Cherry Pie

We keep Valentine's Day pretty low key at our house. We actually focused on it a little more this year than usual. I planted a little sweet treat on everyone's pillow, which thrilled Aubrey. 

We had a good breakfast then Tyler, Aubrey and I headed out to City Arts for a Heart-y Party. Ha! They did a little crafting.

We were downtown, so we stopped at the Nifty Nuthouse to let the kids pick out a few treats. 

Then, because the weather was so beautiful (I think it was 60 degrees), we went to Buffalo Park and played for awhile.

Tyler and I headed to the YMCA for awhile in the afternoon. He did his orientation to the youth weight equipment and surprised me by wanting to stay on the equipment for nearly an hour. We followed it up with a few laps around the track. I hope this means that we'll be able to go together which I think will be fun. And I could use a little motivation to get there more often. :)

After some Saturday cleaning, it was time to make dinner. We grilled steak and also had asparagus and these cheesy potato fries. It was a heady, happy meal. The only "recipe" was for the potatoes which we will definitely make again! I used 5 red potatoes, and only used about half of the ranch sauce and 1/2 c of cheddar. Cheesy and delicious! 

For dessert, I made a cherry pie. My friend, Michelle, makes a killer cherry pie and I've made her recipe once before, but I wasn't sure where the recipe was. So I decided to try another recipe that I found this week. The crust was great, but the filling was not what I was after...it tasted good, but was much too runny. So, this morning I scrounged up the recipe that I should have made again last night. (It was on a post-it note stuck inside a folder of recipes). I'm posting this here because this will be my go-to from now on...and I don't want to lose this recipe. It's simple and so good!

Cherry Pie

-Crust adapted from Artfulparent.com  -Pie recipe from Michelle Pankratz

Crust (for a 2-crust pie):2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
2 T sugar
12 T butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/2 c coconut oil
1/2 c ice water, approximately

1. In food processor, mix flour, salt and sugar. Add butter and shortening and pulse to combine. Add water slowly and pulse until it comes together. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill. 

When ready to use, divide in half. Roll out dough between wax paper. Press into a 9-inch pie plate leaving about 1/2 inch hanging over the edge of the plate. (While preparing the filling I returned the dough to the refrigerator to chill).

Filling 
4 c tart cherries
1 1/2 c sugar
1/2 c all-purpose flour

2. Mix filling and pour into pie plate (over the unbaked crust).

3. Take the other half of the dough and roll out. If you want to make a lattice crust, cut into strips and do not look at the photo above for the correct method...which was merely a random laying down of crust pieces and putting some over and some under as it was easiest to do. :P Pinch the top and bottom crust together.

4. Brush top crust with cream (or beaten egg white) and sprinkle with sugar

5. Bake at 350 for one hour.  Let cool for several hours before eating.

Couscous Salad

Birthday and Mother's Day were all wrapped up into one for me this year. Donuts for breakfast. Kisses, love and lots of birthday wishes from Aubrey.

Flowers (and some honey-do's checked off the list from Wayne).

A picture from Tyler.

And we cooked for Ted and Sue in the evening for Mother's Day. Middle Eastern steak and chicken kabobs with peppers and onions (using this recipe to marinate it all...overnight), roasted green beans and strawberry cream cheese pie for dessert.

And, a favorite Couscous Salad. This is a tried and true favorite. In fact, I made it again last night as a side with our cookout foods.

Couscous with Marinated Artichoke Hearts

1 3/4 cups couscous
2 cups boiling water
1/2 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 cups coarsely chopped marinated artichoke hearts
1/2 cup minced green onions
1/2 cup minced fresh Italian parsley
1 Tablespoon chopped fresh dill (1 t dried)
3 Tablespoons lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup toasted chopped walnuts *
4 ounces feta cheese, crumbled

1. Place couscous in large bowl; cover with 2 cups boiling water. Stir; let stand 10 minutes or until water is absorbed. Stir in oil, salt and pepper.

2. Stir in artichoke hearts, green onions, parsley, dill, lemon juice and garlic. Transfer to serving bowl. Cover. Let stand at least 30 minutes. (Salad can be made to this point up to 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before serving). Just before serving, sprinkle with walnuts and cheese.

* To toast walnuts, spread on a baking sheet. Bake at 375 degrees for 7-10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.

16 (1/2 cup) servings 

Crusty Bread

I'm still on my baking kick this fall...and I have a recipe that you MUST try if you like bread. I mean, really. You have to try this. It's super easy and so delicious. Wayne and I have been looking for a long time for a good artisan-style loaf that is crusty on the outside, and airy and chewy on the inside. We've tried lots of recipes, some fairly labor-intensive, that have all fallen a bit short. We still felt like we could find a better loaf at a bakery than we could make at home.

But, thanks to Pinterest, we found The One. And it takes next to no effort. I've made 2 loaves this weekend. The first was plain the second was jalapeno and sharp white cheddar. Both delicious. Next up, rye. If I'm going to indulge in some bread, this is what I'm after. Just spread a little salted butter, or Laughing Cow cheese and salami, make a sandwich, spread a little cream cheese and jam, or eat it plain. It's all good. Mmmm. 

The link I've included gives a lot more pictures and instructions. I'm writing how I made mine, which is slightly different. 

Crusty Bread

Slightly adapted from Simply So Good - Click on the link for more pics, Q & A, etc.

3 cups bread flour (or unbleached all-purpose flour)

1 3/4 teaspoons salt

1/2 teaspoon yeast

1 1/2 cups water

In your stand mixer, mix together flour, salt and yeast.  Add water and let the dough hook mix it together until it comes together. (I let it go a few minutes). (Or you can just whisk it together until a shaggy mixture forms). It will be a wet, sticky dough. Place in a large bowl sprayed with non-stick cooking spray or with a little oil.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and set aside for 12 - 18 hours (or more). Overnight works great.  Alternately, I have learned from a King Arthur flour version, after covering it at room temp for a couple of hours, refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 7 days. The longer it is in the refrigerator the tangier it will be. (If you are pressed for time, put it straight in the refrigerator).

Pour dough onto a heavily floured surface and shape into a ball.  Cover with plastic wrap and let set.  (OR, just scrape the dough down off the sides, so it releases some of the gases, and let it rest in the bowl until the pot is preheated). We tried it both ways and didn't notice a difference in the final result. We let it rest about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat oven to 450 degrees. When the oven has reached 450 degrees place a pot with a lid in the oven and heat the pot for about 10 minutes. We used our stainless steel stock pot. (She recommends preheating an enamel cast iron pot for 30 minutes).  **See below.

Remove hot pot from the oven, spray pot with cooking spray, and drop in the dough. Cover and return to oven for 30 minutes.  After 30 minutes remove the lid and bake an additional 18 minutes.  Remove bread from oven and place on a cooling rack to cool.  Devour.

Some variations (all but the Jalapeno Cheddar are straight from Simply So Good):

* Jalapeno-Cheddar loaf:  2 seeded jalapenos, about 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp white cheddar.

*Rye bread: 1 cup rye flour, 2 cups white flour and 1/2 tsp caraway seeds and caraway seeds sprinkled on top.

*Lemon/Gruyere/Rosemary: Zest of 1 lemon, 1 1/4 cup shredded Gruyere and chopped rosemary

*Cranberry/Orange/Almond: 3/4 cup dried cranberries, zest from 1 orange, 1/2 cup sliced almonds

**She recommends your pot to be about a 5.5 quart pot. (You can go a little smaller or a little larger). You can use any container that can handle the heat and has a lid. Other baking dishes she says have been used: Clay pots with lids, Pizza stone with a bowl to cover the bread, insert from a crock pot, Pyrex baking dish with a lid, stainless steel pot with a lid, baking dish covered with aluminum foil, old cast iron dutch oven.

Red Potato Salad With Bacon

In general, I'm not a fan of potato salad. This one, however, I really like. It's simple, isn't so creamy, and it has bacon. Which, of course, is always a good thing. :) We're enjoying this tonight with brats and a coleslaw. Mmmm, I love summer food!

Red Potato Salad With Bacon
- Paula Deen
4-6 servings

6 cups cubed red-skinned potatoes, unpeeled
2 ounces bacon (2-3 strips)
1 cup chopped bell pepper (any color or a combination)
1/4 cup minced red onion
1/4 cup sliced scallions (about 2) *
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Freshly ground pepper

*I have been substituting chives only because they are growing like crazy in my garden right now and they go well with potatoes.

Put the potatoes in a large pot; add water to cover and season with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil over medium high heat and cook until tender, 8-10 minutes. Drain and cool slightly.

Meanwhile, cook the bacon, drain, and finely chop. (Instead, I microwave bacon between layers of paper towels, which is quick and eliminates the splatters on my stove top).

In a large bowl, combine the potatoes, bacon, bell pepper, onion and scallions (or chives).

In a small bowl, whisk the olive oil, vinegar, mustard, mayonnaise, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Pour over the potato mixture, tossing gently to coat. Cover and refrigerate, or serve at room temperature. (Room temperature is my favorite).

Enjoy!

Potato Chips

Microwave Potato Chips
-Adapted from Taste of Home

1 potato
1 T or so olive oil
salt

Scrub the potato and cut into thin slices, about 1/16 inch-thick. (I used my mandolin). Lay 3 paper towels on a plate. Toss the potato slices in olive oil and arrange on the paper towel. Do not overlap. Sprinkle with salt. Microwave for 3 minutes. Turn and microwave for 2-3 minutes more until the potatoes are dry. Sprinkle on a little more salt. (I did 3 minutes/side and they were golden brown and crunchy). Let cool for at least a minute before serving.

Delicious!


OK, does it make it better or worse that I made these after I went to the YMCA tonight? :)

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Sue made this pasta salad and brought some to share last weekend. I made it for the camping trip and we enjoyed it. I would definitely recommend it. It makes a lot, so you'd probably want to halve the recipe unless you have a large group.


Antipasto Pasta Salad - America's Test Kitchen

Can add: 1 cup chopped, pitted kalamata olives or 1 cup jarred artichokes, drained and quartered. Use any curly-shaped pasta for this recipe. Serves 6 to 8 (We think it serves more like 12-14).

8 ounces sliced pepperoni , cut into 1/4-inch strips
8 ounces soppressata or salami, halved and cut into 1/4-inch strips
10 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 jar pepperoncini (12-ounce), drained, (2 tablespoons juice reserved), stemmed, and chopped coarse
4 garlic cloves , minced
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
1 pound fusilli or campanelle
1 pound white mushrooms , quartered
1 cup shredded provolone cheese , aged
12 ounces roasted red peppers , drained, patted dry, and chopped coarse
1 cup chopped fresh basil

1. Place one paper towel on microwave-safe plate. Arrange pepperoni in single layer on paper towel. Cover with another paper towel and layer sopresatta on towel. Top with another paper towel and microwave on highest power until meat begins to render fat, about 1 minute. Set meat aside.

2. Whisk 5 tablespoons vinegar, olive oil, mayonnaise, pepperoncini juice, garlic, red pepper flakes, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in medium bowl.

3. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta and cook until al dente. Drain pasta, return to pot, and toss with 1/2 cup dressing and remaining vinegar. Adjust seasonings, spread dressed pasta on rimmed baking sheet, and refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, bring remaining dressing to simmer in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook until they release their juices and are lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Transfer to large bowl and cool.

5. Add meat, provolone, roasted red peppers, chopped pepperoncini, basil, and cooled pasta to mushrooms and toss well. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature. Salad can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Sweet Greiffenstein

Yesterday something made me think of Amish peanut butter. This is apparently not something people in Wichita know of. So, as I was pining for its sweet, sticky goodness, my lovely coworker, Carol, looked up a recipe for me. I thought that was great - since I've only attempted making it once (with no recipe) and it was not what it should be.

Amish Peanut Butter
1 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup marshmallow creme

This morning, on my desk I found a nice, big slice of homemade bread and a little container of Amish peanut butter. How sweet is she?! So, for lunch today, I glowed in the memories of visiting Grandma, the Essenhaus, and others' houses. Mmmm home.

She and another coworker also let me tear up, then cry, talking about Tyler missing Lynette, and then admitting that I really miss her even more than Tyler! (At least, I'm assuming). :) This is a small bit of lots of support and encouragement that I receive from my lovely staff at Greiffenstein. I love them!

Quiche

Tonight we had one of Wayne's favorite breakfast foods for dinner, quiche. I don't remember anymore where I got the recipe, and I usually alter it from the original recipe anyway, but I like to have a base to work from.

Quiche
9" unbaked pie shell
2 c chopped tomatoes, green beans, onions or mushrooms
1/2-3/4 c chopped chicken, sausage, ham, bacon or ground beef
1/2 t dried basil, sage, thyme or oregano
1 t salt
dash pepper
1 c grated Swiss, Cheddar, or mixture of whatever you like
2 eggs, slightly beaten
2 T flour
1 c evaporated milk (or I've used a little milk and/or cream if I don't have it)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Bake pie shell 10 minutes.
Lightly saute veggies and meats (or not - I didn't saute anything tonight). Spoon into pie shell.
Sprinkle seasonings, salt and pepper on top. Cover with cheese. Combine egg, flour and milk. Pour on top. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until set. Let cool at least 5 minutes before cutting/serving.

I'm not much of a pie maker - that's probably why I love the pie crust I found. It's easy, turns out well, and is very tasty! I got it from a Food Network recipe for an apple pie. I will give the original recipe which is for a double crust, but I only made half (1 crust) for the quiche.

2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
1/4 t baking powder
2 sticks cold, unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1/2 t salt
About 1/3 c ice-cold water

Put the flour and baking powder in a bowl of a food processor and pulse to combine. Add the cold butter cubes and pulse a few times until the mixture begins to become mealy and the butter forms plainly visible pea-sized nuggets.

Dissolve the salt in the water. With motor running, pour the water in and let mix until the dough pulls together. Do not over-mix dough.



I also dipped our strawberries in sour cream then brown sugar. It is a very yummy treat.