Fresh Raspberry Pie

This is my favorite pie.  My mom made all kinds of pie. . . apple, pumpkin, pecan.  But this pie was my favorite!  It was beautiful and I loved the raspberries.  The recipe came from a Bon Appetit magazine but I don't know the issue/year.  

I made it for my first time and I used my "Mrs. Anderson's pie crust bag" for the first time which was very useful and I think I am a fan of this kitchen gadget although the larger bag (I used the 11") would have been better.  I also used a heart shaped cookie cutter as a part of a nesting set that I received from my mom's good friend, Pat Barkett.

The pastry seems a bit tricky. I used less ice water and definitely had to chill it longer than 1 hour.  I also didn't make mine as pretty as my mom.  She used smaller than a 3" heart.  She did multiple overlapping 1.5" (?) hearts and it looked gorgeous.

Fresh Raspberry Pie

Pastry
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup chilled unsalted butter, cut into pieces
1/2 cup chilled solid vegetable shortening, cut into pieces
6 TB (about) ice water

Filling
1 1/3 cups plus 1 TB sugar
7 TB cornstarch
1 TB grated lemon peel
6 cups fresh raspberries

1/8 tsp ground cinnamon

For Pastry:  Blend first 4 ingredients in food processor. Add butter and shortening and cut in using "pulse" until mixture resembles coarse meal.  Blend in enough ice water to form moist clumps.  Gather dough into ball and divide in half.  Flatten each piece into a disk. Wrap in plastic and chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.

For Filling: Mix 1 1/3 cups sugar, cornstarch, and lemon peel in largebowl. Add berries and toss to combine.

Preheat oven to 375F.

Roll out 1 dough piece on lightly floured surface to 12 inch round. Transfer dough to 9 inch round glass pie dish with 1 1/4 inch sides; trim edges.

Roll out 1 dough piece on lightly floured surface to thickness of 1/8 inch.  Using 3-inch heart-shaped coolie cutter, cut dough into hearts. Gather scraps, rerol and cut out more hearts.  Spoon filling into pie. Brush edge of pastry with water. Slightly overlap hearts around edge of pie, tips pointing toward center.  Repeat with remaining hearts, arranging in rings and covering top of pie but leaving space between rings for steam to escape. using wooden skewer, carefully pierce hole in center of each heart.

Place pie on cookie sheet. Bake until top is golden brown and juices bubble, about 1 hour.  Transfer pie to rack. Mix remaining 1 TB sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Sprinkle over pie. Cool before serving.

Sausage Biscuit Bites

This recipe is from my mom's mom, Jean P. Rollins, better known as Amus by my sister and myself.  I loved these growing up.  This recipe comes from a type written index card.  I am making them tonight with my local Neese sausage so will post photos soon.  They can be frozen.

Sausage Biscuit Bites

Ingredients:
3/4 lb hot bulk port sausage
2-2/3 cups all purpose flour
2 T sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup shortening
1 pkg dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105-115)
1 cup buttermilk
Melted butter or margarine

Cook sausage in a skillet until browned, stirring to crumble; drain well and set aside.
Combine next 5 ingredients, mixing well; cut in shortening with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse meal.
Dissolve yeast in warm water; let stand 5 minutes.  Add yeast mixture to buttermilk stirring well.
Add buttermilk mixture to dry ingredients stirring just until the dry ingredients are moistened.  Knead in sausage.  Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead lightly 3 to 4 times.
Roll dough to 1/2 inch thickness; cut with a 1 3/4" round cutter.
Place biscuits on ungreased baking sheet. Brush tops with melted butter.  Bake at 425 F ten minutes or until golden brown.
Yield: 3 dozen biscuits.

Note: Biscuits may be frozen. To freeze, place uncooked biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet; cover and freeze until firm. Transfer frozen biscuits to plastic bags. To bake, place frozen biscuits on an ungreased baking sheet; bake at 425 for 10 minutes.

Best Cornbread Ever

This was always my mom's go to cornbread.  It makes 2 9x13 pans.  Great for chili parties.  I am not sure of the original source.  I have a typed copy.

"Best Cornbread Ever"
Mix together:
3-8 oz Jiffy Cornbread mixes
3 eggs
1 can creamed corn
1/2 cup oil
3 TB sugar
Dash salt
1 1/2 cup grated cheddar
2/12 cup milk
Chopped fresh green chilies to taste or 1 can chopped chilies.

Pout into two 9x13 greased pans.
Bake at 350 for 45 minutes.
Freezes well.

Cabbage Salad

I remember having this at barbeques/parties.  I made it this year when I received a cabbage from my CSA.  It is easy and delicious.  I am not sure of the original source as I have a typewritten copy.

Cabbage Salad Recipe
2 T Salad Oil
1/4 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup white sesame seeds
8 stalks green onion, finely chopped
1 medium head cabbage, finely chopped
2 pkg (3 oz) ramen noodles, uncooked and broken into very small pieces
Dressing (recipe follows)

Heat oil in skillet; toast almonds and sesame seeds until lightly browned.  Combine with remaining ingredients.  Cover and chill several hours or overnight to allow flavors to blend.  Makes about ten 1/2 cup servings.

Dressing:
1/4 cup sugar
1 t salt
1 t black pepper
1 cup salad oil
6 T rice vinegar.
Combine all ingredients, mix well.

Saturday Night Special

Wow, I haven't had this recipe in years.  I loved it when I was a kid and it is so good leftover.  I'm not sure where the original recipe came from. I have a photocopy and it is not my mom's handwriting.

Saturday Night Special
1/2 lb spaghetti
1 lb minced beef
1 14 oz can niblets corn
1 cup grated cheese
1 can tomato soup
1 14 oz can tomatoes
1 small onion, minced
1 green pepper, minced
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
1/2 lb mushrooms

In frying pan, brown green peppers, onions, mushrooms and meat.  Break spaghetti into pieces and boil in salted water until tender (15 minutes).  Combine all ingredients in large bowl.  Mix well.  Bake in moderate oven (325F) for 45 minutes.  Serves 6-8.

Gooey Butter Cake

I think my parents ate this while on vacation or my dad saw it made on a cooking show.  It was a more recent recipe.  I remember my mom giving it to me when I was in Charlottesville.  So rich and very easy to make.  I have a photocopy of the recipe she used that appears to have come from the internet.  The page title is St. Louis, MO - Gooey Butter Cake.

The recipe states that Gooey Butter Cake is a "scrumptious only-in-St. Louis treat served for breakfast, luch or dinner - - a la mode or plain."  

Gooey Butter Cake Recipe

Ingredients:

1/2 cup butter

1 box yellow cake mix

3 eggs

1  8 oz. pkg cream cheese

1/2 t almond extract

4 cups powdered sugar 

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease one 9 x 13 cake pan. Melt butter. Empty cake mix into a large bowl. Stir melted butter, along with one egg, into the cake mix.  Press mixture into the cake pan.  In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, almond extract, powdered sugar (save some to sprinkle on top), and remaining two eggs. Beat for three minutes with electric mixer on medium high speed. Spread over top of cake mixture.  Bake at 350 for 35-45 minutes until golden brown on top.  Allow cake to cool.  Dust top with powdered sugar.  Cake will be gooey on the top so don't overbake!

Texas Chocolate Sheet Cake

I loved it when my mom made this cake.  I had it from the time I was very little.  It was one of those cakes that I just kept going back and eating more (like a pan of brownies!).  It is so moist and delicious.

Chocolate Sheet Cake Recipe

Sift:
1 tsp baking soda
2 cups flour
2 cups sugar

Bring to boil:
2 sticks margarine
1 cup water
4 T cocoa
Pour this over sugar and flour mixture and mix well.

Add:
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 t vanilla
Mix well and pour in greased sheet pan.

Bake at 400F for 20 minutes.

Frost cake.

Frosting:
Boil 1 stick margarine, 5 T milk, 4 T cocoa.  Remove from heat.
Add 1 box powdered sugar, 1 cup nuts and mix well.  Spread over cake.