Forget dinner tonight’s about pie!

Apple – Raspberry Pie

1 refrigerated pie crust

5 cups (3 large) sliced apples

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup corn starch

1 teaspoon grated orange peel (no white)

1 cup (6oz container) raspberries

1 tablespoon of cold butter cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon sugar

This recipe was in my local grocery store flier.

Preheat over to 400 degrees.  Using a 9 inch glass pie pan prepare pie crust as directed on box.

- In a large bowl place sliced apples, sugar, corn starch and orange peel, toss to coat apples.  Put 1/2 apple mixture in pie crust top with raspberries and remaining apples.  Top with second crust , seal edges and flute.

- Lightly brush with water and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon of sugar. Cut several slits into pie crust to release steam. I like to cover the edges with foil to prevent burning.  (remove foil the last 10 minutes if edges are not brown)

- Bake in center of over for 45 to 50 minutes, let pie cool at least one hour before digging in great with vanilla ice cream.

Really…they are not mashed potatoes?

Not sure if any one is cutting back on their carbs during the holidays but I found this recipe for a low carb mashed potatoes on Hungry-Girl.com. A great site for anyone trying to cut back on calories and still be able to EAT their favorite foods.

Click on my picture and it will take to the recipe on Hungry Girl’s website.

I did a few changes omitting the bacon and cheese making it even less calories, everyone loved them and did not notice the difference.  Now that I saved a few calories….where is the pie?? 

Chicken Marsala – Simply Delicious!

Really, so simple and simply delicious.

Sweet Marsala and mushroom sauce topped over a herbed chicken breast.

1/4 cup of all  purpose flour for coating chicken breast

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried Italian Seasoning

4 skinless boneless chicken breast pounded to about 1/4 inch thick

6 Tablespoons of light Olive Oil

1 cup of sliced mushrooms (I like to use baby Portabello mushrooms)

1/2 chopped onion

1 teaspoon finely chopped garlic

1 cup of Marsala Wine

1/2 cup of chicken stock

1 Tablespoon of chopped Italian flat parsley

Combine flour, salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and coat chicken breast.

In a large skillet (you will need a lid) medium heat, add olive oil and brown coated chicken breast. Turn over chicken breast and add mushrooms, onions, garlic, wine and chicken stock. Cover skillet and simmer chicken 10 – 12 minutes, turning once, cook until no longer pink and juices are clear. Garnish with fresh chopped parsley.

Curry Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 4 stalks celery, chopped
• 4 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 1 bell pepper (I like using sweet bell pepper.)
• 1 medium baking potato, washed and diced
• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 1/2 cups uncooked  lentils
• 2 teaspoons curry powder

Directions

1. Heat the oil in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic,  carrot, potato, bell pepper and celery; cook and stir until tender. (chop all vegetables the same size)
2. Add vegetable stock, lentils and curry powder. Simmer over low heat, covered, until lentils are soft, about 45 minutes.

Bread Pudding with Butter Rum Sauce

4 Tablespoons melted butter, cooled

1 Tablespoon butter (for greasing 9×13 baking dish)

8 cups dried 1 inch bread cubes (I like to use French or Italian)

4 cups of milk (for a less lighter version 2 cups milk 2 cups heavy cream)

6 large eggs

1 cup light brown sugar

1/2 cup sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

5 Tablespoons of liqueur (I use Myers Rum)

3/4 cup of chopped walnuts (toasted work best)

1/2 cup golden raisins

Lightly grease 9X13 baking dish with 1 Tablespoon of butter.

Combine the milk, eggs, melted butter, sugars, vanilla, raisins, walnuts, cinnamon and liqueur in a medium mixing bowl whisk together.

Place cubed bread in a large mixing bowl add milk mixture. Stir and let sit for 30 minutes or until bread is soft and has absorbed most of the liquid.

Pour mixture into prepared dish and bake in a 350 degree oven of 45 to 50 minutes top should be golden brown and center firm.

Butter Rum Sauce

3/4 cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

2 lightly beaten egg yolks

1/3 to 1/2 cup rum to taste (I like using Meyers Dark Rum)

In a heavy combine all ingredients except the rum cook over medium low heat constantly whisking until sauce thickens. Remove from heat immediately. DO NOT boil. Add rum, stir, allow to cool but serve warm over bread pudding.

Serve with whipped cream with or without whipped cream this is always a big hit.

Banana Nut Bread – Whole Wheat Recipe

2 cups Whole Wheat Flour

3 mashed very ripe bananas

1/2 stick butter

1 beaten egg

1/2 cup sugar

4 oz of apple sauce

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/2 cup chopped Walnuts or Pecans

Oven 375 degrees

In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients.

Add butter, egg, applesauce, vanilla and mashed bananas mix and chopped nuts slightly mix again.

Pour batter into greased bread loaf pans smooth top with spoon.

Bake for 1 hour…I like to check at 45 minutes. Depending on size of loaf and ovens are different, it’s best to check.

Wendy’s Birthday Dinner

Wendy is a member of a  group of us that get’s together every Wednesday to play Dominoes.  It just so happened that her birthday fell on our Domino night and I wanted to make a special dinner.  (Wendy is also the author of Henri and Friends.)

-The Menu-

Crab Cake topped on a bed of Season Greens

Black Bean Succotash

Garlic Shrimp

Fresh Tomato Focaccia Bread

Warm Rice Pudding – Requested by Birthday Girl

Black Bean Succotash

1 16oz can of Black Beans (drained & rinsed)

1/4 cup chopped sweet red pepper

1/2 small chopped sweet onion

1 cup fresh or frozen corn

2 cups fresh or frozen sliced okra (optional)

2 Romana tomatoes diced

1 Tablespoon of chopped cilantro or parsley

1 Tablespoon of olive oil

Juice from one lime.

Salt and pepper to taste.

Lightly saute onions, okra, sweet peppers and corn in olive oil and season add black beans and with salt and pepper.  Let cool add juice from one lime. Best made a day ahead.

Garlic Shrimp

An easy recipe for shrimp scampi, made with shrimp, garlic, butter, and a little white wine and lemon juice.

• 1 1/2 pounds large shrimp (about 16 to 24)
• 1/4 cup  butter
• 4 tablespoons minced garlic
• 6 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice, fresh if possible
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• salt and pepper, to taste

Peel and devein shrimp and set aside.   Heat butter in large skillet over medium heat. Cook garlic 1 or 2 minutes or until softened but not browned. Add shrimp, green onions, wine and lemon juice; cook until shrimp are pink and firm, about 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Do not overcook. Add chopped parsley and salt and pepper before serving.

Bananas with Rum Sauce

• 4 bananas, peeled and sliced  
• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup rum
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

In a skillet melt 3 tablespoons butter add brown sugar and rum (I used Meyers Rum) reduce slightly add bananas, nuts, cinnamon and vanilla heat until bananas start to soften but do not over cook, last add 1 tablespoon of  COLD butter.  Serve warm over vanilla ice cream or pound cake topped with whipped cream.

Quick and easy last minute dessert.

Not Mom’s Rice Pudding.

Well, darn I always have a picture of my recipes but we were so fast to getting into the warm and tasty rice pudding I forgot to take a picture. A friend of ours Wendy (author of Henri & Friends) ask me to make her rice pudding for her birthday dessert. I have not thought about rice pudding in years it was something my Mother made that I just loved. I have learned over the years that I can not reproduce my Mom’s recipes. I don’t think it’s the recipe that I can’t reproduce it’s the feeling of coming to Mom’s kitchen with all the smells and watching what she love most ….cooking for friends and family.

Since Mom never used recipes I got online and found this simple stove top rice pudding….not bad but not Mom’s.

1 – 1/2 cups of uncooked white rice

4 cups of milk

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 beaten eggs

1-1/3 cup of golden raisins (I only used about a cup)

2 Tablespoons of butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring 3 cups of water to a boil, add rice and stir. Reduce heat cover and simmer 20 minutes.

In a saucepan, combine 3 cups of cooked rice, 3 cups milk, sugar and salt. Cook over medium heat until thick and creamy, about 15 to 20 minutes.  Stir in remaining 1 cup of milk with 2 beaten eggs and raisins. Cook 2 minutes more, constantly stirring.  Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Wonderful served warm with a dollop of whipped cream.

Mixed Berry Biscuit Cobbler

In a hurry for a quick dessert?

4 to 5 cups of fresh or frozen fruit

1 1/2 cups of sugar

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 can (12 oz) Pilsbury Golden Layers

refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

4 Tablespoons sugar

Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream

Heat oven to 400 degress.  In a saucepan add cut up fruit 1 1/2 cups sugar and cornstarch. Cook over medium heat until mixtures boils and thickens.

Pour into 13 x 9 glass baking dish. Separate dough into 8 biscuits, cut each biscuit into quarters. Roll each quarter in to the remaining 4 Tablespoons of sugar and place on top of thicken berry mixture.

Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Let cool but serve warm, topped with ice cream or whipped cream.