Milkmaid's Recipe Box

FOOD, FOOD, FOOD! I'm such a FARMER at heart-- even a CALF knows that so much in life is about the FOOD! (A bit of a "bio" about me can be found way down near the bottom.)

You can find a recipe index entitled "Labels" down along the right side, starting below the picture of the farm. Then, below the "Label" list are pictures of some of my old "standbys"-- click on their picture and it should take you to the recipe.

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Sunday, December 9, 2012

My Apple Pie

Bubbly Hot Apple Pie!

"My Apple Pie" = This might seem like a 'weird' 
way to make an apple pie, but it works for me!

This was just 'that kind of day'-- I had apples here, 
I felt like making a pie, 
and there would be family/friends here 
in the afternoon to share it with!  Reasons ENOUGH!


INGREDIENTS FOR PIE:

Two crusts-- one for the bottom, and another for the top.

10 med. sized apples of your choice (I use a 'mix'), peeled, halved, cored and sliced (about 1/8" thickness).

Water in large kettle for 'steaming or heating' the apple slices while the following is being prepared.

3/4 cup butter

1/2 cup white granulated sugar

1/3 cup brown sugar, packed

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon cornstarch (no lumpy cornstarch allowed!)

INGREDIENTS FOR A PIE CRUST 'WASH':  

1 egg yolk mixed smoothly with 1 tablespoon cream.  With soft pastry brush, brush this onto pie crust surfaces about midway into the baking time.  This helps the crust  to have a sort of 'golden shine' when it is done.

DIRECTIONS:  
  • Very lightly spray pie dish with non-stick spray.
  • Lay bottom crust into pie dish (cover with plastic wrap if it will be 'waiting' for a while).
  • Start the hot water for 'heating/steaming' the apple slices when you get them prepared.
  • Peel, core and slice apples.  When all are 'prepared', dump them into a colander or steaming basket over the boiling water.  Let them 'steam/heat' while making the sugar/cinnamon sauce as follows.
  • In a medium-sized saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter; stir in the white sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir well.  
  • When well blended and 'bubbly hot', stir in the vanilla.
  • Using a whisk, AND TO AVOID LUMPS, carefully add the cornstarch a few 'sprinkles' at a time while stirring constantly. (To do this, I like to put the cornstarch into my tiniest little strainer which holds about 1/2 cup maximum and gently shake it to put the cornstarch in a little at a time.)  Whisk together until all is smooth.
  • Now, put the 'steamed' apple slices into a bowl; dump the caramel sauce on top and gently mix until the apples are coated.
  • Dump the apple/sugar mixture into the prepared bottom crust.
  • Prepare the top crust as you like and cover the apple/sugar layer.  Sometimes, I cut dough into strips for making a traditional kind of lattice top.  Sometimes, ...a solid crust with little slits to let the steam out.  Other times, I use a plastic crust 'designer disk' which is so very quick-- the plastic 'designer' makes a top crust like this...
I used four of the little 'cut out apples' 
for added decoration...
 
  • Put pie into 350-degree oven for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and gently brush all of the pie crust surfaces with 'pie wash' (recipe above) and return to the oven for about 30 minutes more.  DO CHECK how the edges of your pie crust are doing-- if they are getting too dark too quickly, cover edges of the crust with aluminum foil or a ready-made 'pie crust shield'.

Below:  THIS IS ABOUT THE DESIGN DISKS I USE 
FOR THE TOP PIE CRUSTS.  I also included these 
in/among GADGETS I LIKE which can be 
found in the index down along the right column.


The two below are made by Norpro and they sold
for $3.48 each.   They might cost a bit more 
these days. (?)  If you are interested in buying
any of these 'forms', you could check at a kitchen 
supply kind of store, or...just do a google search for
" Lattice & Hearts Pie Top Cutters "
Once you bring up a list of websites, click on "images"
so you can see the various design disks that are available.


Below:  The red pie crust cutter with heart design is REVERSIBLE and can be found at: http://www.everythingkitchens.com/nordic-ware-heart-lattice-pie-cutter-04010.html

The gold pie crust cutter with the apple design is ALSO reversible and can be found at:  
http://www.everythingkitchens.com/nordic-ware-leaves-apples-pie-cutter-04020.html

Below:  Here, you see the REVERSE side of the two directly above...

Above:  The designs are raised and their edges are quite sharp.  To use them, I first roll the crust to the thickness I want.  Then, I carefully lift it from the table and lay it across the designed disk.  Next, I take the rolling pin and gently press it down as I roll it over the sharp edges of the crust designs.  Just make sure you have the crust rolled down on ALL areas of the raised designs so that when you lift the crust to put it on the pie, you have well-cut openings which make your design.  Some bakers say to lightly dust either the crust or the design disk so that you'll be able to more easily lift the crust off.  

Below:  When I've used the pre-made crusts like what came in this box, I haven't had to flour the crust nor the disk.  But, I suppose if the crust were to get a little too warm, I would HAVE to use a little flour to prevent sticking/tearing. (?)



Yesterday was the perfect Saturday 
for me to make a pie because...
I could share it with Steve, Andy, 
Wayne, Pam and Emani-- and I did!

Monday, December 3, 2012

Gluten-free (but SWEET) Peanut Butter Cookies

Just three ingredients = 
A "PEANUT-y" COOKIE!!


There are recipes (and many variations)
for these all over the Internet!

You wouldn't think they could hold 
together without flour, but they do!


INGREDIENTS:  
  1. 2 cups creamy peanut butter (I don't see why you couldn't use the NUTTY variety, unless you do not like 'crunchy').
  2. 2 cups granulated sugar (some bakers use 1/2 of this amount in brown sugar; others substitute Splenda
    ®).
  3. 2 large eggs
  • Some bakers add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to this dough, but I did not.
  • Some put a Hershey's Kiss into a mound of this dough before baking.
  • Some mix chocolate chips into this dough.
  • Some ???????????????????????????????.
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat the oven to 350°
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or foil.
  • Mix the peanut butter and sugar well.  I put both into the bowl of my Kitchenaid stand mixer and let it 'beat together' (and sort of 'fluff up') for about 8 minutes, scraping the bowl a couple of times along the way.
  • Add the eggs, one at a time.  Continue mixing for about a minute.  By adding the eggs, the 'mix' takes on more of a regular cookie dough texture.
I used a golf-ball-sized 'cookie scooper/baller' thing to scoop up the dough and put onto the parchment lined cookie sheets.  If your cookies turn out like mine did, you can place them quite closely on the cookie sheet because they did not spread out very much.  (I'd say leaving an inch between each should work just fine).  Just before baking, using a fork, I made the 'traditional' kind of criss-cross design on their top-- if the dough sticks to the fork tines, dip it (the fork) in either sugar or water.

Most bakers said to bake these at 350° for 8-10 minutes.  With my oven, I baked them for 12 minutes.  Adjust baking time according to your oven, but you do not want to bake them until they seem dried out.


These cookies are really tasty, but... 
I suggest that, because 
of their sweetness when you use regular 
white sugar like I did, you limit these for just a 
'special treat' when you think 
you absolutely HAVE TO HAVE...
something sweet!