Old Fashioned Apple Raisin Pie

For my second all by myself pie attempt, I decided to really go out on a limb and make up my own recipe. While paging through some vintage 1930s to 50s cookbooks, I found several versions of raisin pie. My mom said that they reminded her of mincemeat. Really??? Apple mincemeat is one of my favorite pies!

So I pieced together a few of the recipes, threw in some apples and spices and came up with my own apple raisin pie. And I have to admit that it turned out pretty incredible! I know what I will be making next Thanksgiving…

3/4 cup brown sugar

3 Tablespoons instant clear gel (if you don’t have this, you can try cornstarch in the hot liquid but I can’t promise the results)

grated zest from 1 orange

1/2 cup orange juice

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 1/4 cup cold water

dash salt

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

1.4 teaspoon cloves

1 cup raisins

1 cup peeled, chopped apples

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 400.

Mix brown sugar, clear gel and orange zest in a small bowl.

Combine water and juices in a medium sized saucepan. Whisk in sugar/clear gel mixture until smooth and thick.

Stir in raisins and apples.

Aren’t these gorgeous raisins?

 

Cook over medium heat until thick and bubbly (it will probably already be pretty thick), stirring constantly. Boil for 2 minutes while stirring.

Remove from heat.

Then roll out pie crust and line a 9” pie plate.

Pour hot filling into pie crust. Roll out and place crust on top. Cut vents into the crust.

Cover crust edge with foil (I LOVE the pie shield I bought!!!) and bake for 20 minutes.

Remove foil and bake for another 25 minutes or until crust is golden brown.

Serve pie slightly warm or room temperature with a dollop of whipped cream.

If you are keeping your pie more than a day, store the leftovers in the fridge.

Fresh Cranberry Salsa

This is my version of my friend Krisitn’s recipe for cranberry salsa. It’s pretty spicy but can easily be toned down to suit less hearty taste buds… It can be served over cream cheese with Wheat Thins or plain with tortilla chips.

1 bag fresh cranberries, washed & drained

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 Tablespoon fresh ginger

1/2-1 cup cilantro leaves

4-8 cloves garlic

1 jalapeno pepper

juice of 1 lime

zest of 1 orange (optional)

1/2 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor and process until chopped but not pureed.

Chill until read to serve.

Pumpkin Pudding Pie in a Jar

It’s kind of a cumbersome name but I just couldn’t think of anything better…

First whip 1 cup of whipping cream until thick. Stir together 4 Tablespoons of powdered sugar and 1 Tablespoon of instant clear gel (to stabilize cream). Add to whipped cream along with 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Whip until very thick. *You can also use an 8oz tub of whipped topping.

Cream 4 oz softened cream cheese

1/4 cup butter

1/2 cup powdered sugar

Mix until smooth

Beat 1 3/4 cups milk with one 3 oz box of pumpkin spice instant pudding mix until thick.

Mix together the pudding and cream cheese mixture.

Fold in whipped cream.

Fill the bottoms of 6-8 half-pint, wide-mouthed jars with cookie crumbs. I think graham crackers or ginger snaps would be best.

Top with mousse and chill for at least 1 hour before serving.

I think I will try making these for Thanksgiving this year… Maybe???

Pumpkin Dessert

I love this recipe for a quick and easy pumpkin dessert. I’ve already made it twice this week! It works great now that I have my own “pumpkin” in the freezer.

1 yellow cake mix

1/3 cup melted butter

1 egg

Reserve 1 cup of dry cake mix. Combine remaining cake mix with butter and egg. Mix well and spread into bottom of greased 9x13 pan.

3 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
1/2 cup sugar

3 eggs

2/3 cup milk

Mix well with wire whisk and pour over cake mix mixture in pan.

1 cup cake mix

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup butter

3/4 cup chopped nuts

Mix cake mix and brown sugar in bowl. Cut in butter until it is crumbly. Sprinkle with chopped nuts.

Bake at 350 for 45 to 50 minutes, until top is golden brown.

Busy Day Pumpkin Dessert

This is a great alternative to traditional pumpkin pie for the holidays and smells heavenly while it's baking. I got this recipe from my friend, Trena in Fergus Falls. I love getting to see her when we go back for Annual Conventions. This recipe makes me think of her and maybe that's why I like it even more. :o)

30 oz can of complete pumpkin pie filling
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
12 oz can of evaporated milk
1 box of yellow cake mix
1 cup melted butter
1 cup chopped pecans


Heat oven to 350. Mix first four ingredients and pour into greased 9x13 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over the pumpkin. Drizzle melted butter over the cake mix and top with pecans. Bake 60-75 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.


Serve warm or cold with ice cream or whipped cream.

Streusel-Topped Pumpkin Pie

Zack, Andy and I love pumpkin pie. This one is our favorite. I make it every Thanksgiving and perhaps for Christmas. One year, Zack requested it for his birthday (in April).


1 (15oz) can pumpkin
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 egg
1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp each ginger, nutmeg, and salt
1 graham cracker crust
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 Tbsp flour
2 Tbsp cold butter or margarine
3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat oven to 425. Combine pumpkin, condensed milk, egg, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt. Mix well. Pour into crust.

2. Bake 15 minutes. Reduce oven to 350.

3. Combine sugar, flour and remaining 1/2 tsp cinnamon; cut in butter until crumbly. Stir in nuts. Sprinkle strusel mixture over pie.

4. Bake 40 minutes or until set. Serve warm, or at room temperature. Refridgerate leftovers.

Cranberry Sauce

While we lived in Fergus Falls, we spent a Thanksgiving with our friends the Undseths. Lois made this wonderful cranberry sauce that I have made every Thanksgiving and Christmas since.

12 oz fresh cranberries

1 1/2 cups sugar

1/3 cup fresh orange juice

1/3 cup cranberry juice

finely grated zest of one orange

3/4 cup dried cherries or cran-cherries

Pick through cranberries. Rinse and drain well. Combine cranberries, sugar, juices and zest. Place over medium heat. Boil slowly until berries burst, about 10 minutes. Skim foam off surface with metal spoon. Stir in cherries. Let cool to room temperature. Cover and refridgerate. Will last up to one month.

Southern Peach Yam Bake

This is one of the BEST Thanksgiving recipes I have ever had or made. It's pretty sweet, so it's more like a dessert you get to eat for dinner. :o) Sometimes I think it is even better than pumpkin pie.

2 large cans yams, drained well
1 large can peaches, drained well

Pour into glass baking dish.

1/2 cup brown sugar
3 tbsp flour
1/2 tsp nutmeg
2 tbsp butter
1/2 cup chopped pecans (or walnuts)

Mix first 3 ingredients. Cut in butter. Add nuts. Sprinkle over yams and peaches.

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes.


Remove from oven and turn to broil.


Sprinkle top with 1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows.


Broil until marshmallows are a light golden brown.