Classic Apple Pie

My Father-In-Law requested I bring an apple pie to Thanksgiving.  This caused me to panic more than just a little bit.  I have never been able to make a very good apple pie; they always turn out really soupy and no matter what I do I have never been able to cook them long enough to get them to set up without burning the crust at the same time. 

But I couldn’t let my FIL down.  He’s such a super guy, and he never asks for anything. 

I ended up using my new favorite buttery, flaky crust recipe, and shielding the top crust for a good portion of the cooking time, but the pie turned out beautifully.  We were all pretty impressed, including my FIL, who claims it’s important to eat apple pie with a slice of cheese. 

recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen; image courtesy Martha Stewart

Pecan Pie

I recently brought this pecan pie to a family function.  There were several pecan pie lovers there, which made me nervous, but each of them enjoyed it, and I think it might have been the best pecan pie I’ve ever had.  Go the extra mile and make the buttery, flaky, from-scratch pie crust recipe here.  You won’t believe your taste buds! 

image courtesy Picture Perfect Meals; recipe courtesy The Pioneer Woman

Pumpkin Dump Cake

 

This is my go to dessert.  I love it! I crave it!  (I can eat the whole pan.)

I’ve made this many times without the pecans and just recently made it with them.

OH MY! Try it with the pecans! They really make it 10X better.

 

source : thepickyapple.com

Buttermilk Biscuits & Sausage Gravy

I’m not a huge fan of biscuits & gravy.  I’ve tried the dish on several menus and never been all that impressed.  I must have a lil’ bit of Southern in me somewhere, though because every once in a great while I get a strange hankering for some biscuits & gravy!  This happened to me the other night when I was in a hurry to put dinner on the table and I needed to use up some buttermilk I had in the fridge.  Well, the biscuits & gravy I threw together were the best I’ve ever made or had, so I thought I’d put the recipes on here for reference during my next rare biscuits-&-gravy craving. 

Who knew from-scratch biscuits were so EASY to make?!?  I couldn’t believe how quickly these came together!  And let me tell you, they are so much better than those nasty tube biscuits in the refrigerator section!  Plus, making them from scratch saves you the terror of having to pop open that pressurized bomb/tube (YIKES!  That scares the daylights out of me!  Every. Single. Time.  I HATE opening those things!)recipe adapted from Today’s My Best Creative Day; image from The Prairie Homestead

 

I adapted a sausage gravy recipe I found here.  All I had on hand was maple-flavored sausage, and I actually really liked the sweetness it infused into the gravy, so I contributed a little touch more in the way of some really fancy maple syrup I recently splurged on at my favorite local gourmet kitchen supply store.  This allowed me to keep the seasonings to a minimum, adding just a little bit of thyme and sage.  Next time, I’d really like to try making it with fresh herbs.
recipe adapted from Taste and Tell; image from Chef In Training

Smothered Bean and Rice Burritos

 

I REALLY like this dish!

Do you have a favorite salsa? Do you think using different bands change the over all flavor?

hum…….

My new favorite is the Great Value picante sauce (mild) from Wal-mart. I love the flavor and think it goes really well with this meal. 

If you have leftover refried beans or rice this is a great recipe to use them up. 

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adapted from amysfinerthings.com

Baked Beans

I was hosting a few guests, including my Mother In Law, recently for a birthday party.  Because cooking for her makes me nervous, and because I was short on time, I decided to keep it simple and I made (ahead!) my ham & swiss sliders and these baked beans.  Both were a smashing success, so I thought I would share the recipe here.  It’s a recipe I’ve been making for probably 15 years, and I don’t even remember where it came from, but even my bean-hating kids love these beans! 
image courtesy:  Cook Like A Champion

Ham & Swiss Sliders (aka “Funeral Sandwiches”)

I ignored this recipe entirely the first several times I saw it on Pinterest, because I thought the whole idea of “marinating” a sandwiches was a recipe for soggy grossness.  But I just kept seeing people pinning them, so I decided to try them, and my entire family absolutely loves these little sandwiches.  They are even good leftover, so I usually make a double batch. 

image courtesy:  Lilikoi Joy  recipe courtesy:  Cooking With The Preacher’s Wife

I like to add poppyseeds and dried minced onion to the marinade.  They add extra texture.