Amazing Apple-Sour Cream Pie

If you've ever been given a recipe and thought it really didn't sound very good, then you'll know why I didn't try making this pie... at least not until after a friend made it and brought it along to dinner one night.

My husband was still raving about it - and telling his friends about it - 3 days later!

You'll need pastry for a 9-inch one-crust pie..

Then gather...
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup dairy sour cream
1 tablspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 egg
2 cups chopped, pared, tart apples
Brown sugar topping (below)


Heat oven to 375 degrees, preapare pastry. Mix sugar, flour and salt. Beat in sour cream, vanilla, cinnamon and egg with a fork until smooth. Stir in the apples, and pour it all into the pastry lined pie plate. Bake until the center is set - about 45 minutes.

While that's baking, mix up the Brown sugar topping:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons firm margarine or butter
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 taspoon ground cloves

Mix all ingredients until crumbly.

Then, when you take the pie out of the oven, sprinkle the topping over it and put it back into the oven until it is golden brown - about 15 minutes.

The recipe says 8 servings at 390 calories per serving.

An Omelete in a Bag?

This recipe appeared in my in-box today. I have NOT tried it, but it came with photos, so looks like it works.

ZIPLOC OMELET

(This works great! Good for when all your family is together. The best part is that no one has to wait for their special omelet.)

Have guests write their name on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag with permanent marker.

Crack 2 eggs (large or extra-large) into the bag (not more than 2) shake to combine them.

Put out a variety of ingredients such as: cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc.

Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shake. Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up.

Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes [we did 15 minutes]. You can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water.

Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed.

Nice to serve with fresh fruit and coffee cake; everyone gets involved in the process and a great conversation piece...

Imagine having these ready the night before, and putting the bag in boiling water while you get ready. And in 15 minutes, you've got a nice omelete for a quick breakfast.

Quick tip for bad trash bags

Not long ago I bought a roll of tall kitchen bags that were terrible! Every time I tried to separate the bags at the end where two "tops" join, they'd tear straight down, rendering the bags useless.

I wrote to Glad and they sent me a coupon for new ones, but I have a hard time throwing anything away. I started opening them with a scissors, trying to follow the dotted line, but they still tore when I tried to open them.

Then I noticed my paper cutter sitting there. Now I slice off the offending parts and the bags work fine... no little cuts and tears on the top to start a downward tear.

Better Fried Chicken Recipe

For the last hundred years (at least) I've been frying chicken the same old way... but recently I've made some changes, and the difference in taste is amazing.

First I cut up the pieces, removing the tip from the wing and cutting the breast in two so it can cook faster. Usually I remove the bone as well. Often I remove the skin from all but the legs.

Next, in a deep, narrow bowl I combine milk, an egg, and spices... salt, pepper, garlic, sage, and my new one: oregano. I don't know what possessed me to sprinkle in oregano one night, but it made all the difference!

I coat the chicken and then let it sit in this mixture, marinating, for an hour or two - or longer. Depends on how long before dinner I think to go get it done.

When it's time to fry, I put about 3 heaping tablespoons full of flour in a bowl and add those same spices again, plus about 1/2 teaspoon of paprika ... then dredge each piece before putting it in the pan.

I don't use a lot of oil - perhaps 1/4" in the bottom of the iron skillet - and I do get the oil hot before adding the chicken.

Fry on medium heat - keeping an eye on things and turning the pieces often.

If you like this, keep playing with other spices you like. Who knows, one day you might accidentally stumble into Colonel Sander's recipe!

Coconut Bonbons - for your good health!

Did you know that eating coconut can aid digestion - and even halt a chronic case of diarrhea? The coconut oil actually makes other oils digest more easily, so a cookie before dinner is just what the doctor ordered! (Or should have ordered)

Check out this report, then get cooking!

Coconut BonBons

1 (15 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup butter margarine
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 (12 ounce) package grated coconut
1 (24 ounce) package semi-sweet chocolate chips
4 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening

Mix together condensed milk, butter, sugar
and coconut. Cover with wax paper and chill for 24 hours.

In the top of a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, melt chocolate with
shortening. Roll coconut mixture into 3/4-inch balls and with fork dip into chocolate.
Drop on wax paper to cool and dry.

Quick and easy Pumpkin Muffins

Perfect for a busy day when you need something special:

Pumpkin Muffins

1 (18.25 ounce) box spice cake mix
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin puree

Mix all together by hand or with an electric mixer. Spoon into paper-lined muffin cups, and bake at 350 degrees F for 18-22 minutes.

Apple Blackberry Pie - Yum...

Apple-Berry Pie

1 pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie
1 cup white sugar
4 teaspoons tapioca
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 cups fresh blackberries
2 cups apples - peeled, cored and sliced
2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out one crust, and place in a 9 inch pie plate. Roll out top crust, and set aside.
In a large bowl, mix together the sugar, tapioca, and cinnamon. Add blackberries and apple slices. Toss gently to coat without mashing the berries. Let stand for 20 minutes.

Spoon filling into pastry lined pan. Dot with butter. Moisten the edge of the pastry with water. Cover with top crust; trim and crimp edge. Cut a few slits in the top to allow steam to escape during baking. Cover edge with foil to prevent over-browning.
Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and continue baking for 20 to 25 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Cool on wire rack.