Saturday, August 1, 2009

Dutch Apple Pie

Pies do not have to be a difficult chore. I modified this recipe from one I got from my mother-in-law. It's so simple and tastes like you spent all day making it!

Bottom Crust:

1 C flour
1 stick butter (or margarine)
1 Tb sugar

Crumble Topping:

1/4 C butter
1/2 C brown sugar
1 C flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp all-spice (optional)

Filling: 1 (21 oz) can apple pie filling

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees (F). Melt butter on low heat in small saucepan. Add sugar - stir until dissolved. Mix in flour - you'll end up with a warm ball of dough. Press into pie pan with large spoon. (Optional: sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar) Bake for 10 minutes. For the crumble topping, melt the butter in the same small saucepan, adding the brown sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, and all-spice. Mix with a fork to ensure the mixture crumbles (if it's too gooey, add a little more flour). Take the crust out of the oven, pouring in the pie filling. Top with crumbles and place back into the oven for 20-30 minutes. Best with some vanilla ice cream or whipped cream on top. Yum!

Creamy Coleslaw

This is a great Taste of Home recipe that I slightly modified. Delicious!

1 (16 oz) pkg coleslaw mix
3/4 C mayo
1/3 C sour cream
1/4 C sugar
3/4 tsp seasoned salt
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/4 tsp celery salt

Place coleslaw mix in large bowl. Mix remaining ingredients in small bowl. Pour over coleslaw mix and toss until coated. Refrigerate until serving (1-2 hours).

Shepherd's Pie

I originally got the idea for this from a Rachael Ray recipe - it quickly became a family favorite!

4 med potatoes, chopped (I prefer to use red potatoes)
1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1/2 C frozen green beans
1/2 C baby carrots, coarsely chopped
1/2 C frozen peas
1 (10.5 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
2 Tb Worcestershire sauce
1/2 C milk
1/4 C sour cream
1/4 C butter or margarine
Salt & pepper (to taste)
1/2-1 C shredded cheddar cheese (depends on how much you like cheese)

Preheat oven to 350. Boil 4-6 cups water in med-lg pot. Add 2 tsp salt to water. Chop potatoes and add to boiling water - boil until soft and remove from burner. Mash together with sour cream and butter - set aside. Cook ground beef and chopped onion in a frying pan (salt and pepper to taste). Mix together mushroom soup, Worcestershire sauce, and milk in a small bowl and add to ground beef/onion mixture. Put remaining vegetables (peas, green beans, carrots) in a microwave safe container and microwave covered for 4-5 minutes. Take glass baking dish (med-lg) and spread the mashed potatoes on the bottom. Next, layer the vegetables. Top with the ground beef mixture, and finally, top with the shredded cheese. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese is bubbly. Enjoy!

Left-overs from this one-dish meal are awesome!

Balsamic-Garlic Chicken

Simple. Healthy. Delicious. What more can you ask for? (Serves 2)

4 Chicken Thighs (you could substitute with 2 lg breasts)
1/4 C Olive Oil
1/4 C Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tb Minced Garlic
Salt & Pepper (to taste)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (Fahrenheit). Place thighs in glass baking dish. Drizzle olive oil and vinegar over chicken. Sprinkle minced garlic. Salt and pepper each piece (fresh ground black pepper works best). Bake covered for 1 hour. Uncover and bake for an additional 30 minutes. TIPS: If you want the outside of your chicken to be slightly crispy, put under the broiler on high for about 5 minutes. Also, don't be afraid to be liberal with the salt. The vinegar is tangy, so you'll need to balance it out with the salt.

Awesome with: lightly buttered herb-garlic pasta and a simple green salad