Apple Pie with Crumble Topping

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box or homemade crust
(you will only need a bottom crust)

 

Filling:

2 tablespoons lemon juice

3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2  teaspoon ground nutmeg
6 cups thinly sliced, peeled tart apples

Topping:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup cold butter
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Directions:
Heat oven to 400°F. Place pie crust in 9-inch glass pie plate as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie.

In large bowl mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, nutmeg, and lemon juice.  Peel each apple, core them and slice thinnly.  Then add to the sugar mixture. Gently stir in apples.  Pour filling into crust-lined pie plate.

In small bowl, mix topping ingredients: flour, sugar, butter, and walnuts until crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the pie.  Loosely cover pie with sheet of foil and bake 1 hour. After an hour uncover the pie and bake 10 minutes longer or until apples are tender and topping is golden brown. Enjoy!

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Loaded Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
6 yukon gold potatoes
1 cup milk
4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup sour cream
4 slices bacon
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
2 tsp garlic powder

Directions:
Peel and cube the potatoes and put into a pot filled with cold water.  Then turn the heat on high.  Don't boil the water first and then add the potatoes, they cook unevenly and it's also hard to drop potatoes into a boiling pot of water. Once water has boiled add the salt. Cook for about 20 minutes or until fork tender.  In the meantime, cook the bacon either in the oven for 5-7 minutes or on the stove top.

Drain the potoatoes and put back into the pot.  Then begin to mash the potatoes.  Add the butter and keep mashing until they begin to get creamy.  Then slowly pour in the milk.  Sometimes it helps if the milk is slightly warm or at least room temperature.  Continue to mash until your desired consistency.  For extra creamy potatoes use an electric mixer.  Now add the sour cream, pepper, and garlic powder.  Stir until combined.  Then chop up the bacon and add to the potatoes.  Finally add the cheddar cheese and stir until combined.  Enjoy!

Photo taken by Emily Barbo. Pin It Now!

Spinach Salad with Fried Goat Cheese

Ingredients:
Salad:
3 cups fresh spinach, washed and dried
10 strawberries, washed and dried
10 oz fresh goat cheese
1 egg
1/2 cup panko bread crumb
1/2 cup flour

Balsamic Dressing:

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/2 cup olive oil

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

Directions:
Cut the spinach into 1/4 inch slices and put on a sheet tray to chill in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Place the spinach in a large bowl once it has been cleaned and dried.  After the strawberries have been cleaned and dried, cut the stems off and slice into thin slices.  Toss these in the bowl with the spinach.

Set up a breading station.  The flour goes in the first plate, then beat an egg in the second bowl, and the panko bread crumbs are put into the third bowl. 

To make the dressing whisk all of the ingredients in a bowl and set aside until after the goat cheese has been fried.

Take the goat cheese out of the freezer and put it through the breading station.  First the flour, then into the beaten egg, then into the panko.  Set back on the baking sheet to freeze for 15 more minutes.

Heat a large skillet with canola oil just to cover the bottom.  Once the goat cheese is done freezing, take it out and put it in the pan.

After 3 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown, flip over the goat cheese.

Now you can dress the salad with the dressing.  I served the salad and goat cheese separately.  But either way, after 3 minutes on the second side, remove from the pan and set aside for the top of the salad.  After salad is plating, add the goat cheese on top.  Enjoy!

All photographs were taken by Emily Barbo!

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Lemon Whoopie Pies

Ingredients:
Cake batter:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 1 large egg
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup buttermilk

Lemon Cream Cheese Filling:

• 6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 6 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 2 3/4 cup powdered sugar

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or foil

In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest on medium speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, lemon juice and vanilla, mixing until blended, about 1 minute. Reduce the mixer to low speed and add half of the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Mix in the buttermilk. Mix in the remaining flour mixture just until just combined.

Drop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 3-inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the tops feel firm and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cookie comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheets for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely. 

Once cool, make the filling. In a large bowl, on low speed beat the butter, cream cheese, vanilla, lemon zest and lemon juice until thoroughly blended and smooth, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar and mix until smooth. (If the filling is too soft to hold its shape, chill it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.)

Turn half of the cooled cookies upside down, flat side facing up. Drop a large dollop of filling onto the flat side of the cookie,  leaving a 1/4-inch plain edge. Place another cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling. Press down slightly so that the filling spreads to the edges of the cookie. Repeat until all cookies are used. Place whoopie pies into the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm up before serving. Serve and Enjoy!

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Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake

Ingredients:
Crust:

1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers

5 tablespoons melted butter

2 tablespoons sugar

Cookie Dough Layer:

1/4 cup butter

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Cheesecake Layer:

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, diced

1 cup sour cream

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degreees.

To Make Crust:

Crush the graham crackers in a plastic bag with your hands or a rolling pin until fine crumbs.  Then melt the butter and mix with the graham crackers and 2 tablespoons of sugar.  Grease the bottom of a 9 inch spring form pan and press the crumbs into the bottom a little up the sides of the pan.  Bake for 8 minutes in the oven.

To Make Cookie Dough:

In a bowl beat 1/4 cup butter or margarine with the brown sugar and 1/4 cup of the white sugar. Stir in the water and 1 teaspoon of the vanilla. Beat in the flour and the semisweet chocolate chips. Stir until combined.

To Make the Cheesecake:

In a bowl beat 1 cup of the white sugar, and all the cream cheese. Add 1 cup of the sour cream, the eggs, vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix well and pour half into the crust.

Drop cookie dough in 2 tablespoon portions evenly over the top of the batter, then top with the rest of the cheesecake batter. Bake for about 40 minutes. Cake will jiggle slightly in center.

Let cake cool and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.  I served it with a little caramel topping on top.

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Stuffed Zucchini

Ingredients:
3 large zucchini
6 white button mushrooms
5 garlic cloves
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups bread crumb
2 tablespoons parsley
1 cup parmesan cheese
salt
pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cut each zucchini in half lengthwise and scoop out the insides.  Then cut them 2 inches across.

In a large frying pan, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil.  Leaving the garlic cloves whole put them in the warm olive oil.  If they start to burn lower the heat.  After about 10 minutes or until garlic turns brown take the cloves out and set them aside.  Then toss in the mushrooms that have been finely chopped.  Saute for about 7-8 minutes or until they turn brown. 

Then allow the mushrooms to cool and transfer to a bowl.  Chop up the cooked garlic and put it in the bowl with the mushrooms.  Add the bread crumbs and parmesan cheese.  Stir until combined.  Then add the chopped parsley and 2 more tablespoons of olive oil.  Sprinkle with a little salt and pepper and stuff inside the zucchini.  Drizzle the top with the remaining tablespoon of olive oil.

Bake in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until zucchini becomes soft and the stuffing browns.

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Brookies

These are the ultimate dessert, a combination of cookies and brownies.  What's better than that?  If you are short on time use your favorite brownie mix and your favorite store-bought cookie dough.  Don't forget to serve them hot with vanilla ice cream.

Brownies:
Ingredients:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, sugar, and vanilla.  Beat in eggs one by one until the ingredients are completely combined.  In a separate bowl combined the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt.  Add a little bit at a time and stir after each addition until all has been completely combined. Stir in chocolate chips.

Line a 13 by 9 inch pan with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray.  Then pour the batter in and set aside while you make the cookie batter.

Cookies:
Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

3/4 cup granulated sugar

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract in large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in chocolate chips until evenly distributed.

Using your hands, drop little dollops of cookie dough all along the top of the brownie batter.

Bake in the oven for 45-50 minutes or until set.  Allow to cool for 15 minutes and remove them using the aluminum foil.  Then cut the bars and serve with vanilla ice cream.  Enjoy!

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