Tessa & Emma's Thanksgiving Pie

OATMEAL PIE

ingredients

2   eggs, lightly beaten

3/4  cup maple syrup

1/2  cup granulated sugar

1/2  cup packed brown sugar

1/2  cup milk

1/3  cup butter, melted

1   teaspoon vanilla

1   cup flaked coconut

3/4  cup regular rolled oats

1/2  cup chopped walnuts

1  9  inch unbaked pie crust

directions

1.  In a large mixing bowl, combine the eggs, maple syrup, granulated sugar, brown sugar, milk, butter, and vanilla. Stir together well.

2.  Stir in the coconut, oats, and nuts. Pour filling into unbaked pie crust.

3.  Bake in a 375 degrees F oven for 45 to 50 minutes or until set.

4.  Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate within 2 hours. Cover for longer storage. Serve with Cinnamon Whipped Cream, if you like.

Cinnamon Whipped Cream (optional) 

1   cup whipping cream

2   tablespoons powdered sugar

1   teaspoon vanilla

1/2  teaspoon ground cinnamon

 Dash ground nutmeg

1.  In a chilled mixing bowl, combine whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg. Beat with chilled beaters of an electric mixer on medium speed until soft peaks form.

The Best PIE CRUST EVER

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons white sugar

1/2 cup butter, chilled

4 tablespoons ice water

To Make Crust: 

In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and white sugar. Cut butter into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs. Gradually sprinkle the water over the dry mixture, stirring until dough comes together enough to form a ball.

On a floured surface flatten dough ball with rolling pin. Roll out into a circle that is one inch larger than pie dish. Place pie shell into dish and refrigerate until pie filling is complete.

Easter Brunch 2014

Challah French Toast Bake

1/4 cup (4 Tablespoons) butter, melted 

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar 

1 loaf brioche or challah (a French bread loaf can a used) sliced into 1 1/2 inches thick slices 

8 eggs, slightly beaten 

1 cup whole milk 

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract 

1 In a small bowl combine brown sugar and melted butter and pour on the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish. 

2 Arrange slices of bread in the baking dish overlapping if necessary. 

3 Combine milk, eggs, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and ginger in a bowl and pour evenly over bread slices. 

4 Sprinkle chopped pecans over bread slices. 

5 Wrap tightly with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 4-12 hours. 

6 In the morning, take the casserole out of the fridge for at least 10 minutes while you are preheating your oven to 350 degrees. 

7 Bake casserole for 30-35 minutes. (It took 90 mins) If top starts browning too quickly place a foil loosely over the top of the casserole for the last 10 minutes or so. You want it to cook long enough to make sure the bottom part is cooked but don't dry it out completely. 

8 Remove casserole from oven and let it cool slightly before serving. Serve with a dusting of powdered sugar and a drizzle of maple syrup. 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger 1/2 cup pecans, measured then chopped 1/8 teaspoon salt (optional) maple syrup and powdered sugar for topping

Fall Cocktail

Oven-Fried Chicken

Ingredients
2 chickens (3 pounds each), cut in 8 serving pieces
1 quart buttermilk
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
Vegetable oil or vegetable shortening
Directions
Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine the flour, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Take the chicken out of the buttermilk and coat each piece thoroughly with the flour mixture. Pour the oil into a large heavy-bottomed stockpot to a depth of 1-inch and heat to 360 degrees F on a thermometer.

Working in batches, carefully place several pieces of chicken in the oil and fry for about 3 minutes on each side until the coating is a light golden brown (it will continue to brown in the oven). Don't crowd the pieces. Remove the chicken from the oil and place each piece on a metal baking rack set on a sheet pan. Allow the oil to return to 360 degrees F before frying the next batch. When all the chicken is fried, bake for 30 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is no longer pink inside. Serve hot.

Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten
Copyright 2002, Barefoot Contessa Family Style, All Rights Reserved

Read more at: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/oven-fried-chicken-recipe.html?oc=linkback

Trish's Chicken Enchiladas

It started as a beautiful Sunday afternoon & finished with us in the basement under a tornado warning.  We drowned out the storm with a music jamboree.

SAUCE:

1-1/2 cups green chilies, roasted, seeded, & chopped
5 tomatoes or 1 large can with juice
2 medium onions, chopped
Pinch of oregano
Clove of garlic, minced
4 T. Olive oil

FILLING:

1 lb. Cooked chicken, chopped/shredded
1/2 lb. Cheddar, grated
1 cup sour cream

Spoon filling between 2 corn tortillas.
Cover with sauce.
Heat in oven.

Warm Corn Salad

Warm Corn Salad & Cheddar Bacon Cheese Burger

Inspired by Jonathan Justus, Justus Drugstore, Smithville, KS

Photo from dinner at Justus Drugstore

"Cooking is not about convenience and it's not about shortcuts...... Our hunger for the twenty-minute gourmet meal, for a one-pot ease and prewashed, precut ingredients has severed our lifeline to the satisfactions of cooking. Take your time. Take a long time. Move slowly and deliberately and with great attention.." 
~ Thomas Keller 
Chef Owner, French Laundry

Leftse

Leftse
3 large baking potatoes, peeled & quartered
2 T. Butter, softened & cut into 1/2 inch bits
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp. Sugar
1 tsp. Salt
1 cup flour

Boil potatoes & mash = 2 cups mashed potatoes.  Add butter, cream, sugar, & salt.  Beat until mixture is smooth.  Cover & refrigerate for 8 hours or more.
Gather mixture into ball, place it on a heavy floured surface & sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of the flour.  Knead the mixture by pressing it down with the heels of your hands, pushing it forward, & folding it back on itself for about 10 mins.  Add flour gradually.  
Divide dough into 15 small balls.  Roll each ball flat with a grooved Swedish Leftse rolling pin**.   Each should be about 6 inches in diameter.  Heat a large griddle or skillet until very hot.  Place on round of dough on skillet.  Cook only a moment or two until bubble appears on the surface of the dough & the bottom browns slightly.  Flip & cook other side.  Place on large plate & cover with a damp cloth.  

**Dan was taught to cover the rolling pin with a clean cloth/sock.  

Recipe from Judy's family

Papa Murphy Mini Pizza. 12/30/2013

Oh, how I would have loved these as a kid.  The magic of making your own pizza is irresistible.  Its equally irresistible watching the girls create their own masterpiece for dinner.

Photo bomb

Pizza dance

Holy Saturday 2014 after Vigil Mass

Easter 2014

Brown Sugar-Bourbon-Glazed Ham

Ingredients

• 1 (6- to 8-lb.) fully cooked, bone-in ham 
• 48 whole cloves
• 1 (16-oz.) package light brown sugar 
• 1 cup spicy brown mustard
• 1 cup cola soft drink 
• 3/4 cup bourbon 

Preparation

1. 1. Preheat oven to 350°. Remove skin from ham, and trim fat to 1/4-inch thickness. Make shallow cuts in fat 3/4 inch apart in a diamond pattern.
2. 2. Insert cloves in centers of diamonds. Place ham in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch pan. Stir together brown sugar and next 3 ingredients; spoon mixture over ham.
3. 3. Bake at 350° on lowest oven rack 2 hours and 30 minutes, basting slowly with pan juices every 15 to 20 minutes. Remove ham from oven, and let stand 20 minutes before slicing, basting occasionally with pan juices.

Southern Living 
APRIL 2011

Classic Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter
• 2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3 cups whipping cream
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• 1/2 cup (2 oz.) grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation

1. 1. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Stir in potatoes and next 5 ingredients, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring gently, 15 minutes or until potatoes are tender.
2. 2. Spoon mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish; sprinkle with cheese.
3. 3. Bake at 400° for 25 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and golden brown. Remove to a wire rack, and let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Andrew Lewis, Birmingham, Alabama, Southern Living 
NOVEMBER 2007

Apple-Pear Salad With

Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing

Ingredients

1 large pear, thinly sliced

• 1 (16-oz.) package romaine lettuce, thoroughly washed 
• 1 (6-oz.) block Swiss cheese, shaved 
• 1 cup roasted, salted cashews 
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries 
• 1 large apple, thinly sliced
• Lemon-Poppy Seed Dressing ( I cheated & used store bought)
• 
  
• Southern Living

Rabbit Rolls or Bunny Bread

Haha, this is what they really looked like.