Crazy Cooking Challenge: Grandma's Amazing Apple Pie

The Crazy Cooking Challenge is back with a perfect fall theme:  apple pie!

Few things are as classically American as apple pie, and so is how I learned to make it.  While spending the afternoon with my great-grandmother on the family dairy farm one afternoon, she decided to make a pie - only she stood beside me and coached me through the process.  Together we made an apple pie, crimping the edges together and drawing her special pattern in the top crust, and that is now one of my most special memories of her.  

Grandma was an amazing baker, and everyone loved when she "twisted your arm" and made you stay for lunch, especially if she had cookies or a pie waiting beside the fridge.  Her apple pie was no exception.

So if you like those old-fashioned desserts that put you in mind of your own grandma's kitchen, don't miss  Grandma's Amazing Apple Pie.  

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 c. flour (white works best)
• 1/2 c. shortening
• 1/2 t. salt
• 3 T. ice-cold water
• 5-6 apples
• 3/4 - 1 c. sugar
• 1-2 t. cinnamon
• butter for dotting

Directions:

• Wash and peel the apples. 
• Slice them to a uniform thickness.
• Stir together flour and salt.
• Cut in shortening until it resembles coarse crumbs.
• Add cold water and form into a ball with your hands.
• Divide in half.
• Roll out the first ball on a well-floured board.
• Put the first crust into your pie pan.
• With a fork, poke holes randomly around the crust.
• Layer the apples into the crust.  Be sure that they fill the pan up well past the top edges because they will cook down while baking.
• Add sugar to the top of the apples.  The pie should look like snowy white mountain peaks.  This is apple pie we're talking about - while I love being healthy, this is no time to skimp on the sugar.
• Sprinkle on the cinnamon and dot with butter.
• Roll out the top crust.
• Cut steam vents into the crust and place it on top of the pie.
• Fold the edges of the top crust under the edges of the bottom crust.  Crimp to seal.
• Poke again with a fork to create more steam holes.
• Sprinkle a bit of water onto the top crust with your fingers.  Sprinkle some sugar on top to stick.
• Bake for 40 - 50 minutes at 350 or until apples are cooked through.  You may need to cover the pie with foil after about 30 minutes.
• Serve hot or cold.  Personally, I like my pie ice cold, so Grandma would run an inch of water or so into the sink, place the pie carefully into the cold water, and add a few ice cubes.  By the time that lunch was ready, our pie was ready to eat!

Crazy Cooking Challenge: Chocolate-y Peanut Butter Cheesecake

This month's challenge was an especially yummy one:  cheesecake.

As I searched for recipes, I wanted something that would be:

1. less difficult and stressful than the traditional water-bath cheescakes.
2. would bake in as little time as possible (the oven heats up this already-hot house!)
3. would be a hit with my cheesecake-diverse family.

Kristen at Fiskerelli Bellies shared two of her decadent recipes with me.  One is a Snickers Cheesecake, and the other created an actual Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake.  I loved both options but since my waistline didn't need me to eat two cheesecakes this week, I decided to combine the two recipes.  This is what we got.

With layers of peanut butter cups inside the cheesecake and drizzles of peanut butter and chocolate ganache on top, it had the richness of all three flavors, but none overpowered the others.  The simple creaminess of the cheesecake shone through, the nuttiness of the peanut butter was clearly evident, and the sweet chocolate crust and ganache on top balanced out all that richness.

This cheesecake is super easy to mix and assemble, and baking is a snap:  just plop it in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, then turn off the oven for another 15 before removing to cool.

Don't take my word for it, though; this is one recipe you'll definitely want to try out for yourself.

So here's how to make your own Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake:

Ingredients:

• 3 T. melted butter
• 1 1/4 c. crushed chocolate sandwich cookies
• 3 8-oz. packages of cream cheese, softened
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 c. white sugar
• 2 t. vanilla
• 4 large peanut butter eggs 
• 1/8 c. cream
• 1/8 c. + 1 T. chocolate chips
• 3 T. peanut butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Remove the icing from the sandwich cookies and crush the cooky itself.
3. Mix the crumbs with the melted butter.
4. Press into a 9" springform pan.
5. Slice the peanut butter eggs (or cups) and cover the crust with the sliced candy.
6. In a large bowl, cream the cream cheese and sugar. 
7. Add the eggs and vanilla, mixing well.
8. Pour the cream cheese mixture over the candy slices.
9. Bake for approximately 30 - 40 minutes, then turn off oven and allow to continue baking for another 15 minutes.  (I baked mine for 45 and it was a bit too long.  I'd start with 30 minutes and check to see if the center has gotten firm.  If it has, go ahead and turn off the oven.)
10. Remove from oven and cool.
11. Decorate the top!  Heat the cream until just beginning to bubble on the stovetop, then immediately pour into a small heat-proof bowl over the chocolate.  Whisk rapidly until all is melted and blended, then allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
12. Put the melted peanut butter into a bag, snip off the corner, and drizzle on top of the cheesecake.
13. Drizzle the ganache in opposite lines from the chocolate.
14. Chill until serving.
15. Yield:  I have no idea.  Since everybody wanted multiple pieces each time I got it out of the fridge, it didn't survive long at this house.  :-)

Thanks, Kristin, for sharing your wonderful cheesecake recipes!  We're already thinking up a new 'event' so we can make another one.  ;-)

Patriotic Cheesecake Tarts

With company in town and a friend's birthday this weekend, I made desserts more than usual - and this was a fun one!

These tarts can be made in just minutes after baking the shells, and with blueberries in season, they have a really bright, summery taste.  I added sliced strawberries to some of them, and the super sweetness of the strawberries definitely added another dimension.  Between the creaminess of the cheesecake filling and the crisp flakiness of the shell, these were a hit at our house.  I can't wait to make them for our next picnic!

To make Patriotic Cheesecake Tarts, you'll need:

• mini phyllo dough shells
• 1/3 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
• 1-2 T. powdered sugar
• 1 t. vanilla
• fresh fruit to arrange on top

To pull your tarts together, ....

1. Bake the phyllo shells as directed on the package.  Allow to cool.
2. Mix the powdered sugar (to taste) with the vanilla and cream cheese.  I used about a tablespoon.  The sweetness of the fruit adds a lot, so the cheesecake part didn't need to be super sweet for me - but then I don't eat many sweets.  :-)
3. Wash and prepare your fruit.
4. When the shells are cool, fill them up!  I put the cheesecake filling into a small sandwich bag and cut off the corner, then piped it into the shells.
5. Top with fruit.
6. Chill until it's time to serve.

I'm seeing so many possibilities for these little shells and so many flavor combinations for cheesecake ideas.  What are your favorite cheesecake flavors?

Shared at:

Chocolate Chip Cake Pumpkins

My mom was in town for her birthday this year, and the kids were excited to make her cake.  Since we've been making so many pumpkin-y things this fall, we decided to make pumpkin cakes for her.

I saw this general principle on Pinterest; basically, you make two Bundt cakes and invert one on top to create a complete pumpkin.  With only 6 people, however, we didn't need two full cakes, so we decided to use my Wilton mini-Bundt pan to create smaller cakes.

Of my two Bundt recipes, only one really works with icing, so we decided to make a chocolate chip cake.  Besides, how can you ever go wrong with chocolate??

You can change out this cake by changing the flavor of a few ingredients.  Since many of them are mixes, this cake comes together quickly and easily.  It also always comes out of the pan intact - definitely a plus when you're using a fancy pan!

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Mix all ingredients by hand, one at a time, in order:

1 chocolate or yellow boxed cake mix
1 small box of chocolate pudding
1/2 - 1 c. oil
4 eggs
8 oz. sour cream
1 c. chocolate chips

Pour into a greased Bundt pan and bake at 350 degrees for an hour (I baked mine for slightly less since I used a smaller pan).

Cool completely and remove from pan.  Isn't it amazing how the flutes really look pumpkin-ish?

Top one cake with orange icing and invert the other on top.  Ice completely with orange icing.

My Big Helper cut a piece of brown paper to fit the bottom of my cake stand, and then she unwrapped several Kit Kat bars and separated the sticks.  She slid one into the hole on the top of each pumpkin, and then we smeared just a bit of green icing nearby.  I was surprised at how realistic it all looked!

The kids were most excited to cut into these cakes, and everyone fought over the stem.  Perhaps you should keep a few extra nearby when it's time to serve!

If you need an alternative for pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving - or an extra dessert - try this one!  It makes a great fall display.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Brownies

My Little Man and I made these today, and there are only a few left!  We've been able to share some with friends, and some others with the people my husband works with, and we've eaten a few too many - we can't seem to leave them alone!

Fortunately, these brownies are fairly healthy and jam-packed with flavor.  They taste like a rich pumpkin cake with chocolate thrown in.  YUM!

First, stir together the dry ingredients:

2 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. brown sugar
2 t. baking powder
2 t. cocoa powder
1 t. cinnamon
1 t. allspice
1/2 t, salt


In a separate bowl, blend the wet ingredients:

1 c. pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
4 eggs
2 T. vegetable oil

Slowly add the wet to the dry, stirring as you go.  Add 1 c. of chocolate chips when all mixed together, and spread in a greased 15"x 10" jelly roll pan.  Bake for 15 - 20 minutes at 350.

Enjoy!

Brownie Sundae Cheesecake

When a recipe for Brownie Sundae Cheesecake popped up in my Facebook sidebar, I knew I had to try it!  I pinned it and when the next Pinterrest Challenge rolled around, I got busy.

The crust is not your ordinary crust.  Made from scratch from Nilla Wafers, cocoa powder, butter, and powdered sugar, I personally think a regular Oreo crust would be much simpler - and just as good.  This was tasty, though.  And don't worry - the rest is AMAZING.

To make the crust, mix 1 1/2 cup of the cookies, 6 T of powdered sugar (I used 3), 6 T cocoa powder, and 1 stick of melted butter.  Press them into a 9" springform pan and bake for 8-10 minutes at 350.  Cool.

Make a batch of brownies as directed, any kind you like.  I used a dark chocolate mix and baked it with half oil, half applesauce.  I figured I'd cute out some fat wherever I could - and it still tasted fantastic!

While the brownies and crust are cooling, mix up the filling.  Mix 4 blocks of softened cream cheese, 1 c. of sugar, 4 eggs, and 1 t. of vanilla until smooth.  Break 1/4  to 1/2 of the brownies into bite-sized pieces and spread them across the crust.  Pour the filling over the brownies - there will be a lot of it.

Pour some sundae syrup over the top of the cheesecake.  I used a hot fudge chocolate variety (though it wasn't hot) and then swirl it into the cheesecake.

Bake for 50-55 minutes.  This cheesecake will puff up everywhere!  It looks like a giant popover but it will settle down when it comes out of the oven.

Let the cheesecake cool.  When it has, take off the pan edge, cover, and chill.  Serve cold.

Doesn't that look yummy?

Grandma's Peach Pudding

We often visited my great-grandparents on the family farm on Saturday mornings when I was a kid, and if Grandma had her way, she'd 'twist our arms' into staying for lunch.  It was much more of a hardship on her part than ours as she was a fantastic cook.

Grandma always had something to offer for dessert, but I remember being very confused when she said we were having peach pudding.  I could only picture the vanilla or chocolate variety that came from a boxed mix, so when she served this fruit-and-cake concoction, I was hooked!

Grandma served her pudding with ice cream or farm-fresh milk poured over top, with maybe a sprinkle of extra sugar.  Either way, this is a delicious and different use for summer peaches!

We had to make some last night ...

the kids were so excited that they even ate the peelings from the peaches!

To make the real thing, here's what you need:

Ingredients:
1 c. flour
1/4 t. salt
1 egg
1/3 c. milk
1 t. baking powder
1/4 c. sugar
1 T. shortening

Cover the bottom of a baking dish 1"-2" deep with sliced peaches (in the above small dish, I used four large peaches).  Sprinkle with sugar and drizzle a bit of water over the top.  Then mix all above ingredients to make a batter and pour over the top of the peaches.  Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.  Serve with ice-cold milk or a scoop of ice cream.  :-)

Yum!

Grandma eventually showed me how to make it, and I remember watching her hands as she showed me how it was done.  Last night my Big Helper and I made this together.  I hope that someday she can show her own little ones!

Monkey See, Monkey Do ... Banana Cream Pie

Tuesday was our anniversary, and the kids were very excited about the whole thing.  My Wonderful Husband had recently asked for a banana cream pie, and we decided to surprise him with one after dinner that night.

Generally speaking, I like to make things from scratch, but it's always helpful to have a few shortcut-ready items around the house.  I never cheat on real piecrust, but on the graham cracker kind ... I can't tell the difference between the from-scratch and ready-made varieties.  With a pudding base, that makes this a perfect pie for kids to make!

I showed my Big Girl how to hold a knife and slice a banana.  (Before you panic, this was a special table/butter knife designed for kids that had absolutely no sharp edges or serrated pieces anywhere.  She couldn't have cut herself unless she fell off the roof and landed on it.)  She was so proud of herself for learning how to do this!  One banana is usually enough to cover the bottom crust, but if you like lots of 'naners, do another!

Next, my Little Man used a short-handled whisk to stir up the pudding.  We used your basic sugar-free banana cream flavor.  He loves doing this!

Tip for making pudding with younger children:  Put the pudding mix and milk in a small, lightweight bowl with a tighth-sealing lid.  While standing over a non-carpeted floor, allow them to dance and shake the container.  You'll soon have pudding, and they'll have helped without the stress of trying to keep it in the bowl!


After the pudding begins to thicken, I poured it gently over the bananas and we chilled it for a few minutes before moving on.

My Big Girl then smoothed on some whipped cream, and voila!  You've got fresh-tasting banana cream pie without the fuss - and it's kid-friendly to boot.  With knives, wire tools, and mounds of fluffy white goodness, what kid wouldn't want to help make this??

Everything and the Kitchen Sink Cookies

Since Made to Crave began back in January, I've been feeling convicted about all the processed foods I've let creep back into our diet.  There are some times that just seem to cry out for a cookie, you know?  And since seeing the monster sized chocolate chip cookies at Camp Harrison that were so good a counselor claimed his own half tray, I've been itching for a good cookie - but I didn't want to backslide.  So, Luke and I experimented last night, and this is what we came up with.  They're rich enough to make you want a big glass of milk with each one, but are full of fiber - and absolutely nothing white.

Here's how you make Everything and the Kitchen Sink Cookies:

You'll need:

• 1 stick of softened butter 
• 1/2 c. peanut butter
• 1/4 c. applesauce
• 1/8 - 1/4 c. honey
• 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 t. vanilla
• 1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
• 1 t. baking soda
• 1 t. cinnamon
• 1/2 t. salt
• 3 c. oats
• 2/3 c. raisins
• 1/3 c. shredded coconut
• 1/3 c. mixed nuts, optional

Preheat the oven to 350.

Cream the butter and peanut butter.  Add the honey and applesauce, mixing well.  Add the brown sugar and combine until smooth, then stir in both eggs and the vanilla.

In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, soda, cinnamon, salt, and oats.  Gradually add to the wet ingredients.  Mix together raisins, coconut, and nuts; stir in gently.

Dough will be sticky but will form easily into balls.  Make tablespoon-sized balls of dough and flatten slightly.  Bake for 10-12 minutes until starting to brown at the edges..

Let cool slightly, then enjoy with milk!  :-)