Apple Cranberry Pear Crisp

I smoked this one.  Not doing that again.

I make this at some point every fall.  We love it.  Another one that should have been on the blog years ago.

original recipe - allrecipes.com


3-4 apples, peeled, cored and sliced (I usually use Gommy's apples, which I believe are Golden Delicious)
2 pears, peeled, cored and sliced
1/2 c dried cranberries
1 Tbs flour
2 Tbs honey
1 1/2 Tbs lemon juice

Combine in a greased 9x13 baking dish.


1/2 c flour
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c quick oats
1/2 c butter

Mix to a consistency of course crumbs.  Sprinkle over fruit mixture.

Bake 45 mins at 375, or until brown and crisp on top.

Chocolate Silk Pie

original recipe ~ allrecipes.com

I've been making this pie for years now.  I'm really pretty surprised it's not on the blog.  I think I found it before I had kids even.  I remember making it for Tessy's birthday party at Myrna's once, which had to have been quite a while ago.  Anyway, Devin has requested it for his birthday a couple times, which makes me feel good and bad.  Good because it means he likes it, bad because I know he really prefers lemon ice box pie, and I have to figure he just thinks I can't get that one right.  One of these years I'll do it.  In the mean time, I make some dang good chocolate silk pie.

1/2 c butter, room temperature
3/4 c white sugar
2 (1-oz) squares unsweetened baking chocolate, melted & cooled
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1 crust, baked & cooled (I used to use regular but lately I've been favoring Oreo)

Cream butter.  Gradually mix in sugar until light-colored & well blended.  Stir in the thoroughly cooled chocolate & vanilla.  Add eggs one at a time, beating 5 mins on medium after each one.  Spoon chocolate filling into pie crust.  Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving.

I like to use my stand mixer for this, but make sure to scrape the sides often because the real beauty of this pie is how smooth it is and you don't want any grainy sugar pockets messing it all up.

Also, it's best to pull this out & let it sit at room temperature for maybe 20 mins before serving it.  Right out of the fridge it still tastes great, but it has almost a cheesecake-like firmness.  I prefer the more soft & creamy texture after it's been sitting out a little.

Buttermilk Syrup

I can't believe I haven't posted this recipe already.  And I call myself a Cash.  Years ago when I first knew Devin, the subject of maple syrup came up and he told me he hated it.  What??  How could a person hate such a thing?  But when he introduced me to buttermilk syrup and cinnamon syrup I understood.  I just didn't know other syrups existed that are better than maple syrup.  I was instantly converted and have been making it ever since.

1 c buttermilk
2 c sugar
2 cubes butter
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla

Bring first three ingredients to a boil in a large saucepan.  And I mean large.  Boil 5 min & remove from heat.  Add soda & vanilla - it will foam up a lot, hence the large saucepan.  Refrigerate leftover syrup.  It'll keep for quite a while.

Wassail

allrecipes.com

I love wassail!  The smell alone is so welcoming and comforting and makes me think of Fall and sweaters and holidays and warming up after playing in the snow.  And it tastes great, too.  I've been using this recipe since probably 2006 (maybe '07) and I have no desire to change it.

2 qts apple cider
2 c orange juice
1/2 c lemon juice
12 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
pinch of ginger
pinch of nutmeg

Simmer all day in the crock pot and enjoy the smell throughout your whole house!

Pizza Sauce

allrecipes.com

We recently adopted the weekly tradition of pizza and a movie on Fridays.  For our first time making pizza, I just bought dough in a bag at Winco, and it was really good.  Devin found this sauce recipe and made it in the blender.  The whole thing turned out splendidly.  Since then I've been making my own dough from a Vitamix recipe, which I think is better.

1 (6-oz) can tomato paste

1 1/2 c water

1/3 c olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

salt & pepper to taste

1/2 Tbs oregano

1/2 Tbs basil

1/2 tsp rosemary

Combine all in blender and blend until smooth.  Makes enough for 2-3 15" pizzas.

Courtside Caramel Corn

Gommy


This stuff is awesome.  I make it every year for the Ogden Pioneer Days fireworks.

2 c packed brown sugar
1 c butter
1/2 c corn syrup
1 tsp salt

1 Tbs vanilla
1/2 tsp soda

6 qts popped popcorn (2 air-poppers full for me - I put 1/2 c in the popper) GREASE THE BOWL!*

Combine brown sugar, butter, corn syrup and salt in a pretty big saucepan (it bubbles up quite a bit).  Boil 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and stir in vanilla and soda.  Mix well and pour over popcorn.


Optional: Bake 45 minutes at 250 on greased cookie sheets, stirring every 15 minutes.


*I always forget.  Including 20 minutes ago when I made this.

Pumpkin Pie

original recipe ~ allrecipes.com

My mom said this was the best pumpkin pie she'd ever had.

1 can pumpkin (15 oz)
1 can sweetened condensed milk (14 oz)
2 large eggs
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 425.  Whisk all ingredients until smooth and pour into unbaked pie crust.  COVER THE EDGES OF THE CRUST WITH TIN FOIL!!!  Bake 15 mins, then turn oven down to 350 and continue baking 30-35 mins more, or until a knife inserted 1 inch from crust comes out clean.