Tennessee cooking in a California Kitchen

 I guess I started cooking at a very young age with my Dad. Anytime he made biscuits he asked me to help. It was fun making biscuits with my Dad and after all of the biscuits were cut with glasses and placed on a baking pan all of the left over dough would be braided together to form what my Dad called a "curly-q" and that would be my special biscuit because I helped make it. I remember being so proud as I ate my special deformed biscuit and I would glance over at Dad who was proud of me for helping make them as well. My father was a special kind of cook, he would just "throw" things in to see what it would taste like. We made so many different kinds of biscuits and I use to love sitting in the kitchen watching him and Mom make all sorts of things. I remember being 17 and my Dad asked me to help make biscuits but I just wanted to watch t.v., he said that he guessed I was all grown up now. I wish he could see me now, and taste the biscuits I make, which I happen to believe are delicious. I think he would be proud. My mother and I swap recipes, and I recently gave her my beer can chicken recipe. I might put that up here later. Anyway enough with the back story, I just wanted you to know how much I love cooking and how special it is for me to share some delicious recipes with you. Hope you enjoy!


COUNTRY GIRL PECAN APPLE PIE


Basic Pie Crust
1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick)  cold unsalted butter cut into small pieces
1 Tbsp white vinegar
2 Tbsp ice cold water


This is a fairly easy pie crust and very basic all you need is a food processor and you will need to make two of these crusts. I have a very small food processor so I had to do this recipe twice but no worries like I said it's pretty basic.


1) In a food processor combine the flour,sugar and salt. Add the butter (remember to cut up into small pieces first) and pulse until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs.


2) Add the vinegar and cold water and pulse until the dough is crumbly and sticks together. Your food processor will tell you when it's done because it will start to slow down and grumble a little. Don't over mix. 


3) Transfer the dough to a piece of plastic wrap that is lightly covered with flour and shape the dough into a 1-inch thick disc wrap tightly and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to 2 days. 


4) Roll out as directed


I have always been a fan of step by step pictures so I will now give you a visual of just how easy this pie crust is to make.




First here is a visual of the ingredients, to obtain the "ice cold water" I simply put a couple of cubes of ice in a glass with water and left it in the refrigerator until I was ready to use it. 

Next simply cut the butter up into small pieces.

Then add the cut butter into your food processor with the flour, sugar and salt.

Pulse away friend, pulse away. 

After you have pulsed to your little hearts content your mixture should resemble coarse crumbs, like so. 

Next add your vinegar and your ice cold water and pulse some more until your mixture now looks like this. DO NOT OVER MIX, you pulse crazy person you.

Finally put a little flour on a little plastic wrap and shape into a 1-inch thick disk then wrap tightly and refrigerate for at LEAST an hour. 

And there ya have it folks, easy pie crust. Made from scratch and will cost a lot less than buying them in the store. Put on an apron and bake!




Country Girl Pecan Apple Pie (cont.)


Mmmm Pie filling...
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
2lbs. Golden delicious apples
2lbs. Granny Smith apples
3/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 Tbsp cornstarch
1 cup Pecan halves
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 large eggs beaten
1 Tbsp raw sugar
1/4 tsp salt


 Now I am not going to lie and tell you this is as fast as the pie crust. No bueno this recipe takes about 2 hours plus cooling time, so you have to be patient and don't eat all of the apples like I almost do. First though there is a little prep, remember you have already made two pie crusts which are chillin in the refrigerator. Next you are going to need to peel all 4 pounds of apples, which in my experience equals about 9 to 12 apples, depending on how big they are. It is useful to have a helper at this point. I enlisted the help of my boyfriend, Andy. After you have peeled all of the apples  slice them to about a half an inch. Now lets start cooking!


1) Melt the butter in a large pan, I used a Wok, set on medium high heat. Add the apples and 3/4 cup dark brown sugar and cook tossing occasionally  until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes. CAUTION THE APPLES WILL LOOK DELICIOUS, REFRAIN FROM EATING THEM!


2) In a small bowl combine the cornstarch and remaining Tbsp of brown sugar. Sprinkle over the apples and cook until thickened about one minute. Remove from heat completely and add the pecans and vanilla extract. Toss occasionally until the apples have cooled to room temperature which in my case took about 40 minutes. 





4.) Next bring out  the other pie crust and again roll out on a floured surface or parchment paper until it forms a 12 inch disc. next cut ovals in the shapes of leaves in the crust (or to make your life easier find some sort of leaf cookie cutter, which I will be doing next time) start 1 inch from the edge and cut 1 row of 4 leaves all the way across. Cut out additional leaves around those at least a 1/2 inch apart (figure to cut out about 22 leaves total). Using a wooden pick score the leaves to look like veins. 


5) Spoon the cooled filling into the crust in the pie plate and carefully place or slide the chilled cutout crust on top. Be careful not to stretch the dough. Fold the top crust under the bottom crust to create a thicker crust seal; crimp as desired.


6) Brush the entire pie  with some of the egg and sprinkle with raw sugar and salt. Brush the underside of the leaf cutouts with the egg and place them gently around the edge of the pie,gently pressing them to adhere. Brush the tops of the leaves with the remaining egg and bake until the crust is golden brown 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool to room temperature before serving. 


Again her is a visual guide to the making of the filling for this delicious apple pie, enjoy.


First make sure you have all of the ingredients listed above

Next peel your apples and get them ready to be sliced. 

After your apples are sliced add them to a large pan with the melted butter and brown sugar.

Cook on med high heat, 8 to 10 minutes until tender and all ooey and gooey looking like this. REFRAIN FROM SNACKING!

Next sprinkle apples with Corn Starch and remaining brown sugar mixture

After the mixture has thickened take off of heat and toss pecans until your apples reach room temp. About 40 minutes.

Next roll your pie crust out and shape it into a 9 inch pie dish

After that roll out your 2nd pie crust and begin cutting leaves into it, saving the cutouts on a side                                      plate for the edges of the pie.

                                                                       MMMM....PIE!

Next put your chilled apple and pecan mixture into your bottom pie crust in the pie dish.

Slide top pie crust on top, trying not to stretch the dough add the leaves brush with egg and sprinle with salt and raw sugar.

Bake for 50-55 minutes, let cool EAT with vanilla ice cream!

Well there ya have it folks. Take some time out of your day and bake something, you will be amazed at how much better you feel! Until we meet again friends, a little on further down the line.

*As much as I would like to take full credit for this recipe , I actually found it in November's issue of Woman's Day. I tweaked it a little to add more of a southern touch, including more butter and brown sugar. I hope you enjoy making it as much as I did, and I am glad I was able to share with you!