Apple Pie

Were you wondering what to put in that delicious flaky crust you now have sitting in your fridge?  How do you feel about a classic?  Apple pie!  Warm, cinnamony, and always delicious.  In my opinion, it's even better the next morning for breakfast!  This is one of those recipes that I always thought was some Flinn family revelation.  A secret only for us.  It is so good, it had to be something special.  Nope.  It's in the checkered cookbook (Better Homes and Gardens) that every home is almost guaranteed to have on its shelf.  But a delicious recipe like this, has to be shared.

If you're lucky, it might just be the best apple pie you've ever had!

Pie Crust

It finally feels like fall here!  Actually, the past few days have felt a little more like winter, but I'll take it either way.  I am 100% ready to walk outside and not have my hair stick to my sweaty face.  I love fall.  Fall means sweet potatoes and pecan pie.  Fall also means the holidays are on their way, and you know what that means?  I get to go home!

Speaking of pie...I've never made it that much.  Maybe it's because up until a few days ago, I didn't have a rolling pin.  Maybe it's because I (still) don't have a pastry brush.  Maybe it's because I'd rather have cake.  Who's to say really?

Anyway, when I did make pie, I never made crust.  It seemed like a pain.  I'm not going to lie: it is kind of a pain, and the frozen pillsbury kind that you roll out tastes good anyway.  I don't blame you if you just use that.  BUT!  If you want to feel fancy, make this super simple pie crust!

Quee-chee!

Sorry for the long break between posts.  I have been working on some stuff over here and it hasn't left much time or energy to be cooking, let alone posting about it.  However!  This is one of the easiest meals you'll ever make so you (I) really have no excuse.  Also perfect because you can customize it to whatever you/your family likes to eat.  Let's be honest - you can customize it to whatever you have in the fridge.  You don't need a specific type of cheese, or a certain vegetable/meat.  Just throw in whatever you want and it will taste delicious!

QUICHE

Recipe from The Enchanted Broccoli Forest by Mollie Katzen

1 pie crust

2 c. +/- cheese

veggies, meat, herbs

3 eggs

1 c. milk

1.  Spread out crust in bottom of pie pan and prep ingredients.  Veggies can be raw or cooked.  (*Meat needs to be cooked before you put it in the quiche though*)

2.  Layer bottom with cheese.

3.  Add all of your toppings.  (Sorry, bad picture - it was all a little steamy still)

4.  Mix together eggs and milk.  Pour over top.

5.  Bake at 375° for ~45 minutes.  Knife test.

"Easy as Pie" Pie

Sometimes do you wonder where the phrase "easy as pie" came from?  Peeling and coring fruit, mixing, baking, checking to make sure the filling doesn't explode or flow over the crust onto the bottom of the oven and set the house on fire.  That doesn't sound that easy.  This pie is where that phrase came from.  This is easy.  Any way you slice it!  (Haha, pardon my pun!) 

An added bonus is that you can pretend that it's still summer.  Here in DC, we're not really having to stretch the imagination too far.  This is probably the easiest pie you will ever make and it tastes just like pure summer!  It's especially easy if you cheat on the crust like I did.  If you have a great crust recipe, make that one.  I'm sure it's better anyway.  Better yet, share the recipe with me.  You can make this pie in any flavor that pudding comes in and the hardest part is waiting for your pie to set in the fridge!

Vegetable Pizza

Happy Labor Day!  I've really grown to like Labor Day.  Before I always thought it was just a stupid holiday like Flag Day or Columbus Day, but now I really like it!  You know why?  It's the only holiday out there that's just for you.  For you, the hardworking, under-appreciated working man/woman.  So go out and celebrate it!  Enjoy the great outdoors, have a cookout, build a fire, and eat some of the last fresh, summer vegetables that you'll get until next year.

This recipe is very "midwestern."  Which is not mutually exclusive of "delicious."  Yes, it has mayonnaise.  Yes, it has ranch dressing.  Yes, it has unsophisticated yellow cheese.  It's not made with créme fraiche or a vinaigrette or some fancy cheese that comes from a goat.  This is an american dish for an american worker!

Irene's Brownies (German Chocolate)

We've been through a lot since last Tuesday.  First, there was the earthquake.  I'll admit for a split second I too thought that we were being attacked, but then I realized what it was.  I realized that everything was fine.  And I didn't feel the need to tell everyone in the world that I felt a shake (Yes, I realize the irony of this post because of course, I am doing exactly that.  Nonetheless...).

Then on Friday we had to make hurricane preparations.  Having never been in a hurricane before, I didn't really know what to expect.  I can now say that there was a bit of over-preparation in DC for Irene, but I gave in and filled my bathtub with water too.  I sat around all day Saturday watching the Weather Channel as they tried desperately to hold onto their spike in ratings for as long as possible.  When we got bored of that, we went up to the roof to really feel it.  You know what a hurricane feels like when your are at a safe distance inland?  Windy.

Banana Bread

I do this thing when I go to the store.  I buy bananas.  I have big plans to eat those bananas everyday and I think they are going to be so good and they're going to be so convenient.  Here's the thing.  I don't really like bananas that much.  And I will never even think about eating a banana that has a brown spot on it.

But have no fear, those brown bananas that sit on your counter are not destined for the trash.  In fact, those are the best bananas to cook with!  Wait until they are really overripe, and the flavors are more concentrated.  Then whip yourself up some delicious quick bread!

Peach Cobbler

I talked to my mom since my last post (of "my dad's macaroni and cheese") and I was politely informed that, "he's not the only one who makes that."  So anyway, today I thought I would share a recipe that I can credit to my mom.

I'm not saying that my dad never made it, but I did always remember watching my mom put it together and thinking it was magic how the peaches start on top and get to the bottom.  Still don't quite understand that one!

I guess we'll just call that one of life's little mysteries.  Don't look it up on your iPhone...it's ok to just not know.  I promise, it will all be ok.

You know what the best part of this recipe is?  It's mostly fruit.  You know what that means?  You could call it breakfast and I wouldn't judge you for it.  Warm it up and pour some milk over it call it hot cereal. Who could argue with that?  No one, that's who.

Macaroni and Cheese, Please!

Are you in the mood for comfort food too?  That's so cool that we can be twinners!

Sometimes you just need a big plate of carbs, right?  I have eaten this macaroni and cheese a thousand times and yet never made it myself.  For some reason, watching my dad make it, I always thought it was much more involved than it really is.

It really is a perfect weeknight dinner, especially when you are needing a little taste of home!

better than a snack pack (Cream Puffs)

I remember once when I was little, my parents left town and I got to stay with my friends down the street.  One night after dinner, Mrs. Sale brought out dessert.  Any dessert would have been good but this dessert was homemade vanilla pudding with whipped cream on top!  My sisters and I still haven't stopped talking about it.

So, it's a little surprising that today was the first day that I made some of my own.

...then I put that into some cream puffs - in short, I promise this will be better than a snack pack :)

See you in 2 weeks (+ a parting gift!)

Tomorrow, I am going to New Jersey to meet my parents and sisters and then Sunday morning we are going on to Kenya for a safari!  I have been looking forward to this for a year and a half now still can't quite believe that it's here.  

I think I have everything packed up and ready to go.  I'm sure I forgot something, but hopefully it's not too important.  

So, I apologize in advance for the posts that will not be coming your way for 2 weeks - but stay tuned because I promise it will be worth the wait!

But before I go, I wanted to give you something sweet :)

APPLE CRISP

6-8 Apples - peeled, cored and sliced

1/4 c. Water

Salt

1 stick Butter

1 c. Sugar

1 c. Flour

1 tsp. Cinnamon

1.  Place apples in 9x13" casserole.  Pour water over top and lightly salt.

2.  Melt butter.  Add sugar, flour, and cinnamon.  Stir gently with a fork until crumbles form.

3.  Cover apples with crumble mixture.

4.  Bake at 350˚ for about 30 minutes.

*I make mine with extra crisp on top (since that's the best part anyway!), and it tends to take longer than 30 minutes to cook up (more like 45).

Get out of the Pool (Keylime) Pie!

The summer before 9th grade, my sister taught me how to swim.  Not that I didn't know how to swim - I wasn't going to drown in the bath tub or anything like that.  I decided I wanted to join the swim team the next year.  That was my attempt in high school to be a "team player!"

You're probably wondering what that story could possibly have to do with keylime pie.  Well, do you remember those giant keylime pies you can get at costco with a little dollop of whipped cream on each slice.  We had one of those in the fridge that summer and when we were done with our 2 hour swim at 8 a.m. (yes, that means we got to the pool at 6), we would have a slice of that.

Well, subsequently each time I raced in high school I would get a ridiculously strong craving for keylime pie - maybe that's why I swam so fast...the faster I got out of the pool, the faster I got to indulge in my craving :)

Even if you don't like to swim, and even if you don't have crazy associations that stick with you forever, make this pie!

Strawberry Cupcakes

At this point, it is too hot for fires or even the thought of fires to make s'mores cookies.  It was 97˚ yesterday and I needed something refreshing.

Enter Strawberry Cupcakes (actually white cupcakes with strawberry meringue buttercream icing - strawberry cupcakes rolls of the tongue a little easier).

Not only do they taste good, they look good.  They look like they have strawberry ice cream piled on top of a perfectly white cake - all topped off with a giant deep red strawberry!

S'mores Cookies!

Is it summer yet?  As far as I can tell, it definitely is.  What I'm worried about is the fact that people keep telling me that this is the "nice season" here.  90˚ with 91% humidity is not nice.

Anyway, my favorite part about summer is camping.  And I especially like to camp when our meals include more than just rice and oatmeal.

Sometimes when we are feeling extra fancy we pack marshmallows!

Southern Biscuits

Now, if you're wondering what you should do with that buttermilk that you made, look no further!  Mix up some biscuits, smother with that homemade butter and top with some raspberry jam.

SOUTHERN BISCUITS
recipe adapted from Alton Brown
2 c. flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. shortening
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/4 c. heavy cream*

*You can substitute heavy cream and use full 1 c. buttermilk instead.

How to Make Buttermilk (and butter)!

Do you ever not have an ingredient for a recipe and it's kind of important, but you really don't want to go to the store?  It seems like whenever this happens to me it's always for buttermilk.  I don't know anyone who has buttermilk on hand...it's not exactly a staple.

But did you know you can make it?  Yes, it's kind of a pain.  Yes, it's easier to go to the store.  But you can make it.  Plus, you get the best byproduct ever: butter!

Reubens

You know what's great?  Sandwiches.  You know what's better than sandwiches?  Grilled sandwiches.  Know why?  'Cause somehow the mere fact that the cheese is melted and the bread is crispy transforms this lunchtime option into a completely viable dinner choice.

Plus they're easy.

The other day when we were at the grocery store, I thought I got all of the right ingredients for a reuben.  Turns out I got pretty much everything wrong except the sauerkraut.  Anyway, here is my version that was equally delicious :)

REUBEN

Sliced Pumpernickel Bread
Deli Roast Beef
Provolone Cheese
Sauerkraut
Thousand Island Dressing
Butter

Butter the outsides of the bread.  Layer with meat, cheese, sauerkraut and dressing.  Grill on a skillet until cheese is melted and the bread is nice and crispy!

Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes

Sure, I like to make homemade cakes and cupcakes from scratch, but I also like to mix together a box that Betty Crocker has prepared for me with some eggs, oil, and water and have cake in 20 minutes that I know will come out well.  Especially when I am giving the cupcakes to someone else for their birthday.

Late Mother's Day

I was looking through my pictures and realized I forgot about these that I took on Mother's Day.  I was lucky enough to be home for Mother's Day this year and Missy came over so we could make breakfast for my mom (by "we" I mean Missy made waffles and I stirred some bacon a little and took pictures).  Unfortunately, Miss lost/had the recipe stolen for Wolfgang Puck's bacon waffles (if anyone out there has a copy please send it my way!) so we had to try a different recipe.  Still delicious, just not quite the same.

Any waffle is delicious when you have homemade maple syrup though :)

We had a nice relaxing day eating breakfast, watching a chick flick (Something Borrowed), playing cards and then making up for Reed's missed birthday dinner.

Croissants***

Here's where the story begins.  I was thinking about what we should have for dinner tonight and I came up with gnocchi with some sausage and asparagus and other veggies in a lemony sauce...then I thought, "We should have bread with that."  Then I thought how I don't really like to go to the grocery store here alone - I'm kind-of a wuss and it seems to take so long (Metro trip and walking for 5 minutes to and from the stations)  

So instead of wasting my precious time with public transportation, I had the brilliant idea to make bread!  That doesn't take long does it?  Oh right, only about 4 hours.  But you don't have to catch a communicable disease while doing it!

After looking up recipes for french bread, I bagged that whole idea (9 hours! - that wouldn't be ready by dinner) and somehow decided croissants sounded good.

Sure they take time, but totally worth it!  You get a yeasty, bread-y aroma that envelops your apartment (note: if you don't live in a total of 800 sq. ft. the scent probably won't fill up your entire living space), not to mention the delicious flaky satisfaction in a crescent moon shape when you're finished.

It's easy, I promise, try it for yourself!