I couldn’t end the year and begin anew without sharing one of my very favorite holiday sides – Clark’s Favorite Yams. This casserole dish is a real treat, uses yams, sweet potatoes, or a combo of both, and is really good! It was passed on to me from MamaJoan – 14 years ago – WOW. AND Thanks to MamaJoan I get to share it with the world. You are getting the real zesty deal, the original recipe plus my adaptations as well. Either way you prepare it, this recipe is something special.

Want more of something special? TODAY is the final day to ENTER the Big Holiday Giveaway – ‘cuz it ain’t the Holiday no more! One lucky person will be smelling and feeling oh so clean for one whole year. Thanks to The Herb Room soaps – a full bar will be delivered to your shower to your doorstep every month! Stay tuned – a Winner will be announced tomorrow!

Year after year, I can always depend on this here Yamtastic casserole, a Thanksgiving staple that feeds a crowd AND pleases even the naysayers of all things yam. It is also easy to make, can be prepared two days ahead of time and baked just before a party or holiday gathering. Another new & zesty twist for my Easter table – Clark’s Favorite Yams paired with ham or pork tenderloin. YUM! There is always room on my table and in my belly for this delightfully perfect side dish. Cheers to many more years and lots more servings of Clark’s Favorite Yams!

Here it is, the one and only Clark’s Favorite Yams recipe and the ONLY dish of this type that you will find on my table every Thanksgiving.

I know you will be surprised when you taste this fabulous dish – bet you’re gonna love it.

Ingredients: 2 lbs. yams and/or sweet potatoes, 1 orange,

a cup of chopped Pecans,

unsalted butter, brown sugar,

brandy, egg whites, salt,

ground black pepper, cinnamon and ginger. Optional spices ~ cayenne, ground coriander, cloves.

Get started with the yams – pierce the skin of the yams with a fork in several places then bake in oven 450° for 40-45 minutes, or microwave on high until tender.

Cook ‘em and set ‘em aside to cool.

In a large bowl add the brandy,

2 teaspoons salt,

1 teaspoon ground ginger,

1/3 cup brown sugar,

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter,

and ground pepper, to taste.

I like the taste a lot.

Zestify your orange -

you’ll need 2 tablespoons of orange zest and

the juice of one orange.

Every last drop counts.

Now let’s get back to the cooked and cooled yams,

slice lengthwise and

using a fork or spoon,

scrape out the yamtastical goodness.

Place the cooked yams in the mixing bowl & keep peeling.

I bet I can beat you.

Ready?

Set?                                                   Go!

Yep, I am clearly the winner.

Yams peeled and ready – check.

Let’s start mixing

or mashing.

I like mine a little lumpy – au naturel. wee wee

Add the eggs – I used ¼ cup egg whites, the original recipe calls for 3 egg yolks, beaten.

I’ve had it every which way and love it just the same.

Spread the yam mixture into a baking dish. This is a double batch so I used a 13×9.

Beautiful!

Topping time.

In a medium mixing bowl,

dump 1 cup chopped pecans

onto a stick of melted unsalted butter.

Add 2/3 cup brown sugar,

1 teaspoon cinnamon

and some optional “extra spice” ~ a dash of cayenne really spices things up plus

a dash of clove, or dash of my Orange clove spice mix and ½ teaspoon coriander.

Mix topping ingredients together

and spread the topping over the yams.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

I am looking forward to a New Year full of possibilities, inspirations, recipe inventions, and sharing all things blessedly zesty – with you.

Happy New Year! – Robyn

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Clark’s Favorite Yams
2 lbs. cooked yams and/or sweet potatoes (fresh baked or canned)
Juice of 1 orange or 2/3 cup orange juice
1 Tablespoon orange zest
2 Tablespoons brandy or pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons salt
Ground pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon ground ginger
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar
¼ cup egg whites ~ OR ~ original recipe calls for 3 egg yolks, beaten

Cook the cleaned yams and/or sweet potatoes until soft; pierce the skin of the yams with a fork in several places then cover in foil and bake in oven 450° for 40-45 minutes, OR microwave on high until tender. Set aside the cooked yams to cool. Remove the skins from the cooled yams and/or sweet potatoes.
Place the prepared yams in a large mixing bowl and mash until smooth (or lumpy, if preferred). Mix in remaining ingredients. Spread the yam mixture into a 8×8 casserole dish, smoothing the layer.
Prepare topping.

*Note: If you are serving a crowd, double all the ingredients. Prepare as directed placing mixture in a 13×9 casserole dish. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

Topping:
1 teaspoon cinnamon
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter (or ¼ lb.)
1 cup chopped pecans
Optional additions ~
A dash of cayenne to spice things up
A dash of clove or a dash of my orange clove spice mix
½ teaspoon coriander

Mix topping ingredients together; spread topping over the yam mixture.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.

Enjoy Clark’s Favorite Yams!

Christmas Pie is a real treat and a family favorite dessert that has been serving delicious joy to generations of our family. A unique creation, Christmas Pie tastes of home in every crumbly, nut infused, gooey bite. I really, really love this special treat, which is often requested by me and always what my mom would bake on special occasions. From homecomings, family gatherings, and holidays – me and warm Christmas Pie. A little taste of home. What could be better than that? Sharing Christmas Pie with y’all of course! This traditional recipe that Grandmother Solbakken served at family gatherings and special occasions has been passed down to me from my own mom.

Spread the joy and go nuts. Seriously. Christmas Pie is not really a pie but a delicious holiday bar featuring nuts. Simple, comforting, easy, and really, really good any time of year. See? Nutty indeed. Christmas Pie is all about NUTS in a gooey, crackly, powdered sugar, yummy sorta way. The original Christmas Pie recipe called for walnuts which grow and are abundant in Northern California, but really any of your favorite nuts can be added. Now that I am a nutty Texan I like to eat what grows local here – Pecans baby! My Christmas Pie is all about the glory of pecans…

Simply wonderful Christmas Pie.

Yummy, gooey, powdered sugar goodness

Equipment:
Electric Hand Mixer
Knife or flat mallet
Wire Whisk
Sifter, or fine mesh strainer

Ingredients:
3 eggs
3 cups brown sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla extract
1 ½ cup flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

3 cups of your favorite chopped nuts.
Mine? Pecans.

~Plus ½ cup sifted powdered sugar for the top~

First things first: Preheat the  oven to 300°; grease and flour a 9×13 glass baking dish.

Get started by beating the eggs on medium speed until blended.

Add the brown sugar

and beat on medium speed until well mixed.

Time for some vanilla extract action.

Give it a good mixing and then set it aside.

In a medium bowl, add flour, baking soda, and salt.

Whisk it all together and

add it to the egg mixture.

Beat on medium speed, until thoroughly mixed.

The batter will be very thick and will have a gooey consistency.

Time to go nuts.

Chop the pecans into pieces and

add ‘em all to the batter.

Pile o’ nuts.

Stir in the chopped nuts.

Look ma!

No hands! Your spoon should stand straight up.

Time for a taste test.

YUM.

Spoon the batter into the prepared glass baking dish, evenly spreading the mixture out.

If the mixture is too thick to spread out evenly,

place saran wrap over the top of the batter,

flatten with the palm of your hands,

and roll a cup over the top until the batter is smooth and even.

Finish of the top using a flat spreading knife.

Time for the oven!
In a mere 32 minutes (30-35 minutes total time) you will have

fresh from the oven Christmas Pie.

Cut while warm!

Witness the gooey goodness

and crackly top.

Cut into mouth sized bars, cutting some big sized bars for Santa.

Place on a wire rack to cool.

When cool, sift powdered sugar on top.

It’s not really Christmas until Christmas Pie arrives.

HELLO.

Spread Christmas cheer.
Go nuts.
Do it for Santa

and for the best present ever – sharing Christmas Pie with ones you love!

Happiness and warm Christmas Pie.

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Christmas Pie

3 eggs, beaten
3 cups brown sugar
1 Tablespoon Vanilla extract
1 ½ cup flour
¾ tsp. baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups of your favorite nuts, chopped (I used Pecans)

½ cup sifted powdered sugar, sprinkled over the top

Preheat oven to 300°. Grease and flour a 9×13 glass baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, add the eggs. Using an electric hand mixer, beat the eggs and add the brown sugar beating on medium speed until well mixed. Add the vanilla extract, beating until blended and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt, and then add it to the egg mixture, beating on medium speed, until thoroughly mixed; it will have a thick and gooey consistency. Stir in the chopped nuts. Spoon the batter into the prepared glass baking dish, evenly spreading the mixture out. If the mixture is too thick to spread, place saran wrap over the top of the batter, flatten with the palm of your hands, and roll a cup over the top until the batter is smooth and even. Finish by using a flat spreading knife to smooth the top surface. Bake in a 300° oven for 30-35 minutes (I baked mine for 32 minutes.) IMPORTANT! Cut into bars while warm! It will seem a bit gooey & gummy – this is good! Place on a wire rack to cool. When cool, sift powdered sugar on top. Not just for the holidays, Christmas Pie is good anytime!

Happy Holidays!
Robyn

Another year and another yummy dessert- like my super scrumdee Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake!

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake can cure anything, a hangover, the blues, it can even make you happy! This Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake is always a huge hit. A friend of mine’s child always requested this on her birthday and would make it in a 13×9 cake pan. If you’re throwing a party you can bake it like this and cut it into little cheesecake bites or do it up in a springform pan like I do. Either way, I like it any way you serve it, especially big, like Texas.

Oh and by the way wishing you a big & zesty Happy New Year!

For the filling you will need six 8-ounce packages cream cheese at room temperature, 6 extra large eggs, 2 2/3 cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin.

Now for the spices  1 Tablespoon cinnamon, 2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg and ½ teaspoon ground ginger.

See that nutlike thing? This is fresh Nutmeg and is not actually a nut, but is really the kernel of the fruit.

Let’s start by making the Snappy Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crust.  Preheat the oven to 250°.

You will need 2 sticks of softened butter,  2 pkgs. Cinnamon Graham crackers, 1 cup ginger snap cookies, ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 Tablespoon cinnamon.

Put the two packages cinnamon grahams and

1 cup ginger snaps in a zippy bag.

Crush graham crackers and ginger snap cookies in the Ziploc bag using a flat mallet or rolling pin.

Pretty snappy eh?

Keep crushing until it looks like fine crumbs.

Then add sugar

and cinnamon to the bag and mix.

Just toss it around a bit

until it look like this.

In a medium bowl melt the butter.

Add the cinnamon cracker/cookie goodness to the melted butter.

Stir with a spoon until well combined.

Now butter up your baking pan – I am using a springform pan.

Springform pan ready?

Check.

Snappy Cinnamon Crust ready?

Check.

You know what’s next?

Check.

Add the crust to the pan and

spread it around.

Press mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Use flat surface of cup on top of saran wrap to make sure the crumbled crust mixture is flattened and compact.

Bake the crust in a 250° oven for 10 minutes and let cool.

Let’s get started on the filling. Put the cream cheese in a large bowl. Be sure that the cream cheese is soft and at room temp.

If using your KitchenAid mixer, use the flat beater and mix on the speed setting 4 or medium speed if using your electric mixer.

Beat cream cheese until light and fluffy.

Add sugar

and beat mixture until smooth.

Add eggs one at a time,

beating well after each addition.

Keep beating making sure all the eggs are incorporated, and you have a nice creamy consistency.

It should look creamy and dreamy.  Taste test here if you don’t believe me.

Now add vanilla,

look at those vanilla flecks.  Nummy.

Keep going – add cinnamon and

pumpkin.

Now stop.  Let’s take a nutmeg break.  Go ahead, you’re worth it.

Nutmeg is a “warm” spice and is a great for your circulatory system, and even better for your digestive system.  What could be better than this?

Grate the nutmeg and set aside.  If you don’t have the fresh stuff we can say you did, wink, and take an extra long nutmeg break. Use what you’ve got in the pantry.  I won’t tell.

Add the ginger

and the nutmeg.

Look.  It’s all in there.

Check, check and big zesty check.

Now it’s time to beat it all together.  Or whip it up if using the KitchenAid, by changing the beater to the wire whip attachment. Whip in the pumpkin spice goodness.

See?

Looks ready to me.  But just to be sure ya may want to to do another taste test. Wink.

Super nummy.  Cheeeeck!

Remember the snappy crust?  It should be cool and ready.

Ready.

Set.

Pour.

Aaahhhh.

Now if you are using a springform pan,

place it on a jelly roll pan to catch the butter drippings from the crust.

Bake in a 250° oven for 3 hours.

It should start puffing up like this after about an hour.

About halfway through cooking, sprinkle on some cinnamon.

A light dusting will do.  Just gorgeous!

Let cheesecake cool in pan on a rack for 1 hour. It will deflate a bit while cooling and settle back into the pan.

You must let this baby cool before cutting into it, so cover it up and refrigerate.

How about a piece?

Let’s see, one for you and

and one for me.

A view from behind.

How about some Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream?

YES. Puhleaze.

I’m going for it, I’m not going to wait.

and I’m not sorry,

not one

little

wee

bite, I mean bit.

Amen.

and hallelujah.

My mouth is singing the praises

my stomach is doing a jig.

And a jiggle.

and a jive. And I don’t mind. Not one little jiggly bit.

“Hi there”, Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake.  Wanna dance?

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Pumpkin Spice Cheesecake

10” spring from pan

Filling:
Six 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2 2/3 cups granulated sugar
6 extra large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups canned solid-pack pumpkin
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
2 teaspoons freshly grated nutmeg
½ teaspoon ground ginger

Preheat oven to 250°.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer beat cream cheese until light and fluffy. If using your KitchenAid mixer, use the flat beater and mix on the speed setting 4. Add sugar and beat mixture until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. If using the KitchenAid change the flat beater to the wire whip attachment and add vanilla, pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger beating until filling is combined well. Set aside and make crust.

Pour filling into the prepared crust pan or 13×9 cake pan. If using a springform pan, place it on a jelly roll pan to catch the butter drippings from the crust.

Bake in a 250° oven for 3 hours. Let cheesecake cool in pan on a rack for 1 hour. Cover and refrigerate.

Snappy Cinnamon Graham Cracker Crust

2 pkgs. Cinnamon Graham crackers
1 cup ginger snap cookies
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, melted
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon cinnamon

Crush graham crackers and ginger snap cookies in a gallon ziplock bag using a flat mallet or rolling pin. Then add sugar and cinnamon to the bag and mix. In a medium bowl melt the butter. Add the cracker/cookie mixture to the melted butter. Stir with a spoon until well combined.

Lightly butter the sides and bottom of the springform pan. Press mixture into the bottom of prepared pan. Use flat surface of cup on top of saran wrap to make sure the crumbled crust mixture is flattened and compact.

Bake the crust in a 250° oven for 10 minutes and let cool.

Enjoy!

Zesty cheers,
Robyn

The Turkey Plate. Gobble Gobble. And gobble we did.

Since I have been a wee bit slow with recipes this Holiday season and since it’s Monday, argh, I thought I would flashback to the turkey plate from our big Thanksgiving feast, as well as start getting the recipes in order. Hopefully, I will have enough time to post one of my favorite side dishes soon. Between wrapping gifts, wrapping soap orders, plus planning our trip to California, whew, well you get the drift.  For all of you curious people wondering if my holiday baked goods will be showing up – I’ll have to give you a big nope. I won’t be doing my usual holiday baking. How about you?  Any one out there doing holiday baking?  Whatcha makin’? Please share.

Speaking of sharing.

Here’s what you will find on The Turkey Plate:

Oven roasted Turkey w/ Apple-Sausage Stuffing
Creamy Green Bean Casserole
Clark’s Favorite Yams
Mashed Potatoes & Turkey Gravy
Sweet & Savory Spaghetti Squash
Cranberry Sauce

As you can see, most of the side dishes are a great addition to your Christmas dinner and beyond.

And I like that.  I also like Apple-Sausage Stuffing.

A little bit of this and a little bit of that. YUM.

All the fixin’s.

On another note, fa la la la laaa. I have some great recipes in my zesty kitchen arsenal for the new year and beyond, plus I am planning on some Zesty Kitchen Giveaways so if you haven’t yet entered my first ever Giveaway, there is still time. There is a lot of festivity and exciting times to come in my zesty kitchen. There is also a very likely chance (thank you Santa) that I will have some much needed improvements in the photography arena by means of my dream camera.   This will greatly enhance the pics in all areas on my site – I am so excited!

Wishing you and yours the best holiday and zesty cheers,
Robyn

What a divine nut. No folks, I wasn’t talking about myself. I was talking about the pecans in my Golden Pecan Pie. Oh me, oh my, this pie is such a glorious treat.

Want another treat? Look for the Giveaway ALERT! for a chance to win a bar of The Herb Room soap!
GIVEAWAY CLOSED!

The best thing about this pie is – drum roll please – yep, the PECANS.  Pecans are not only delicious but here in the south they are a kitchen staple.   If you are fortunate enough to live in Bastrop, the Texas hill country, or have your own pecan tree(s) nearby like my brother and his family, you would most likely just pick a pecan tree on your street and start feasting.

This is pure Golden Pecan Pie.  Simple, soul soothing, and a family favorite.  We serve it year round – I double dare you to do the same.  Give it a try. It doesn’t get any better than this.

Have on hand one unbaked pie shell prepared in 9? glass deep-dish pie dish.

Other essentials are corn syrup, pure maple syrup, agave syrup or honey. Of course the agave nectar is optional. I think it adds a little somethin’, somethin’.

You will also need white sugar, brown sugar, vanilla, salt,

eggs, butter, a bit o’  flour AND the best part

pecans, baby! You will need 2 cups pecans – 1 cup whole and 1 cup broken or chopped pieces.

Pecans are not only delicious, they are also nutritious. They are high in protein, unsaturated fats and omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids!  These are the good fats or “essential” fatty acids that are good for our bodies.

Besides all of the above, pecans are a no nonsense food and they taste oh so good. So let’s get to it!

Start with 2 Tablespoons butter.

You will want it melted, so zap it in the microwave or place in a warm oven.

To the melted butter add the “specialty” syrups.  You will want 2 Tablespoons total.  I used 1 Tablespoon Maple Syrup and 1 Tablespoon wonderful Agave nectar,

which is a nice natural sweetener. Another ingredient that is better for you than sugar.  But we’ll save that for another time…

Just add it in

and measure out 1 ¼ cups corn syrup.

Add that to the buttery syrup mixture.

Now it’s time to add ½ cup brown sugar

and ½ cup white sugar -

just dump it in.  Pretty simple. Now just one more essential ingredient before we mix -

¼ teaspoon salt.

Now get ready to mix it on medium until all the sugars and syrups are incorporated.

Add 3 eggs to sugary syrup mixture.

I like to add my eggs one at a time.  Don’t ask me why?  But you of course are free to crack ‘em all in at once.

And beat until

you have this nice golden creamy goodness – the base for your lovely pecans.

To this mix in 1 ½ teaspoons flour

blend it up well. Now add

1 tsp. vanilla.

Give it one last whirl, then cover and set aside for about an hour.

Now on to the pie crust.  Prepare or roll it into a 9″ deep dish pie plate.

Place 1 cup pecan pieces in the bottom of the pie shell.

Now it’s time to trim the crust.  I just use a pair of kitchen scissors.  You want about a 1″ overhang.

Now for the real treat.  My mom will show you how to perfectly flute the edges.

See her technique? Take the edge and fit the outside index finger into the groove of your pinched fingers.  My mom is so good.  She is the pecan pie fluting goddess – did I mention the goddess of rolling out dough, and making dough and sewing quilts?  Oh yeah we’ll get to that later, let’s continue.

See! Perfect fluted edges.  After the syrup has been sitting for an hour it’s time to

pour it over the pecan pieces.

Now the fun part.  Use the cup of whole pecans to decorate the top of the pie.

Like this!  Isn’t this absolutely gorgeous?  It’s now time to bake in a 350° oven for 55 minutes, until the center of the pie is puffed and golden brown and a knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean.

Take out of oven and let cool. This cooling period gives the syrups and sugars time to work their magic.

Giveaway ALERT! Please don’t mind “the smudge.”

But if you do mind and find “the smudge” there may be a prize in it for you.  Let’s play find “the smudge.” Look closely. The first person to find all “the smudge” marks in my holiday pie baking pictures wins a bar of The Herb Room soap of your choice. Here’s a hint: I think it happened sometime during the Old Fashioned Apple Pie.  Thus, “the smudge” is delicious  pie goo on my lens.

How to Enter: Look for “the smudge” in the three holiday pie posts. Count how many pics you find with “the smudge” and if you’re the first to get it right – you’re the winner. Just post your answers in the Comments section of this post. I’ll announce the winner as soon as someone gets it right. If no one gets it right, the first closest guess wins and will be announced by January 15, 2010. Winners will be notified by email. Good Luck!!

Update: GIVEAWAY CLOSED! Thanks to all of you that entered!  Stay tuned for more chances to win…

Hello Golden Pecan Pie goodness.

You look, magically

delicious.  Just add a wee bit of that Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

and h-e-l-l-o.

Once again, I must show you, ’cause I like to share

that I am a pecan nut.

It doesn’t get any better than this.

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Golden Pecan Pie

1 unbaked Sure Fire Pie Crust shell
9” glass deep-dish pie dish

2 Tablespoons butter, melted
2 Tablespoons pure maple syrup, honey or agave you can use a mixture of one or all three
1 ¼ cups corn syrup
½ cup sugar
½ cup brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons flour
1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups pecans – 1 cup pecan halves and 1 cup broken or chopped pecan pieces

Mix together the syrups, sugars and melted butter, and then mix in the eggs, flour, salt and vanilla. Let the mixture stand for 1 hour. Place the pecan pieces in the bottom of an unbaked prepared pie crust. Pour the syrup filling over the pecan pieces and decorate & cover using the whole pecan halves.

Bake in 350° for 55 minutes, until center of pie is puffed and golden brown and a knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. If the crust is browning too quickly place foil around edges of pie to protect the crust. Let pie cool completely. Serve straight up, with whipped cream or a la ice cream.

Enjoy!

Zestfully yours,
Robyn

Ahhhh.  You can call me old fashioned, go ahead. I don’t mind when it comes to apple pie. Everything about it is sooo dang good, I would even say sublime. Hmm, should I call it sublime apple pie? Naw, let’s just stick with good Old Fashioned Apple Pie. It’s good, I mean real good. I covet this pie. You will find me hiding it, sneaking it in the morning for breakfast. So watchout! I would also have it for lunch if there was any left.

This pie is the kind of pie that you can serve any time. With ice cream, whipped cream or no cream. Simple, delicious and Old Fashioned Apple Pie goodness. Go ahead and see for yourself !

Let’s start with the pie crust. You will need double pie shells and a 9″ glass deep-dish pie dish. Got it? good.

Now let’s move on to the apples, about 8 large.

I use a mix of Granny smith, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Jonathan or any apples of your liking.

Now gather up your ingredients.  Sugar, salt, vanilla extract, honey, brown sugar, butter, lemon and flour.

Also get your spice on – ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and if you’re feeling zesty like me, some vanilla extract powder.

Let’s peel some apples.  Doesn’t my mom peel apples perfectly?  She is so good!  Thanks Mom for your helping hands!

Put the apples in a bowl with some lemon juice.  This keeps them from turning brown. Apples contain acids that oxidize in air.  By adding lemon you keep an acid level that is close to an unpeeled apple, thus keeping the apple nice, white and crisp.

Pretty cool huh?  Now that you’ve graduated from apple chemistry 101, let’s move on.

Core the apples and slice them

and keep going

until you have a nice pile – about 13 cups of apples in all.

Now drain and dump your apples into a big bowl.

Add your ¼ cup brown sugar,

¼ cup white sugar

and 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice.

Now honey,

ahem, I mean let’s add some honey. ½ cup of honey will do.

Now add 1 Tablespoon cinnamon and 1-2 teaspoons nutmeg. This is a picture of nutmeg. I somehow don’t have a picture of cinnamon.  I know…how is that possible? you ask.  I dunno.

Continue adding your spices, ginger and

some ground cloves

just a pinch of both.

Plus a pinch of  salt.

Now add ¼ cup all purpose flour

and 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract.

You can also add 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract powder, which is optional of course.

Now it is ready to gently fold and toss,

There are still some apples that need a nice coating so

keep tossing and folding apples into the zesty sauce until

they look like this.

Stop. Taste a cinnamon apple. I know you want to.

Spoon half of the mixture into the prepared pie crust; pack down tightly.

Mound the remaining apple mixture into a dome. Press dome with hands for a firm shape.

Add pats of butter around apple mixture.

Let’s make the glaze. Beat 1 egg and 1 teaspoon cold water.  Easy huh?

We will use the glaze to seal pie edges and for top of pie/decorations.  I didn’t leave much overhang when I rolled out my crust – if you have overhang, cut to 2″ overhang like mine.  Set the trimmed excess dough aside.
Just brush the edges of the crust with the glaze.

Wa la. Cover the pie with the other pie crust.  It’s best if you roll this on a piece of wax paper and have it ready to go.  If the top crust edge is too long, cut the excess off so the two crust edges meet and are roughly equal.  Set aside the trimmed excess dough.

Now take the edges and pinch together,

and roll under to tuck in the pie plate.

Seal the edges by fluting, pinching or making fork like edges. Whatever your fancy.

Make a pattern with a fork to vent the pie.

I make a pattern like this.

Remember the excess dough that you trimmed and set aside? It’s time to roll it out for the pie decorations.

I use a star shaped cookie cutter.

Use the glaze like glue for the decorative top pieces.

Place the stars wherever you wish,

Just make sure you use the glaze to glue it on and

keep going.

Brush top of pie with glaze.

This pie is all glazed up and ready for

the final touch. A sprinkle of course sugar on the top of the pie and around the edges.

It is now ready for the oven.  Bake in a preheated 425° oven and place pie on center rack. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325°F and bake for 35 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. If crust is browning too quickly place foil around edges of pie to protect the crust.

WOW!  Fresh out off the oven.  Isn’t she a beauty!

Another teaser and peek of my holiday pies, Harvest Pumpkin and Golden Pecan in the back.

The “star” of the show – front and center – Old Fashioned Apple Pie.

The apple of my eye!

Layers and layers of apples, a perfect crust and old fashioned goodness.

Whomever invented Apple Pie is a genius. I mean really.

I like mine “straight up”.  No bull.

See? I really am an old fashioned gal.

Note: There is a print link embedded within this post, please visit this post to print it.

Old Fashioned Apple Pie

Double Sure Fire Pie Crust
9” glass deep-dish pie dish

Filling:
8 large apples (about 13 cups)
(A mix of Granny, Cortland, Golden Delicious, Jonathan or apples of your liking)
¼ cup white sugar
¼ cup light brown sugar
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
½ cups honey
1 Tablespoon cinnamon
1-2 teaspoons nutmeg
A pinch of ginger, and cloves and salt
¼ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract powder, optional
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 Tablespoons butter, cut into pats

In a large bowl combine all ingredients; toss gently to mix.
Spoon half of the mixture on to prepared pie crust; pack down tightly. Mound the remaining apple mixture into a dome. Press dome with hands for a firm shape. Add pats of butter around apple mixture.
Cover top with pie crust; use glaze around edges and pinch or flute to seal. Make vent holes in decorative pattern. Use remaining dough pieces to make star or other shapes for top of pie. Brush top of pie with glaze and use like glue for decorative top pieces. Sprinkle course turbinado sugar on top of pie.

Glaze: (to seal pie edges and for top of pie/decorations)
1 egg
1 teaspoon water
2 Tablespoons sugar

Heat oven to 425°F and place pie on center rack. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Reduce temperature to 325°F and bake for 35 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. If crust is browning too quickly place foil around edges of pie to protect the crust.