Good Ol' American Pie II

To continue the previous post...

4. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

5. Heat ½ c butter, flour, ¼ c water, and ½ c brown sugar. Bring to a boil and simmer until it thickens up a little. Pour over the apple filling carefully.

 6. Now onto the topping. Mix the flour, oats, sugar, and nutmeg in a b owl. Drizzle melted butter over the top and stir until it all becomes moist, or almost all of it does. Spread evenly on top of the pie so it covers all of the apples so they don’t burn.

 7. Bake in 425 degree F oven for 15 minutes. Then turn down the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for another 30-45 minutes. Enjoy!

Pie Crust

-          ½ lb (2 sticks) margarine or butter (I used unsalted)

-          2 ¼ c flour (I used all purpose)

-          6 tbsp cold water

-          ½ tsp salt

1.      Mix the flour well with the salt.

2.      Cut the butter/margarine and flour together with a pastry blender, or cut the butter into pea size chunks. Gently mix into the flour with two forks in a fluffing motion.

3.      Sprinkle cold water over the top of the flour mixture, a tablespoon or two at first. Toss this top layer lightly with a fork until large lumps of dough form. Push these aside and sprinkle more water on top, repeat until all is moist.

4.      Gather the lumps of dough together into a loose ball. It shouldn’t be too sticky, but if it’s hard to handle flour hands. Handle with a light touch and DON’T KNEAD IT! Lightly pat the dough with the heel of your hand until you have a smooth ball. Dough that’s handled too much gets tough so be easy on it! Your hand’s heat will start making the butter soft.

5.      Wrap and chill the dough for 30+ minutes.

6.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

7.      Flour the work surface then cut the dough into two pieces. Shape each piece into a hamburger with smooth edges. Keep the work surface lightly floured.

8.      Roll the dough from the center out in a clockwise direction, lifting the rolling pin as you reach the edges. This keeps the dough evenly round and prevents the edges from getting thinner than the center.

9.      Fold the dough into quarters carefully, making it easy to lift without tearing. Place the corner into the center of pan and unfold.

10.  Bake pie crust if necessary for 20-24 minutes in the preheated oven. (Not all pies will require an already baked crust.) Pull out and let cool.

It smelled so good while it was baking I had my mouth watering. By time David got home I was practically chomping at the bit to dig in. So after David got home and we ate dinner I went ahead and served it up. In David’s words, “That is fantastic pie.” How can I argue with that? Which made me think of this fact I found when I googled Apple Pie’s history:

In 1590 Robert Green (1558-1592), an English poet, said he could

think of no greater compliment in praise of a lovely lady. He wrote

the following in his prose called Arcadia, "They breath is like the

steame of apple-pyes."

So I am certainly not the first or only person to love this fruit. Now that I was curious, I was intrigued to find out  more about apples history. A quick search on Google.com told me that the remains of apples are found among excavations at Jericho in the Jordan Valley and are dated to 6,500 B.C. Then dried apple slices were found on saucers in the tomb of Queen Pu-Abi at Ur near Basara, in Southern Iran, linking royalty to the irresistible seduction of apples which was dated to 2500 B.C. And finally in 384-322 B.C. Aristotle was said to have kept death away by holding an apple and inhaling its life sustaining fragrance. Finally and consciously he drops the apple thus releasing his soul. Wow, interesting stuff.

Good Ol’ American Pie

Over the weekend David and I went to a local Farm Market with a couple we’re friends with and had a great time picking out locally grown apples. Since its apple season I thought it’d be a good idea to focus on baking apples so I could put together a delicious apple pie.

I love apples, I have since I was little, and I can remember learning about apples and Johnny Appleseed in first grade and being fascinated. So, when I read some information  about it on www.Wikipedia.com it didn’t  surprise me that since the beginning apples have been associated with love, beauty, luck, health, comfort, pleasure, wisdom, temptation, sensuality, sexuality, virility and fertility. In Greek mythology, Gaia, or Mother Earth, presented a tree with golden apples to Zeus and his bride Hera on their wedding day. Guarded by Ladon, a serpent who never slept, the apple tree was in the garden of the Hesperides, daughters of the Evening Star. These golden apples became involved with many tales of love, bribery and temptation.

So back to my story, at the local Farmers Market I mostly picked out Rome and Stayman apples since they’re good for baking. Earlier in the week I made David one of his favorite desserts, Lemon Meringue pie, and I had extra pie crust so I thought I’d use it for this apple pie. So I gathered all the ingredients and got ready to bake!

This crust recipe came from David’s grandmother, and the pie recipe I tweaked combining ideas from several different recipes. I decided to use the crumb topping (found at http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/crumb-topping-premade)

Apple Pie Recipe

·         Crust (recipe below)

Filling

·         3 lbs apples

·         ½ c sugar

·         ½ c brown sugar

·         1 tbsp cinnamon

·         ¼ c water

·         ½ c butter

Topping

·         ½ c flour

·         ½ c oats

·         ¼ tsp nutmeg

·         2 tbsp sugar

·         3 tbsp melted butter

1. Peel and cut apples into either chunks or slices.

2. Mix with cinnamon and ½ c sugar. Stir and cook over medium heat until tender.

3. While the apples cook roll out the crust and fit into the pie pan (9”). Pour the filling into the pie crust.

Homemade Goodness!

Vanilla Extract

Our friend was generous to gift me a bunch of extra vanilla beans that she had, and since I’ve been cooking/baking a lot recently I decided I’d follow her example and make some homemade vanilla extract. This was especially appealing because many of the recipes I have call for “pure” vanilla extract, not imitation. Only, at the store the “pure” stuff is like $14 bucks for a small container. Waaaay too expensive for the amount I have been using in the last few months.

She gave me a couple different ones like, Madagascar and Tahitian. I had to look up the differences between these types and I found that (according to Wikipedia) Madagascar beans are powerful, dark, full vanilla flavor beans, while Tahitian beans are more fruity and floral.  Then I read that the Mexican variety has just a hint of sweet creaminess. While I was reading up on vanilla beans, I came across the same advice several times: The best way to buy them (most economical) is to get them online. It also said that vanilla is the second most expensive spice after saffron. So, if you’re in the market for v-beans, or you plan on trying out this little home project after you read this post, I would look into buying them on the internet. A lot of the stores I’ve walked in had vanilla beans priced around $3 per bean! No thank you! I will stick to the better prices through online vendors.

FUN FACT: In 1841, a 12-year-old French-owned slave by the name of Edmond Albius, discovered the vanilla orchid could be hand pollinated, allowing global cultivation of the plant (According to Wikipedia.com).

Anyway, so I picked out my beans and started this project, excited and a little giddy with the prospect of what I could make when this was done….

·         A high-proof alcohol like vodka, bourbon or rum.  Go for the 80 proof + varieties.

·         Three vanilla beans per cup of alcohol

1.      Use a sharp paring knife to cut lengthwise down the center of the vanilla beans, leaving about an inch at the top of the vanilla bean uncut.

2.      Put the vanilla beans in a glass jar with a tight fitting lid.  I used mason jars.

3.      Cover the beans completely with alcohol. It’s three vanilla beans per cup of alcohol, so if you use 2 cups of vodka split open six vanilla beans and throw them in the jar.

4.      Tightly cover the jar and give it a good shake.  Store in a cool dry place for two months.  Give the bottle a good shake every week or so, just so you don’t forget all about it. Here are my “before” and “Almost done” pictures. 

                               9/6/10                               10/25/10                                          11/18/10
                                Start                       1 month 20 days later            2 months 2 weeks later

5.      After two months have passed, your vanilla extract should be ready for your favorite recipes.  

*If you have friends who love to bake or are hobby bakers, but they haven’t done this yet, you could put the extract in cute bottles and give them as gifts. They will love this, especially if they are poor student bakers, they will definitely appreciate the upgrade in this ingredient. If you plan on doing a lot of that or if you’re just a maniac baker J then you could get a giant glass bottle and do what this blogger did (I love reading her blog) http://heavenlyhomemakers.com/how-to-finish-your-homemade-vanilla-extract

Now, with the holidays approaching I will have plenty of vanilla extract to make all sorts of goodies. I have a whole list that I will post very soon...



A mouth watering copycat

I forgot to credit David’s grandmother for her Picadillo recipe. It was a family recipe that she passed on to her daughter and grandkids.  David told me that it was a treat that all the kids looked forward to having at the family dinners when his family got together at his mother’s parents house.  It was a weekly event that was much anticipated. In the end, I think David is very excited/happy that I am enjoying some of his families recipes.

This recipe is from Food.com and it’s their “copycat” recipe for the Macaroni Grill. It’s for the delicious bread they give to you when you get seated and are waiting for your food to come out. I love it especially with their dipping oil. So, when I saw this recipe I was excited, but I wasn’t expecting it to ACTUALLY be a copycat. Copycats usually aren’t replicas of the original, instead, they’re mostly recipes that are inspired by the original. So imagine my (delighted) surprise when this really did come out smelling, and even tasting, like the stuff you get with an overpriced dinner!  

Rosemary Bread

Makes 1 loaf

-         1 tbsp yeast

-         1 tbsp sugar

-         1 c warm water

-         2 ½ c flour

-          1 ½ tsp salt

-         2 tbsp rosemary, fresh and chopped or dried

-         2 tbsp butter

1.     Place yeast, sugar and water in a large bowl and let sit for about 10 minutes, until it’s frothy.

2.     Mix in butter, salt and flour. Add rosemary. Knead for about 10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

3.     Add more flour if necessary. Oil the bowl and put dough in it to rise for an hour or so (until it doubles in size), making sure to cover with a towel.

4.     Punch down the dough and divide in half. Let it rest 5 minutes. Spray loaf pan and shape into the pan.

5.     Sprinkle the remaining rosemary over the loaf and press lightly into the surface. Let rise another hour (until doubled again).

6.     Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly browned. Carefully remove from the oven. Brush with remaining butter. Liberally salt the top with salt (kosher, sea, or table) or to taste.

*Serve with some dipping oil (extra virgin olive oil) and some fresh cracked pepper.

My Introduction to Picadillo

Picadillo is a traditional dish in many Latin American countries and the Philippines (where it is known as giniling) that is similar to hash. In the Philippines, picadillo is traditionally made with beef and either potatoes or chayote. I had reservations about this because I had nothing like it in my experience, but I was pleasantly surprised.

·         1 ½ lb lean ground beef

·         6 cloves garlic, minced

·         1 tbsp vegetable oil

·         1 medium sized onion, chopped

·         2 medium sized tomato, chopped

·         2 c cubed potato, in small pieces

·         2 tbsp light soy sauce

·         1/3 c water

·         ½ c sweet red pepper, cubed into small pieces – optional

·         Salt and pepper to taste

Brown the meat with the garlic and onions. Season lightly with salt. Add tomato, cook until soft. Add potato, soy sauce, water, salt and pepper.

Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until meat and potato cubes are tender. Add pepper cubes last to add color. Cook for 1-2 minutes.

Correct seasonings to taste. Serve immediately.

(If you decide this is something you want to try, let me know how your picadillo experience goes!)

Being the first Filipino recipe I've tried making from David's recipe book, I was surprised at how easy and tasty the dish was. Mixing potato chunks with rice was different, but come on, who doesn't love carb on carb? Far be it for me to say carb on carb is a combination that doesn't work. In fact, it works, it works REALLY well. Overall, it was a successful and fun culinary adventure :)

In the (New) Beginning

Now that I am in a new city, a new life started with David, and trying to find a job, it's been a little disorienting/overwhelming. The few familiar things I have in my life that have made these transitions easier are cooking and the things David and I get to do together. Don't get me wrong, David is loving all the delicious meals my time investment has created. So, I thought I would share one of those recipes.

Usually, David doesn't like to snack on things, but if he does he particularly enjoys my homemade granola. I found this recipe on the internet but it was so long ago I don't remember where.
Granola

• 2 c oats
• 1 tsp cinnamon, ground
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2/3 c raisins
• 3 tbsp and 1 tsp oil
• ¼ c honey
• ¼ c packed brown sugar (dark)
• 2/3 c almonds
• ¼ c maple syrup

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Oil baking sheet.
2. Toast almonds in the oven for 8-10 minutes (I prefer doing it for 9 minutes).

3. Toss together oats, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.

4. In another bowl, mix honey, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla. Whisk together until mixed.

5. Pour liquid into oat mix and stir until combined.

6. Pull out almonds when they’re done and put into a dish. Mix with almonds to warm them.

7. Pour oat mix onto the baking sheet evenly. You can squeeze clumps in your fist for texture but I don’t find this necessary.

8. Bake for 20 minutes, you can bake for 10 then stir it around then bake for another 10 minutes but I also didn’t find this necessary.

9. When it’s done take out and pour on the almonds and raisin mix. 

10. Let cool then break up the granola into bits and store in an airtight container.

YUM! It usually doesn't last very long in our kitchen, because David devours it quickly, but we've made it a staple in the kitchen because it's so darn good.

While fall is in full swing and winter is just around the corner, David and I have been enjoying the changing of the leaves. Recently, we drove to visit our families and the drive provided David many subjects to photograph while I drove. Lots of interesting lighting on clouds, and valleys of trees with all different colors. It was a great trip and an even better visit, and we were both sad to leave. One thing that we both look forward to is the upcoming holidays so we can visit our families more often and for longer periods of time (hopefully).

While visiting our families we were talking about different recipes and recipe books that his parents have, or that I have made, etc. What I realized from that is how very different growing up was for us, especially cuisine-wise. While I was more likely to have pasta or steak and potatoes at home, he was having dishes like picadillo, pancit, or Ćevapčići. I feel that he got to experience a much wider range of dishes since his families are Filipino and Serbian.

Since getting married I've been lucky enough to not only try some of these dishes but also make them. It's been a culinary adventure! While some of the more exotic ones (for me) are exciting, I've also done more familiar dishes like Chicken Parmigiana. Both of those I will post later for your enjoyment, and maybe, just maybe, for you to try it yourself! 

I do miss being closer to my family, but one thing that they have done to make it easier is receiving letters from my sisters. We prefer to write them and send them via 'snail' mail because it's SO much more exciting getting a letter in the mailbox than an email in your inbox. Plus, the phone calls are pretty awesome too. So, while transitioning to a new place and a new life with my spouse, my family has done a ton for me and continues to do a ton for me by keeping in touch. In short, I wanted to say THANK YOU for everything you have done and continue to do.