Swedish Apple Pie - Week 41

An apple pie without the standard crust, 

but has a tasty top crust.

This recipe has been in my stash for many years. The same year we had a bumper crop of pears, we also had a bumper crop of apples.

I thought this recipe was great because I didn't have to spend the time to roll out a crust, but yet it was still pie! 

I think you'll enjoy this great time-saver recipe too!

Ingredients:
6 cups peeled, sliced tart apples
1 cup plus 1 T. sugar
1 t. cinnamon
½ cup butter, softened
1 t. cinnamon
½ butter, softened
1 egg
1 cup flour




Directions:
Place apples in bottom of greased pie plate. Sprinkle with 1 T. sugar and cinnamon. In small mixer bowl, mix well remaining sugar, and butter. Beat in egg. Stir in flour. Spread over apples. Bake for 45 minutes or until apples are tender.

What is your favorite time-saver in the kitchen

and still get the homemade taste in your kitchen?

Caramel Pear Pie - Week 37

Simple caramel sauce brings another dimension to an already delicious pear pie.
Years ago, we once had a pear tree in our yard that yielded a massive harvest one year. I didn't know what I could do with all of those pears. Someone recommended a pie, so I tried it and we loved it!

Unfortunately, I also remember that our local fly population loved the sticky pears that we couldn't reach in our tree. Our children had a swing set and slide combo that were off limits because of the sticky pear goo and flies that had taken over our backyard that fall. But those pears sure made great pies!

This year, I went to the store to buy pears to make my pie. They can easily be found during fall harvest season, and are the tastiest at that time.

With the addition of a caramel sauce and an oat crumb topping. I think you'll enjoy this pear pie too. 

Ingredients:
1 bottom pie crust
5 pears, peeled and sliced
½ cup butter
3 T. flour
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
1/3 cup water
½ t. cinnamon
1 t. salt
3 T. butter, melted
1/3 c. flour
1/3 c. oats
1/3 c. brown sugar
¼ t. cinnamon

Directions:
Place pears inside bottom of crust
Melt ½ cup butter in a saucepan and slowly mix the 3 tablespoons of flour in one T. at a time. Once the mixture is thickened, add in the the ½ c. sugar, ½ c. brown sugar, ½ t. cinnamon, water and salt. Melt the mixture and stir over the stove until its caramelized thickens into a sauce.

Pour caramel sauce over pears.

Mix melted butter, 1/3 cup flour, 1/3 cup oats, 1/3 cup brown sugar and ¼ t. cinnamon in a small bowl.

Place the crumble mixture over the pear & caramel sauce covering it completely.

Bake for 60 minutes at 375 degrees.

Do you have any memories from a bountiful tree?

Italian Spaghetti Squash Pie - Week 36 Bonus

Creative crusts can stretch the definition of pie.

Many have enjoyed  the tastiness of spaghetti pie. If you haven't tried it yet, here's a great basic recipe to try. This substitutes a vegetable for the pasta making it a great healthy dish to feed the family. It also utilizes fresh tomatoes to make it a late summer favorite to use some of you garden fresh tomatoes. You can substitute canned tomatoes or even a favorite pasta sauce if you prefer.

Spaghetti squash is also known as the vegetable spaghetti. You could substitute for pasta in many dishes. It take a little bit of prep to get it ready, but it is easy to do and adds variety to your menu.

This particular recipe actually uses half a squash and serves 6 (small servings), so if you like leftovers you should double up and fix both halves at the same time.

Ingredients:

1/2 medium uncooked spaghetti squash

1⁄2 pound pork sausage

1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic minced
5 tomatoes, peeled & diced (or 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes)
1 t. Italian seasoning (to taste)

12 oz. cottage cheese

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese

1 egg

1/2 cup shredded cheese, your choice

Directions:
Halve squash lengthwise and scoop out seeds. Place squash, cut side down and bake for 30-40 minutes at 350 degrees in a large baking dish.

Meanwhile brown sausage and drain. Add onion & garlic and saute until onion is tender. Stir in tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Season to taste and simmer for 10 minutes.

In a separate bowl, mix cottage cheese, Parmesan cheese, and egg together.

Remove squash from oven, and with a fork remove the squash in strands. Press any extra liquid from squash.

Arrange squash strands in a greased 9” pie plate. Spread cottage cheese mixture over squash. Pour tomato sausage sauce over cottage cheese mixture, and sprinkle with cheese. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing into 6 slices.

What other ways would you like to serve spaghetti squash for your family?

Peach Custard Pie - Week 36

A great way to introduce Greek yogurt to your diet with tasty fresh peaches.

In the early fall when fresh tasty peaches hit the produces shelves, it is a great time to enjoy them for dessert. This recipe helps with the guilt by incorporating healthy Greek yogurt in its recipe. In the past few years, Greek yogurt has increased in popularity for its added health benefits.  Greek yogurt is strained which removes some of the milk, sugar, and lactose. Along with calcium and the live bacterial cultures that are also found in regular yogurt, it also contains a high dose of protein.  

However with the tangy taste of Greek yogurt, it may take some getting used to; this is pie is a good way to introduce Greek yogurt to your family.

This also uses a tasty pretzel crust that blends well with the sweet goodness of fresh peaches.

Ingredients (Crust):

1-1/2 cups crushed pretzels

1/3 c. sugar

½ c. butter, melted

Ingredients (Filling):

1 cup sugar

¾ c. milk

¾ cup plain Greek yogurt (6 oz.)

2 eggs

2 T. flour 

2 t. cornstarch

1 t. vanilla

1/2 t. salt

(6 oz.) 2 cups sliced peaches, peeled                        

Directions (crust):

Mix crushed pretzels, sugar and butter together.

Place in a pie plate as desired. Bake for 8 minutes at 375 degrees.

Directions (Filling):

Combine sugar, milk, yogurt, eggs, flour, cornstarch, vanilla, and salt. Whisk until smooth.

Arrange peaches in crust and pour the filling on top.

Bake for 40 minutes at 375 degrees.

There are many recipes that substitute Greek yogurt for cream. 

Do you have a favorite recipe that you have tried?