Upside Down Apple Pie

I found this recipe on the back of an envelope shoved into a box of recipes that I meant to file long, long ago. I do not know where it came from. All that to say that this not an original. I wish I could give credit where credit is due! This is a very fun pie to make and it looks so very impressive when you tip it out of the pie pan. The brown sugar and butter fairly drip down the mound of pecans, pastry, and apples. YUM! Naturally I recommend that you use my recipe for If All Else Fails pie crust. (Found with Sweet Cherry Plum Pie recipe below)

I hope you try this one and that you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it.

Pastry for a 2 crust pie

Topping:

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup butter, melted

1 cup pecan halves

Filling:

1 cup sugar

⅓ cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons butter

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

8 cups thinly sliced peeled tart apples

Preheat oven to 375°.

Coat a 9 inch deep-dish pie plate with cooking spray. Line bottom and sides of pan with parchment paper; coat paper with cooking spray and set aside.

Topping: In a small bowl combine brown sugar and butter; stir in pecans. Arrange in the bottom of prepared pie plate with the rounded sides of the pecans facing down.

Filling: In a large bowl, combine the sugar, flour, butter and cinnamon. Add apples; toss to coat. Set aside

On a lightly floured surface, roll out larger portion of dough to fit bottom and sides of the pie plate. Transfer pastry to the plate; press it firmly against pecans and sides of pie plate. Trim edges.

Fill crust with the sliced apples. Roll out remaining pastry to fit the top of the pie; lay over the filling. Trim and seal the edges. Cut slits in the pastry.

Bake pie 60-70 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Carefully loosen the parchment paper around the edge of the pie; invert hot pie onto a serving plate. remove paper from the top of the pie and let cool 15 minutes before serving.

Making Whoopee Pie

Since cupcakes are so last year and whoopie pies are all the rage I decided to spend my Saturday night making whoopie (pies, that is). The first item on the agenda was figuring out what flavor to make. Let's see now. I could make s'more whoopie pies. For that I would make a graham cookie and then fill it with a marshmallow cream something or other and a genache. Genache is always in so far as I am concerned. Or... I might make a banana whoopie pie. I would fill that with a vanilla whipped cream filling. Perhaps a strawberry whoopie filled with a cream cheese, whipped cream, smashed up strawberries? Those ideas will all have to be developed another night. The ideas are fomenting in my tired brain. Hey! Thinking of all these whoopie pies tires a lady out! So for now it is chocolate whoopie pies with peanut butter filling. I am always putty in the hands of chocolate and peanut butter.
Before we get to the recipe, let's get this name straight. Whoopie refers to the pie. Definiton 1 of Whoopee refers to the affection I feel for the sweeties in my life when I spend an evening baking for them. Definiton 2 is from the Newlywed Game. I have no idea what Bob Eubanks was talking about those many, many years ago. I was just a kid.

Making Whoopee Pie

4 Cups flour
2 teaspoon baking soda
1 Cup cocoa
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 Cups sugar
1 Cup butter
2 eggs
1 Cup milk
1 Cup warm water
2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 375°,
In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cocoa, and salt. Set aside. In a separate bowl combine the butter and sugar, and eggs. Beat 2 minutes. Add the dry ingredients, milk, and water to the egg mixture. Beat at medium speed for 3 minutes. Add vanilla and beat one additional minute. This batter is for a cake like cookie. Bake as drop cookies. Drop by rounded tablespoons full onto parchment paper lined cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until the center of the cookie springs back when lightly touched. Remove from cookie sheets and cool completely on wire rack.

Peanut Butter Filling
2 Tablespoons butter
1/2 Cup creamy peanut butter
3 1/2 Cups powdered sugar
1/2 Cup milk

Blend butter and peanut butter. Add powdered sugar and milk. Beat with an electric mixer at medium speed until well blended then beat at high speed until light and fluffy. To make whoopie pies spread the bottom of one cookie generously with filling, then top with another cookie. Wrap each whoopie pie individually in plastic wrap and give them to the peoples you love!

Sweet Cherry Plum Pie

The kids came over for a "pre-July 4 BBQ, taste test Mom's new pie before she dumps another new one on her sweet adopted family" trial run. Michael liked the pies. Yes, I made 2. I made a blueberry standby in case the sweet cherry plum pie proved to be another one of Mary's Little Failures.
According to Michael, such was not the case. He tried to crawl across the table to get more!!! (His Daddy stopped him.) Score!! Ah yes! Babies are a delight to feed. Nothing warms the heart quite like hearing a 2 year old say, "Nummy, Mimi, Nummy."

If All Else Fails Pie Crust

2½ cups flour (unbleached all-purpose)
1 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons sugar
12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
½ cup cold shortening
¼ cup cold vodka
¼ cup cold water

In a large bowl mix together flour, salt, and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut butter and shortening into flour mixture until the flour and fat (can you believe I used THAT word?) form pea-sized chunks.
Sprinkle vodka and water over the flour and fat (there is THAT word again) and mix in with a rubber spatula just until the pastry comes together and is still tacky. Divide the dough into 4 equal balls. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 45 minutes.
Of course if all else fails then drink the vodka and forget about the pie.

Sweet Cherry and Plum Pie

2 red plums, chopped and pitted
6 cups (about 2 pounds) pitted sweet cherries
½ cup sugar
⅛ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon juice from one lemon
2 tablespoons instant tapioca, ground
⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons butter, cut into ¼-inch pieces

Preheat oven to 425º.

Process plums and 1 cup pitted cherries in a food processor or blender until the fruit is smooth. Pour the puree into a large bowl. Measure the sugar, salt, cinnamon and ground tapioca together in a small bowl. Mix well. Stir the sugar mixture and lemon juice into the fruit; let stand 15 minutes.

Sprinkle the work surface with flour and then roll out 1/4 of the pastry into a 12 inch circle. Line the pie pan with the rolled-out pastry and then pour fruit mixture into pan and dot the fruit mixture with butter pieces. On the floured work surface, roll a second pastry ball into an 11-inch circle. Roll pastry loosely around rolling pin and unroll over the pie, leaving a 1/2 inch overhang. Flute edges with thumb and forefinger to seal. Sprinkle the top of the pie with sugar. With a sharp knife cut vents into the pastry top.

Place pie in preheated oven and bake 35 minutes or until the juices bubble around the edges and the crust is deep golden brown.
Transfer pie to wire rack and let it cool.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Remember when your mom told you that eating raw cookie dough would give you worms? I never did believe her or if I did, I did not care. I threw all caution to the wind and ate as much raw cookie dough as I could sneak passed her.
It was my job to bake the family cookies beginning in the second grade. That is how I learned fractions and got my fill of cookie dough! I became quite the cookie monster and still am.
These are my favorite chocolate chip cookies. It is a basic recipe with a little twist. Try browning the butter to add a toffee taste to the cookies. I hope you like them!

1 3/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
14 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon table salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cup cups semisweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks
3/4 cup toasted walnuts*

Adjust the oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375°. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Whisk flour and baking soda together in a medium bowl and set aside.
Heat 10 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium-high heat until melted, about 2 minutes. Continue cooking, swirling pan often until butter is dark golden brown and has a nutty aroma. This will take 4-6 minutes. Transfer browned butter to a large heatproof bowl, using a spatula to scrape out the pan. Stir remaining 4 tablespoons butter into hot butter until completely melted.
Add both sugars, salt, and vanilla to bowl with butter and whisk until mixture is smooth with no sugar lumps remaining, about 30 seconds. Let mixture stand 3 minutes, then whisk again for 30 seconds. Repeat the process of whisking 2 more times until mixture is thick, smooth and shiny. This will dissolve all the sugar. (The dissolved sugar caramelizes more easily, creating a spectrum of toffee flavors and influencing texture. Uh... that was just in case you care about such things.) Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, stir the flour mixture in the butter mixture until just combined, about 1 minute. Stir in chocolate chips and toasted nuts. Give the dough a final stir to make sure no pockets of flour remain.
Roll cookie dough into walnut-sized balls. Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
bake cookies one tray at a time until cookies are golden brown and still puffy, and edges have just begun to brown, 7-9 minutes. Let cookies begin to cool on baking sheet and then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool slightly before eating a few!

* To toast walnuts: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange walnuts on a cookie sheet in a single layer. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, checking frequently.

Ginger Refresher

This turned out to be an especially good idea. It has become my new favorite summer beverage. It is light and refreshing. It can be enjoyed as is or mixed with tea or an adult beverage to liven it up. I added a couple of mixer ideas below the basic recipe.
The original recipe calls for lemon peel and lemon juice but I especially like lime. I have yet to try it with lemon. I think that would be quite nice, as well.

2 ½ ounce fresh ginger
1/2 tablespoon finely grated lime peel
4 cups boiling water
2 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
4 tablespoons sugar

Grate the ginger into a heatproof bowl or quart canning jar. Be careful to not lose the juice from the ginger! Add the lime peel. Pour bowling water into the bowl or jar and let steep overnight.
Strain the liquid into a large pitcher. Stir in the fresh squeezed lime juice and sugar. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Taste and add extra lime juice or sugar to suit your taste.

Ginger Lime Martini
To make an adult beverage, fill a shaker with ice and add 3 ounces of ginger mixer and 1 ounce of vodka, ginger cello, or spiced rum. Shake well and pour into a chilled martini glass. Garnish with a twist of lime.
Mary Palmer
To make a delicious tea, fill a tall glass with ice and fill with equal parts iced sun tea and ginger mixer. Garnish with a twist of lime.

Chicken Jalfrezi

I had never cooked Indian food but a new found cheap rack cookbook piqued my interest. This is the first of four recipes I tried. It takes a while to chop up all these veggies but it is worth the effort. I think this is a good meal to cook with a friend. So pop the cork on a bottle of wine, turn on some music, and start chopping!

Chicken Jalfrezi

Serves 4-6

4 Tablespoons ghee*

8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs, sliced

1 large onion, chopped

2 tablespoons garlic and ginger paste

2 green bell peppers, cored, seeded, and chopped

1 large fresh green chile, seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

1/4 teaspoon salt

14 oz. canned chopped tomatoes

1/2 cup water

chopped fresh cilantro

Melt half the ghee in a wok or large skillet over medium high heat. Add the chicken pieces and stir around for 5 minutes, until browned but not necessarily cooked through, then remove from the pan with a slotted spoon and set aside.

Melt the remaining ghee in the pan. Add the onion and sauté, stirring frequently, for 5-8 minutes, until golden brown. Stir in the garlic and ginger paste and continue sautéing for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add the green bell peppers to the pan and stir around for 2 minutes.

Stir in the chile, cumin, coriander, chili powder, turmeric, and salt. Add the tomatoes with their juice and the water and bring to a boil.

Reduce the heat to low, add the chicken, and let simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until the bell peppers are tender, the chicken is cooked through, and the juices run clear if you pierce a few pieces with the tip of a knife. Sprinkle with the chopped cilantro.

Serve over basmati rice.

To make ghee: Melt one pound of unsalted butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. As the butter melts it will begin to boil and separate (white froth on top with sediment settling to the bottom of the pan). Reduce heat and keep the butter boiling steadily. Do not stir. Allow the butter to continue to cook for about 20 minutes. The bubbling noise will quiet down and the sediment at the bottom of the pan will turn golden brown and the the liquid under the froth will turn an amber color. Remove pan from the burner and let the cooked ghee cool for half an hour. Line a strainer with some cheese cloth and strain the ghee into a heatproof bowl. Discard the sediment . The ghee will harden as it cools.

Easter Napolean Torte

I first made this torte for a dear Mennonite friend. He described the torte his Mom used to make; I did the best I could to recreate her recipe. My friend said it was "right on." I was happy about that but I thought it screamed strawberries. Maybe strawberries were not so available in the Alberta prairie but they are available in Vancouver! I made the torte pictured for Easter celebration with my kids.

Napoleon Torte with Fresh Strawberries
Cookie Layer
3/4 cup cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups flour
pinch salt

In an large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the cream and mix until blended. Add the 2 eggs and beat them in. In a separate bowl combine the baking powder, baking soda, salt and flour. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until a soft dough forms. Turn the dough out onto the countertop and knead 3-4 times just to form it into a ball. Wrap the dough well and put it in the refrigerator to cool 4 hours or overnight.
Preheat oven to 400°. Take out the cooled dough and divide it into 6 balls. Roll each ball out into the bottom of a well greased 9 inch spring form pan and bake for 6-8 minutes or until very lightly browned. I bake them 2 at a time because I have only two forms. Carefully turn the cookies out onto a cooling rack.

Cream Filling
4 cups whole milk (or use 2 cups whole milk, 2 cups half and half)
1/2 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 tablespoons soft butter
5 cups fresh sliced strawberries

Mix the sugar and cornstarch together in a large saucepan. Lightly beat the egg yolks in 1 cup of the milk and gradually whisk the milk and egg yolk mixture into the sugar and cornstarch mixture. Cook over medium low heat until the mixture comes to a boil, stirring constantly. When it comes to a boil remove from heat and add the butter and vanilla. Pour into a bowl and then lay plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard. Let this cool until thoroughly chilled.
Slice all but one cup of the strawberries. The remaining berries will be sliced right before serving the cake and added to the top layer.
Place the first cookie layer on a cake platter and spread custard over the top but not quite to the edges. Top with strawberries. Add the second cookie layer, dividing the custard and strawberries evenly among the layers. Top with the final cookie and the last of the custard. Wrap the cake well in plastic wrap so it does not topple off the platter and set in the refrigerator 24 hours. This will allow the custard to soak into the cookie layers and form a soft torte.
Before serving slice the remaining strawberries and arrange them on the top of the torte.