Grandma's Secret Pie Crust

For some reason nothing reminds me of summer more than a lemon meringue pie.  I had this pie crust recipe that I have wanting to try and a bunch of lemons and eggs in the fridge...soooo why not! 

The pie crust recipe.....good!  It was nice and flaky but not my favorite. I didn't use all shortening, I used half shortening and half butter.  The next pie crust I try I want to make it with leaf lard...if I can ever find the darn stuff!!  

Grandma's Secret Pie Crust

allrecipes.com

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups shortening
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegar
• 4 tablespoons water

Directions

1. In large bowl mix flour and salt. Cut in shortening with two butter knifes.
2. In separate bowl, mix together egg, vinegar, and water. Drizzle wet mixture into dry mixture, cutting it in.
3. Roll out dough, and fit into two 9 inch pie pans.
4. Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 12 minutes.

The recipe for the lemon meringue pie I used is here.

I continue my quest for the perfect pie crust....one day I will find it!

Enjoy!

Baked Sunday Mornings: Peanut Butter Banana Cream Pie

When I saw that Baked Sunday Mornings was making this pie I immediately thought of how I love peanut butter and banana sandwiches and knew that I did not want to pass this one up.  I didn't really eat pb and banana sandwiches as a kid, I think my love for them started when I was a little older.  I remember making peanut butter, cream cheese, honey and banana sandwiches for my son when he was little....not sure if I was making them for him or me!!  So this really is a sort of Elvis Presley Pie...right?  LOL!  Anyway!  I know one thing is for certain, this pie will get you "All Shook up!"  Did Elvis put bacon on his grilled pb and banana sandwich???  Hmmm....some say he did and some say he didn't.  If he did you could get out that candied bacon, chop it up and sprinkle it on top of pie and have a real Elvispalooza!

This pie was fairly easy to put together.  The vanilla pudding was pretty simple and it turned out sooooo good!  The vanilla wafer crust was made in the food processor with butter and a little sugar.  Did you know that vanilla wafers taste like marshmallows??  They do!  Never realized that until I saw somebody mention it in another blog.  The peanut butter layer was made with cream cheese, confectioners sugar, vanilla, peanut butter and whipped cream!!!  Whoa! 

Is your mouth watering yet all you peanut butter and banana fans????  

It should be!

The Baked Boys Did it Again!  

This pie is a winner!  

Make it....NOW!

Please check out what the other Baked Sunday Mornings bakers 

did and get the recipe here 
Thank you...thank you very much...*lip snarl and hip wiggle* 

Enjoy!

Strawberry Crostata

Happy Mothers Day!!

This is my 100th Post!!

I wanted to make something nice for Mom and for my niece who is having her 16th birthday in a couple of days.  I saw this lovely dessert on Seattle Pastry Girl's blog and I thought it was so beautiful I just had to make it.

The crust is a lemon flavored shortbread with a layer of mascarpone cheese and sliced strawberries arranged to resemble a beautiful flower.  This is super easy to make and everyone loved it!  It is a lovely summertime dessert.

Hope you give it a try!

Strawberry Crostata

LA Times

Total time: About 45 minutes plus 1 hour, 30 minutes chilling

Servings: 8

1 1/4 cups flour

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

10 tablespoons butter

1 1/2 cups imported Italian mascarpone cheese

About 2 pints ripe strawberries, hulled and thinly sliced

1/4 cup red currant jelly

2 tablespoons Cointreau

1. Combine the flour, sugar, salt and lemon zest in a mixing bowl. Cut the butter into half-inch thick slices and add to the bowl. Using the tips of your fingers or a pastry blender, work the ingredients together until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add a scant tablespoon or two of cold water and toss until the mixture just clings together. Gather into a ball. Wrap tightly in plastic film and chill 30 minutes.

2. Transfer the dough to a 9-inch springform pan. Press out evenly across the bottom and about 1 inch up the side. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork. Freeze 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.

3. Bake the crust until it is set and lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool completely.

4. Spread the mascarpone evenly over the cooled crust. Arrange the strawberries decoratively over the top in overlapping rows.

5. Combine the jelly and Cointreau in a small saucepan and heat, stirring, until the jelly dissolves. Lightly brush over the strawberries to glaze. Chill 1 hour before cutting.

Each serving: 470 calories; 6 grams protein; 36 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams fiber; 35 grams fat; 20 grams saturated fat; 92 mg. cholesterol; 98 mg. sodium.

ABC: Big Batch Scone Mix

I love scones.  When I saw that the ABC challenge for this month was scones I knew that I wanted to make them into cinnamon roll scones.  I had seen cinnamon roll scones on pinterest quite awhile ago and just had to give it a shot.  So I used the scone recipe from the Weekend Baker by Abby Dodge and looked up the recipe for the Cinnamon Roll Scones on pinterest and found out it was on one of my favorite blogs, Annie's Eats.  I used her recipe for the filling, finish and glaze.  You just take the scone dough and roll it out, fill and roll and cut as if you were making cinnamon rolls.  They turned out great!  I will definitely make these scones again!  Give them a try...you won't be sorry!

Enjoy!

Check out the scones the other bakers did here.

Baked Sunday Mornings: Maple Cupcake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting and Candied Bacon

Everything is good with bacon....right?  When I saw that the baked group was  making these maple cupcakes I  went out and bought some maple syrup from the Amish at the flea market and knew that I wanted to top them off with this candied bacon recipe that I have been itching to try!  I halved the recipe because we are just 3 in this household and 24 cupcakes are just way too many.  The cupcakes were light, moist and not overly sweet which is a good thing because the frosting is plenty sweet but soooo good!  I topped it off with toasted walnuts and my candied bacon....a perfect touch!

Look and see what the other bakers did and get the recipe here.  I will add the candied bacon recipe to this post.  

Enjoy!

Candied Bacon

source: Recipegirl.com

Yield: 12 slices of bacon

Prep Time: 15 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Addicting. Seriously.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
12 slices center-cut bacon (don't use extra-thick bacon)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a rack on top (like a cookie cooling rack). Spray the rack with nonstick spray.
2. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Dip bacon slices in the cinnamon-sugar, coating both sides, and place the coated bacon strips on the rack. I like to poke the bacon into the grooves of the rack in a few places so your bacon will come out looking a little wavy.
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until the bacon appears to be caramelized and somewhat crispy. Watch closely after 15 minutes since the sugar can begin to burn when left in too long. Serve immediately.

Buttermilk Pie

I love old fashioned vintage recipes....when I go to flea markets I pick through all the vintage cookbooks that I can find and usually end up buying one of two of them.  Cookbooks and vintage bakeware are my weaknesses!  This pie is a traditional southern delicacy.  It comes out of the oven with a beautifully golden almost caramelized top and inside a light creamy custard like filling.  Don't be fooled!  Just because it is made with buttermilk there is nothing sour about this pie, but is not overly sweet and the buttermilk adds just a little tang.  It is quite delicious and goes together very easily without any fuss.  If you haven't tried a buttermilk pie...I highly recommend 
that you do!

Enjoy!

You can get the recipe I used here.

Breakfast Tart with Pancetta and Green Onion

Happy Easter!

I made this tart for our Easter brunch.  The recipe didn't take too long it was very easy. I followed the recipe exactly...next time I think I will make my own crust.  It was very cheesy and tasty and enjoyed by all!  I loved the pancetta and green onion mix!! 

Enjoy!

Breakfast Tart with Pancetta and Green Onion

Food Network Magazine, April 2012

Butter, for pan

Flour, for the pan

1 9 inch unroll and bake refrigerated pie crust

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

3 ounces pancetta, cut into 1/4 inch pieces

5 large eggs, at room temperature

1/2 cup (4 ounces) shredded gruyere cheese

3 scallions, white and pale green parts, thinly sliced

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Place an oven rack in the center of the oven.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Butter and flour the bottom and sides of a 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom.  Unroll the pie crust and gently press into the bottom and sides of the pan.  Trim any excess from the top.
3. With the tines of a fork, prick the bottom of the pastry.  Using a pastry brush, brush the crust with the beaten egg white.  Put the pan on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes, until the egg white has set.  Let cool for 10 minutes.
4. Meanwhile in medium skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the pancetta and cook, stirring frequently, for 6-8 minutes, until browned and crispy.  Drain on a paper towel lined plate.
5. In a medium bowl, lightly beat the eggs.  Whisk in the mascarpone, gruyere, scallions, salt , pepper and the pancetta.  Pour into the cooled crust and bake for about 18 minutes, until the mixture has set and the top is golden.
6. Cool the tart for 10 to 15 minutes and then remove from pan.  Cut the tart into the wedges and serve warm at room temperature.