Apple Pie – My Oh My!

I love pie and this is a wonderful time of year for apple pie, as the fruit is abundant and in season.

This recipe includes just a few ingredients and doesn’t take too long to put together. Prep time is about 20 minutes or less. The pie will bake for 50 – 60 minutes depending on your oven (convection ovens will bake more quickly).

I confess upfront, however, that I am not much of a pie pastry maker. I can make my own pie shells and tops, but I often cheat and use store-bought. I have tried many brands and types and I really like the combination I describe below. Since I lack the skills of a proper French pastry chef, I think this combination tastes about the same as my homemade version.

(A note on brands, I am not paid or given perks to use, feature or write about any products shown.)

I encourage you to find what works for you!  Use what you like or have on hand or find at your local market!! If your grandma or aunt has an awesome pastry recipe, try it – use it and pass it along!   Continue reading

Chill Out – No Bake Cake

Two days ago, I tried out the Strawberry Icebox Cake Recipe from page 137 of the August 2011 issue of Woman’s Day Magazine.

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You can find an instructional video from Woman’s Day here.

The recipe was easy to follow and came together with relative ease within the suggested timeframe.

My primary hardware used: Cuisinart Prep 9 9 cup food processor; 8 quart Farberware Millenium saucier; Kitchen Aid Ultra Power 5 hand mixer; Baker’s Secret loaf pan.

My review: The dessert cake came out tasty and refreshing.  It was SWEET because the berries I used were quite ripe and the cookies I used were a slightly thicker than the magazine’s photo suggested.  I liked that my end result looked similar to the magazine’s photo.   Continue reading