Great Grandma's Peach Pie

Apple trees, sour cherry trees, Nan king cherry trees and plum trees but nary a peach tree. The first shipment of fresh peaches in from out of state were a real treat when I was growing up.  Of all my favorite fruit, peaches are topped at number one!

Over the years I have seen peaches prepared in numerous ways, but never have I seen a duplicate of this recipe. Passed down from my Great Grandmother, this is one of those recipes that can be made all year round.  Using fresh, frozen or canned peaches, this is a pie that will definitely become a family favorite and be used again and again in the years to come.

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Unbaked Pie Shell
• 4 Eggs Separated
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Melted Butter
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• Peach Slices Fresh, Frozen (Thawed), or Can (Drained)
• 2 Tablespoons Powdered Sugar

DIRECTIONS:

1. Arrange peaches on bottom of unbaked pie shell (DO NOT fill past half way)
2. Mix egg yolks, sugar, butter, and flour
3. Pour over peaches
4. Bake 350º Fahrenheit for 50 minutes

Start the Meringue about 5 Minutes before baking time is up

To Make Meringue – Beat egg whites until foamy, gradually add powdered sugar and continue beating until stiff peaks form

Cover entire pie with the Meringue and return to oven to bake until top is golden brown.

Remove from oven and let pie sit and cool completely

Chill, serve and enjoy!

Until next time,

Happy Baking!

Apples were a main staple of my diet growing up. With four apple trees in the yard and my mom being a firm believer in ‘waste not, want not’ apples were never in short supply.

I remember the wonderful smell of apple blossoms filling our yard and eating the small, tart apples as soon as they were big enough. It was a great event to look forward to, as well as that first apple pie of the season.

Mom had a lot of practice to get her apple pie just right and I always get a thumbs up when I bring these pies to a friends house for dessert, they are a welcome addition at the local pie sale too.

Mom’s Apple Pie

INGREDIENTS:

• 6-8 Apples -  (6 cups) – pared, cored, and chopped up. Note: If your apples lack 'tartness', sprinkle them with 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Unbaked Pie Shell - Note: If you use a frozen one, use the 2nd one for top
• 3/4 to 1 Cup Sugar
• 2 Tablespoons Flour
• 1/2 to 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
• 1/8 Teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1/8 Teaspoon Salt
• 2 Tablespoons Butter

DIRECTIONS:

1. Wash and dry your apples
2. Peel, pare and chop up the apples
3. Combine sugar, flour, spices
4. Mix with apples
5. Pour into pie plate lined with uncooked pie crust
6. Dot with butter
7. Adjust top crust, cutting slits for steam
8. Seal top and sprinkle with sugar & cinnamon. If you want a darker crust, then top with beaten egg or milk and dust with sugar.
9. Bake at 400º F for 50 minutes
10. Set on wire rack to cool

Once pie has cooled completely, cut, serve and enjoy!

If you have apples trees in your yard, or end up with a good supply, you can make as many pies as you want and then freeze them. 

Once apples are pared, cored, and chopped, just measure how many cups you have and adjust the other ingredients accordingly. 

Freeze uncooked pies until you wish to use them.

To Cook:  Take the frozen pie from the freezer, then set oven to 400º F. Once oven is heated, cut slits in the top for steam to escape and bake 50 minutes. Let cool and enjoy fresh apple pie all year round!

Canned Apples - Use 5 cups unsweetened apples, drained and prepare them from step 3 above.

Frozen Apples - take them from the freezer and prepare them from step 3 above.

Until next time,

Happy Baking!

Awesome Carrot Cake With Cream Cheese Frosting

This wonderful combination of carrot cake and nuts is something my whole family enjoys. Easy to make, change the ingredients to include raisins, pumpkin seeds and whatever else you wish to make it a great snacking cake too!

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 3 Eggs
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Soda
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
• 1 1/2 Teaspoons Cinnamon
• 1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
• 1 1/2 Cups Flour
• 2 Cups Carrots, Shredded
• 1 Cup Walnuts or Pecans, Chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat Oven to 300º F

1. Peel and shred carrots.
2. Measure dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl,  mix together and create a ‘well’ in the center.
3. In another smaller bowl, whisk the oil and eggs together until well blended.
4. Pour the egg mixture into the ‘well’ in the dry ingredients and lightly blend together until smooth.
5. Mix in the shredded carrots
6. Mix in the chopped nuts
7. Pour batter into a 9" x 13" pan.
8. Back at 300º F for 30-35 minutes
9. Check cake with toothpick, if it comes out clean it’s done, if not, put back in oven for 5 minutes, or until toothpick poked in center comes out clean.
10. Let cake cool completely on wire rack

Enjoy the best carrot cake by itself as a snacking cake or frost with cream cheese icing. Icing made from cream cheese is a perfect compliment for carrot cake and gives it just the right amount of sweetness on top.

Cream Cheese Icing

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 oz Package Cream Cheese (Room Temperature)
• 1 Cup Icing (Powdered) Sugar
• 1/4 Cup Butter (Room Temperature)
• 1 Teaspoon Vanilla

DIRECTIONS:

1. Cream together cream cheese, butter and vanilla
2. Mix in Icing Sugar
3. If too runny, add a little flour pinch by pinch
4. Use the back of a spoon to frost your cake
5. Cut a piece of cake, and enjoy!

Until next time,

Happy Baking!