Fruit

Cranberry Sauce

January 15, 2010 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

For me, cranberry sauce is a staple of any Thanksgiving and Christmas meal. The meal just doesn’t seem complete without cranberry sauce. I love the taste of cranberries; they are sweet and tart at the same time and it seems to compliment every part of the holiday meals. Growing up we just had the the regular jellied cranberry sauce out of the can, which I have absolutely no problem with, but when Spencer and I started dating and I attended his families Thanksgiving for the first time I tasted some of the best cranberry sauce I ever had. This wasn’t the regular jellied cranberry sauce I was accustomed to; this sauce had so many different textures in it including pecans and pineapples. This was definitely one of my favorite things at the meal that year; and it stayed in my mind for quite some time.

One of Spencer’s aunts made this sauce, and she isn’t from here so they are only around for Thanksgiving and they stay in their hometown to do Christmas with their family. Since they are only around for Thanksgiving we only had this sauce once a year. Finally after quite a few years of not having this at Christmas I finally decided to ask her for the recipe, why I didn’t do this sooner I don’t know, and she kindly gave it to me. So this year we were able to have this awesome cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving as well as Christmas. This sauce is not only great as a side but also as a spread on sandwiches. It adds so much flavor but doesn’t overpower the meat or other condiments used. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do.

Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients:

2 Bags fresh cranberries (2 pounds)
2 Cups sugar
1 Can crushed pineapple
1 Cup pecans, chopped
2 Small boxes (3 ounce boxes) raspberry jello

Directions:

Prepare jello as directed on the box. Let the jello mixture cool.

While the jello mixture is cooling rinse the cranberries and chop them using a food processor.

Once the jello is cooled combined all the ingredients.

Cover the mixture and refrigerate overnight.

And since this is a post about Christmas, here is Tucker on his first Christmas!

Recipe from Aunt Sue

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

September 23, 2009 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

Spencer loves cinnamon raisin bread. It seems like he gets a loaf almost every time we go do our major grocery shopping. I don’t know why but I’ve never really thought about trying to make it before. The idea came to me one day while I was looking at some food blogs I saw on Le Petit Pierogi where she had made some homemade raisin bread. I thought that was a great idea, I mean we buy it quite often and since it seems to be one of Spencer’s favorite things I might as well give it a shot and see if the homemade version turns out any good. I’m so glad I attempted this recipe, it was so good and it definitely hit the spot. Spencer loved the bread, it definitely met his expectations as well as mine.

This recipe was very tasty and very easy to follow. This recipe makes three loaves of dough, so keep that in mind while mixing it. Be sure the bowls that you use to mix in and let the dough rise in are large, you’ll definitely need room to maneuver while mixing and the dough will need plenty of room to expand and rise. If you have a sturdy mixer with a dough hook I definitely suggest using that; if you attempt to use a handheld mixer it won’t be strong enough once the flour starts being added and if you knead it by hand your arms and hands will be worn out by the time you’re finished and you’ll be up to your elbows in dough. Be sure you allow ample room for both mixing and letting the dough rise. The dough rose perfectly, and the consistency was perfect, it was light and fluffy. It was very easy to work with too.

I definitely recommend making this recipe if you are a fan of cinnamon raisin bread, you won’t be disappointed. This would be great for breakfast, with a cup of coffee or for a snack. It will hit the spot no matter when you eat it. We loved it, and I know I will be making this again.

Cinnamon Raisin Bread

Ingredients:

1 1/2 Cups milk
1 Cup warm water
1 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
3 Eggs
1 1/2 Cups white sugar, divided
1 Teaspoon salt
1/2 Cup unsalted butter, softened
1 Cup raisins
8 Cups all purpose flour
2 Tablespoons milk
5 Tablespoons cinnamon, divided
2 Tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

Place raisins in a small bowl and cover with warm water while mixing the dough. This will allow the raisins to become nice and plump.

Warm the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it just starts to bubble, stir occasionally. Remove from heat and let cool until lukewarm.

Pour yeast packets in a large mixing bowl and then add warm water. Let yeast dissolve in the water and set aside until frothy (about 10 minutes).

Once yeast has dissolved mix in eggs, 1/2 cup butter, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons of cinnamon. Gradually add the flour to form a stiff dough. Once flour is mixed, place the dough on a floured surface, add raisins, and begin to knead for a few minutes until the dough becomes smooth.

Place the dough in a greased bowl and turn to coat all of the dough. Place a towel over the dough and let rise in a warm place until the dough has doubled in size, about 1 1/2 hours.

Remove dough from the bowl and roll on a floured surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle that is about 1/2 an inch thick.

Pour the two tablespoons of milk on the rolled dough and moisten. Spread the milk over all of the dough with hands.

Mix 1 cup of sugar and 3 tablespoons of cinnamon together. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the moistened dough.

Tightly roll the dough, long ways.

Cut the dough into three equal pieces. Place pieces in 3 greased loaf pans. Let the dough rise for another hour, uncovered.

Bake dough at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven, let cool for just a moment. Melt butter and spread over the top of the loaves. Remove loaves from pan, place on rack and let cool. Let cool before slicing.

Recipe Source: Seen on: Le Petit Pierogi, Originally from: Recipe Zaar

Daring Bakers June Challenge-Pudding Tart

July 1, 2009 by Lynsey 1 Comment

I know I’m a little late posting for the June challenge of the daring bakers, but better late than never…right? I was very excited about this challenge because I’ve never made a tart before and I’ve been wanting to make one for the longest time. Since the challenge was to make a tart it gave me the perfect opportunity to get my tart pan out and break it in. Although I did try this challenge I didn’t complete it successfully. I don’t know what went wrong but all the elements just didn’t go together for me. I will try this again and hopefully I will succeed and be able to post pictures. To see some completed challenges please visit the sites of the two hosts listed below.

The June Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Jasmine of Confessions of a Cardamom Addict and Annemarie of Ambrosia and Nectar. They chose a Traditional (UK) Bakewell Tart… er… pudding that was inspired by a rich baking history dating back to the 1800’s in England.

Bakewell Tart…er…pudding

Makes one 23cm (9” tart)
Prep time: less than 10 minutes (plus time for the individual elements)
Resting time: 15 minutes
Baking time: 30 minutes
Equipment needed: 23cm (9”) tart pan or pie tin (preferably with ridged edges), rolling pin

One quantity sweet shortcrust pastry (recipe follows)
Bench flour
250ml (1cup (8 US fl. oz)) jam or curd, warmed for spreadability
One quantity frangipane (recipe follows)
One handful blanched, flaked almonds

Assembling the tart
Place the chilled dough disc on a lightly floured surface. If it’s overly cold, you will need to let it become acclimatised for about 15 minutes before you roll it out. Flour the rolling pin and roll the pastry to 5mm (1/4”) thickness, by rolling in one direction only (start from the centre and roll away from you), and turning the disc a quarter turn after each roll. When the pastry is to the desired size and thickness, transfer it to the tart pan, press in and trim the excess dough. Patch any holes, fissures or tears with trimmed bits. Chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200C/400F.

Remove shell from freezer, spread as even a layer as you can of jam onto the pastry base. Top with frangipane, spreading to cover the entire surface of the tart. Smooth the top and pop into the oven for 30 minutes. Five minutes before the tart is done, the top will be poofy and brownish. Remove from oven and strew flaked almonds on top and return to the heat for the last five minutes of baking.

The finished tart will have a golden crust and the frangipane will be tanned, poofy and a bit spongy-looking. Remove from the oven and cool on the counter. Serve warm, with crème fraîche, whipped cream or custard sauce if you wish.

When you slice into the tart, the almond paste will be firm, but slightly squidgy and the crust should be crisp but not tough.

Jasmine’s notes:• If you cannot have nuts, you can try substituting Victoria sponge for the frangipane. It’s a pretty popular popular cake, so you shouldn’t have any troubles finding one in one of your cookbooks or through a Google search. That said, our dear Natalie at Gluten a Go Go has sourced some recipes and linked to them in the related alt.db thread.
• You can use whichever jam you wish, but if you choose something with a lot of seeds, such as raspberry or blackberry, you should sieve them out.
• The jam quantity can be anywhere from 60ml (1/4 cup) to 250ml (1cup), depending upon how “damp” and strongly flavoured your preserves are. I made it with the lesser quantity of home made strawberry jam, while Annemarie made it with the greater quantity of cherry jam; we both had fabulous results. If in doubt, just split the difference and spread 150ml (2/3cup) on the crust.Annemarie’s notes:• The excess shortcrust can be rolled out and cut into cookie-shapes (heck, it’s pretty darned close to a shortbread dough).

Sweet shortcrust pastry

Prep time: 15-20 minutes
Resting time: 30 minutes (minimum)
Equipment needed: bowls, box grater, cling film

225g (8oz) all purpose flour
30g (1oz) sugar
2.5ml (½ tsp) salt
110g (4oz) unsalted butter, cold (frozen is better)
2 (2) egg yolks
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract (optional)
15-30ml (1-2 Tbsp) cold water

Sift together flour, sugar and salt. Grate butter into the flour mixture, using the large hole-side of a box grater. Using your finger tips only, and working very quickly, rub the fat into the flour until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.

Lightly beat the egg yolks with the almond extract (if using) and quickly mix into the flour mixture. Keep mixing while dribbling in the water, only adding enough to form a cohesive and slightly sticky dough.

Form the dough into a disc, wrap in cling and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes

Jasmine’s notes:• I make this using vanilla salt and vanilla sugar.
• If you wish, you can substitute the seeds of one vanilla bean, one teaspoon of vanilla paste or one teaspoon of vanilla extract for the almond extract

Frangipane

Prep time: 10-15 minutes
Equipment needed: bowls, hand mixer, rubber spatula

125g (4.5oz) unsalted butter, softened
125g (4.5oz) icing sugar
3 (3) eggs
2.5ml (½ tsp) almond extract
125g (4.5oz) ground almonds
30g (1oz) all purpose flour

Cream butter and sugar together for about a minute or until the mixture is primrose in colour and very fluffy. Scrape down the side of the bowl and add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. The batter may appear to curdle. In the words of Douglas Adams: Don’t panic. Really. It’ll be fine. After all three are in, pour in the almond extract and mix for about another 30 seconds and scrape down the sides again. With the beaters on, spoon in the ground nuts and the flour. Mix well. The mixture will be soft, keep its slightly curdled look (mostly from the almonds) and retain its pallid yellow colour.

Annemarie’s notes:• Add another five minutes or more if you’re grinding your own almonds or if you’re mixing by hand (Heaven help you).

White Chocolate Cranberry Muffins

January 10, 2009 by Lynsey 1 Comment

I love the combination of chocolate and pretty much anything; I just think that there are endless combinations. I try to pair new things together from time to time just to see what I can come up with. Although the combination of white chocolate and cranberries is nothing new, they are two flavors that I’ve been wanting to work with for quite some time now.

I had planned on making some cookies with white chocolate and cranberries but one day muffins sounded good to me so I decided to incorporate the flavors in the muffins instead. The muffins turned out incredible! They weren’t too rich for breakfast; they were just right. All of the flavors just blend together and compliment one another so well.

I also made them in a large muffin pan and that made it even better. I just love the “Texas” size muffins, so any chance I get to use my pan I do! There is a trick to cooking in a pan where the muffins are larger; turn the heat down and cook them a little more slowly than you normally would. If you cook them at the normal temperature then the outsides cook a lot faster and end up burning before the inside cooks completely. These were such a hit the first time I made them that I’ve made them three more times since.

My mom tried them while she and my dad were visiting and she requested that I make them and bring them when we had Christmas. Spencer took some to work for his breakfast a few times and he let some of his co-workers try them and I have recently received requests from them for a batch. Needless to say they have been a big hit since I created my recipe.

Now on to the good stuff!!!

White Chocolate Cranberry Muffins

Ingredients:
2 1/2 Cups flour
1 1/4 Cups sugar
1 3/4 Teaspoon baking soda
2 Teaspoons baking powder
1 1/2 Teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 Cup shortening, (I used butter flavored Crisco)
2 Teaspoons cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon all spice
Dash of salt
1 1/2 Tablespoon vanilla
3/4 Cup milk
2-3 Eggs, slightly beaten (It just depends on the consistency after the first two are mixed in; if the dough still seems to be a little stiff then add the 3rd egg)
1 1/2 Cup cranberries (I used dried but you can use fresh if you prefer)
1 Cup white chocolate chips
Sugar in the Raw, for garnish

Directions:
Preheat oven to 325 F. (Preheat to 350 if using a muffin tin with “normal” size muffins)
In a large bowl mix together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Once all the dried ingredients are combined cut in the shortening with a pastry blender. Blend the dough until the shortening is incorporated completely; the mixture should look like a lot of tiny balls.
With an electric mixer mix in the nutmeg, cinnamon, all spice and vanilla. Once well mixed add in the milk. Add eggs in one by one until all have been added. Once everything is mixed together stir in the cranberries and chocolate chips.
Pour into greased muffin tins. For the “Texas” size muffins I spooned a little over 1/3 cup of muffin batter in the tins. Place muffins in the oven and bake on 325 for about 25 minutes.
Remove from oven and immediately sprinkle with Sugar in the Raw. Remove muffins from pan and place on cooling rack. Let cool completely before placing in a well sealed container.

WCC Muffins
Recipe Source: A Lynsey Original

Maple Cream Sweet Potato Soup

January 1, 2009 by Lynsey 5 Comments

Sweet potatoes are being seen more and more in many different types of recipes now. As society is going to healthier alternatives for meals more of the “better for you vegetables” are making appearances. I have found myself trying to make more things with vegetables that are a little better for me; and sweet potatoes are one of the foods that I’m trying to cook with on a more regular basis. I’m a huge fan of sweet potatoes so it hasn’t bee too hard for me to incorporate them into my cooking. It seems like more and more people have started cooking with them as well so it hasn’t been hard to come across recipes for sweet potatoes. This soup is just one of the many that I’ve come across lately.

When I was watching Rachael Ray’s talk show I saw her making a soup with sweet potatoes. I thought the concept sounded very interesting and I really didn’t know what to think about it at first. I watched her make the entire recipe because I was pretty curious of the outcome. After seeing her make it the entire way through I was amazed, the soup was so hearty and with pairing of the white cheddar apple grilled cheese I knew it was something I had to try.

Whenever I told people about the soup and what all it involved I got a lot of different reactions. A lot of people didn’t really know what to make of it or what to even imagine when I told them about it. I had at least one other person that wanted to try it, Spencer, so I know I could at least cook it for the two of us. Once I finished making it we sat down and ate it; it was definitely something different but we both loved it. After I tested the recipe on us I took some to work to share with a co-worker and at first she didn’t know what to picture but after I showed the soup to her and she tasted it she was hooked too.

The soup is a lot thicker and more hearty than you would imagine. Although it’s made with some broth it’s definitely not a broth-y, runny soup. It’s so filling by itself but when you add the sandwich it’s a perfect pair and it’s more than enough for a good meal.

When I saw Rachael Ray making this she just did a cream, maple syrup, and cinnamon reduction. That sounded very good to me but I knew Spencer would need something in there to tone down the sweetness of it, especially since it wasn’t a dessert! Rachael mentioned using some chipotles in adobo to give it a kick, but she said to use that instead of using the maple syrup. I did take her advice on adding some spice in it but I still wanted that element of sweet that the syrup would add so I took her advice on adding the spice but I also kept the sweet of the syrup. The combination of the mixture was amazing. The sweet hits you first and then it’s followed by that kick of spice.

To add the spice to it I used chipotle salsa. I ended up using the entire can (7 ounces) of the chipotle salsa but I incorporated it in different ways into the dish. I boiled some in the cream, syrup, cinnamon mixture; I added some in the potato puree and then I just stirred some in the soup itself. Everything mixed together very well and it was a big hit with everyone that tried it.

Maple Cream Sweet Potato Soup

Ingredients:

1/2 cup dark maple syrup

1 cup heavy cream
1 cinnamon stick
3 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks
2 carrots, peeled and cut into chunks
1 medium onion, halved
4 ribs celery, halved
1 bay leaf
Salt
3-4 cups chicken stock, divided
1 cup apple cider
A few grates fresh nutmeg
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, removed from stems
A few pinches cayenne pepper

Ground black pepper1 (7oz) can chipotle salsa

Directions:

Place a small pot over medium heat with the syrup, heavy cream, 1/4 of the chipotle salsa and cinnamon stick. Bring the liquid up to a bubble then reduce the heat to low and simmer until thickened and reduced, about 15 minutes.

Place the sweet potatoes, carrots, onion, celery and bay leaf into a medium-size stockpot and cover them with cold water. Season with salt and place over medium-high heat, bringing the liquid to a bubble. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the potatoes until tender, 15-18 minutes.

Drain the cooked potatoes and discard the onion, celery and bay leaf. Transfer the potatoes and carrots to a food processor, add a splash of chicken stock , another 1/4 of the chipotle salsa, and puree until smooth, adding more stock as needed to keep things moving.

Return the pureed veggies to the pot they were cooked in and add the cider, remaining stock (add as little or as much as you like to get the consistency you want), nutmeg, thyme, cayenne and some more salt and pepper, add the rest of the chipotle salsa. Simmer the soup until heated through and thickened slightly, 3-4 minutes. Stir the reduced maple cream into the soup.
***If you don’t want as much spice eliminate some of the chipotle salsa.

Grilled White Cheddar and Apple Sandwiches-
Bread
Butter
1 Granny Smith Apple
1 Block sharp white cheddar cheese

Directions:
Heat a small skillet over low-medium heat. Place a little butter in the skillet to melt. Spread a small amount of butter on one side of the bread, place buttered side down in skillet. Place a few slices of cheese on bread, place apple slices on top of cheese and then lay more cheese on top of the apple slices. Butter the other slice of bread and place non-buttered side down on the cheese and make a grilled cheese sandwich. Cook until sandwich is golden brown on each side and cheese is melted.

Cut sandwich in 2-3 strips and serve with soup. Use these dippers to dip into soup. It’s a wonderful combination!

Recipe adapted from: Rachael Ray

Raspberry Curd Tartlets

September 9, 2008 by Lynsey 1 Comment

This was another recipe I made for the family reunion over the Labor Day weekend. I kept the salad pretty easy so I could focus on these tartlets. I am a huge fan of lemon curd, my Grandma makes the best lemon curd I’ve ever had, so when I came across this recipe for Raspberry Curd I knew I just had to give it a try. I came across this recipe a few weeks ago and from then on I was looking for an excuse to make it and the family reunion was a perfect excuse.

This recipe was fairly easy, I think the thing that gave me the most problems was the seeding of the raspberries. I followed the directions and tried to seed them after the puree and the mixture wasn’t thin enough to actually run through or be pressed through my strainer; so after getting a little frustrated with it I went ahead and melted the butter and mixed the puree and butter together and then tried to seed it again and that worked so much better.

I started these fairly late in the evening, my own fault, but time was really an issue since I knew I had to wake up early the next day. I feel had I had more time I would have been able to work with the pastry mixture a little more and actually make the sides pretty and neat. It really bothered me leaving the sides/tops undone because I’m such a perfection and want everything to look pretty, but it was either have pretty pastries and no sanity or still have my sanity…I chose sanity! When I do try these again I’ll re-post my picture and hopefully it will look a lot better than these.

The combination of the tart crust, which tasted like a butter cookie with almonds, and the raspberry curd was absolutely awesome. The tarts were light and flaky and then the raspberries came in with a burst of flavor. These were so good and a big hit at the reunion!

Ingredients:

1 Cup butter, softened

1/2 Cup confectioners’ sugar

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Cups all-purpose flour

Dash salt

1/2 Cup finely chopped almonds

Raspberry Curd:

1 Package (10 ounces) frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed

3 Tablespoons lemon juice

1/2 Cup butter

3 Tablespoons sugar

4 Eggs

Red liquid food coloring, optional

Whipped cream, fresh raspberries and mint

Directions:

Tartlets:

In a large bow, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Add vanilla. Combine flour and salt; add to creamed mixture and beat until smooth. Stir in almonds.

Press into 2 1/2 inch tartlet pans, trim edges. Place pans on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 F for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Remove from pans.

Raspberry Curd:

Combine raspberries and lemon juice in a blender or food processor; cover and process until pureed. Press through a strainer to remove seeds.

In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Reduce heat to low; add the raspberry puree, sugar and eggs. Cook and stir for 10-15 minutes or until mixture is smooth and thickened and reaches 160 degrees. Remove from the heat. Add food coloring, if desired. Press plastic wrap on surface of curd. Refrigerate for several hours or overnight.

Spoon about 3 tablespoons of curd into each tart shell; top with whipped cream, raspberries and mint. Refrigerate leftovers.

Courtsey of Taste of Home Cookbook

White Sangria

July 27, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

We were having a few friends over after work one evening. We were grilling out and I wanted a fun drink to sip on while preparing the meal and during the meal. We love sangria; when we get together it’s guaranteed we’ll get a pitcher or two to share. It’s definitely a no fail choice when we’re together.

This recipe was so easy to make and doesn’t really take a lot of time to prepare or chill. I halved the recipe since there were only going to be two people drinking it; but the full recipe would be great for a larger group.

White Sangria

1 Bottle sauvignon blanc
1/2 Cup brandy
3/4 Cup sugar
1 Lemon and 1 Lime, thinly sliced
1 Granny Smith Apple
1 Liter Sprite (or lemon-lime soda)
1 Cup frozen green grapes

Directions:

Combine the wine, brandy and sugar in a larger pitcher and mix gently to dissolve the sugar Add the sliced lemon, lime and apple. Chill for 2 hours or longer. Add the Sprite and grapes and mix gently. Serve over ice.

Recipe Source: Adapted from “Beach Appetit”, The Junior League of the Emeral Coast

Key Lime Pie

July 27, 2008 by Lynsey Leave a Comment

I am a huge fan of things sweet and tart; but mix the two together and it’s a guaranteed winner. Key lime pie is one of my long time favorite desserts. Every time I go out and it’s on the menu it’s guaranteed I’m going to get a piece for dessert.

I have made many desserts that have the sweet and tart combination but I have never taken on the challenge of making a key lime pie myself. One day I searched all day for the perfect recipe to try out; I really never found one that really jumped out at me and had everything I wanted in one. There are some that seemed like the flavor would be muted because of lack of lime or too much other stuff so I decided to write one myself. I figured if I wrote it myself it would include everything I was hunting for.

The first attempt turned out pretty good. I was very impressed with it; especially for it being my first attempt. I will definitely make it again; I may try to “tweak” it a little to make the filling a little thicker initially so it doesn’t have to bake as long but that’s probably the only change I’ll make.

***If you’re not a big fan of lip puckering tartness half the amount of key lime juice used.

Key Lime Pie

Crust:

5-6 Tablespoons butter, melted

1 Cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 Cup almonds
1/2 Cup pretzels
1/8 Teaspoon sugar

Filling:
1 Can sweetened condesned milk
1 Egg, beaten
2 Egg yolks
Zest of 1 lime
1 Cup sugar
1 Cup key lime juice (I used Nellie and Joe’s)

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Crust:Place pretzels and almonds in bag and smash with rolling pin until in course pieces. (I wanted to be able to see the almonds in the crust and I didn’t want the almonds or pretzels to be a powder so that’s why I coarsely crushed them) Combine butter, graham cracker crumbs, almonds, pretzels, and sugar and mix until completely combined. Once mixed together put mixture in 9 inch pie plate;pat the mixture in the pan until pan is completely lined.

Once finished place for 10-12 minutes or until crust is completely cooked. Remove from oven and let cool.

Filling:
Beat egg and egg yolks. Combine condensed milk, eggs, sugar and combine. Once combined add lime juice and lime zest and blend together completely. Pour in cooled pie crust.

Bake 20-25 minutes or until filling is set. Let cool and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Recipe Source: A Lynsey Original

Deep-Dish Apple-Blackberry Pie

July 10, 2008 by Lynsey 1 Comment

I had some fresh blackberries that I needed to do something with before they went bad; I was searching for recipes on the internet when I came across this one that looked so good. I love baking pies and it’s been a while since I’ve made one so this one was calling out my name. It was a good blend of 2 fruits that went so well together. The crust was incredible as well; with the walnuts and sugar everything just went so well together.

Deep-Dish Apple-Blackberry Pie

FILLING:

1 1/2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 Teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 pounds tart apples (about 6 apples)

2/3 Cup sugar

1/4 Cup cornstarch

2 Cups blackberries (frozen or fresh)

1 Recipe Walnut Pastry Dough (Recipe Follows)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Combine lemon juice and vanilla in large bowl. Peel, core, and cut apples into 3/4 inch chunks, tossing them in lemon juice mixture as you work.

Mix 2/3 cup sugar and cornstarch and toss with apples. Then add blackberries.

Roll thelarger piece of dough into a 13-inch circle. Place the dough in a prepared pan, letting excess dough hang over the edges. Gently press the dough into bottom and sides of pan.

With a rubber spatula, scrape the apple-blackberry filling into pie shell.

Roll out smaller disk of dough, making an 11-inch circle. Place the dough over filling. Press together edges of pastry to seal. With the tip of a sharp knife, cut 3 or 4 short slashes to vent steam.

Moisten a pastry brush with water and lightly brush top of pie. Sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Place the pie on a baking sheet with sides.

Bake until crust is golden and filling bubbles, 45 to 55 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for about 1 hour. Serve warm or at room temperature.

PASTRY:

1/2 cup walnuts
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons cold butter, cut into pieces
3 tablespoons walnut oil
6-7 tablespoons cold water

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spread walnuts in a pie pan and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, or until fragrant. Let cool.

Combine the walnuts, flour, sugar and salt in a food processor; process until the walnuts are finely chopped. Add butter and process until incorporated. Transfer to a large bowl.

Drizzle oil over the flour mixture. Use your fingertips to rub the oil into the mixture. One tablespoon at a time, add water and mix with a fork until dough is crumbly and holds together when pressed.

Divide dough into 2 pieces, 1 slightly larger than the other, and form each into a disk.

Recipe Source: www.foodnetwork.com

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Blue Cheese and Pecans

July 3, 2008 by Lynsey 1 Comment

Chicken is a one of the main dishes cooked in our house. We are always looking for new and tasty ways to prepare it. A few days ago I was looking on the internet for different chicken recipes and I came across this one. I followed it step by step for the most part but I did add a few touches of my own.

It turned out absolutely incredible and I know we will definitely be having this again and again!!!

Bacon Wrapped Chicken with Blue Chees and Pecans

Ingredients:

4 Pieces boneless, skinless chicken breast

Salt and Pepper

1 Cup blue cheese crumbles

2 Scallions sliced on bias

4 Slices of bacon

1 Tablespoon EVOO

2 Tablespoons butter

2 Tablespoons all purpose flour

1 Cup chicken stock

1/2 Cup 1/2 &1/2 or Cream

2 Tablespoons grainy mustard

Directions:

Heat oven to 375

Butterfly chicken by cutting across breast (not totally through). Place chicken on parchment or wax paper and open breast up and top with another piece of wax or parchment paper. Pound lightly between. Pull paper away and salt and pepper chicken.

Cover seasoned chicken with bluse cheese, pecans and scallions. (I also added cranberries)

Roll the chicken, wrap each roll with bacon and secure with toothepicks. Season outside of rolls with salt and pepper.

Heat olive oil in skillet, brown chicken evenly all over (5-6 min).

Transfer chicken to baking sheet and cook in oven 10 minutes.

Melt butter in same pan, whisk in flour, cook 1 minute then add chicken stock. Let thicken then stir in 1/2 & 1/2, mustard and salt and pepper.

Pour sauce over chicken and serve.

Recipe Source: Rachael Ray Food Network

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