Pies

Here are two very easy pie recipes that are delicious! There isn't an easier dessert than baking a homemade pie and topping it with some fresh whipped cream to pamper your family or take to an occasion.

Easiest Pumpkin Pie

Mix together in a medium bowl:
15 oz. Pumpkin
14 oz. Lowfat or Fatfree Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 Eggs or 4 Egg whites (to reduce calories and cholesterol)
1 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. each ground ginger, ground nutmeg and salt

Place in a pie shell and bake at 425 degrees for the first 15 min. than reduce temp. to 350 for 25 min. Pie is done when a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.



Fabulous Southern Pecan Pie

Melt 1/2 stick butter in a medium sauce pan. Remove from heat and add 1 c. light karo syrup, 1 c. brown sugar and 3 eggs. Mix with an electric mixer until well blended. Generously cover the bottom of a pie shell with pecans and pour mixture over nuts. Bake at 350 for 30 - 40 min. until pie is browned, puffed up and cracked in the center.


Fresh Whipped Cream

In a deep glass bowl pour 1 c. chilled heavy whipping cream and begin to beat on high. If the bowl is not deep the cream splatters, try covering it with a towel to keep the splatters contained. Add about 1/4 c. sugar to the cream and 1 t. vanilla. Beat until cream has stiff peaks. Taste to see if you would like a bit more sugar. This will keep for several days in the fridge covered with seran wrap.


Easy Pie Shell

Mix together 1 1/2 c. flour and 1/2 t. salt. With a pastry cutter or 2 knives cut in 1/2 c. crisco shortening until mixture is crumbly. Add 1 T. cold water to mixture tossing with a fork and pushing to the side of the bowl. Add more water 1 T. at a time tossing in between. Use up to 5 T. of water until mixture can be formed into a ball. Take 2 pieces of waxed paper and place dough in the center of one that has been lightly floured. Cover with the other piece, also floured, and roll out dough into a circle between the paper. When about 1/8 inch thick remove the top paper and carefully fold the dough in half, then fold in half again so it is like a pizza wedge. Place in your pie pan and unfold. Press around the top to make a nice edge for your pie with your fingers or a fork. Fill with your filling and bake.
Practice makes perfect but homemade really does taste better and is easy with a little practice!!

Banana Sour Cream Bread

Over the years I have tried countless recipes for banana bread and I think I have finally found one that is a real keeper. This one is moist, tasty and different because it has a crumble topping on it that is so yummy!

Banana Bread
Preheat your oven to 325 and grease or spray with Pam one loaf pan. In the bottom of the loaf pan sprinkle white sugar and cinnamon to lightly cover the bottom - mix them and spread evenly. In a large bowl cream 1/4 c. butter and 1 c. sugar. Mix in 1 egg, 2 very ripe mashed bananas, 3/4 c. sour cream, 3/4 t. vanilla and 3/4 t. cinnamon. Mix in 1/8 t. salt, 1 t. baking soda and 1 1/2 c. plus 1 T. flour. Stir in 1/2 c. chopped nuts if desired. In a small bowl mix 1/4 c. brown sugar, 1/4 c. flour, 1 1/2 T. soft butter, 1/2 t. cinnamon and 1/4 c. chopped nuts. Sprinkle on top of the loaf.
Bake for 1 hour 15 min. or until toothpick comes out clean from the center of the loaf. Don't overbake it!

Let cool for about 15 min. than remove from pan by loosening around edges and dumping onto wax paper. The best is eating it warm but it's great after it has cooled too!



.....don't forget the Spice!

Time to get cooking!

Hello everyone I am so sorry to have been so remiss in updating this blog. It's not that I haven't been cooking - it's just that I have been cooking! and cooking, and cooking!!! I was very busy in December catering and have had several large jobs this month as well which is unusual but welcomed. I am hoping you are still interested in following this blog as I plan to give you some ideas and recipes that you can enjoy this winter. So let's get back into the kitchen!!