Pie Number 21 - Beef and Onion Pie

 The Year of Pie

Pie Number 21 - Beef and Onion Pie

    I love the little cookbook that this recipe is in. It is the Tried And True Grit Recipes - 95 Years of Homestyle Recipes. The recipe originally appeared in The Grit Cookbook, on May 4, 1958. The great thing about this pie, is that you can use beef (as in the title), ground turkey, ground chicken, ground pork or even ground bison, like I did. The other modification I made was that I added a top crust. The recipe in the book does not call for a top crust, so a top crust is optional. It definitely was more appetizing to look at, with a top crust. 

    I was really happy with how this pie turned out. My crust was good; the texture of the filling was good and "sturdy" and I liked the taste. This was pretty quick and easy to make. You could get up to eight servings from this. You don't need large slices, especially if you are serving the pie with a side salad or vegetable(s) on the side. Try this. I think you'll like it. 

Ingredients:

pastry for a 9-inch pie shell (double crust optional) (I made pastry for a double-crust pie)

1 lb ground beef (or your choice of ground meat; I used ground bison)

2 tbsps butter or margarine

1 large or 2 medium onions, thinly sliced

1 1/2 tsps salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tbsps flour

1 cup sour cream or butter milk (I used sour cream, but I think plain, non-fat Greek yogurt would add an interesting flavor)

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce (I didn't realize I was out; I used low sodium soy and it was just fine)

2 eggs, slightly beaten

pimiento strips (optional)

parsley flakes (optional)

Directions:

Cook onion in butter until translucent. Add in ground meat  and cook until meat is completely cooked (browned). Pour off any grease. Stir in salt, pepper and flour. Mix sour cream, Worcestershire sauce and eggs into the meat and onion mixture. Pour into pastry lined pie pan. Cover with top crust if desired. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 40 minutes. A knife inserted at the edge of filling should come out clean. Serve with a sprinkle of parsley flakes and/or pimiento strips and a vegetable or garden salad. 

Bison and Onion PIe

Bison and Onion Pie with Peas

Bison and Onion Pie with Peas

Chocolate Pudding Poke Cake

 Chocolate Pudding Poke Cake

    I made this simple cake for a Friendsgiving lunch at work last week. It was easy to make and it would be very, easy to swap out flavors. Use your favorite flavor cake mix and a pudding flavor which will go with that cake mix flavor. The cake I made used chocolate (like it says in the title) and vanilla cake mix. It was moist and tasty.  This was a Kraft/Heinz recipe. 

Ingredients:

1 box cake mix (2 layer size)

    You will also need the ingredients that your cake mix calls for; mine had 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp water, 1/4 cup vegetable (I used canola) oil and two eggs)    

2 packages (3.4 oz) Jell-O Cook & Serve Pudding

1 cup powdered sugar

4 cups milk (I used skim milk)

2 tbsp butter or margarine 

Directions

Make cake according to directions, using a 9x13 pan. While the cake is baking, combine the dry pudding mix and powdered sugar in a medium saucepan. Gradually stir in milk until blended. Add butter and bring to a rolling boil on medium heat. Stir constantly and remove from heat when the pudding gets to that rolling boil stage.  When done, remove the cake from the oven (you can check that it is done by using a knife or toothpick and poking the cake to make sure the knife/toothpick comes out clean).  Poke holes throughout the cake with the handle end of a wooden spoon.  Pour the pudding mix over the cake. Cool for a short time and then refrigerate for at least two hours. Serve chilled.

I forgot to take a picture of my cake; this picture is from the Kraft/Heinz site. 

 

Pie Number 20 - Sweet Potato Praline Pie

The Year of Pie

Pie Number 20 - Sweet Potato Praline Pie

    Woohoo! It's hard to believe that there are only four pies left in the Year of Pie! I've had some "fails", mostly "successes" and some which have turned out really well. One of those that turned out really well, is this Sweet Potato Praline Pie. The recipe is in Treasury of Desserts. Published in 1993, it contains recipes from several major food brands, including Philadelphia Cream Cheese, Jell-O, Eagle Brand, Duncan Hines and Hershey's. This recipe in particular, calls for Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk and is very, clear about NOT using evaporated milk.  You can use an electric mixer if you have one, but I don't have one and I did everything by hand. I'm not big on pumpkin pie or sweet potato pie, but I am glad I tried this. It was really good.  This recipe includes a praline topping, but if you would rather not use the topping, that is perfectly fine. The pie would be excellent with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I really liked the flavor and texture of this pie and I recommend trying this recipe. 

Ingredients:

1 9-inch unbaked pastry shell (I make my own, but you could use a pre-made pie shell)

1 pound sweet potatoes or yams (cooked & peeled)

1/4 cup margarine or butter (I used butter)

1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk (Not evaporated milk)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp ground allspice

1/4 tsp salt

2 eggs, beaten

Praline Topping (Optional; I know it's in the title, but really if you don't like or can't have nuts, leave this out)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, beat hot sweet potatoes with butter/margarine; add sweetened condensed milk, vanilla, spices and salt. Beat together until smooth. Stir in eggs and pour into unbaked pastry shell. Bake 50 to 55 minutes (the center needs to be set). Cool pie and top with warm Praline Topping (below). Serve warm (This was also good chilled with warmed praline topping). Refrigerate leftovers if you have any!

Praline Topping:

1/2 cup whipping cream (unwhipped)

1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 cup chopped & toasted pecans

Directions:

Cook and stir on medium low until sugar dissolves. Boil rapidly 5 to 8 minutes or until thickened. Stir occasionally. Remove from heat and stir in pecans. Spoon over a slice of warm (or chilled) pie. 

Sweet Potato Pie (Look at this filling!)

Sweet Potato Praline Pie

Sweet Potato Praline Pie

Skillet Plum Cake (Upside Down Plum Cake)

Skillet Plum Cake (Upside Down Plum Cake)

I came across this recipe recently, while looking for a pie recipe. Plums are "okay", but I generally don't seek them out (fresh or in a dessert). So, I was surprised that I wanted to make this. And, I am glad I made it. There were a few steps, but this turned out pretty good. Moist and tasty! I would definitely make this again and in fact plan to for an upcoming potluck. The recipe is in the Woman's Day Old-Fashioned Cookbook, published in 

Ingredients:

7 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 pound plums (the original recipe says prune plums or small blue plums) (I used about 6 plums)

1 cup sugar

5 tablespoons hot water

1 cup sifted cake flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 egg whites

2 egg yolks

1 teaspoon lemon extract

whipped cream for serving (optional)

ice cream for serving (optional)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter on low in a 10-inch heavy skillet (I used cast iron) or other baking pan about the same size. Remove from heat and evenly sprinkle the brown sugar in the skillet. Wash the plums, cut them in half and remove the pits. Place plum halves upside down into the butter/brown sugar mixture. Set the skillet aside. In a mixing bowl, beat egg yolks with lemon extract until thick and lemon-colored. Slowly beat in the sugar and then the hot water. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder and salt together and slowly blend into the egg yolk mixture. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into the batter. Pour batter evenly over the plums and butter/sugar mixture. 

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until the cake tests done with a clean knife or toothpick. Remove cake from oven and place a flat serving plate on top and immediately flip both upside. This may be a little tricky as you are both holding a hot skillet and trying to hold a plate to the skillet. Let rest for a few minutes until hopefully, all the sugar mixture adheres to the cake and not the pan. Gently shake the skillet to test this, before gently lifting the skillet off the cake. 

Serve warm, plain or topped with a dollop of whipped cream or scoop of vanilla ice cream. This would be a lovely dessert with coffee or tea. I took the cake to work to share and had my first piece on a napkin without any ice cream/whipped cream. 

Plum Skillet Cake

Plum Skillet Cake

Pie Number 19 - Lemon Icebox Pie

 The Year of Pie

Pie Number 19 - Lemon Icebox Pie

    This recipe is based off "Icebox Pie" in Favorite Recipes of the Deep South: Alabama-Georgia-Mississippi.  As always, my notes/modifications will be in italics. There is no date in the book, but I guessed it to be early to mid 1960's and I found a date of 1964 in the Library of Congress records.  This book was sold for fund raising by the Home Demonstration Club. No idea where this club was actually located, but the recipes were submitted by women in various clubs throughout Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi. This Icebox Pie recipe was submitted by Mrs. C.T. Elmore of Maben, Mississippi.

    I may have used too much lemon juice or evaporated milk because it didn't "set" real well. I'd had to guess at the amounts. I googled "How much juice in 3 lemons?" and "How big is a small can of evaporated milk?"). The first piece tasted great, but was just a pile of messy pie. The second piece, after freezing, was better and kept it's shape.  This pie was really good. I discovered that it definitely needs to go in the freezer overnight or at least freeze for several hours. It was easy to make, so if you like lemon like I do, try this. I think you'll like it.

Ingredients:

1 small can evaporated milk, chilled (5 1/2 oz)

1 cup sugar

juice of 3 lemons (1/2 cup)

1 crumb crust

1/4 cup crushed graham crackers (optional)

lemon zest (optional)

whipped cream (optional)

Directions:

Whip chilled evaporated milk until it stands in peaks (I don't think I whipped the milk long enough). Beat in sugar and then fresh lemon juice. Pour into crumb crust. Sprinkle lemon zest over the filling if desired. Chill (Freeze) until firm. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream sprinkle of graham cracker crumbs. 

Crust:

1 1/4 cup fine graham cracker crumbs 

3 tablespoons sugar

1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened (I melted mine)

Crust Directions:

In a large bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter/margarine. Press into a 9-inch pie pan and bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes if desired. You do not have to bake the crust, so baking it is optional.

Lemon Ice Box Pie

Lemon Ice Box Pie

Mystery Biscuits

 Mystery Biscuits

    I love the community/organization cookbooks in which members of the community or organization submit recipes. I have a copy of the Richardson Citizen Fire Academy Firehouse & Friends Favorite Recipes cookbook, published in 2009.  This recipe was submitted by Alicia M. The "mystery" ingredient is mayonnaise, which provides the fat in the recipe. This recipe was very, easy. The biscuits don't raise much during baking; they come out as nice "pillowy" biscuits. They are yummy and I enjoyed a couple with butter at dinner tonight. Give these simple biscuits a try!

Ingredients:

2 cups flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 cup milk

1 tsp sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sift flour, salt and baking powder into a large mixing bowl.   Stir in the sugar, milk and mayonnaise, ensuring the batter is thoroughly combined. Drop by rounded spoonfuls (I used a large soup spoon) onto a greased cookie sheet or fill 12 muffin tins 2/3 full. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until slightly browned on top. 

Mystery Biscuits

Scalloped Cauliflower

 Scalloped Caulifower

    This recipe is based on the Harvest Cauliflower Scallop recipe in Back to Basics - Home Tested Recipes From A To Z. The original recipe calls for four hard-boiled eggs and I didn't want eggs on mine. I added bread crumbs in lieu of the eggs. I also added 1 1/4 cup milk instead of just 1 cup. I used butter not margarine and also added pepper and spicy seasoning. I would maybe use a round casserole dish or 9x5 pan instead of the 9x13 pan. I really liked this recipe and would definitely make this again. I'll give the original recipe and show my changes in italics. 

Ingredients:

1 medium head cauliflower (I used a giant head of cauliflower) 

3 tbsp margarine (or butter)

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup milk (1 1/4 cup milk)

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 tsp spicy seasoning

4 hard-boiled eggs, sliced (Optional)

1 1/4 cup shredded American cheese (I used finely shredded Monterrey Jack cheese)

1/2 to 3/4 cup bread crumbs (Optional) (I used crushed ready made salad croutons)

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Cut cauliflower into flowerettes. In a large saucepan, cook cauliflower until tender-crisp and drain. Grease a 9x13 baking dish and place half of the cauliflower in the dish. Melt margarine or butter; blend in flour and gradually stir in 1 cup of the milk. Stir continuously and cook until thickened; thin with the additional 1/4 cup of milk if desired. Stir in salt, pepper and spicy seasonings. Remove from heat and dot spoonfuls of the white sauce onto the cauliflower. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheese over the cauliflower and white sauce. Layer the rest of the cauliflower in the pan and dot with spoonfuls of the remaining sauce. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top and sprinkle with bread crumbs.  The original recipe calls for adding sliced hard-boiled egg over the first layer of cauliflower, sauce and cheese, but I just couldn't wrap my head around putting hard-boiled egg in this dish. 

Scalloped Cauliflower 

Scalloped Cauliflower