Tag: Apples

Grandma’s Apple Pie

Grandma’s Apple Pie

by Andi Cohen-Rabiner ♥ 2 Comments

A Recipe from Grandma Jones’ recipe box & my Bridal Shower Cookbook

About the Recipe

My grandma was the wife of a doctor. As such, she knew how to host! When we went to holidays at her house growing up, there were a few things that you could depend on – a fantastic table setting, my Zaydee (grandpa) taking photos every 5 minutes, my father and his sister fighting over the best parts of the turkey, and grandma’s apple pie.

I truly believe that my love of baking came from years and years of getting to her house, putting on an apron, and getting floury in the kitchen with this pie and this pie crust. Making it each Thanksgiving for my family and friends has become a ritual that I hope to pass on some day as well.

I’ve made some small filling adjustments over the years. I soak raisins in whiskey or bourbon and pour them and the soaking liquor into the filling. I’ve added ground clove and other spices here and there. But the core of the pie – apples, cinnamon, sugar, nutmeg – is classic and delicious.

For more of my family recipes, click here!

About the Cookbook

This book is not old in and of itself, but it is filled with old family and friend recipes. For my bridal shower, my cousin Becky (yes, the same Becky from A Weekend at Becky’s) compiled this book full of them. There are recipes from folks no longer with us, and recipes that traveled halfway across the world. I will always treasure this very special book. But, sadly, there’s only one.

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

Pie crust:
2 sticks of butter
2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup, or a little more *ice* water

Filling:
6-8 apples, peeled & cut up
cinnamon
sugar
raisins (if you want)
dash of nutmeg

Directions:

Add butter to flour, break up into small pieces. Add water to form a ball. Refrigerate for 1 hour+.

Remove to flour surface, divide in 2, and roll out! Line pie tin with bottom crust.

Peel and cut the apples. Add cinnamon, a little sugar. You can add raisins if you want. A dash of nutmeg.

Add to bottom crust. Top with other half of crust rolled out. Poke holes in the top & bake at 400* for about an hour.

Waldorf Salad Pie

Waldorf Salad Pie

by Andi Cohen-Rabiner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

A Recipe from Pillsbury’s Bake Off Cook Book prize winning recipes from the 21st Bake Off (1970)

About the Recipe

If you’re a fan of apple pie, but prefer something a little more savory than the traditional (or really want to impress some friends) than this is the apple pie recipe for you! One bite of this tender pie and you understand why Mrs. Anne Atkinson of Canton, OH won the runner up prize for it.

As good as the pie on the whole is, as always a great pie is driven by a great crust, and this one is really good. The added egg gives a little bit more structure and crunch to the pie overall. It would work well for a quiche or tart as well.

For more recipes in the Pillsbury Challenge, click here!

About the book

As we turn the page into a new decade, the contest becomes more exciting. The forward expresses a rigorous testing and is by the Editor this time around. Also of note – Bob Barker hosted the rewards luncheon pre-Price-Is-Right days!

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

2 cups flour
1 T sugar
1 t salt
2/3 cup solid shortening
1/4 cup cold water
1 egg
2 T butter or margarine if desired

Filling:
1-2 cups (1-2 medium) sliced cooking apples
1 cup (8.5 oz can) drained, crushed pineapple
3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup (1 small stalk) chopped celery
1/3 cup raisins
1/4 cup chopped nuts
2 T flour

Directions:

Prepare filling; set aside. (No need to sift flour; measure by lightly spooning into cup and leveling off.)

In large mixing bowl, combine flour with sugar and salt. Cut in shortening until crumbly. Combine water with egg; add to flour mixture, stirring lightly with fork until dough holds together. Divide dough in half. Roll out 1/2 of dough on floured surface to a circle 1″ larger than inverted 9-inch pie pan. Fit loosely into pan.

Pour filling into unbaked bottom crust. If desired, dot with butter. Roll out remaining dough for top crust; cut slits for steam to escape. Place top crust over Filling. Fold top crust under bottom crust. Seal; flute edge.

Bake at 400*F for 30-35 minutes until light golden brown. Serve warm or cold.

Filling:
In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Mix well.

Betty Browns

Betty Browns

by Andi Cohen-Rabiner ♥ 3 Comments

A Recipe from Bake-Off Cook Book From the 19th annual Bake Off (1968)

About the Recipe

Imagine brownies – but apple cinnamon flavored. That’s what you get with this yummy dessert. There’s not a ton of direction in this recipe, but I used the regular baking rules – cream the butter and sugar, add the egg, sift together dry ingredients, add dry to wet – and it seemed to work well.

I didn’t quite get the dry crumb in the picture. As a matter of fact, these are super moist. I would almost leave them in the pan and eat them like brownies rather than cutting them into bars in the future. I definitely agree with the note – having these warm with a small scoop of vanilla is delightful!

For more recipes in the Pillsbury Challenge, click here!

About the book

Year 19 of the Bake Off is notable as the divisions expanded from just junior and senior into something a little more “modern” – Flour, Convenience Mix, and Refrigerated Fresh Dough – representing “the latest trends in cooking methods, eating habits, and even tastes.” And representing for me personally increased challenge in finding the exact pre-fabricated ingredients being asked for in a lot of these recipes.

That said, these definitely start to skew toward a much simpler cook. This recipe I threw together in 10 minutes before it went into the oven. Lovely!

About the glassware

I don’t get to use this Pink Daisy Divided Dish enough! I got my hands on it pre-Mrs. Maisel, and thank goodness because it’s much harder to find now and I really love it.

And a side note – that’s my calico gal, Leia in the photo. Always trying to photo bomb…

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1/2 c butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 cup flour
1/2 t soda
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1 t cinnamon
2 cups thinly sliced or finely chopped peeled apples
1/2 cup chopped walnuts

Directions:

In large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients except apples and nuts.** Mix in apples and nuts. Spread batter into greased 9″ square pan. Bake at 350* for 35-40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool. Cut into bars.

**Not in the original recipe, but follow normal baking rules: Cream butter and sugar. Add egg. Sift together dry ingredients and add gradually to wet ingredients.

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Sweet Applets

Sweet Applets

by Andi Cohen-Rabiner ♥ 0 Leave a Comment

A Recipe from From Pillsbury’s 15th Grand National – 100 NEW Bake-Off Recipes (1964)

About the Recipe

Just as every great banana bread recipe is mostly banana, this totally scrumptious take on an apple muffin is mostly apple. The result of the recipe and the insane amount of shredded apple is a super moist, tender crumb nestled under a slightly crunchy top. YUM! 10/10 this recipe is going right into breakfast rotation!

For more recipes in the Pillsbury Challenge, click here!

About the book

Yet again we’re getting a lovely progression of easy recipes that all look stunningly delicious. The ’60s are such a delightful time for home cooking. It’s like everyone decided to start to get adventurous at once. If anyone has any historical context for why this progression happened, I’d love to read more on it. #cookingnerd

About the glassware

I rarely get a chance to use my split-dishes, so it was fun to pull this out of the cupboard. In all truth, the cradle belongs to another dish, but I love the ultra-mod feel of it with these ’60s desserts. The dish itself is a Snack Server or Compass promotional dish from 1959. Is it possible that these Applets have been served in it before?!

The Recipe!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c flour
2 t double-acting baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/2 t nutmeg
1/2 c sugar
1/3 c shortening
1 egg
1/3 c milk
1 1/2 c pared, shredded apple
1/4 c butter, melted
1/2 c sugar
1 t cinnamon

Directions:

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg. Set aside.

Add sugar gradually to shortening, creaming well. Blend in the unbeaten egg; mix well.

Add milk alternately with dry ingredients. Stir in apple.

Fill well-greased muffin cups two-thirds full. Bake at 400*F for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Remove from pan; cool 10 minutes. Dip in melted butter, then roll in mixture of cinnamon and sugar.

Serve warm or cold.