrots
Walnuts
Raisins
Gently mix just until combined.

Spread a ladleful onto the waffle iron and cook 3 - 5 minutes.
Re spray the waffle between waffles.

Serve hot waffles with a Maple Cream Cheese.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!





Ok this is a no brainer!

A Waffle Iron
Bread
Butter
Cheese

That's it....... you can figure out the rest.
What a brilliant idea to make for kids that love grilled cheese ...... adults that love grilled cheese...... ok, everyone that loves grilled cheese.
Make them plain or make them fancy, you all know what you would add to a grilled cheese sandwich made in a waffle iron. I know I have a few ideas!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!




Pillsbury Cinnamon Roll Waffles:

1 can of Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Icing.

1 C confectioner's sugar
3 TBS whole milk
1 tsp vanilla

Heat a waffle iron.
Spray it with vegetable cooking spray.
Remove rolls from the can, set the icing aside.
Place 1 roll on the center of the waffle iron.
Bake for 3 - 4 minutes, (follow your waffles iron instructions for baking waffles)

In a small bowl:
Reserved Icicng
Confectioner's Sugar
Whole Milk
Vanilla
Mix well to create a glaze.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!


Glazed Donuts:
Heat whole Glazed Donuts in a Waffle Iron and serve with Maple Syrup.




Waffle Iron Hash Browns:

What a great idea. Why didn't I know about these years ago? Why didn't I think of this years ago?
I love going to an All American Diner like Katie's Diner in Guthrie, Oklahoma where you order hash browns and they are crispy, crunchy and buttery delicious.
I never seemed to be able to re create them. This is it!

All you need is a bag of frozen hash browns. You can shred your own fresh potatoes if you'd like to, but why?
You'll need a vegetable cooking spray........ and a waffle iron!

Thaw the frozen potatoes, pat them dry with a paper towel or tea towel.
Place them in a bowl and season them with salt, pepper and any other spice or herb that you like.
Scoop some onto the the waffle iron, about 1/4" thick.
Close the cover and cook about 10 - 15 minutes until golden brown and crispy!

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Dark Chocolate Waffles:

This is an adaptation of the original recipe.

2 C Flour

1/2 C Cocoa Powder

1/4 C Packed Brown Sugar

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Kosher Salt

3 Large Eggs, separated  

2 C Buttermilk

1/2 C Olive Oil

1 tsp Vanilla

6 oz. Bittersweet Chocolate (at least 70% cacao), finely chopped

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together:

Flour

Cocoa Powder

Brown Sugar

Baking Soda

Salt 

Make a well in the center.

Add:

Egg Yolks

Buttermilk

Vegetable Oil

Vanilla

Whisk together dry and wet ingredients just until combined.

In another bowl, using an electric hand mixer on high speed:

Beat Egg Whites until soft peaks form.

Fold half of the Whites into the batter just until combined.

Repeat with the remaining Egg Whites.

Gently Fold in Chocolate.

Heat a Waffle Iron and spray it with a vegetable cooking spray or grease with butter.

Ladle batter onto the waffle iron and cook according to manufacturer's instructions.

Transfer Waffles to a sheet pan and place them in the oven to keep warm.

Continue with remaining batter.

Serve with Butter, Warm Maple Syrup and a sprinkle of Sea Salt.

Enjoy!

Peace in the Kitchen!

Broccoli Patties

This recipe was also shared with me by my friend Shirley. I've adapted it to make it my own and added a Lemon Caper Sauce.


2 TBS Vegetable Oil
2 Garlic Cloves, minced
1/4 C Diced Onion
1 (12oz.) bag of Frozen Broccoli, thawed and squeezed dry.
1/3 C Italian Style Bread Crumbs
1 1/4 C grated Pepper Jack Cheese
1/3 C grated Parmesan Cheese
2 Eggs, beaten
Salt & Pepper , to taste

Here's what you'll need:
1- Sheet Pan lined with Foil, sprayed with a Vegetable Cooking Spray.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a Skillet on Medium Heat:
Oil (heat first)
Garlic
Onion
Salt & Pepper, to taste
Saute for 3 minutes.
Set aside off the heat until completely cooled.

In a large mixing bowl:
Broccoli
Bread Crumbs
Pepper Jack Cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Egg
Salt & Pepper taste
Mix well.
Form into patties.

Bake on the prepared pan for 15 minutes, flip and bake an additional 15 minutes.

Serve warm with Lemon Caper Sauce.


In a small serving bowl:

1/2 C Mayonnaise
1 TBS Capers, minced
1 TBS Dijon Mustard
2 tsp Lemon Juice
1/2 tsp Dried Parsley
Mix well, refrigerate before serving.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Chocolate, Banana and Rolled Oats Cookie

This is a perfect Hippy in the Kitchen cookie. I'm sure we made these in the 60's and 70's. I've adapted this recipe that I  recieved from a friend of mine. Thank you Shirley for sharing this recipe.

3 Ripe Bananas
2 C Rolled Oats (not Quick Oats)
1/4 Chunky Peanut Butter
1/4 C Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa
1/3 C Apple Sauce
1 tsp Vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Line a sheet pan with Parchment Paper

In a large Mixing Bowl:
Mash Bananas

Add:
All remaining ingredients and mix well by hand.

Allow to sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Using a 1 1/2" cookie scoop, drop the cookies 2" apart on the prepared sheet pan.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 12 minutes.

Remove from the oven and cool on a rack for 10 minutes.
Transfer cookies to the rack and cool completely.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Grandma Thiessen's Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake

I've been going through some of my vintage recipe cards. Today I found this  cake recipe that  my mother in law used to make. We think my wife wrote this recipe card when she was in High School.
Our daughter just asked if we still have the recipe. She remembered her Grandmother making it every time she visited her. The tradition continues.
It's another vintage family recipe that are some of my favorites. It's easy and delicious.
When it says to grease the pan, they used to grease it with Crisco. Today we use a Vegetable Cooking Spray. I use my Pan Release Mix ( equal parts of Crisco, Vegetable Oil, Flour). I start with 1 C of each and keep it refrigerated . I always have it available for all of my baking needs.

Here's what you'll need:
1 - 9" X 13" , greased baking pan

Mayonnaise Cake:

Combine 1 C Sugar, 2 C Flour, 1/4 C Cocoa and 2 tsp Baking Soda.
Mix 1 C Mayonnaise and 1 C warm Water and 1 tsp Vanilla.
Add Dry Ingredients
Bake in Greased Pan at 350 degrees for 25 - 30 minutes.

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!