Cold and rainy day, let's make pie!

It's 53° and rainy here today, perfect baking weather!  So while we were out and about today I picked up a nice sized pie pumpkin, or sugar pumpkin, so I could make some scratch pumpkin pie today!  Scratch refers to the filling, I cheated and bought a frozen crust...

Start off by cutting the pumpkin in half, removing the stem and all of the guts. I hang onto the seeds cause I love roasting them for a snack!

Then place them cut side down on a pan...

Cover with foil, and bake at 375° for an hour and a half!

While it was cooking I rinsed the pumpkin seeds...

The pumpkin is out of the oven and cooling

So I'm gonna roast the seeds while I wait for it to cool completely!  300° for 45 minutes stirring occasionally....and beg the hubbs to run to the store again, because while I was gathering the spices for the pie I realized I was OUT of Cloves AND Brown Sugar....how does this happen?!?!

It's time to scoop the flesh out of the skin and run it through a press, I have two options, a lever press or a, or a mortar and pestle type press (also known as a ricer).  Both will work, it's up to you and whatever you have on hand, and what you prefer!  You can also throw the cooked pumpkin in a food processor.  Ricing it just gives it a very smooth texture.

Then it's time to make pie!!!  I use a typical pumpkin pie recipe, like the one found on the can of Evaporated Milk....I'm sure I will "oops" the amounts of spices, cause I LOVE extra spices in my pie!!!  And I never follow a recipe exactly....

Mix it all together, pour into the pie shell...and I like to grind a bit of fresh cinnamon on top before I bake it...

Bake 425° for 15 minutes, then lower the temperature to 350° and bake for an additional 40-50 minutes.  Then it needs to cool for 2 hours, oh the torture!!  I had enough to fill the deep dish pie crust, and some for a plain bowl...which is why I love my Fiesta dishes!  I can put it directly in the oven and bake in it!!!

ENJOY!!!  We know we will!!!

Photo Challenge - Photo 45, A rare treat

It's hot, summer is here with a vengeance!  I was not prepared for the heat and humidity.  You would think that living in the mid-west my whole life I would be acclimated to the ick, but I'm not.  I was out running errands and decided to treat myself to something cold and yummy!  My rare treat, because I don't eat these all the time...but man does it hit the spot today!

Old bread? Make a casserole!

There once was a girl, and this girl loved a good sale.  So one day she found a great bargain for bread, and knowing that the price was just right decided to buy two loaves.  Even though she and her DH didn't eat that much bread.  Bread keeps in the freezer!  She had seen her mother do it time and time again.  So once the first loaf was eaten she got the second loaf out of the freezer and put it in the fridge...unfortunately that loaf ended up stale and partially hard...oh well...

I kept that loaf in the fridge for a month...yes month old bread...yummy...I was planning on making it into croutons, or bread crumbs...instead I got a craving for a make ahead breakfast casserole!   Most of the time I make breakfast casserole with potatoes, tater-tots, potatoes o'brian, you get the idea.  But I have a recipe for overnight casserole that needs bread...of course I don't usually follow recipes, even ones that I created.

Start with roll pork breakfast sausage, brown it then add onion

Then clean and slice some mushrooms

While that is cooking slice the bread, of course you don't have to use old bread, any bread will work

Combine the sausage and the bread, then dump it into a large pan, that you greased...and press it down.

In that same bowl combine a cup of milk, 8oz  sour cream, and 8 eggs, I used my stick blender just because I can, and whipped it up.  Then added powdered mustard, smoked bacon chipotle sea salt, and black pepper, then whipped it up again before pouring it over the sausage bread mixture.

Top with cheese

Cover it with foil and stick it in the fridge.  The next morning bake at 325 for 60 minutes or so.

Enjoy!

More pie?

Last year I found out (finally) that my DH's favorite pie is PECAN!  He's not much on sweets anyway, so this was a suprise.  He pointed out today that his favorite pie is made of mostly sugar..funny how that works!  This year for dinner at the in-laws house I decided to make a different pecan pie than I did last year..

Of course with my mom not here to help me...I cheated again and used a pre-made pie crust!

First whisk the eggs, and not quite as vigorously as I was whisking the gravy last night...

Then add the light brown sugar

and the dark brown sugar

whisk again

Add the next 5 ingredients

finally stir in the chopped pecans and bake at 350 for 55 minutes (and don't forget to set the timer like I did!!!

ENJOY!

If you're gonna go, go all out!

Today of all days I am thinking about how thankful I am that I have a house, a beautiful kitchen thanks to my wonderful DH, and money to spend on food so that I can create an over-the-top meal for my family.  The prompt for this was my adventure over the last few days looking for Apple Brandy.  It seems simple, but no, for some reason no store around me carries it...which is why I decided to call around to various liquor stores to find this one elusive ingredient that I need for the gravy...and I did find it finally...which is why after work today I drove downtown to Berbiglia's to get their one and only bottle of Applejack Brandy that they were sooo nice to put on hold for me!

I know it seems semi-insane to go to such lengths to find one ingredient when I'm sure a simple Brandy would have been just as good...but I wanted everything to be perfect, and seems how I did find it, I'm gonna use it more than once!

Now that everything is as it should be, it's time to make some apple pie.  And not just any apple pie.  I'm making a salted caramel apple pie...everything except the crust is from scratch...cause doing a crust on my own would be cause for a super stressful evening with my DH.

This is definitely a gather-then-go situation...

Combine the sugar and water and cook over low heat till dissolved

Add the butter and bring to a slow boil, continue cooking until a golden brown or copper color. This takes FOREVER, and I mean I stood at the stove for an hour and a half waiting on this stuff...

Remove from heat and add heavy cream (watch the steam)

Whisk the mixture over low heat and sprinkle in the sea salt (I used my pink Spice Agent salt because I could).  After this actually turned out, because at one point my caramel looked like this...

And I could have easily panicked! Instead I just added the cream and said to heck with the color...then put on nice clothes and my DH took me out to dinner, and to the store so I could pick up a few things I missed on my original shopping trip...

One hour + later...

Now on to the filling, again gather then go!

Having a mandolin makes the slicing really easy, and is something my DH is great at doing!!!

Dredge all of the apple slices in the lemon juice to prevent browning and set aside.

Rolling the lemon before slicing helps get all the juice out!

In another bowl combine the sugar, flour, spices and bitters.

Sprinkle this over the apple slices and gently toss with your hands to coat. Make sure you take any jewelry off...cause this stuff sticks to everything! But on the plus side your hands smell great afterword!

Time to assemble the pie. Like an apple pie lasagna!

1/3 apples, and take the time to arrange them to reduce gaps. 1/3 caramel sauce...

repeat two more times reserving a bit of the caramel for the top of the pie.

Put the top crust on the pie...oh sooo much easier said than done!!!  I guess my crust was too thawed...and came apart and looks horrible...whatever, I'm sure it will taste awesome and that's what counts right?  I will get it right one of these days!!!

Brush the crust with the beaten egg, then lightly sprinkle with raw sugar and sea salt (again I used the pink salt)

Bake for 20 minutes at 375-400 then reduce temperature to 325-350 and continue baking for 25-35 minutes.

Let it cool then refrigerate till ready to serve!

Turned out kinda pretty!

We also pulled the turkey out of the brine and put it in the roaster to let it drain.

That will get cooked tomorrow, after I get the stuffing made (with help from my Mama!) and stuffed in the turkey!

What happened to this year?

It's only been 2-1/2 months since I've gone to work, but it seems like it was only yesterday.  Blogging has taken a back seat because I just don't have the time it seems when you factor in 9-10 hour days, an hour in the gym, then heading home to shower, care for the puppies and throw a meal together.

 

To all the working moms out there...wow, I don't know how you do it, I'm super impressed!

Alas, don't dis-pare!  I will be blogging again soon, next week to be exact!! As it is Thanksgiving week...and as of Friday my parents have officially moved to the city to be closer to my DH and me!!!  So with their new house not ready to move into, and their rental having a tiny kitchen compared to my own...I will be hosting, and cooking Thanksgiving dinner here!!!  WOO!

This means I will be able to try out new recipes, use a lot of my Spice Agent spices, and really do this on my own for the first time EVER!  And what better way to document it than to blog about it over the next few days!  I have my schedule made out, and I'm ready to get a cooking!

Today: Grocery shopping...Thank goodness for shelf stable items...

A little bit of everything here...

Apples for pie and stuffing...

Cause our fridge is stuffed!

I don't know if we can fit anything else!

Monday: After work a fun 6:30am till 5pm), gather all pots/pans etc and make sure they are ready to go!  Get all the dishes done and make sure the kitchen is clean and ready to "destroy". Check on the Turkey to see how frozen it is still...


Tuesday: Start the brine, thankfully it is an early day for me at work (done at 330) and start the fresh cranberry sauce.

Wednesday: After work, make the apple pie, and remove the turkey from the brine to drain.

Thursday: 8am, start the stuffing, 11am put the turkey in the oven, after the turkey is cooking, prep the carrots, potatoes and Cauliflower.  Clean the kitchen then finish the Cranberry sauce!  This is also the time once the prep is done that we will be making home made crescent rolls, we as in my mom and I!!!.
Turkey should be done around 5:30 or so...leaving time to bake a batch of rolls so they are fresh and hot for dinner, as well as the cauliflower and carrots...Already I am thinking ahead to next year and HOPING I have two ovens...cause that would be a HUGE help, we can do it!

Friday: After emerging from a food coma, bake a Pecan Pie for Lunch Saturday.

Saturday: Dinner at the In-Laws!

Sunday: Lounge and snack on leftovers.

I just hope somewhere in there I can find time to go to the gym...get ready for this crazy week!

Every day is a good Pizza Day

Freezer meals are all the rage right now.  So I have my own recipe to contribute! Pizza Casserole!

You will need:

Mostaccioli Pasta, or whatever you want to use

1 jar of your favorite pasta sauce

Diced Pepperoni

8oz shredded Italian cheese

8 oz fresh mushrooms sliced (or slice whole mushrooms)

Can sliced olives

1/2 sweet onion

2 bell peppers

2-3 strips of bacon chopped (yes really)

Glad Ovenwear (or something like it)

Chop up the onion and mushrooms, these go in a bowl together off to the side

Then chop up the peppers and put them in a separate bowl

Chop up the bacon and throw it in a skillet over medium-high heat

In the meantime get some water boiling and get the pasta cooking!!

Once the bacon is crisp move it to a bowl (leaving the renderings in the pan) and set aside for later.Toss the Onions and mushrooms in the skillet and stir them up a bit, reduce heat to Medium. Add Italian Seasoning.

Cover with a lid and let it simmer for 5 minutes then add the peppers.

Once the pasta is done, rinse well with cold water, also rinse the pot with cold water because you will be mixing everything up in it.

Mix the "toppings" with the pasta

Add the sauce and stir well.

Throw in most of the bag of cheese, reserving some to top the casserole and then mix it up!

Divide the casserole between two Glad Ovenwear dishes, top with remaining cheese.

Freeze until you are ready to eat!  Then thaw and put it in the oven at 350 until bubbly.  Or you can always microwave it until bubbly.  Enjoy!