Pumpkin Dessert

Yummy! This dessert is a hit at our house, especially this time of year.

I realized that I didn't take a picture.  By the time I remembered, we had finished it!

Pumpkin Dessert
1 package yellow cake mix, 1 cup reserved
3 eggs, separated, beaten
1/3 cup + 3 TB butter, softened, separated
3 cups canned pumpkin
1 tsp salt
1 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cloves, ground
1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

Mix cake mix (not reserved 1 cup) with 1 beaten egg and 1/3 cup butter.  Press into bottom on 9x13 pan.  Beat remaining eggs, pumpkin, sugar, spices and milk.  Pour over cake mix.  Mix reserved cake mix and remaining 3 TB butter until crumbly.  Sprinkle over batter.  Bake 350 degrees for 60 minutes.  Chill.  Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Mom's Peach Pie

Time for peaches! Yay! We had an unfortunate event where TWO of our laden peach branches snapped in the windstorm the other day.  Luckily, the peaches were perfectly ripe.  So, we got to make a couple of pies.  This recipe was the one my mom used to make growing up.  Yum!  A perfect ending to some wonderful peaches.

Mom's Peach Pie
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 TB flour
1 TB instant tapioca
1/2 tsp cinnamon
5 cups sliced, peeled fresh peaches
2 TB butter
Additional 1 TB tapioca
Pastry for a 2-crust pie

Combine sugar, flour, 1 TB tapioca, and cinnamon.  Add to peaches and mix lightly.

Fit pie crust to pie pan.  Sprinkly with 1 TB tapioca.  Pour in peach mixtrue and dot with butter.  Place top crust on pie, flute edges, and cut slits in the top crust.

Bake at 425 degrees F for 12 minutes.  Reduce heat to 375 F and bake additional 30-40 minutes until pie is golden brown.  Serve with fresh whipped cream, or ice cream. 

Our fresh peaches- Yum!

The dry ingredients mixed together

Pie Crust with the tapioca sprinkled in.  This helps thicken the sauce.

Dot the peach mixture with butter.

Flute the edges- don't forget to slit them!

The finished product.

Delicious!

Zucchini Cake- Yum!

What better way to use up your zucchini than in this rich, moise, super yummy, fantastic cake? We had some friends over this past weekend and they were in charge of the dessert. WOW!! It was sooooo good. She was nice enough to share the recipe (thanks Vanessa!!) In the past 3 days we have made it twice more.

Chocolate Zuccini Cake Recipe

1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup oil
1 1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 cups grated zuccini (if the zucchini is large, remove seeds first)
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup buttermilk
4 TBS cocoa
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp soda
1 tsp salt

Mix all wet ingredients first, then dry ingredients.
Grease a 9X13" pan (I also tried it in 2 (9 inch) pans- works perfect- keep one and give one away)

Topping
3/4 Cup Pecans-chopped
3/4 Cup Brown Sugar
3/4 Cup Chocolate chips
Mix together and sprinkle on the top. Pat it down just a little.

Bake at 350 for 40-45 min.

Serve warm with vanilla Ice Cream!

Our new favorite cake!!
Enjoy

Chocolate Cake in a Mug

This fun idea came from my sister.  She is always so clever!  My kids LOVED them!

CAKE MIX:

• 1 package (18.25 ounces) chocolate cake mix
• 1 package (4 servings) instant chocolate pudding mix

GLAZE MIX:

• 2-2/3 cups confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 cup powdered cocoa mix

1. In a large bowl, combine the dry cake and pudding mixes; blend well with a whisk.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar and cocoa mix.
3. Divide the cake mix evenly into 8 small plastic bags, about 1/2 cup each; seal and label "Cake Mix." Do the same with the glaze mix, packing about 1/3 cup mix in each bag; seal and label as "Glaze Mix."
4. Set aside to make individual microwave Fudgy "Cup" Cakes (below) any time you want, or pack the mixes to give as gifts (below).

Making a Fudgy "Cup" Cake: Spray the inside of a microwave-safe mug generously with nonstick cooking spray. Pour prepared bag of cake mix into the mug. Add 1 egg, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and 1 tablespoon water. Mix until all the ingredients are combined. Microwave at 100% power for 2 minutes. Meanwhile, place prepared bag of glaze mix in a small bowl and add 1-1/2 teaspoons milk; mix well then pour glaze over the mug cake immediately after removing it from the microwave. Serve cake warm in the mug.

Giving Fudgy "Cup" Cake Mix as a Gift: Place 1 sealed cake mix bag and 1 sealed glaze mix bag into a microwave-safe mug, and attach the recipe for making a Fudgy "Cup" Cake (above).

Lemon Pies....

Yum, Yum!  For my mother in law's birthday celebration, I was asked to bring Lemon Meringue Pie.  Since there was more people than 1 pie would feed, I made a variation of the Lemon Meringue- a Cream Cheese Lemon Meringue, as well as the traditional Lemon Meringue.  Here are the recipes for both:

Lemon Meringue Pie
1 baked pie shell
1 1/2 cup sugar
6 TB cornstarch
2 cups water
1/3 cup lemon juice
3 eggs, separated
3 TB butter
1 1/2 tsp lemon extract
2 tsp vinegar

Meringue:
1 TB cornstarch
2 TB cold water
1/2 cup boiling water
3 egg whites
6 TB sugar
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt

Mix together sugar and cornstarch in a heavy pan.  Add the two cups of water.  Combine egg yolks with lemon juice and beat.  Add eggs to rest of mixture.  Cook until thick (this takes about 20 minutes). Add lemon extract, butter, and vinegar, and stir thoroughly.  Pour into a deep 9 inch pie shell and let cool.  Cover with meringue and brown in oven.

Blend cornstarch and cold water in a saucepan.  Add boiling water and cook, stirring, until clear and thickened.  Let stand until completely cold.  With electric beater at high speed, beat egg whites until foamy.  Gradually add sugar and beat until STIFF, but not dry.  Turn mixer to low speed, add salt and vanilla.  Gradually beat in cold cornstarch mixture.  Turn mixer again to high speed and beat well.  Spread meringue over cooled pie filling.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes until brown.  This meringue cuts beautifully and never gets sticky.

Lemon Cream Cheese Pie
1 baked pie crust (or 1 graham cracker crust)

Cream Cheese Filling:
8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Lemon Filling:
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 TB cornstarch
dash salt
1 cup water
2 egg yolks (save the whites if you want merengue)
2 TB fresh lemon juice
1 TB butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Prepare the cream cheese filling by mixing cream cheese with 1/4 cup sugar, vanillan and an egg using an electric mixer.  Mix well untl smooth.  Pour cream cheese filling into crust and bake for 30-35 minutes or until center is cooked.  A knife stuck int he middle of the filling should come out mostly clean.  As the pie cools, make the lemon filling by combining 1/2 cup sugar with cornstarch, salt and water in a small saucepan.  Set mixture over low heat and bring to a simmer, stirring often.  Wisk in egg yolks, then add lemon juice and butter.  When mixture simmers again remove it immediately from the heat.  Pour the lemon filling over the cream cheese filling, and let the pie cool.  When cool, chill pie in the refrigerator for several hours before serving.  If desired, top with merengue and brown in oven.  See recipe for merengue above.

Pie Crusts

Several weeks ago I attended a class on "Holiday Pies and Candies".  With Thanksgiving just 2 days away, and my sister and I making all of the pies, I thought I would share some things I learned, as well as some GREAT crust recipes!  We started out with a taste test of 6 different crusts, rating them according to taste, flakiest, etc.  The #1 winner in my book was very similar to the recipe I use at home (go figure!).  I still prefer my crust, so I will give you mine, and the two top winners from the class.  Enjoy!

Pie Crust (my favorite)
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups Crisco
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1 pinch cream of tartar
1 egg, beaten lightly
1 TB vinegar
4-6 TB ice water

Mix together flour, Crisco, salt, sugar, and cream of tartar with a pastry blender or with hands (I use my food processor).  Mix egg, vinegar, and water and add to dry ingredients.  Knead lightly, being careful to not overmix.  3-4 single crusts.

Pie Crust II
3 cups flour
1 1/2 cups shortening
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp baking powder
1 egg
1 TB vinegar
About 7 TB ice water
Combine dry ingredients and cut shortening in with a pastry blender or two knives.  In electric blender:  mix egg, vinegar, and water.  Add to other ingredients, stirring with a fork until pastry forms a ball.  DO NOT OVERMIX!  Divide dough for crusts and form into balls.  Allow to rest in refrigerator, if desired, but warm to room temperature before rolling.  Roll 1/8" thick, starting from center using light strokes. Roll pastry over rolling pin; unroll over pie plate, fitting loosely onto bottom and sides.  Trim and crimp edges as desired.  Makes 3-4 single crusts.

Pie Crust III (Trans-Fat free)
2 cups flour
1 tsp salt
2/3 cup oil
1/3 cup milk
Gently mix all ingredients together being careful not to over mix.  Form into two balls and flatten each abll slightly.  Roll dough between 2 pieces of waxed paper. Peel off top sheet and fit dough, paper side up, into pie plate.  Remove paper.

For single crust pie, trim 1/2 inch beyond edge of pan, fold under, and flute edge.  Prick bottom and sides well with fork.  Bake at 450 degrees for 10-12 minutes or till golden.

For double crust pie, trim lower crust even with rim of pie plate.  Tuck top crust under edge of lower crust.  Flute edge of pastry as desifed.  Cut slits in top crust to allow steam to escape.  Bake according to individual recipe.

Troubleshooting:
Soggy Crust: 

• Do not let the pie sit too long before baking.
• Keep the amount of water in the crust to a minimum.
• Preheat the filling.
• Spread the surface of the lower crust with melted butter.
• Chill the dough for about 30 minutes to 1 hour before adding the filling.
• Set pie pan on a metal baking sheet during baking.

Flour and butter mixture becomes pasty (butter starting to melt):

• Proceed as quickly as possible to moisten the dough and force the dough to accept at least 3/4 of the liquid called for by gently stirring the liquid in with a fork.  The dough may be excessively soft.  Flour the outside of the dough generously.  Wrap and chill.

Large lumps of butter left int dough after moistening:

• Flour work surface and turn out dough.
• Press dough into a rectangle about 3/8" thick. This will help flatten the lumps of butter.
• Fold dough over on itself; gently mold it into a ball, wrap and chill.

Dough is still dry after moistening:

• Return the dry dough to the bowl; gently tear into pieces using two forks.
• Scatter drops of water on it and toss with a fork till the dough adheres better.
• Wrap and chill.