3 c. flour
1 c. shortening
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vinegar
3-6 tbsp. ice water
For single crust cut recipe in half and bake @425 for 10-14 min.
Spiced Pecans, Alton Brown
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon dried ground orange peel
1 pound pecan halves
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons water
Line a half sheet pan with parchment paper and set aside.
Mix the salt, cumin, cayenne, cinnamon and orange peel together in a small bowl and set aside.
Place the nuts in a 10-inch cast iron skillet and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring frequently, for 4 to 5 minutes until they just start to brown and smell toasted. Add the butter and stir until it melts. Add the spice mixture and stir to combine. Once combined, add both sugars and water, stirring until the mixture thickens and coats the nuts, approximately 2 to 3 minutes.
Transfer the nuts to the prepared sheetpan and separate them with a fork or spatula. Allow the nuts to cool completely before transferring to an airtight container for storage. Can be stored up to 3 weeks.
Cranberry Bread, family favorite from Fanny Farmer
1 orange
2 tablespoons butter
1 egg
1 cup sugar
1 cup cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
2 cups white flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
Grate the rind of 1 orange.
Squeeze the juice and add enough boiling water to make ¾ c. of liquid.
Add the grated rind and butter, stir to melt.
Put in another bowl egg and sugar. Beat well and stir into the orange mixture.
Add the chopped cranberries and walnuts
Sift together flour,baking soda and salt. Stir into the first mixture.
Spoon into a butter loaf pan (9 x 5). Bake 1 hour @ 325 degrees.
Cranberry Pie, family favorite from Aunt Nan
Pre-bake 9 inch pie shell for 5-8 minutes in 425 degree oven.
Then add the following:
2 c. Cranberries-
1 c. currents or raisins
1 c. sugar- Mix together and place in pie shell
2 tbsp. Flour-
pinch of salt-
1 tsp. Almond flavoring-
½ tsp. Vanilla extract- Mix together and sprinkle over above
¾ c. boiling water-
Bake at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, turn down to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30-45 minutes or longer, or until the center bubbles pink.
pie crust, carla hall
1 tablespoon Sugar
1/2 teaspoon Table Salt
1/3 cup Water
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold Unsalted Butter (cut into 1/2-inch dice)
2 1/4 cups All-Purpose Flour (plus more for rolling)
In a small bowl, dissolve the sugar and salt in the water. Refrigerate until very cold, about 30 minutes. During that time, refrigerate your butter, flour, mixer bowl, and paddle, too.
Make sure your butter is cut into 1/2-inch dice. Bigger pieces will make your dough puffy. In the chilled bowl, combine the cold butter and flour. With your hands, toss the butter in the flour until each cube is lightly coated.
With the chilled paddle, beat the flour-butter mixture on low speed to just break up the butter, about 30 seconds.
Add the water mixture all at once and raise the speed to medium-low. Beat just until the dough comes together in big chunks, then immediately turn off the mixer.
Divide the chunks of dough in half and very gently pat each group into a round 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, before rolling. You can refrigerate the disks for up to 1 day or freeze for up to 3 months.
Helpful Tips:
1. Make sure that all the ingredients are cold.
2. Mix with your fingertips, not your palms. Fingertips are cool, while your palms are hot.
3. When mixing the flour and butter, pick up some of the flour and butter, squeeze it, and drop it.
4. Make discs with the dough — rather than a ball — so that it is easier to flatten
apple pie with pie crust, Ree Drummond
5 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 recipe Perfect Pie Crust, recipe follows
6 tablespoons butter
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
In large bowl, stir together the apples, brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, salt and lemon juice. Set aside and see how long you can keep from sneaking a slice of apple.
With a rolling pin, begin rolling out the Perfect Pie Crusts into large circles. Roll the dough from the center outward. Be gentle and patient, it’ll take a little time to get the dough completely rolled out.
If you think the bottom is really sticking to the surface below, use a nice, sharp spatula to loosen the dough and sprinkle some extra flour on top. Then flip it over to finish rolling. Remember to roll from the center in single, outward strokes, no back-and-forth rolling.
Again with a spatula, loosen and lift the dough and carefully place the circles on large baking sheets.
Place half the apple mixture on one crust and the other half on the other crust. Fold over the edges of each crust so that it covers 2 to 3 inches of the apple mixture. No need to be artistic – the more rustic the better. Dot the tops of the pies with chunks of the butter.
Bake until the filling is golden and bubbly, 30 to 40 minutes. If the crust appears to brown too quickly, cover the edges with aluminium foil for the remaining baking time.
Allow to cool slightly, then slice into wedges with a pizza cutter. Eat ’em on the go!
Perfect Pie Crust:
3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 sticks cold butter
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
1 egg
5 tablespoons cold water
1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
Combine the flour and salt in a large bowl. Add in the butter and shortening. Using a pastry cutter, gradually work the butter and shortening into the flour until the mixture resembles tiny pebbles. This step should take 3 or 4 minutes.
Lightly beat the egg with a fork, and then add it to the mixture. Next, add in the cold water and vinegar. Stir the mixture together until it’s just combined, and then remove half the dough from the bowl. Yield: dough for 2 crusts.
Apple Cake “Tatin”, Ina Garten
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing the dish
1 1/4 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced into 12 pieces
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar, divided
2 extra-large eggs, at room temperature
1/3 cup sour cream
1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Confectioners’ sugar
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Generously butter a 9-inch glass pie dish and arrange the apples in the dish, cut side down.
Combine 1 cup of the granulated sugar and 1/3 cup water in a small saucepan and cook over high heat until it turns a warm amber color, about 360 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Swirl the pan but don’t stir. Pour evenly over the apple slices.
Meanwhile, cream the 6 tablespoons of butter and the remaining 3/4 cup of granulated sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, until light and fluffy. Lower the speed and beat in the eggs 1 at a time. Add the sour cream, zest, and vanilla and mix until combined. Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt and, with the mixer on low speed, add it to the butter mixture. Mix only until combined.
Pour the cake batter evenly over the apple slices and bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool for 15 minutes, then invert the cake onto a flat plate. If an apple slice sticks, ease it out and replace it in the design on top of the cake. Serve warm or at room temperature, dusted with confectioners’ sugar.
smoked fish pate, carol sanders
1 c smoked trout, trimmed and flaked
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice or lime
2 oz butter at room temp
2 tsp grated horseradish
1 tsp fresh dill weed finely chopped
2 oz scallions, finely chopped
salt and pepper to taste
In a broad, medium bowl, using the tines of a fork, mash the smoked trout. One by one add each of the ingredients as listed, mashing and blending.Balance tastes and seasons. Aim to store this for s day or two since it will taste better after the ingredients have mingled together.
Makes 2 1/2 c.
Tonatto sauce, Carol Sanders
1 can (6 oz) light tuna packed in oil, preferably Italian, undrained
2 tbsp capers, rinsed
1 tsp anchovy paste or 1-2 fillets
juice of 1 lemon
1 small clove of garlic
salt & pepper
1/4 c. mayo
1/2 c olive oil
1 tbsp flat parsley
Combine the tuna with its oil, the capers, anchovy paste, lemon juice, garlic, pinch of salt and pepper and the mayo in a mini food processor or blender. Blend for a few seconds to combine. Continue to blend while slowly drizzling in the olive oil. Add the parsley and blend for a few more seconds.
Giblet Gravy
Giblets and neck from turkey
2 ¼ tsp. salt
1 celery stalk, chopped
4 whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf
½ c. turkey drippings
1 onion, thinly sliced
½ c. flour
1 carrot, chopped
¼ tsp. Pepper
1. Split the gizzard with a sharp knife and clean. Wash giblets very well under cold water. Refrigerate liver until ready to use.
2. Place the giblets (except liver) in medium sauce pan with neck, celery, bay leaf, onion, carrot, ½ tsp. salt, black peppers and 6 c. water
3. Reduce heat; simmer, covered 2 ½ hours or until giblets are tender. Add liver; simmer 15 minutes longer.
4. Strain broth pressing vegetables and broth through sieve. Measure, then add water to make 5 cups.
5. Chop giblets coarsely; set aside.
6. When turkey has been removed from oven, pour off drippings in roasting pan. Return ½ c. drippings to pan.
7. Stir in flour to make a smooth mixture; brown it slightly over low heat, stirring. Remover from heat. Gradually stir in broth.
8. Return to heat; bring to boiling, stirring. Reduce heat, simmer 5 minutes, stirring.
9. Add two teaspoons ( or to taste!!!) salt, pepper and the giblets; if a richer color is desired, add gravy coloring, simmer 5 minutes.
CWV Family favorite, the only gravy I can make consistently. I have learned to vary the amounts of veggies, using more than called for. Have whirled in the blender instead of sieving, all depends on my mood. I use a whisk and never have problems with lumps. Remember to cook the drippings and flour long enough to get rid of the flour taste.