Mini Cherry Crisp Pies: Farewell Summer

Mini Cherry Crisp Pies 

Hi everybody :)

Summer is almost over and Fall is very near, YES :) This recipe is my celebration to the end of the sunny days, until we meet again Summer... Farewell. 
Since I had so many views on the Mini Peach Cobblers ,  I decided to make another mini dessert, Mini Cherry Crisp Pies. These little pies have a flaky buttery bottom crust, a crunchy topping, with a sweet and tart goodness in the middle. 

I wanted the taste of a crispy crunchy topping like in the Cinnamon Apple Crisp but with a buttery flaky crust like in the Praline Liqueur Pecan Pie, so I came up with a combination of both. Let's get it started... 

What I did...
 
Mini Cherry Crisp Pies 

Filling:
 4  cups sweet cherries, pitted 
1/2 cup Cherry Berry Blend (a mixture of dried cherries, blueberries, and cranberries)
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/8 teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

Topping:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (about 2 1/4 ounces)
1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons chilled butter, cut into small pieces
1/3 cup sliced almonds or pecans

Pastry:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening, chilled
1/3 cup unsalted butter, chilled; cut into small pieces
5 to 7 tablespoons cold water  

To Prepare the Pastry:
In a large bowl, combine flour and salt; cut in shortening and butter until crumbly. Gradually add cold water, tossing with a fork until a ball forms. Divide pastry in thirds. On a lightly floured surface, roll out ball to fit three 8 - 9 oz ceramic ramekins baking dishes. Transfer pastry to baking dishes; trim even the edges. 

Add filling. Roll out remaining pastry;

Preheat oven to 375°.

To Prepare the Filling: 
Combine cherries, 1/3 cup granulated sugar, cornstarch, juice, almond extract, and salt in a large bowl; toss gently. Spoon cherry mixture into  pastry shells.

To Prepare Topping: 
Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, brown sugar, and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl, stirring with a whisk. Cut in chilled butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in sliced almonds. 

Sprinkle oat mixture evenly over cherry mixture.

Bake at 375° for 45 minutes or until filling is bubbly and topping is crisp. Let stand 5 minutes; serve warm.

What I Think:
The Taste:
I love the sweet/tart balance of the cherry filling. The dried sour cherries and the cranberries help offset the sweetness of the others cherries just right. The dried blueberries added a  nice touch too.  Like I mention before the topping and the crust were AMAZING!!! REPEAT AS OFTEN AS POSSIBLE!
ENJOY! Come again...
 
Linked to: 
From the Farm Blog Hop
The Better Baker Weekend Potluck

Scrumptious Sunday Recipe Link Party  @ Addicted Recipes

Marvelous Mondays @ This Gal Cooks 
Mop Up Mondays - I Should be Mopping the Floor
The Chicken Chick: Clever Chicks Blog Hop
Flour Me With Love: Mix it up Monday! 
Melt In Your Mouth Monday @ Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms  
Titus 2 Tuesday 
Two Cup Tuesday No. 36 
Time to Sparkle!  
Tuesday-Talent-Show:  Chef In Training
Zentmrs: Tuesday Table
Wednesday Whatsits 
Wake-Up Wednesday 

Mini Peach Cobblers: Sweet Georgia Pride

Mini Peach Cobblers: Sweet Georgia Pride

Hi everybody :)

As you may know August is Peach Month, and since we Georgians pride ourselves on our peaches and are well- known for our peach cobblers, this recipe is so fitting for the occasion. 

I so love baking in large batches, but I have such a small family with a member or two MIA (missing in action) more often than not.  I'm starting to rethink my baking habits. I spotted this recipe for Southern Peach Cobbler on Allrecipes, and made a few changes and adjustments here and there to make mini cobblers. Here's what I did...

Mini Peach Cobblers
Filling:
6 fresh peaches - peeled, pitted and sliced into wedges (Ga. grown; of course)
2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 1/2 tablespoons Peach Schnapps (optional)
Crust:
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tablespoons white sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces
1/4 cup boiling water
Topping:
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
   
In a large bowl, combine the filling ingredients.  Toss to coat evenly, mashing slightly.  Cover, refrigerate, and let sit for about 2 - 3 hours. (This will allow the peaches to release more juice and the flavors to blend.)
Pour into three 8 ounces ceramic ramekin baking dishes. Bake in preheated oven for 10 minutes. (filling will start to thicken)

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients for the crust. Blend in butter with your fingertips, or a pastry blender, until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in water until just combined. (The hot water will start to melt the butter somewhat.)

Remove peaches from oven and drop spoonfuls of topping over them. Sprinkle cobblers with the sugar and cinnamon mixture. 

Bake until topping is golden, about 15 - 20 minutes. (It took me 18 minutes.)

What I Think:
The cobblers were delicious; spiced just right!! The smell of them baking was amazing. These are surely going on the REPEAT list :)   
BTW: a small bit of advice, if your are going to make the recipe as stated on Allrecipes, I would double the crust by 1/2 ( using 1 1/2 cup flour, 9 tablespoons butter, leaving the baking powder, salt as is;  and sweeten with sugars to taste  and 1/4 plus 2 Tbsp. water .)

ENJOY! Come again... 
Linked to: 



From the Farm Blog Hop
Show Case Your Talent  @What's Cooking Love
Show and Share Wednesday Semi-Homemade Mom 
Full Plate Thursday @ Miz Helen's Country Cottage
Food-Tastic Fridays @ Not Your Ordinary Recipes
Foodie Fridays @ Designs By Gollum 
Friday Food Frenzy 823 
The Country Cook:: Weekend Potluck 
Melt In Your Mouth Monday @ Make Ahead Meals for Busy Moms 
Flour Me With Love: Mix it up Monday!
Mop Up Mondays - I Should be Mopping the Floor  
Marvelous Mondays @ This Gal Cooks
Skip To My Lou: Made by you Monday
Wake Up Wednesdays 
 Two Girls and a Party Link Up 32
               

Sweet Potato Pie with Caramel Streusel Topping

Sweet Potato Pie with Caramel Streusel Topping

Hi everybody :)

Come join Love the Pie with Tidy Mom  sponsored by Whirlpool and enter to win a new Whirlpool Range! Hurry contest ends TOMORROW!!

Well, I'm making my second pie for the contest over at  Tidy Mom's blog. The Praline Liqueur Pecan Pie was delicious. 

When I saw the Taste of Home recipe, it was for a pumpkin pie, but I decided to change things up a bit. Hey, I'm a sweet potato girl :) but I'm still warming up to using pumpkin.  Here's what I did...

Sweet Potato Pie with Caramel Streusel Topping  adapted partly Taste of Home Baking, All NEW Edition

Ingredients

1 Pastry for a deep-dish single-crust pie 9 inches (I used Easy-As-Pie Crust)

For the Sweet Potato Filling: 

2 eggs
2 1/2 cups sweet potato, cooked
1-1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves  

Streusel Topping:  

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon cinnamon 
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup parked brown sugar
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
1/2 cup chopped pecans 
1/2 cup caramel bits
 
Directions:
 
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Line a deep-dish 9-in. pie plate with pastry. Trim pastry to 1/2 in. beyond edge of plate; flute edges and set aside.

For the Sweet Potato Filling
In a bowl, whisk eggs, potatoes, cream, sugars, cinnamon, salt, allspice, nutmeg and cloves. 

Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, make the streusel topping.

For Streusel Topping
Mix flour, oatmeal, cinnamon, salt, nuts, sugar; cut in butter until crumbly. Toss in nuts and bits. Sprinkle generously over pie. (I had about 1/2 cup leftover)

Bake pie 25 minutes longer or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Tent with foil to prevent crust from over-browning. Cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator.

  
What I Think:
IT WAS DELICIOUS!!!! REPEAT! REPEAT! REPEAT!! Since the caramel bits didn't melt I will use caramel topping to drizzle on after baking.

ENJOY! Come again...

Linked to:
4th Annual # Love the Pie Party 
Mop Up Mondays - I Should be Mopping the Floor
Melt In Your Mouth Monday @ Make Ahead Meals for Busy Mom  
Jaime @ Mom's Test Kitchen
The Bulletin Board @ Mrs Happy Homemaker 
Marvelous Mondays @ This Gal Cooks
My Meatless Monday: My Sweet and Savory
An original Belle: Make It Yourself Monday
Sew Can Do - Craftastic Monday Link Up Party
Sumo's Sweet Stuff - Market Yourself Mondays 
Keeping It Simple - Motivate Me Monday Link Party 
The Girl Creative: Just Something I Whipped Up 
Flour Me With Love: Mix it up Monday!
The Chicken Chick: Clever Chicks Blog Hop 

Classic Pecan Pie with a Twist: Praline Liqueur Pecan Pie

Classic Pecan Pie with a Twist: Praline Liqueur Pecan Pie

Praline Liqueur Pecan Pie

Hi everybody

Come join Love the Pie with TidyMom  sponsored by Whirlpool and enter to win a new Whirlpool Range!
 
I wanted to enter this contest over at Tidy Mom's blog. But to my dismay, I DID NOT have a single pie recipe on my blog to submit. So I went to my cookbooks, and this recipe caught my attention. I LOVE pecan pie, plus I have all the ingredients on hand, so pecan pie it is. 

But I wanted to add a special ingredient to the pie, you may have heard of Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Pie, so how about a New Orleans Praline Pecan Liqueur Pecan Pie! Pecan Pie with a Twist!

Classic Pecan Pie adapted Treasury of Christmas Recipes

Makes 8 servings
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 55 minutes, plus cooling

Ingredients:

 
 













3 eggs
1 cup sugar (I used 1/2 cup brown + 1/3 cup granulated sugar)
1 cup KARO Light or Dark Corn Syrup
2 tablespoons MAZOLA® Margarine melted (I used Land of Lakes Butter)
1 teaspoon vanilla (I used vanilla bean paste)
1 1/2 cups pecan halves (I used 2 1/4 cup pecan)
2 tablespoons New Orleans Praline Pecan Liqueur (The Twist), optional
Easy-As-Pie Crust (recipe follows)

Preheat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl beat eggs slightly. Add sugar(s), corn syrup, margarine and vanilla; stir until well blended. (with the liqueur added)

Stir in pecans. Pour into pie crust. Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Cool on wire rack.

Easy-As-Pie Crust
Makes 1 (9 inch) pie crust
Preparation Time: 15 minutes 

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 CUP MAZOLA® Margarine (I used Land of Lakes Butter) 
2 tablespoons cold water

In medium bowl mix flour and salt With pastry blender or 2 knives cut in margarine until mixture resembles fine crumbs. 

   (I grated the butter into the flour and salt and place in freezer for 1 hour)

Sprinkle water over flour mixture while tossing with fork to blend well.  Press dough firmly into ball. On lightly floured surface roll out to 12-inch circle. Fit loosely into 9-inch pie plate. 

   (I doubled the recipe to make 2 crusts, one for later)

Trim and flute edge. Fill and bake according to recipe.   The Unbaked Pie

 The Baked Pie 

What I Did and/or Think:
The changes I made are in Italic & Purple.I added extra nuts, because I always love my pecan pie extra nutty. I made an all-butter crust and kept all the ingredient for it COLD by freezing them for about an hour.

The Taste: MMMMMmmmm DELICIOUS! Pecan Pie is a tradition in my household, but this is the first time I ever considered adding a liqueur to the ingredients. I love the flavor it added to the filling. The filling wasn't overly sweet either. The crust; buttery and flaky, perfect. It's a REPEAT!

ENJOY! Come again...

Linked to:
4th Annual # Love the Pie Party 
What's Cooking Wednesday @ Confessions of an Overworked Mom
Cast Party Wednesday-Lady Behind the Curtain
Bizzy Bake Recipe Box 
Whatcha' Whipped Up Wednesday @ DJ's Sugar Shack 
Whatever Goes Wednesday @ Someday Crafts  
{Wow Me Wednesday} @Ginger Snap Crafts 
Wednesdays Adorned From Above
Sew Much Ado - We Did It Wednesday   
Rae Gun Ramblings - What We Wore, Read, and Made Link Party   
Savvy Southern Style - Wow Us Wednesdays
What I Whipped Up Wednesday @ Sugar and Dots  
Sugar & Spice and Everything Nice @Seven Thirty Three 
The Mandatory Mooch Tasty Thursday
Katherine Martinelli: Thanksgiving Blog Hop

Cinnamon Apple Crisp: Three Days 'til Fall

Cinnamon Apple Crisp: Three Days 'til Fall

Hi everybody :)

Did you know in three more days Fall will be HERE!

Hooray, Hooray FALL IS NEAR!

I guess if you didn't know it before, you know now, that fall is my favorite time of year. I even wrote a poem about it here

I know you all didn't come here to hear me go on and on about how I love Fall; so let's get on to the recipe; which by the way is perfect for Fall :)

Okay, okay.... today's recipe is all about apples, I know I've been posting a lot of apple recipes lately, but I've have a feeling you're going to looovvvvve  this one.

Apple Crisp is my favorite Fall dessert, maybe after you taste this one, it will become yours too. Let's get it started....


Apple Crisp adapted partly Taste of Home: Baking

Ingredients:

Filling:

8 cups sliced peeled tart apples (I used Ganny Smith and Golden Delicious)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (I used cinnamon extract, 1/4 teaspoon) here
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup apple cider
2 tablespoons cornstarch (not shown in picture)
1/4 teaspoon apple pie spice
1/4 cup caramel bits
2 tablespoon butter, cut into pieces (not shown in picture)

Topping:

1/2 cup quick-cooking oats (I used 3/4 cup  old fashioned)
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I used 3/4 cup)
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (I used 3/4 cup)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
3 tablespoons cold butter (I used 5 tablespoons)
Vanilla ice cream, optional
Caramel Ice Cream Topping, optional
1/4 cup Toasted Sugared Walnuts, or Walnut Ice Cream instead of Vanilla optional

In a large bowl, toss apple in lemon juice and add the remaining filling ingredients.

Filling Mixture

Pour into a greased 8-in. square baking dish.

In a bowl, combine the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Topping Mixture without Butter

Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Topping Mixture with Butter

Sprinkle over apple mixture.

Crisp before Baking

Bake at 350 for 55-60 minutes or until apples are tender and topping is golden. Place sheet pan on second rack to catch drippings.

Let cool to warm about 1 1/2 -2 hours; served with ice cream and caramel topping if desired.

What I Did and /or Think:

The changes I made are in Italic, as stated above.

For the Sugared Walnuts:
I toasted the walnuts with 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon/sugar, 1 teaspoon butter and pinch salt until fragrant; about 8 - 10 minutes in 350 oven; cool and sprinkle on top of ice cream along with caramel topping.

Sugared Walnuts

The Taste: DDDELICIOUS! REPEAT ALL AROUND!!

ENJOY! Come again.....

Linked to:
Rattlebridge Farms: Foodie Friday 
Tasty Tuesday (Food Only) @ Naptime Creation
Tuesday-Talent-Show:  Chef In Training 
 33 Shades of Green-Tasty Tuesday
 Show Me What You Got Tuesday's at ODH 
 Fall Favorites Link Party