Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Do you love strawberries?  Do you love rhubarb?  How about mixing those two into a pie filling?
My rhubarb plant is flourishing and begging to be used.  So I added strawberries to the grocery list and headed off to the grocery.  Once home, I harvested a bunch of rhubarb, tied on my favorite apron and got busy in the kitchen.

Once the pie filling was mixed, I made the pie crust.  Yes, I made the crust. I'm not a fan of readi-made crusts but will admit that I've used them in a pinch, but nothing beats homemade pie crust.
Lard makes the best pie crust, so add that to your shopping list and ditch the hydrogenated oil (Crisco).  You will be amazed at how tender and flaky your crust will be.

In case you don't have a rhubarb plant growing in your garden, I noticed at the market that they had a nice supply of rhubarb, so if you'd like to try the recipe you should be able to find both the rhubarb and strawberries at your local market.

Rustic Apple Blueberry Pie

Pie, did someone say pie?  Pie is my favorite dessert.  I could eat it every day.  Unfortunately, my waistline won't go along with that plan.

Many people fear making pie crust, it really isn't hard, and this pie doesn't require precision or crimping the edges. Shoot, you don't even need a pie plate to make this lovely rustic pie.

I did make my crust the "old fashioned" way, using lard.  You can't beat it for a perfect crust.  

I used fruit that I had on hand, blueberries and apples which yielded a pretty tasty combination.

Apple Strudel

Apple Strudel

Ingredients:

2 medium to large apples, cored and sliced  into 1/4 wedges
1 tsp. fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1 Tbs. flour
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 package puff pastry, thawed

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment.
On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a rectangle roughly 22 inches long and 18 inches wide (making sure the length will fit on your baking sheet.

Once dough is rolled, transfer it to the baking sheet.  Make angled cuts approximately 1" in width from the edger, cutting about a third of the way to the center on both sides of the dough.

Wash, core and slice the apples.

Toss the apples with the lemon juice.  Add the sugar, cinnamon and flour and toss to coat the apple slices.
Arrange the apples down the center of the dough. Top with the chopped walnuts.
Starting on one side, bring one of the cut strips to the center, repeat with the following side and continue,
covering the apples to the end.  Sprinkle the top with sugar.

Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until the crust is brown and the apples are tender.

....and that's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Rhubarb Blueberry Skillet Pie

This recipe came along as a whim because I have a flourishing rhubarb plant in my landscaping around my back patio and a couple of pints of blueberries in the fridge.

Fresh rhubarb is one of my favorite parts of spring.  I always anxiously await those first stalks breaking through the ground.    I like strawberry rhubarb, so I thought why not try mixing it with the blueberries and see what happens.


I'm a huge pie fan.  Given a choice, I'll pick pie over cake any time.  I have to admit I was blown away by this combination as was by boyfriend.  He's pretty used to my cooking and baking, and will often comment that something is good.  However, last night when he had his first bite of this pie, he exclaimed "Wow, this is good!".  So there's your endorsement!  Grab your iron skillet, harvest some rhubarb from your garden, farmer's market or local grocery, and make yourself a skillet pie!

No Crust Apple Pie

How about a dessert that you can easily whip up with ingredients you have on hand?
You know, for those times when you need something in a hurry for a drop in guest or when you are just in the mood for something sweet.  Sound good?  Yes?  You will find this recipe quick and easy.  I acquired it from a cooking class during last year's trip to Italy.

Recently, a good friend and I have had some fun debating whether this recipe is a pie or a cake.  You see, the name in the recipe is pie and it is made in a pie plate, implying that it is a pie.  However, it doesn't have a crust, which for me is essential for pie and the texture is more cake like, so I say it is a cake.

The result of our  cake vs. pie debate?  We  agreed on one key point....  It is Delicious!!
I'll leave it to you to decide for yourself!

Lemon Blueberry Cream Cheese Tarts

I was inspired by this recipe that I found on one of the blogs that I follow.  This tasty treat is low carb and gluten free, and honestly just down right tasty!

For me, blueberries and lemon embody spring and freshness.  Both the  lemon and blueberry flavors  marry nicely in this tart.

I don't own small individual tart pans so I "made do" by utilizing  a cupcake pan.  I had a few shells that didn't come out easily but most of the did, and I used the crumbly ones to mix into the remaining filling for a quick decadent snack from the fridge.

I did modify the recipe a bit since my last errand stop was the grocery and there wasn't any Mascarpone cheese (seriously Target....come on!).  As a result, I opted for cream cheese and modified the recipe just a little.  

Butterscotch Banana Cream Pie

Am I the only person who buys bananas and never manage to get them eaten before they turn brown?
It doesn't seem to matter if I buy 3 or 6, I always end up with at least one that I'm scrambling to use rather than throw it away.  Today, I have 4, so I thought first of banana cream pie, then had the idea of combining the bananas with butterscotch cream  Doesn't that sound yummy?

Early this morning I started making the filling so it would have plenty of time to chill.  Well as luck would have it, I paused from my diligent stirring while the mixture was heating on the stove, just mere moments, while I instant messaged a friend.  In those moments disaster happened....yup, it burned on the bottom.  I strained it to get out the burned bits, but the taste test sealed the deal.  I had to dump it and start over.
The do-over went much better, but it did require a trip to the store.  While I was traveling down the baking isle at the grocery, I spied some Nestles Butterscotch Chips.  Hum....I thought as I put a bag in my cart.  I've made chocolate ganache with semi-sweet chips, I bet that same technique would work with butterscotch.  The plan is in place.  A layer of exquisite butterscotch ganache sitting on a flaky pastry crust, above it, layers of bananas and butterscotch cream topped off with a glorious crown of Italian Meringue.  Shameless?  Maybe, but there were bananas to save....you've gotta dream big!

Stone Fruit Cobbler/Cake

When I am asked what my favorite fruit is, I always say fresh peaches.  There just isn't anything better than eating a fresh peach, juice dripping off your chin and fingers all sweet and sticky.

I also like other fresh stone fruits like plums and nectarines.  This recipe is adaptable to whatever stone fruit is in season or available.  You can use a single fruit or or you can use a mixture.  Since I love peaches  I used fresh peaches for this recipe.  It's not a cobbler and not a cake, so let's just call it good!

Fresh Coconut Cream Pie

Last week I was having supper at a local chain restaurant.  On the table was advertisement for their crust less coconut pie.  I looked at the person I was eating with and said "it's not pie if there isn't any crust, it's just coconut pudding!".  Well, that got my taste buds going for a real coconut pie....and I mean a REAL coconut pie!  Not the kind you make with the sweetened coconut you buy in a package and mix with some instant pudding and pour into a purchased pie shell.  No, for me it had to be the kind you make with real coconut, homemade filling and a homemade crust and meringue.  No simple whipped cream topping either, it has to be crowned with a sky high pile of meringue!

If you have never had a made from scratch real coconut pie, you haven't had coconut pie!  It takes a bit of time and effort, but oh what a glorious pie you have when you're finished.

Luscious Lemon Tart

To make this tart you will need a good...no great... recipe for Lemon Curd!  Lemon Curd is very ease to make.  All you need are fresh lemons, sugar, eggs and butter and you're set.


You can find my go-to recipe for Lemon Curd here.  I think you will find this easy and it will become your go-to recipe too.  One of the reasons I like this recipe is that the steps are condensed by mixing everything together in the food processor before you cook the mixture. Another reason I like this recipe is that it uses whole eggs so you won't have the messy job of separating the yolks (until you make the meringue).

Chocolate Pie with Coconut Crust

Do you like Mounds candy bars?  If so, you will love this Martha Stewart recipe.  It is so decadent and simple to make with only 4 ingredients.  Well in my case 5 (I just can't help myself, I have to tinker with the recipe)!
You just might possibly have all the ingredients in your pantry right now!  So what are you waiting for?  Tie on your apron and let's get busy!


Chocolate Pie with Coconut Crust


Crust:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 14 oz. bag of sweetened shredded coconut


Filling:
1 1/4 cups heavy cream
8 ounces bittersweet chocolate (preferably 61% cacao), finely chopped


Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Pour the bag of coconut into a mixing bowl.

Mix in the softened butter with your fingers.  My butter was cold from the fridge, so I microwaved it for about 30 seconds to soften it. Continue to mix until the butter is evenly distributed throughout the coconut.  It should still be fluffy.
Next place your 9-inch pie plate on a baking sheet (you will need to catch stray coconut).

Place the coconut-butter mixture into the pie pan.  Press the mixture into the bottom and up the sides to form the crust.  Be sure to leave the top edges loose and fluffy.  Place a foil ring over the edges to prevent burning.

Bake until the center begins to brown.  This should take 10 to 15 minutes.  Keep a close eye on it because you don't want it to burn.  Remove the foil and continue to bake until the edges are browned, 4 to 6 minutes.  Depending on your oven, you may need to rotate the cookie sheet so the crust edges brown evenly.
When nicely browned, remove from the oven to a wire rack and cool completely.

While the crust is cooling, finely chop the chocolate and place in medium sized heat proof bowl.

Bring the cream just to a boil in a small saucepan; pour over the chocolate.  You may have noticed that I used more cream.  I did that because I had just wee bit more chocolate than 8 oz. so I was keeping a balance in my measurements.


Let the mixture sit 10 minutes, then stir until the chocolate is completely melted and the mixture is thoroughly combined.  Initially you will think that it is a mess, but keep stirring, it will turn smooth and silky in mere minutes.

Pour the mixture into the cooled coconut crust.

Refrigerate until the filling is set.

Sometimes you feel like a nut.....and today I added toasted sliced almonds to the top of the pie before I put it in the fridge.

Oh, and do make sure you have room in the fridge for the pie in advance. 
Fortunately my refrigerator has a hideaway shelf that accommodates my pie plate perfectly!


Now the hard part.....waiting for it to chill so I can have a slice!


This is not a lightweight dessert.  A small slice (1/10th of the pie) is 398 calories!

 ...and that's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Chicken Pot Pie

Do you like comfort food?  Who doesn't?  I think we all have our favorite dishes that we consider comfort foods.  I find I gravitate to comfort foods, especially when the colder months of the year roll around. Today was one of those days and I am craving one of my favorites, Chicken Pot Pie.

I am a big fan of purchased pot pies, especially the brand by MC that you nuke in the microwave in the box for 6 minutes and presto, dinner!  The only problem is that there just doesn't seem to be much filling.  Don't get me wrong, I like crust as much as anyone, maybe even more than the average person, but come on, is it too much to ask to have more than 5 chunks of chicken in my pie?

I decided to try to do something I've never attempted..make chicken pot pie.  I  do most of my cooking on the weekend so meal prep during the work week isn't a chore that gets pushed to the back burner in favor of something quick and easy, like fast food, which we all know isn't good for us.

Armed with a list and determination, I head to my local grocery for ingredients.  Lucky for me,  they had bone in chicken breasts for 89 cents a pound.  I  bought a family pack that contained 4 huge chicken breasts.  Those were some mighty busty chickens, if you ask me (don't get me started about the hormones they give animals that we eat!).  Anyway,  I cooked all four of them and saved the meat from two of them to freeze and use later in some homemade chicken noodle soup (another cold weather comfort food).

I used frozen puff pastry for the top crust and I was satisfied with the results.  I was a little skeptical since "pie" in my book means top and bottom crusts, but I found that I didn't miss he bottom crust at all on these gems.  I will let you know in advance that you will need to taste and readjust seasonings because I found the basic recipe too bland for my liking. 

Chicken Pot Pie

Ingredients:

2 large bone in, skin on chicken breasts
1 large onion
6 stalks of celery, including tops, cut into 4" pieces
4 carrots cut into 4" pieces
1 32 oz. box of low sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon rosemary

8 Tablespoons butter
1/2 cup flour
4 cups chicken stock
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup celery, diced
1 cup carrot, diced
2 medium potatoes, diced
1 cup frozen peas
2 chopped cooked chicken breasts
Salt, to taste
Pepper, to taste
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon thyme
1 package frozen puff pastry

Directions:

In a large pot, place the chicken breasts and next 8 ingredients.  Heat over medium heat until chicken is cooked through.  I let it simmer on the stove for about an hour, maybe a little longer. 
Remove chicken to a platter and set aside to cool.
Using a colander, strain the contents over a large bowl. Discard the veggies that have been cooked to mush.  They were there to enrich the broth, not to be eaten or incorporated.
Pour the strained liquid into a fat separator.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Put the puff pastry out to thaw.
In the large pot, over medium heat, melt the butter.

Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture smells fragrant and nutty.
Slowly pour in the stock, whisking until smooth and bubbly.
Bring mixture to a boil.
Add the onion, celery, carrot, bay leaf and thyme, cooking the vegetables until tender.  About 5 minutes.

Add the potatoes, chicken, peas and salt and pepper and cook until the potatoes are tender, stirring frequently to prevent sticking.

Remove from the heat and cool.  Remove the bay leaf and discard.
Taste (carefully, it is hot) and adjust the seasonings a little at a time to fit your taste. 
I ended up adding a teaspoon more salt and  pepper and  1/2 teaspoon more thyme.

Divide the mixture equally among oven proof bowls.  I used small ramekins (just the right size for lunch), my two small Emile Henry pie plates and a Corning petite pan that I had.  This makes quite a bit. 


Unfold the puff pastry and cut to fit the tops of your oven proof bowls. 
Moisten the rims of your bowls and stretch the pastry over the filling, pressing along the edges to seal. 

Line a cookie sheet with foil.
Move the bowls to the cookie sheet for baking.  These will very likely run over, so the foil will save you on cleanup!






Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden brown.  It should take about 20-25 minutes. 
Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

Don't these look delish?

...and that's What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!

Maple Pumpkin Pie

Two weekends ago, I cooked my Halloween pumpkins and froze the puree for later.  Well, today was on of those "later" moments.  I saw a recipe for Maple Pumpkin Pie that I just had to try, with a little twist to make it my own.  If you are looking for something just a little different to grace your holiday table, give this recipe a try.

I must also admit that I had another reason to try this new recipe.  You see, I really wanted to play with my new kitchen "toys" and to do that, I needed to play in pie dough! 

My new "toys" are Pie Crust Cutters.  Santa Wanda magically arranged for these to appear on my doorstep when I was out of town.  Yes, I know it's not even Thanksgiving yet, but Santa always knows....and in this case, these "toys" are perfect to have to dress up your pies for Thanksgiving.  I love, love, love these little gadgets and now I want to see if they have them for other seasons or holidays! 

Maple Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

Basic Pie Crust - You will want a two crust recipe for this so you have enough for the shaped cut outs.
2 large eggs
2 cups pumpkin puree (or 1-15 oz. can of pure pumpkin)
1 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup pure maple syrup (not the imitation stuff you put on pancakes)
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Make your favorite two crust recipe.  If you don't have a favorite, you can use the recipe that accompanies my blog entry for apple pie.  Here's the link for easy reference: 
http://whatscookingatcathys.blogspot.com/2011_10_01_archive.html

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs, pumpkin puree, and cream.  Mix in the maple syrup, brown sugar and pumpkin pie spice.  It will be thick.  Set it aside.

Roll out your pie crust, lay it in the pie plate and crimp the edge.
I use my corning ware pie plate for this pie rather than my deep dish because I want to be sure that the pie sets up properly.  You may notice from the photos that the pumpkin isn't as orange as you'd think it should be.  That is because it is a home cooked pumpkin rather than from a can.  It will look fine once it is baked.

Pour the pumpkin mixture into the crust and place on lowest oven rack.  Bake until the center is set, 60 to 70 minutes.
 











While pie is baking, roll out the remaining pie crust and make the cut outs.

Arrange the shapes on a parchment lined cookie sheet. 
Place in the oven on the top shelf and bake for 15-20 minutes or until lightly browned.




When the decorative cut outs are ready, remove them from the oven and sprinkle them with a cinnamon and sugar mixture and let cool. 





When the pie is finished baking, remove from the oven and place on a rack to cool.





Arrange the cutouts attractively on top of the crust.

Serve with a dollop of maple whipped cream along side.    Drizzle the plate with a little maple syrup to add a special touch.

To make the maple whipped cream, stir in a couple of teaspoons of pure maple syrup to freshly whipped cream.









 ...and that my friends, is What's Cooking at Cathy's ~ Enjoy!