APPLE PIE
My favorite activity in the fall is apple picking. We picked several tart green apples and I I used the same recipe I taught me students in my Home Economics class last year. The crust turned out flaky and I ended up eating this pie for breakfast, lunch and dinner. To make the leaves, I made an extra crust and used a small cookie cutter and layered the leaves from the outside to the middle. It was a fun day!
Crust:
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening
¼ to 1/3 cup water
Sift flour and into a mixing bowl. With a pastry blenders cut in shortening until particles are the size of coarse cornmeal and all fat pieces are coated with flour. Sprinkle mixture with ice water 1 tablespoon at a time while tossing lightly with a fork. Add enough water so dough holds together; shape into two balls. On a lightly floured surface roll one portion of the dough into a circle that is 2” larger than the top rim of the pie plate and 1/8” thick. Fold dough in half and then in half again and carefully fit it into an ungreased pie plate. Be careful not to stretch dough. Trim excess dough even with the edge of the pie plate. Add apple filling according to directions below. Roll top crust into a circle 1” larger than the rim of the pie plate. Fold in half and cut steam vents; place dough on top of filling. Trim excess dough and tuck top crust under bottom crust then flute around the edge of the pie. Pie can be wrapped for freezing or baked immediately. To bake immediately bake at 425 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. To freeze and bake frozen, preheat oven to 425 degrees and bake for 45 – 50 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Apple Filling:
4-5 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced*
¼ cup water
¾ cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
½ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
Place water in a 2-quart saucepan; add apples. Steam or simmer gently just until apples wilt and begin to become transparent (about 8-10 minutes). It cn be brushed with milk and sprinkled with sugar if desired.
Crust:
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup shortening
¼ to 1/3 cup water
Sift flour and into a mixing bowl. With a pastry blenders cut in shortening until particles are the size of coarse cornmeal and all fat pieces are coated with flour. Sprinkle mixture with ice water 1 tablespoon at a time while tossing lightly with a fork. Add enough water so dough holds together; shape into two balls. On a lightly floured surface roll one portion of the dough into a circle that is 2” larger than the top rim of the pie plate and 1/8” thick. Fold dough in half and then in half again and carefully fit it into an ungreased pie plate. Be careful not to stretch dough. Trim excess dough even with the edge of the pie plate. Add apple filling according to directions below. Roll top crust into a circle 1” larger than the rim of the pie plate. Fold in half and cut steam vents; place dough on top of filling. Trim excess dough and tuck top crust under bottom crust then flute around the edge of the pie. Pie can be wrapped for freezing or baked immediately. To bake immediately bake at 425 degrees for 30 - 35 minutes or until crust is golden brown. To freeze and bake frozen, preheat oven to 425 degrees and bake for 45 – 50 minutes. Serve with vanilla ice cream if desired.
Apple Filling:
4-5 tart apples, peeled, cored and sliced*
¼ cup water
¾ cup sugar
2 Tbsp. flour
½ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
Place water in a 2-quart saucepan; add apples. Steam or simmer gently just until apples wilt and begin to become transparent (about 8-10 minutes). It cn be brushed with milk and sprinkled with sugar if desired.
ROASTED SPAGHETTI SQUASH
I am in love with fall, partially because I am obsessed with apples, pumpkins, and squash. This simple recipe is wonderful if you are trying to cut down on carbs but still need to feel full. It also provides essential B vitamins, always a bonus!
INGREDIENTS
INGREDIENTS
- 1 large spaghetti squash (about 5 pounds)
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 2 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 1 medium shallot, finely chopped
- 3/4 cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese, plus extra for serving
- Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Cut the squash in half lengthwise and scrape out the seeds. Brush the flesh with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the squash halves cut-side up on a baking sheet and roast until fork tender, about 50 minutes.
- Remove the squash from the oven and let sit at room temperature until cool enough to handle, about 30 minutes. Scrape the flesh with a fork to make long strands; set aside.
- Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a large saucepan over medium heat until shimmering, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic and shallot, season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened and lightly browned, about 3 minutes.
- Add the reserved squash, toss with tongs to coat thoroughly, and cook until heated through, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the cheese a handful at a time while tossing the squash to evenly coat. Serve with freshly ground black pepper and extra cheese.
LEFTOVERS
Below you will find recipes for black beans, pulled pork, and guacamole from our taco night. The best thing about a taco night is it makes for amazing salads the next day. I threw all of the leftovers on top of a bed of chopped greens and paired with salad with a cilantro lime vinaigrette! Easy, fresh, and delicious.
Guacamole
Ingredients
Directions
Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl. (I use my hands.) Immediately add the lemon juice, hot sauce, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced. Add the tomatoes. Mix well and taste for salt and pepper.
- 4 ripe Hass avocados
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (1 lemon)
- 1 large garlic clove, minced
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Directions
Cut the avocados in half, remove the pits, and scoop the flesh out of their shells into a large bowl. (I use my hands.) Immediately add the lemon juice, hot sauce, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper and toss well. Using a sharp knife, slice through the avocados in the bowl until they are finely diced. Add the tomatoes. Mix well and taste for salt and pepper.
Pulled Pork TACOS and HOMEMADE BLACK BEANS
This meal was an absolute hit! I cooked the pork in the crock pot all day and the smell in the house was incredible. I serve these tacos with black beans, corn on the cob, and fresh guacamole. Even the six year old devoured them!
FOR THE PORK (use 3 cups of the finished pork roast)
FOR THE TACOS
Total Time: 1/2 day
BLACK BEANS
I tried this simple recipe for black beans. No more metallic taste from the cans for me. Fresh beans are SO much cheaper and better!
Ingredients:
Sautee the onions and garlic in vegetable oil until onions are soft, about 4-6 minutes.
Add the beans, remaining water or vegetable broth, bay leaves, bouillon cube, oregano, hot sauce, salt, sugar and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 2 hours, or until the beans are done cooking.
FOR THE PORK (use 3 cups of the finished pork roast)
- 2 1/2-4 lbs boneless pork shoulder
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cumin
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon fresh ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon chili powder
- 1/2 tablespoon mesquite powder
- 1/2 cup frozen apple juice concentrate
- 1/2 cup cider vinegar
FOR THE TACOS
- 8 (6 inch) corn tortillas
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 avocados, cut into 1/4 slices
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, may be chopped
- mild green taco sauce, to taste
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)
- 1 cup vegetable oil, enough to cover tortillas in a small fry pa
Total Time: 1/2 day
- 1 Making the pork: COMBINE BROWN SUGAR THROUGH MESQUITE POWDER. Spread over entire roast. Refrigerate roast in a Ziploc bag for up to 24 hours.
- 2 PLACE APPLE JUICE and VINEGAR in a crock pot and add the spiced shoulder being careful not to lose the rub. Cook on high for two hours, then reduce to low for 10 more hours.
- 3 REMOVE THE ROAST and let rest for 30 minutes.
- 4 PULL roast apart with two forks.
- 5 Making the tacos: HEAT OIL in small fry pan on medium-high until hot. Fry tortillas for about 30 seconds on each side so they're starting to turn crispy but are still quite pliable. Drain on paper towels or paper bag.
- 6 SPREAD SOUR CREAM down the center of each tortilla along with slices of avocado and some cilantro.
- 7 DIVIDE THE PORK equally and top each taco with a portion. Finish with mild green taco sauce to taste and the optional onions and/or cheese.
- 8 FOLD TACO IN HALF and meditate while you lose yourself in culinary heaven!
BLACK BEANS
I tried this simple recipe for black beans. No more metallic taste from the cans for me. Fresh beans are SO much cheaper and better!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 pound dried black beans
- 6 cups water or vegetable broth (divided)
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil or olive oil
- 1 onion, diced small
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 vegetarian bouillon cube (optional
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/2 tsp hot sauce (or to taste, optional)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp balsamic or red wine vinegar
Sautee the onions and garlic in vegetable oil until onions are soft, about 4-6 minutes.
Add the beans, remaining water or vegetable broth, bay leaves, bouillon cube, oregano, hot sauce, salt, sugar and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce the heat, and simmer for 2 hours, or until the beans are done cooking.
Heirloom TOMATO SALAD
Ingredients
Directions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil. Rinse and core tomatoes and slice 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Arrange in layers in an airtight container or on a serving dish, drizzling vinegar mixture and sprinkling mint, basil, salt, and pepper evenly over each layer.
2. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving
- 3 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil $
- 3 pounds mixed firm-ripe heirloom or other tomatoes
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
- Salt and cracked black pepper
Directions
1. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar and oil. Rinse and core tomatoes and slice 1/3 to 1/2 inch thick. Arrange in layers in an airtight container or on a serving dish, drizzling vinegar mixture and sprinkling mint, basil, salt, and pepper evenly over each layer.
2. Cover and chill at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours. Bring to room temperature before serving
Chicken Marsala
I actually made this recipe gluten and dairy free for the mother I work for. I used Earth's Best butter spread instead of real butter and gluten-free flour for the coating. It worked great and this is one recipe you can not taste the substitutions in.
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour for coating
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
- 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - pounded 1/4 inch thick
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 cup sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 cup Marsala wine
- 1/4 cup cooking sherry
- In a shallow dish or bowl, mix together the flour, salt, pepper and oregano. Coat chicken pieces in flour mixture.
- In a large skillet, melt butter in oil over medium heat. Place chicken in the pan, and lightly brown. Turn over chicken pieces, and add mushrooms. Pour in wine and sherry. Cover skillet; simmer chicken 10 minutes, turning once, until no longer pink and juices run clear.
SOUTHWESTERN BLACK BEAN SALAD
Ingredients:
Combine beans, corn, tomato, onion, scallion, cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix with lime juice and olive oil. Marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes. Add avocado before serving.
- 1 15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
- 9 oz frozen corn, thawed
- 1 tomato, chopped
- 1 small hass avocado, diced
- 1/4 cup red onion, chopped
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 1 lime, juice of
- 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp cilantro
- salt and fresh pepper
Combine beans, corn, tomato, onion, scallion, cilantro, salt and pepper. Mix with lime juice and olive oil. Marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes. Add avocado before serving.
Chicken Marbella
Ingredients:
4 chickens, 2 1/2 pounds each, quartered
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
1/4 cup dried oregano
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup Italian parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.
Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.
With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.
To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juices over chicken.
4 chickens, 2 1/2 pounds each, quartered
1 head of garlic, peeled and finely pureed
1/4 cup dried oregano
coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1 cup pitted prunes
1/2 cup pitted Spanish green olives
1/2 cup capers with a bit of juice
6 bay leaves
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white wine
1/4 cup Italian parsley or fresh coriander (cilantro), finely chopped
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a large bowl combine chicken quarters, garlic, oregano, pepper and coarse salt to taste, vinegar, olive oil, prunes, olives, capers and juice, and bay leaves. Cover and let marinate, refrigerated, overnight.
Arrange chicken in a single layer in one or two large, shallow baking pans and spoon marinade over it evenly. Sprinkle chicken pieces with brown sugar and pour white wine around them.
Bake for 50 minutes to 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Chicken is done when thigh pieces, pricked with a fork at their thickest, yield clear yellow (rather than pink) juice.
With a slotted spoon transfer chicken, prunes, olives and capers to a serving platter. Moisten with a few spoonfuls of pan juices and sprinkle generously with parsley or cilantro. Pass remaining pan juices in a sauceboat.
To serve Chicken Marbella cold, cool to room temperature in cooking juices before transferring to a serving platter. If chicken has been covered and refrigerated, allow it to return to room temperature before serving. Spoon some of the reserved juices over chicken.
Sauteed Carrots
Ingredients
Peel the carrots and cut them diagonally in 1/4-inch slices. You should have about 6 cups of carrots. Place the carrots, 1/3 cup water, the salt, and pepper in a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes, until the carrots are just cooked through. Add the butter and saute for another minute, until the water evaporates and the carrots are coated with butter. Off the heat, toss with the dill or parsley. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.
- 2 pounds carrots
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley
Peel the carrots and cut them diagonally in 1/4-inch slices. You should have about 6 cups of carrots. Place the carrots, 1/3 cup water, the salt, and pepper in a large (10 to 12-inch) saute pan and bring to a boil. Cover the pan and cook over medium-low heat for 7 to 8 minutes, until the carrots are just cooked through. Add the butter and saute for another minute, until the water evaporates and the carrots are coated with butter. Off the heat, toss with the dill or parsley. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and serve.