Homemade Cherry Pie

HOMEMADE DINER CHERRY PIE
I'm taking time out of my super busy morning of listening to the warrior narrate the Peter Pan movie to bring you this delicious Cherry Pie recipe!

Life has taken a few major turns for my family over the last month so on top of now being a mom to 4 kids rather than just 2 and the fact that my computer decided to allow itself to be a victim of hackers and my iphone dying a slow painful death...I've been tech-free and busy for the last month. Thus no princess and warrior treats for you...sorry! The recipes have been written and the food has been baked and the belly's have been full and the pictures have been taken, I just haven't had a chance to share them with you. And now that I am back to the current decade of technology again and 3 of the 4 kids are at school...I'm visiting you, my dear friends!

There are several really good recipes that I can't wait to share with you but this one was on my mind since our last vacation. Last week when we were traveling, we ran across a Classic American Diner in a sophisticated lively downtown area. Superman and I were both intrigued and knew this would be a fun change up from our typical choices. Where can you go wrong with breakfast at 8:00pm, burgers, fries and milkshakes! It was too late, I wasn't going to have pie, but don't diners just make you think of pie? I think so! And I'm sure that their pie would be delish! But I'm not a canned pie filling girl. I like fresh cherries and not a lot of that gooey food coloring stuff. This was some good pie!

HOMEMADE DINER CHERRY PIE

Filling
6-7 cup fresh cherry's (I used Bing)
1/2 cup water
2 Tbl lemon juice
1 cup sugar
4 Tbl corn starch
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Heat oven to 350. Prepare double pie crust, either store bought or homemade. In a medium saucepan over medium heat add pitted cherries, lemon juice and sugar. In a small bowl stir the cornstarch into the water and stir until the cornstarch is dissolved then pour into the cherry mixture. Allow the mixture to come to a boil and the reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in almond extract and vanilla. Pour the cherries into the bottom crust and top with top crust. Loosely lay a piece of foil over the top of the crust and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Top with vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

Warmly,
Mary

Carmel Cream Cheese Cup

Today is our first snow day! We are in the second day of November and have had a beautiful fall. As most of you know, I am a summer kind of gal, but there are good reasons to be excited about the first snow fall of the year...snuggling by the fire, cinnamon rolls and chili...just to name a couple! This recipe is another reason to get excited! It's a combination of a couple of my pastry faves - cinnamon rolls and cream cheese danish rolls. They are pretty wonderful, especially dipped in your favorite coffee!

CARMEL CREAM CHEESE CUPS

The Dough:
4 cups flour
1 pkg yeast
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 egg, beaten

1/4 cup butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp cinnamon

In a small sauce pan warm milk until steamy but not boiling. Remove from heat and allow to set 10 - 15 minutes. Stir in yeast and sugar and let set for 5 minutes. Stir in butter, salt and egg. Add flour one cup at a time dough is easy to handle. Knead dough on lightly floured surface for 5 minutes. Place in an oiled bowl, cover and set in a warm place to rise until doubled 1 to 1 1/2 hours.

Heat oven to 400. Grease a muffin tin and set aside. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface. Roll into a large rectangle and brush with melted butter, and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Cut into 12 equal sized squares and form into the muffin tin cups. Set aside. Bake for 20 minutes, remove from the oven and set aside.

The Cream Cheese Filling:
1 1/2 pkg cream cheese, room temp
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1 jar caramel ice cream topping
1 cup walnuts, chopped

Reduce oven to 350. In a small bowl beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Spoon into roll cups. Spoon 1 Tbl caramel topping over each cup and sprinkle with nuts. Bake for 20 more minutes.

Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by Red Star Yeast.

Enjoy!

Warmly,
Mary

Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes

I am so excited to begin posting my Holiday Recipes. I usually make the same Thanksgiving and Christmas feast every year. Basically because they have already been perfected and are delicious! But also because everyone in the family is all about traditions and if I did try to change it up, they’d have my head!

I have the best Holiday memories as a child! They all involve spending time with family. When I was a little girl we would go to my grandparent’s farm in central Nebraska. There was always snow, Christmas music, decorations and lights, fun and games, lots of laughter, snow angels and forts, long walks in the cold, sitting by the fire, bedtime stories and goodies and lots and lots of amazing food! The house was full of aunts, uncles, cousins, siblings, parents, grandparents and neighbors. My grandmother always presented an amazing feast on a lovely formal set table. I still don’t know how one woman did it all!

The memories we make today aren’t the same, but just as precious! Superman and I both go crazy over the Holidays and love creating a magical experience for our little family! With keeping in mind the real reason we celebrate both Thanksgiving and Christmas!

Ah, sweet potatoes….you either love ‘em or you hate ‘em. In our family it’s pretty much divided evenly…well, especially if you open a can throw them in a dish with butter brown sugar and marshmallows. But since I have been making these lovely Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes, I’m seeing more converts!  Sweet Potatoes are healthy for you and very flavorful…give these a good try!

TWICE BAKED SWEET POTATOES

(6 – 8 servings)

4 small – medium sweet potatoes, washed and dried

1 cup sour cream, I use fat free

1/3 cup pure maple syrup

1 tsp cinnamon

Handful pecans (optional)

Handful mini-marshmallows (optional)

Heat oven to 400. Poke the sweet potatoes with a fork a couple of times and then set on the rack in the oven and bake for 1 hr. When done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool enough for you to cut them in half length-wise and scoop out the sweet potato goodness while leaving the skin in tact. In a small bowl combine the sweet potato insides, the sour cream, maple syrup and cinnamon. Spoon or pipe into the hallowed potato skins and top with pecan or marshmallow and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 10 15 minutes or until the pecan or marshmallows are golden brown.

Enjoy!

“Come join the fun at the My Baking Addiction and GoodLife Eats Holiday Recipe Swap sponsored by OXO.”

Warmly, 

Mary

Chicken Enchilladas

WARNING: Your skinny jeans will not fit the day after eating these! But they are so good!
If you're not familiar with chilies...don't let the green chilies scare you away...they are not hot at all...they just provide a nice little kick. My 3 year old Princess and 5 year old Warrior eat these up like crazy!

Mine are served up with cilantro rice, re-fried beans, sour cream, guacamole, and balsamic reduction.

CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
3 cups cooked chicken, chopped
2 cups Monterrey Jack cheese, shredded
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup milk
1 cup sour cream
4 oz cream cheese, room temp
12 small flour tortillas
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 - 7oz can green chilies
1 tsp paprika
2 Tbl butter
2 Tbl flour

Heat oven to 350. In a medium saucepan add butter and flour and cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes. Whisk in chicken broth and milk. Allow to thicken slightly, turn heat off and add green chilies and paprika. Set aside.
In a medium bowl combine chicken, chopped onion, cream cheese, 1/2 cup of the cheese and 1 cup of the sauce. Mix well. Stir the sour cream into the remaining sauce.
Scoop 1/4 cup chicken mixture on top each tortilla and roll closed. Place the sealed side down in a 9x13 pan.  Pour the sauce over the enchiladas. Sprinkle whith the remaining cheese and bake for 30 minutes.

I'm just going to be honest with you...loosen your belt and enjoy!

Warmly,
Mary

Pumpkin Bars with Cinnamon Browned Butter Frosting

The best Pumpkin bars ya every had? Yep, right here! The cinnamon browned butter cream cheese frosting takes the cake! If you never ate frosting by the spoonful yet, you will today! You're not seeking for a hint of pumpkin flavor, their bursting with it! Plus their moist and soft. And did I mention the frosting? Oh, I did? Well...it's...let's just say... OH MY! These babies are good!

PUMPKIN BARS

1 15 oz can pumpkin puree

2 cup flour

1 ½ cup sugar

¾ cup oil

4 eggs

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp ginger

½ tsp nutmeg

¼ tsp allspice

¼ tsp cloves

Cinnamon Browned Butter Frosting

½ cup butter

1 8oz pkg cream cheese

3 – 4 cups powdered sugar 

1 tsp cinnamon

Heat oven 350. In a small bowl combine flour, soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. In a another bowl, whisk eggs, oil, sugar and pumpkin and mix well. Add dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix until well combined. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake about 30 minutes.

Now for the amazing frosting! In a saucepan melt butter over medium heat. Continue to let butter cook until golden brown and a light nutty aroma. Allow to cool. Once it’s about room temp, beat with cream cheese, cinnamon and powdered sugar and spread over cooled bars. Refrigerate for easier cutting.

Enjoy!

Warmly, 

Mary

Spinach Artichoke Quiche

Pictures are awful...Recipe is divine!


One of my favorite party foods is spinach artichoke dip. Especially my sweet friend Kendra's recipe! But can you eat it for breakfast? Sure...in Quiche! Genius! Why I haven't seen it before? It's amazing! Go ahead...give it a try!

SPINACH ARTICHOKE QUICHE

1 prepared pie crust
9 oz frozen spinach, thawed and juice squeezed from it
1 can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
5 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
1/4 cup feta cheese
1/2 cup swiss cheese, chopped or shredded
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 glove garlic, miced

Heat oven to 350. Evenly spread spinach, artichokes, cheeses and garlic in the prepared pie crust. In a medium bowl whisk eggs and milk. Pour into pie crust. Loosely cover the quiche with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for an additional 15 minutes or until eggs are completely cooked.
Slice, serve and enjoy!

warmly,
Mary

Frosted Sugar Cookies

Everyone needs a good go-to sugar cookie recipe! Especially with Christmas around the corner. I made these star cookies as part of the Warriors Super Mario Birthday Party. In half of them I baked them with a lollipop stick and used them as toppers for the cupcakes! They turned out super cute!

FROSTED SUGAR COOKIES

3 cup flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 Tbl Vanilla
1 Tbl baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

In a large mixing bowl cream butter, sugar and vanilla until light and fluffy. Add eggs and beat well, scrape the sides and the bottom of the bowl to make sure they get mixed in well. Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix well. Divide the dough into 4 equal pieces, cover and chill in the refrigerator. I like to chill my dough before working with it, it makes it easier. I usually make the dough the night before and bake it the next day.

Heat oven to 350. flour a clean working space and flatten one of the cookie dough balls onto the surface. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough about 1/4" think. cut into desired shapes and bake on a cookie sheet for about 10 minutes depending on the size of the cookie.

FROSTING
4 cups  powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter, room temp
5 - 7 Tbl milk
1 Tbl vanilla
food coloring

In a large mixing bowl cream butter. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla and one Tbl of milk at a time. For a piping consistency make the frosting a slightly thinner with more milk. For a spreading consistency make the frosting slightly thicker with less milk. Frost cooled cookies.

Enjoy!

Warmly,
Mary