Cakes and Pies

Hoosiermom's Award Winning French Apple Pie

6 cups peeled and sliced apples
1 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
pinch of salt

Mix the above ingredients together and fill an uncooked pie crust. (I use a ready made)

Top the uncooked pie with the crumb topping

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup firm margarine
1/2 cup brown sugar

Cut the flour into the margarine until crumbly and then mix in the brown sugar.

Bake at 350 for about 1 hour 20 minutes.
Tastes best served warm with vanilla ice cream.

Christmas Cake by OliviaClaire

------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is my great-grandmother's recipe for a cake that has been served at Christmas in my family for as long as I can remember.

2 cups packed brown sugar (light)

1/2 cup butter (softned)

1 cup sour cream

3 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 cups flour

1/2 cup baking cocoa

1 cup chopped English walnuts

1 cup raisins

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Creme Cheese frosting (recipe follows cake recipe)

1) Beat first four ingredients in large mixing bowl.

2) Sift baking soda and baking cocoa together then add walnuts and raisins.

3) Add sifted baking soda, cocoa, walnuts and raisins to the brown sugar mixture and mix well.

4) Stir in vanilla

5) Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch cake pans.

6) Bake in 350-degree oven for about 15 minutes (or until done).

7) Cool in pan for several minutes.

8 ) Remove to wire rack to cool completely.

9) Frost with creme cheese frosting.


Creme Cheese Frosting

1 (3 ounce) package cream cheese, softened

1/3 cup butter, softened

1/2 teaspoon allspice

4 cups confectioners' sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons milk

1) Beat cream cheese, butter, and allspice until blended.

2) Gradually add confectioners' sugar, and mix well.

3) Stir in vanilla.

4) Gradually add milk, beating until it has the consistancy of frosting.

Jell-o Cake by Deana


get a boxed white cake mix prepare it as direction
1 large box of jello
sm container of cool whip


after the cake is baked and cooled, poke holes all over it. prepare the jello with 1 cup boiling water then add 1 cup cold water, then spoon all over cake

chill for an hour or two then put cool whip as the icing

it's a very light cake and the kids love it!!


Comment by Amy F in CA: My mom used to make this and call it our winter snow cake because it never really snowed where we were. Loved it!

Variation by mom9700
This is my husband's all-time favorite cake...w/ one variation.
I spread vanilla pudding on the cake before I spread the
Cool Whip. It's really yummy!

Jennifer's Caramel Pie
------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 small container cool whip
1 graham cracker pie crust
2 cans sweetened condensed milk

DO NOT open cans. Put them unopened into boiling water for 2 hours. Add more BOILING water as it evaporates to keep them covered in water. When finished, remove and let cool about 15 minutes. Open and pour into pie crust. It looks lumpy but smooth it around the crust as best as possible (it will not be lumpy when cooled). Put in frig and let cool. Top with cool whip and serve. Store in frig.

Extra tips: You can divide this pie into about 10-12 pieces because it is very rich. Also, I usually make it the day before so it has plenty of time to cool. When I make this, I usually keep a pan of boiling water on the opposite burner, so that I can add it when needed. If you don't add boiling water and just tap water, the water will have to heat up again and it will take longer to cook. Also, do let the cans sit for about 15 minutes before opening. They are under pressure and will squirt up if you don't (believe me I know from experience--had to clean it off cabinets, mini-blinds, sink, etc.

Various Pie Crust Recipes

French Pastry Pie Crust
My mom found this recipe several years ago, and I still
use it today. Makes 2 pie crusts (16 servings).
Printed from Allrecipes, Submitted by TJ
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons white sugar
1 cup shortening
1 egg
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
5 tablespoons ice water


Directions
1 In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, salt, and sugar.
Mix well, then cut in shortening until mixture resembles
coarse meal.
2 In a small bowl, combine egg, vinegar, and 4
tablespoons of water. Whisk together, then add gradually to flour
mixture, stirring with a fork. Mix until dough forms a ball.
Add one more tablespoon of water if necessary.
3 Allow dough to rest in refrigerator 10 minutes before
rolling out.




growinold
pie crust recipe...
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1 cup flour
2/3 stick blue bonnet (everything's better w/ blue bonnet on it
pinch of salt
4-5 Tbsp of very cold water.

if i make a double recipe, i make it once, roll it out,then make it again and roll it out for the top. it seems to be better this way



mom2jak
I make an awesome pie crust
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
but I can't make biscuits to save my life!!


for 1 single pie crust

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/3 cup shortening
1/4 tsp salt
3 Tbsp cold water

Mix flour and salt, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add water 1 Tbsp at a time, tossing lightly with a fork until all water is added. Form dough into ball with hands. Roll out until 1 1/2 inches larger than pie pan. Plave carefully in pan.





mommaKatebyadoption
my secret....
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DO NOT OVER WORK YOUR DOUGH!

Cut in your lard/crisco/shortening until little balls.

Make sure your water is ICE COLD!

Mix till it jsut comes together and chill for 15 minutes.

Then roll out bweteen 2 pieces of waxed paper. THat way you are not adding too much board flour and getting a tough crust.

Its Flaky and yummy.

Smiles

Kate
"I stamp because I Can't draw!"




HSmommi2mine
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I don't really like most store bought ones and I am pretty quick now. I have serious opinions about cust but I won't go into it now. Here is mine

2 and 2/3 cup flour
1 cup shortening
1 tea salt

you have to cut this in together. A food proccesor is the best way, 2 knives is tedious but works and I carefully use my whipping attachment on my kitchenaid. turnning it off frequeently and making sure not to "cream" it but just cut in.

7-9 Tbl. of cold water added and then mix it all together very well.

Now really this should be refridgerated BUT since I put in just enough water, if I refridgerate the dough it won't roll out properly. I roll it out on a floured counter top. Now this is the recipe for a 10 in, 2 crust pie but I use 9 inch pans so I have wiggle room and don't have to roll perfectly.
Christina




HSmommi2mine
If you wipe the counter down with a wet sponge
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
the bottom layer of waxpaper will stick to it and makes it nice and easy to roll.
The reason for the really cold water is because you want to keep you fat (shortning butter, wahtever) solid until it bakes. If you use warm water it may melt. The key to a flaky crust is to keep that fat solid. As it melts at a high temp in the oven it leaves airpockets behind which is what gives you a flaky crust. Now you know.
Christina




Linderlou
I finally found a great pie crust recipe.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's from my mother's 1950 Betty Crocker's Picture Cook Book that she let me have.

For 9" two-crust pie:

Mix together: 2 cups sifted Gold Medal flour
1 tsp salt
Cut in: 2/3 cup shortening
Sprinkle with: 4 tbsp. water

1. Gather dough and press into a ball. Divide dough about in half. Round up larger part on lightly floured cloth-covered board, the rolling pin covered with stockinette.
2. Flatten with hand; roll out not quite 1/8" thick. Work quickly and roll lightly, being careful not to add extra flour as that makes pastry tough. Keep rounding edge of pastry. If it breaks apart, pinch broken edges together.
3. Keep pastry circular and roll it about 1" larger around than the pie pan to line pan.
4. Fold pastry in half. Quickly transfer to pan. Unfold, and pat and fit pastry down into pan. Avoid stretching.
5. Trim off overhanging edges with scissors.
6. Roll out other part of dough for top crust a little thinner than for bottom crust, large enough to extend 1" beyond edge of pan.
7.After filling the pie and dotting filling with butter, fold pastry for top crust in half. Make several slits near center to allow stem to escape or top crust will puff up, leaving a hollow space underneath.
8. Carefully place folded pastry evenly on top of filling. Unfold. There should be 1/2" rim of pastry beyond edge of pan. Trim off any extra edges.
9. Fold the extra edge of top pastry under edge of lower pastry. Seal thoroughly by pressing together on edge of pan.
10. Build up fluted edge. Form crimped fluting between tumbs and forefingers.

If above seems too labor-intensive, buy a refrigerated pie crust.

Trust me, though, you'll like the results.

Oh, for an extra flaky crust, substitute cold butter (not margarine) for shortening.





Mom In Missouri
My little secret
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recipes is as follows:

1 cup of lard (oh yeah gals, it's much more forgiving that anything I've found)
3 cups of flour
1/2 cup of 7-UP or Sprite-cold

Lard is cold, so is the soda pop...do all the mixing you do BEFORE you add the liquid. (You want to be 'chunks of the fat type that is used when it's all together--that melts and thus makes a flaky crust)...but after you get that liquid in there mix only until you can gather it together.

Pie Crust story:
I made a pie crust after we were first married that you could have reused for years. It was so tough you couldn't cut it. DH's grandmother (that just went to heaven) took the time to show me the above recipe. Trust me, if she would have said for me to do the Hokey-Pokey while mixing I would have done it.

But this is tried and true...and if I can now make edible pie crust...anyone can.




Easy Pie Crust by Jewels70/Mom2boys

4 Cups flour
2 Cups shortening
1 Cup water

Mix flour and shortening until it is crumbly. I use my Kitchen Aid mixer. Make sure
that you don't blend it~it should be just crumbly. Then add water and mix well.

Roll it out on a floured countertop. It makes either 4 pie crusts or 2 crusts with tops
& bottoms.

If you can fold it over and open it again you know that you made it correctly.

Turtle Cake by Flautista

This is the cake Kristin requests every year for her birthday.

Turtle Cake

1 2-layer German chocolate cake mix
1 14-oz. pkg caramels
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans
1 cup coconut

Preheat oven to 350°. Prepare cake mix according to package directions. Pour half the batter into greased and floured 9x13-inch pan. Bake for 15 minutes. Melt caramels with butter and evaporated milk in double boiler; mix well. Pour over baked layer. Pour remaining cake batter over caramel mixture. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, peceans and coconut. Bake for 15 minutes longer. Makes 16 servings.

Source: Capital Eating in Kentucky
__________________
Love and blessings,
Linda (formerly Linderlou)

Apple Pie by lucy

crust:

1 cup flour
2/3 stick of blue bonnet margine
dash of salt
4 or 5 tablespoons Cold water

mix with fork. roll out using flour so it doesn't stick. this will make one pie crust.
Needs to be doubled to make a bottom and top crust.

Apple Pie

use baking apples (i like Jonathon,or McIntosh)
7 -8 cups peeled, sliced (Pampered Chief has a great peeler that makes this part of
making a pie quick, fun, and the slices are all the same thickness)

1/2 - 2/3 cup sugar (i mix brown and white).... taste your apples, if they are tart,
add more sugar. i usually go for 2/3 cup or even a tad more then 2/3 cup

1/8 tsp salt
1-2 tablespoons cornstarch (this will help thicken your pie, so i usually go with 2 or
maybe even 3 tablespoons)

1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp nutmeg (or all spice or pumkin spice)

Stir the above mixture over your apples till they are well coated. place them in the
pie shell. Dot with butter - 1-1/2 tablespoons. You might worry that the pie will be
runny, but butter wil help thicken the pie.

if the apple mixture taste a bit bland or seem to be lacking in flavor - you could
sprinkle a bit of grated lemon rind, or add 1 tsp vanilla)

roll out the second crust and place it on top. add slits
sometimes i make lattice crust, but lately i roll out the crust, and take a cookie
cutter, and cut out shapes, and lay it across the top. this makes a very decorative
crust, have corners of your shapes touch, leaving a little room for the pie to breath.

Bake at 450 for 10 minutes - then turn oven to 350 for 35 or 40 minutes.

i sprinkle my pie crust top with sugar, or sugar w/cinnamon before baking.

if your worried about your crust burning, you can wrap it loosely with foil

i made a lot of pies, and used alot of different receipes before i finally came up with
a formula that usually works and turns out a great pie.


wanted to add - about the apple pie

i use a glass pie pan.... and it's pretty large.

if you have a smaller pie pan, then use 5-6 cups of apples.

rub butter/oil, etc. on the pie pan, and then sprinkle some flour on top of that
before placing your dough in the pan.