Apple Pie Cookies

for the crust:
1 1/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons cold butter
3 tablespoons shortening
3 tablespoons ice cold water
HINT: If pressed for time, use pre-made pie crust

 

for the filling:
3 large granny smith apples
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon apple pie spice
pinch of salt
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup apple juice or cider
1 cup water
HINT: If pressed for time, used canned apple pie filling

 

for the topping:
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small chunks
powdered sugar (for garnish)

 

Directions
For the crust: In a medium mixing bowl, mix flour and salt. Using your fingers or a pastry cutter, cut butter into the flour until it looks like coarse meal, and then cut in Crisco until well blended. Add ice cold water and stir with fork. Use your hands to gently work the dough into a ball. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/8″ thickness. Use a round cookie cutter or rim of a glass (about 3″ is right) to cut out as many circles as you can. Place circles on a parchment-lined or silpat-lined cookie sheet and place in the freezer while you prepare other ingredients.

For the filling: Peel, core, and dice apples into small chunks. Pour lemon juice on top and stir to give an even coat. In a large saucepan, combine applesauce, juice and water over medium heat. In a separate bowl, stir sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg together. Add sugar mixture to the pan and stir constantly until it reaches a boil. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring frequently, then add diced apples. Return to a boil, then lower heat to a simmer, cover, and allow to cook for 5-7 minutes, or until apples are tender. Chill for at least 30 minutes.

For the topping: In a medium bowl, mix all of the dry topping ingredients with a fork, then incorporate butter chunks with your fingers until mixture is combined and crumbly. Set aside 1 cup of the topping, then add to the chilled filling, stirring until just combined.

Assembly: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spoon a heaping tablespoon of filling on top of each dough circle. Spread out somewhat evenly, then top with 1 teaspoon of the reserved crumbly topping. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until barely golden brown around the edges. Remove to a cooling rack, then top with a dusting of powdered sugar once cooled.

Caramel Stuffed Apple Cider cookies

recipe very slightly adapted from The Cooking Photographer

Ingredients

1 cup softened butter

1 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 box (7.4 oz) Alpine Spiced Apple Cider Instant Original Drink mix -not sugar free- all 10 packets (I found this in my grocery store near the hot chocolate mixes.)

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3 cups all purpose flour

1 bag Kraft Caramels (14 oz)

Preheat oven 350  Line cookie sheets with parchment

Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon.  Mix or cream butter, sugar, salt and all 10 packages of apple cider drink powder.  Add eggs, then vanilla and mix well.  Add flour mixture to creamed ingredients gradually.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.  Unwrap caramels or rollos.  Scoop cookie dough ball into about the size of a walnut (use the little cookie scoop).  Flatten the ball of dough in the palm of your hand.  Press the unwrapped caramel into the center of the dough, covering it completely. Place on parchment-covered cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

Bake 12 to 14 minutes at 350 degrees or until very lightly browned around the edges.  Don't overbake.  Slide cookies gently off the parchment before they have finished cooling and flip upside down and finish cooling on rack or counter.  If needed, you can freeze them on the parchment and they will come off easily.

Butternut Squash Soup

½ c. onion or 1 medium onion, diced

Olive oil

2 c. chicken broth or more

1 lb. butternut squash

2 pears, pared and sliced or apples

1 t. thyme leaves; fresh, snipped

¼ t. salt

¼ t. white pepper

¼ t. coriander, ground

1 c. half and half

Let your family or guests garnish with:

1 pear, (peeled or not) and sliced or diced

Nuts of your choice

Squash should be pared, seeded and cut into cubes.  I put it in the oven at 350 degrees for about half an hour.  Cool at least a bit and then I peel it and cube it (about 1-2 inch squares). Cover and put in the refrigerator until needed.

When it’s time for soup saute the onions in oil until tender.  Stir in broth, thyme, salt, white pepper, coriander, pears or apples, and squash cubes.  Heat to boiling and reduce heat to cook.  Cover and simmer until squash is tender—about 15 minutes.  Pour soup by batches into a food processor and process until smooth.  Put back in pan and heat, if necessary, and carefully stir in the half and half.  Stir constantly until hot and serve. 

 

Grape Jelly Without Pectin

4 cups of Grape Juice (Juiced from Concord Grapes)
3 cups of sugar

Mix together and boil.  Cook until 8 degrees above boiling or 220 degrees to form jelly.

Grape Jelly Without Added Pectin

Yields: 5 servings

Ingredients

4	cups grape juice
	(takes abt 3½ lbs Concord grapes, and ½ cup water)
3	cups sugar

Directions

To prepare juice. Select about one-fourth underripe and three-fourths fully ripe grapes. Sort, wash, and remove stems from grapes. Crush grapes, add water, cover and bring to boil on high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Extract juice.
To prevent formation of tartrate crystals in the jelly, let juice stand in a cool place overnight, then strain through two thicknesses of damp cheesecloth to remove crystals.
To make jelly. Measure juice into a kettle. Add sugar and stir well. Boil over high heat to 8 degrees above the boiling point of water (220 degrees), or until jelly mixture sheets from a spoon.
Remove from heat; skim off foam quickly. Pour jelly immediately into hot containers, seal and process 5 minutes in boiling water. Remove jars; cool and store.
This recipe yields 5 six-ounce glasses.

Denver Tea Room's chicken A La King

2 stick butter or margarine (I use only 1 stick and a little olive oil)
1 1/2 c. flour
8 cups (abt) chicken broth
1 c. half and half
1 lb. cooked, skinned chicken, diced
1 large red bell pepper, cut in 1/4 inch strips
1 large green bell pepper, cut in 1/4 inch strips
1/2 lb. sliced mushrooms, sauteed
salt and white pepper to taste
Baked puff pastry or rice

Melt butter in large saucepan.  Whisk in flour, cooking over moderate heat a few minutes.  Gradually add chicken broth, whisking and cooking until thickened.  Whisk in half and half.  Simmer over low heat about 20 minutes.  Add more chicken broth for desired consistency.  Add chicken, bell pepper, mushrooms, salt and pepper.  Cook over low heat until heated through.  Serve in pastry shells or over rice.  Serves 8

Flank Steak Cindy J.

3/4 c. oil
1/3 c. soy sauce
3 t. wine vinegar (red)
3 T. brown sugar
1/2 t. ginger
1/2 t. garlic salt
2 green onions, (chop 1 inch all the way up through the greens)

Place in plastic or in a dripper and marinate steak at least 6 hours.  Cook whole on the grill and then slice thinly across the grain to serve.

Brisket with Dill

3 T. olive oil
4-5 lb. brisket
2 t. salt
1/4 t. pepper
1 T. water
1 onion, sliced
pinch dill seeds

Brown roast well and then put in dutch oven, fatty-side down.  Add salt, pepper, dill, and cover with onion slices.  Add water and put on lid.  Cook for 6 to 12 hours on simmer.  When you slice the brisket, take off the layer of fat.  Slice thinly across the grain.  Add a little water to the pot if needed and add a package of noodles to boiling juices and water.  Stir and cover.  Turn down and cook until done, about 30 minutes.  Check every while to see if more liquid needs to be added.  Cook until done and serve with the sliced brisket and a sprig or two of parsley.