Flat Apple Pie

I borrowed this recipe from the Pioneer Woman Cooks after I saw it on her Food Network show.  It is super easy and so YUMMY!   You'll love it.   I did take one short-cut.  Obviously, she handmade her pie crust, I used store bought.  It worked for me, although hers was probably much better.  :)

FLAT APPLE PIE
Ingredients

• 5 Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Juice of 1/2 lemon
• Pie Crust 
• 6 tablespoons butter

Read More

Banana Nut Bread

Last weekend we had out-of-town company.  My husband's brother and sister-in-law stopped in for a visit.  They were on their way home after staying with their daughter and son-in-law through the delivery and recovery of their first child.  So for breakfast on Sunday morning, I decided to make a loaf of banana nut bread.  I didn't use a loaf pan (mine were already occupied) but it turned out okay with the pan I used.  Since it wasn't as thick as in a loaf pan, I had to adjust the cooking time a bit.  Here's the recipe and cooking times for the loaf pan.  Enjoy!


1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cups shortening
1 cup mashed banana (about 2 very ripe medium bananas)
2 eggs slightly beaten

1. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Grease and flour loaf pan.  In large bowl, with fork, mix first 5 ingredients.

2. With pastry blender or 2 knives used scissor-fashion, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

3. With fork, stir in bananas and eggs just until blended; spread batter evening in pan.

4. bake 55 minutes to 1 hour until toothpick inserted in center of bread comes out cleans.

5. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes; remove from pan and cool completely on rack.

BANANA-NUT:  Prepare as above but add 1/2 cup coarsely chopped pecans, almonds or walnuts with banana.

Read More

Black Bean -n- Pumpkin Chili

I found this recipe in my latest Taste of Home magazine. The original recipe is listed on their web site, you can find it here:  Taste of Home Black Bean-n-Pumpkin Chili recipe

I changed it up a little.  This is my "veggie" version.

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 medium sweet yellow pepper, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups veggie broth
• 2 cans (15 ounces each) black beans, rinsed and drained
•  vegetarian chicken
• 1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes with chiles, undrained
• 2 teaspoons dried parsley flakes
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1-1/2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1-1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 
• 1 can corn, drained
• 2 jalapeno peppers seeded and chopped, optional

 Directions:

In a large skillet, saute the onion, yellow pepper in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.

Transfer to a 5-quart slow cooker; stir in the remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on low for 4-5 hours or until heated through.

Enjoy! Excellent chili, very healthy and you don't taste the pumpkin in it at all.  A new favorite at our house!

Read More

Summer salads

For one of our recent holiday get togethers with our children, I needed a salad or two.  I wanted something different, something other than the standard potato or macaroni salad I would normally do.  So, I turned to my recipe book and scanned for a tasty salad that also looked simple to make.  I don't remember who recommended either of these recipes, but thanks!  My family loved them, especially the fruit salad (and it was so simple!) 

Read More