Apple Crisp Pie

1 Ready to Bake Pie Crust
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2t ground nutmeg
1/4t ground cinnamon
pinch of salt
6 cups peeled cored and sliced apples
(4-5 medium sized apples)
Lemon juice (optional)

Crumb Topping
1 cup flour
1/2 cup brown sugar packed
1/2 cup butter a little soft
1/2 cup oatmeal (optional)

Set the ready to bake pie crust on the counter till its easy to unroll.

Preheat the oven to 350. Put foil on a cookie sheet large enough to hold your pie to bake the pie on.

I like to double the topping for this pie. I like a lot of crisp ;-) Make the topping first and keep in fridge so its cold when you put it over the apples. Mix all topping ingredients together. I just use my fingers till it crumbs up, oatmeal included. Guess you could use the food processor.

Place the ready made pie crust in the pie plate and just pull the edges straight up. No need to fold them over the endge of the pie plate and make some fancy design. Put this in the fridge also to keep cold while you make the filling.

In a small bowl mix the sugar, cornstarch, nutmeg, cinnamon and pinch of salt. Set aside. In another bowl prep the apples. Peel, core and slice apples into bowl. Sprinkle the lemon juice over the apple slices as needed to keep them from turning brown. Add the dry mixture to the apples and mix well. Sometimes I use too many apples but I like it that way. I also like to cut thick slices.

Now your ready to put it all together. Place the sugared apples into the pie shell moving the apples around so they all fit and pile up. Now top with the crumb topping and pile that high too!

Bake pie on foiled covered cookie sheet for 1 hour and 30 minutes. Check it after 1 hour and see how its doing. One time my oven was too hot and kinda burned the topping. Weird. Not sure why that happened, Anyway, check it.
 

Guacamole

• 2 ripe avocados
• 1/2 tomato minced
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 3T green pepper minced
• 1 garlic clove minced
• 1/2 onion minced
• 1 1/2 tsp lime juice
• 1/2tsp salt
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Food Processor Crostata Dough

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, in 1/4-inch pieces
• 1 large egg beaten with 1/4 cup ice cold water

Instructions

1. Combine the flour, confectioners' sugar, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse the machine once or twice, to mix. Scatter all of the butter over the flour. Pulse the machine, repeatedly, until the butter is finely chopped and the mixture has a somewhat sandy consistency.
2. Using a fork, beat the egg and cold water in a 1- or 2-cup glass measuring cup. With the machine running, slowly pour the liquid through the feed tube - it should take 6 or 7 seconds to add it - and continue to run the machine just until the pastry STARTS to form large clumps and STARTS to ball up around the blade. Stop the machine as soon as it does.
3. Dump the pastry out onto your lightly floured work surface, pack it into a ball, and knead once or twice. Place on a large piece of plastic wrap and flatten/roll into a large oval about 1/2" thick (slightly less is fine.) Wrap in the plastic and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours before rolling. Makes enough pastry for one large crostata.

Fresh Tomato Tart

• FOOD PROCESSOR CROSTATA DOUGH
• Filling
• 1/3 cup pesto
• 1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese, divided
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fine cornmeal
• 4 or 5 large, ripe tomatoes, cored, halved, seeded and sliced 1/4-inch thick
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or whipping cream

Instructions

1. Prepare and chill the dough as instructed. Get out a large baking sheet, preferably a rimless one. When the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 400°.
2. On a large sheet of floured parchment or wax paper, roll the dough into an oblong/rectangle slightly less than 1/4-inch thick. If you're using parchment, simply slide the paper onto the baking sheet and trim the paper to the same size as the pan. If you're using wax paper, invert the pastry onto the pan and peel off the paper.
3. Spread the pesto evenly over the pastry, leaving a 1 1/4-inch border all around. Mix 1/4 cup of the Parmesan and the cornmeal in a small bowl. Sprinkle evenly over the pesto.
4. Using about 5 slices per row, make overlapping rows of tomatoes to cover the pesto-d area. Salt and pepper the tomatoes, then fold the edges of the pastry up over the tomatoes. Place on the middle oven rack and bake for 20 minutes.
5. Reduce the heat to 375° after 20 minutes. Slide the tart out, then sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Drizzle the cream here and there over the top. Bake about 30 minutes more, until the tart is bubbly and golden brown. Makes 8 or more servings.

Whole Wheat Zucchini-Nut Bread

• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup granulated or brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour or King Arthur White Whole Wheat Flour
• 3/4 cup King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups shredded, unpeeled zucchini (1 small to medium)
• 3/4 cup raisins (golden are nice)
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts

• 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F; lightly grease a standard 8 1/2" by 4 1/2" loaf pan, or line it with parchment. In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, oil, molasses, sugar, and vanilla until smooth.

  2. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon.

  3. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture.

  4. Stir in the zucchini, raisins and walnuts.

  5. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until the loaf tests done (a wooden tester inserted in the center will come out clean). Remove the bread from the oven, and place on a rack to cool for 20 minutes before removing from the pan and returning to the rack to cool completely.

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake in a Glass

1 splash of grenadine syrup
1 (1.5 fluid ounce) vanilla vodka
3 ounces pineapple juice
1 maraschino cherry
ice

Fill glass with ice. Splash grenadine over ice. Pour vodka and juice over ice and stir. Top with cherry! Yum!

One Pan Pasta Martha Style

• 12 ounces linguine
• 12 ounces cherry or grape tomatoes, halved or quartered if large
• 1 onion, thinly sliced (about 2 cups)
• 4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
• 2 sprigs basil, plus torn leaves for garnish
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for serving
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 4 1/2 cups water
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese, for serving

1. STEP 1

   Combine pasta, tomatoes, onion, garlic, red-pepper flakes, basil, oil, 2 teaspoons salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper, and water in a large straight-sided skillet. Bring to a boilover high heat. Boil mixture, stirring and turning pasta frequently with tongs, until pasta is al dente and water has nearly evaporated, about 9 minutes.
   
   

2. STEP 2

   Season to taste with salt and pepper, divide among 4 bowls, and garnish with basil. Serve with oil and Parmesan.

Aunt Vivians Pecan Pie

1/4 cup butter
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup light corn syrup
3 eggs
1t vanilla
1 3/4 cups pecans
1 pie shell unbaked

Melt butter over low heat. Mix sugar and syrup in the pan then blend in eggs and vanilla. pour into pie shell and add pecans in a pattern that you like. Bake 35 to 40 minutes at 350.

Rum Rum Cake

1 cup chopped or whole pecans

1 package yellow cake mix

1 small package instant vanilla pudding mix 

4 eggs 

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup vegetable oil 

1/2 cup dark rum 

1/2 cup butter

1/4 cup water 

1 cup white sugar 

1/2 cup dark rum

Preheat oven to 325. Grease and flour a 10 inch bundt pan. Sprinkle chopped nuts evenly over the bottom of the pan. Sometimes I keep the pecans whole and lay them in the bundt pan neatly for a pretty presentation. In a large bowl, combine cake mix and pudding mix. Mix in the eggs, 1/2 cup water, oil and 1/2 cup rum. Blend well. Pour batter over chopped nuts in the pan. Bake 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. Towards the end of baking time make the glaze: in a saucepan, combine butter, 1/4 cup water and 1 cup sugar. Bring to a boil over medium heat and continue to boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 cup rum and pour glaze over top and sides. Allow cake to absorb the glaze and remove the cake from the pan onto a serving plate. Very rich desert but very good. Its great for Thanksgiving and Christmas.