Kiy's Recipe Box

This year, Chinese New Year (Year of the Hare!) fell on February 3rd. With Emi's birthday on the 2nd, that was just too much going on in two short days. Add to that, both Jeff and Emi had the flu, no one was really interested in doing much except sleeping. So we decided to do our celebrating this weekend.

Planned menu:

1. Simple noodles - I found some fun curly long noodles and will serve them unbroken (long life) with soy sauce, which is Emi's favorite way to eat noodles
2. Eggrolls
   
3. New Year Dumplings
4. Asian-Style Grilled Tilapia - Emi has just recently rediscovered her love of Tilapia and since this marinade is SO amazing, it's a perfect fit for our special dinner
5. Chocolate Won-Tons
   

BTW, we made Chinese Tea Eggs last year. They were a lot of fun, but none of us really liked the taste. I've decided to not make them this year, mainly as time is getting away from me. But they are so fun to make, and the house smells so wonderful - so if you have time, go for it! (Emi and I may make them for a 'rainy day' project later this week, not to eat, just to do the project and then display them. They really are quite pretty!)

We aren't doing the entire menu that many do, there are just the three of us after all. But, if you are looking for a good go-to menu, more ideas or just "why eat that for CNY", I found this post: What to Eat for Chinese New Year. I am sure in years to come we will attempt each dish, they look amazing!

Blueberry Pie

Ingredients:

• 4-5 cups blueberries - fresh or frozen
  

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar ~OR~ 1/3 cup each: sugar Splenda
• ¼ cup tapioca (or 7 tablespoon corn starch)
• ½ tablespoon cinnamon
• ½ tablespoon allspice (optional)

• 3 tablespoon water (or grape juice)
• 2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 2-3 teaspoons of minced lemon zest (optional but SO yummy!)

• 1 9-inch deep-dish pie crust (2 crusts for double crust pie or 1 crust for a crumble topping pie, see below)

Crumb Topping (optional)

• ¼ cup sugar ~OR~ 1/8 cup each: sugar and Splenda
• ½ cup flour
• ¼ cup butter or margarine, chilled

Instructions:

• Use your favorite pie crust recipe or cheat like I do and buy the one pre-made in the handy red box found in the dairy section of the grocery story. I make a terrible pie crust and over the years have learned to make do with the boxed kind. It’s not as oh-my-gosh delicious as a truly wonderful homemade one, but it’s far better than any of mine have ever turned out. (Remember to take it out about a half an hour before you want to use it.)

• I used frozen blueberries as it’s not blueberry season right now, and blueberry pie was specifically requested by the birthday, um, boy.

• Rinse in a colander under cool water, it’s not necessary to defrost and actually I prefer not to as I feel it makes them mushy and disgusting (but that’s my opinion).

• In a small to medium bowl, mix the dry ingredients combining sugar, tapioca, and spices in a bowl. Then mix in the lemon juice and water. Do NOT mix the blueberries with the bowl ingredients!

• Fit the bottom crust gently into your pan (I usually spray my pan first with Pam and dust a bit of flour).

• Now, take your blueberries and pour them into the piecrust, mounding a bit as needed. Pour the bowl mixture over the blueberries trying to hit each berry as best you can.

• Here is where you would make the crumble topping if you want this option. Just mix the dry ingredients in a bowl and then cut in with a pastry blender (or two butter-type knives) and then sprinkle all over the pie. That is actually my fav way of making just about any pie. Jeff likes a more traditional pie with a piecrust topping so that is what I used this time.

• Fit the top crust over the berries, either using a lattice design or a single crust that you would then put slits in the top. Make sure to seal the edges well and flute as desired.

• Something I do that some would cringe at – gently spray a bit of Pam (most folks would melt some butter) over the top of the crust and dust with sugar.

• Bake at 375º for about 1 hour until the pie is all bubbly; start checking at about 45 minutes as all ovens are different (mine took about 1 hour 20 minutes - I hate electric ovens!). Cool on a rack for an hour or so (if you can bear to, we never make it that long!). Yum.

Serdmom's Apple Crisp
Thanks Serdic!


3 lbs apples, peeled, cored and sliced
Place apples into glass baking dish, 11 X 7 x 1.5

Sprinkle with the following:
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves

For the crisp:
3/4 C flour
1/2 C butter
1 C brown sugar

Mix these together and form crumbly mixture. If it's not crumbly enough, put it in the fridge for a bit. Once it's crumbly, sprinkle over the apples.

Bake for 30-35 min at 350F.

Let cool, and enjoy.

Grandma Ople's Apple Pie

PREP TIME 30 Min
COOK TIME 1 Hr
READY IN 1 Hr 30 Min
SERVINGS: Original recipe yield: 1 - 9 inch pie

INGREDIENTS:
1 recipe pastry for a 9 inch double crust pie (Kiy Note: I have a 10-inch pie dish, so that's what I used)
½ cup unsalted butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
½ cup white sugar
½ cup packed brown sugar
¼ cup water
8 Granny Smith apples - peeled, cored and sliced (Kiy Note: It seemed like a lot, so I only ended up using 5 apples but they baked down so next time I will try to add at least one more, if not two.)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Melt butter in a sauce pan. Stir in flour to form a paste. Add white sugar, brown sugar and water; bring to a boil. Reduce temperature, and simmer 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, place the bottom crust in your pan. Fill with apples, mounded slightly. Cover with a lattice work of crust. Gently pour the sugar and butter liquid over the crust. Pour slowly so that it does not run off.

3. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C), and continue baking for 35 to 45 minutes.

Kiy Note: This has got to be, hands down, the *best* apple pie I've ever made. I have never made a pie that calls for pouring the sauce over the crust, but wow, what a difference! It was easier than I thought it would be, and while my lattice top wasn't picture perfect, it was my first ever attempt and I didn't think it turned out too shabby. I took a picture but it's still on the camera card. As soon as I get it off I will add it here.

I gave Jeff choices this year on what he wanted for Thanksgiving dinner, that I could do easily. No big production this year! Out of the desserts he had to choose from: traditional pumpkin pie, apple or another fruit pie, this cake (which we had last year and frequently throughout the year as he loves it with his morning coffee and I adore all things pumpkin) or a carrot/spice cake. He decided on the apple (which I was not at all surprised at, that boy loves him so apple pie). But I did want to share this recipe. Realizing it's too late for folks to make it for 'today' but I've been known to need another holiday dessert in a pinch and this fits the bill. It's a rare thing for me not to have all of these ingredients in my pantry.

This cake has become a household favorite. Everyone I share it with loves it! I have, of course, made some changes. I use Splenda, and use about a 1/2 to 1/4 less than the recipe calls for. We just thought the original (the first and only time I used 'real' sugar) was WAY too sweet. Your mileage may vary. :)

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Ring Cake

3 cups Original Bisquick® mix (I use the reduced fat)
1 cup granulated sugar (a scant ½ cup of the white sugar blend Splenda)
1 cup packed brown sugar (a scant ½ cup of the brown sugar blend Splenda)
¼ cup butter or margarine, softened
2½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
¼ cup milk
4 eggs
1 can (16 ounces) pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix)

1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
½ teaspoon vanilla

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Grease and flour 12-cup bundt cake pan.
2. Beat Bisquick, granulated sugar, brown sugar, butter, pumpkin pie spice, 1/4 cup milk, eggs and pumpkin in large bowl on low speed 30 seconds. Beat on medium speed 3 minutes. Spread in pan.
3. Bake about 50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; turn upside down onto heatproof plate or wire cooling rack. Remove pan; cool cake completely.
4. Stir remaining ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle over cake. (Note: I rarely do this step, it just doesn't need it.)

Pumpkin Ring Cake

*Thanksgiving 2007*

I have made the 'impossible' cheeseburger pie (back when Drew ate almost nothing!) and the pumpkin pie (big raves!), so I thought I'd give myself a break this year and try one of the apple pies. Usually I am a 'from scratch' baker and cook, but I just don't have a hand for pie crusts.

Filling:

3 cups sliced peeled apples (3 large)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ cup Original Bisquick® mix
½ cup granulated sugar
½ cup milk
1 tablespoon butter or margarine, softened
2 eggs

Streusel:
½ cup Original Bisquick® mix
¼ cup chopped nuts
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons firm butter or margarine

1. Heat oven to 325ºF. Grease 9-inch glass pie plate. In medium bowl, mix apples, cinnamon and nutmeg; place in pie plate.
2. In medium bowl, stir remaining filling ingredients until well blended. Pour over apple mixture in pie plate. In small bowl, mix all streusel ingredients until crumbly; sprinkle over filling.
3. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Store in refrigerator.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Heat oven to 375ºF.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving: Calories 335 (Calories from Fat 125 ); Total Fat 14 g (Saturated Fat 3 g); Cholesterol 70 mg; Sodium 400 mg; Total Carbohydrate 49 g (Dietary Fiber 2 g); Protein 5 g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 12 %; Vitamin C 2 %; Calcium 8 %; Iron 6
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet