Strawberry Glaze Pie Recipe

I love looking through my Momma's old cookbooks.  They're like time capsules.  Our old address and phone number written in the inside covers - along with my Momma's name {always written in the traditional fashion of Mrs. James A. P...}.  Receipts, recipes from the electric cooperative newsletter, a list of tips entitled "Are Your Kids Driving You Crazy" {LOL!}.

But, I went looking for a strawberry dessert to satisfy the wishes of the Mr. and the kids.  I found this Strawberry Glaze Pie recipe submitted by Mrs. Henry Lustgarten from Wilmette, IL.  The recipe is from the cookbook, "Favorite Recipes of America:  Desserts" copyright 1966.

1 1/2 quart fresh strawberries
1 9-in pie shell {deep dish}, baked according to package directions
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons butter
red food coloring {optional}

Wash, drain and hull strawberries.  Place 1 quart of berries in baked and cooled pastry shell.  Crush remaining berries {while the original recipe says "crush", you really need to puree the strawberries in order to make the glaze}.  Combine pureed berries with water, sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan.  Boil for 2 minutes or until clear.  Add butter and enough food coloring to give a bright red color {I found the food coloring was not needed}.  Spoon glaze {slightly cooled} over berries in pie shell, making sure that all berries are covered.  Cool {in refrigerator until set}  Cover with whipped cream before serving.

Mary Ellen note:  Some of my glaze did not make it all the way to the bottom layer of fresh berries, though that did not in anyway diminish the taste!  Next time, I will probably add a layer of glaze to the bottom of the cooled pie shell before adding the fresh berries.  Or maybe a layer of whipped cream.  Or both!  I don't think there's a wrong answer when it comes to strawberries and whipped cream LOL!  

Enjoy!

Mary Ellen    

Sweet Holiday Treat - Homemade Cinnamon Rolls

 

 

Homemade cinnamon rolls warm from the oven!

 

 

When my husband and I first married, I could barely boil water!  But after 13 years of "on the job training", I've become pretty good in the kitchen.  Or, at least no one complains (except when I make lentils!).  One of my husband's favorites are these homemade cinnamon rolls with cream cheese frosting.  He always requests a batch for office parties.  It makes me feel good that he's proud of my kitchen creations. 

 

 

Cinnamon Rolls with Cream Cheese Frosting

Recipe Source

 

Ingredients:

 

1 package dry yeast

1 cup warm milk

1/2 cup sugar

1/3 cup oil

2 eggs

4 cups all-purpose flour

 

for filling:  cinnamon, brown sugar and 2 - 3 tablespoons melted butter

 

-Dissolve yeast in warm milk {I add 2 tsp of sugar to a measuring cup, pour in the warm milk, then add the yeast.  I allow the yeast to proof for 5 minutes before combining with other ingredients}

 

-In mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, oil and eggs.  Blend together using paddle attachment.  Add in yeast-milk mixture.  As ingredients begin to incorporate, switch to dough hook attachment to finish the kneading. 

 

-Place dough in a bowl, cover and allow to rise for 1 hour or until dough has doubled. {see tip #3 here for my dough rising technique}

 

-Roll out dough on floured surface.  Spread melted butter over the dough, then evenly sprinkle with cinnamon and brown sugar.

 

-Working from the long edge, carefully roll the dough down to the bottom edge.

 

-Cut dough into 1 inch slices and place in lightly greased baking pan.

 

-Bake for 10 - 15 minutes at 400 degrees.

 

 

 

 

Cream Cheese Frosting ingredients:

 

8 tablespoons butter, softened

1-1/2 cup powdered sugar

2 oz. cream cheese, softened

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

 

-Combine frosting ingredients in mixing bowl.  Beat well with electric mixer until fluffy.  Spread generously on warm rolls.





 

 

When I'm preparing these rolls for breakfast or hubby's office parties, I assemble the rolls the night before, refrigerate overnight and bake the next morning.  Ensuring they will be delivered to his office nice and warm!

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Mary Ellen

{Recipe Repost} Strawberry Vanilla Jam

It's strawberry season!  On Mother's Day, we took a trip out to Vollmer Farm in Bunn, NC, to pick local, organically grown strawberries.  The kids always enjoy spending time at the farm (especially the Back Forty playground!).  And back home, I enjoy turning some of our fresh picked bounty into yummy Strawberry Vanilla Jam!

Rinse, hull and slice your strawberries.  You will need 5 cups of crushed berries for the jam.  I add the sliced strawberries to my Vitamix and pulse quickly, working in several small batches until I have the needed amount.  

Add the crushed strawberries to a stainless steel saucepan along with 4 tablespoons of lemon juice, a 1/2 teaspoon of butter (helps to reduce foaming) and half a vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise.  Whisk in pectin (1 - 1 1/2 boxes or 9 tablespoons).  Bring to a full rolling boil over high heat, stirring frequently.   

Next, add 7 cups of sugar (all at once), stirring constantly.  Return the mixture to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.  Boil hard, stirring constantly, for 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Using a large slotted metal spoon, skim off any foam.  Remove the vanilla bean.

Nota Bene:  Visit the Fresh Preserving website for instructions on how to prep jars and lids and for basic water bath canning procedures.

Add hot jam to prepared canning jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.

Process jars in a water bath canner for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude.  When processing time is done, turn off heat and remove the lid from canner.  Allow jars to rest in canner for 5 minutes.  Carefully remove jars from canner without tilting.  Place jars upright on a towel in a draft-free area and let cool, undisturbed for 24 hours.

After 24 hours, check lids for seal before placing in pantry.  If jars did not seal properly, refrigerate immediately or reprocess.  

Recipe from the Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving: 400 Delicious and Creative Recipes for Today





Mary Ellen

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In the Kitchen - Red, White & Blue Strawberries

 



The kids joined me in the kitchen for a fun Memorial Day treat - Red, White & Blue Strawberries!  I found the idea and recipe on Pinterest, of course!

 

Ashleigh & Reed dipping our strawberries in melted white chocolate

 

The strawberries set aside to harden after the first dipping

 

I didn't have the blue sprinkles as called for the recipe.  But, sugar mixed with a few drops of blue food coloring work just the same!

 

Clayton adding the blue sprinkles

 

After we finished dipping the strawberries, it seemed a shame to let the leftover melted chocolate go to waste.  So, I took some store bought crème filled cookies and dipped them in the white chocolate!

 

 

Waste not, want not :)

 

Happy Memorial Day!

Mary Ellen

{Repost} Easy Guacamole for Cinco de Mayo!

 

We'll be enjoying some easy Mexican inspired dishes today!  The Pioneer Woman's very easy - and very delicious - Beef & Bean Burritos.  And of course, I'll be making homemade guacamole using this recipe from the Gluten Free Goddess.   This guacamole is light and fresh and has no onions, which is a bonus because our little Ashleigh Girl avoids anything with onions or even the hint of onions! 

 

For the gauc, I add 2 -3 diced avocados, 1 garlic clove, 10 grape tomatoes (halved), lime juice and some fresh cilantro to my Vitamix and blend until slightly smooth.  Then, it's ready to enjoy!

 

Mary Ellen  

 

 

 

 

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Homemade Slime - Frugal Fun for the Kids!

I spent much of Sunday afternoon in the kitchen making among other things, slime for Clayton's upcoming class project.  The entire second grade is creating a "mall" where the students can buy and sell products at their own "stores".  When Ashleigh was in second grade, we made ribbon covered hair clips.  This time around with Clayton, it's slime!

The kids enjoyed the project and it was super easy!  And, exactly like the slime I used to buy as a kid from the bubblegum machine for 25 cents!

Homemade Slime:

Recipe from Dining On Dime Cookbook

Materials needed:

Borax

White glue (the inexpensive glue works fine.  I picked up several bottles of white glue at Kroger's for .69 each)

Food coloring

Step 1:  In a bowl, mix 1 tablespoon of borax with 1 cup of water.  Stir until the borax is dissolved.

Step 2:  In another bowl, mix 1/2 cup of glue with 1/2 cup of water.  Add a few drops of food coloring.  Mix until smooth.

Step 3:  In a third bowl, combine 1/4 cup of the borax+water mixture with 1/4 cup of the glue+water mixture.  Stir; the slime will begin to form immediately.  Let the slime sit for 5 minutes.  Afterwards, pour off excess water and knead slime until it starts to firm and feels "springy".  

Repeat steps for additional batches.  We were able to make 4 batches of slime with this recipe.

*****

You can find this and other frugal fun recipes in The Dining On A Dime Cookbook!  {currently on sale for 50% off now thru Monday, April 22nd!}  Order by Wednesday to receive a FREE bonus - Menus from Dining On A Dime menu planner (free with any order on Tuesday & Wednesday). 

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Busy Day in the Kitchen

 

 

A busy day in the kitchen....homemade cinnamon rolls this morning for breakfast.  The Pioneer Woman's Blackberry Cobbler this afternoon.

 

Currently, making 20 batches of slime (yes, slime!) for Clayton's class project.  And later for supper, Indian Roast Chicken from Bal Arneson (The Spice Goddess).

 

Source: cookingchanneltv.com via Mary on Pinterest



What's cooking in your kitchen today?  

Mary Ellen



{Repost} Dijon Pineapple Glazed Ham Recipe

 

Bone-in Ham with Dijon Pineapple Glaze

 

I've shared this recipe before as it is a family favorite and my go-to recipe for glazed ham.  But, with Easter right around the corner (tomorrow!!!) I wanted to make it available again.  I still have to run out to the store and buy a ham myself.  Hopefully, there are still some left!

 

 

Dijon-Pineapple Glaze

(adapted from Kraft Foods recipe)

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup maple syrup or honey (I've also used the glaze packet included with the ham for the syrup)

1/4 cup Dijon mustard

1 can crushed pineapple, with juice (I chop up frozen pineapple or canned pineapple chunks in my Vitamix)

1 tablespoon corn starch

whole cloves

Maraschino cherries, halved (optional)

 Heat oven to temperature listed in cooking directions included with the ham.  Mix syrup, sugar and mustard until blended.  Spread a portion of the glaze over the ham.  Add cloves and cherries to the top of the ham.  Bake ham according to directions.

Before the ham is done cooking, combine remaining glaze with corn starch and crushed pineapple in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Cook and stir over medium-low heat for 5 minutes or until thickened.  Serve sauce alongside ham.

 

Mary Ellen

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{Repost} Decorating Easter Eggs

An oldie but goodie - inexpensive ways to decorate Easter eggs, along with ideas for creating your own natural dyes.  Please enjoy these tips from the ladies at Living On A Dime!

Before decorating Easter eggs, cover the entire table with newspaper. Keep a huge roll of paper towels or rags handy for messes. Have each kid wear one of dad's old (now disposable) tee shirts.

Making Easter Egg Stands

Cut toilet paper roll cores into one inch cylinders and use for egg stands. Decorate with stickers or paint.

Decorating Easter Eggs

Traditional Method

Hard boil eggs. Fill several mugs with boiling water and add 1-2 tsp. vinegar. Place a few drops of desired food coloring in each mug. Place eggs in mugs for several minutes until eggs reach desired shades.

Remove with a spoon. Place on paper towel to dry. When dry, polish with a small amount of shortening on a paper towel. Buff until glossy.

You can draw or write on the eggs with a light colored or white crayon before dipping. The drawing will remain white after the egg is dipped.

To clean out mugs, put a little bleach water in the cups and soak for a few minutes.

Glitter Eggs - Place 1 tablespoon each of glue and water in a cup. Stir the mixture and then paint the eggs with it. Sprinkle with glitter. This can also add sparkle to already dyed eggs!

Decoupaged Eggs - Tear small pieces of wrapping paper, napkins, stickers, or clip art. Mix equal amounts of glue and water. Paint egg with glue mixture. Place paper on top and then cover with more glue mixture. Let dry.

Spotted Eggs - Place 1 tsp. of cooking oil in dye. Dip the egg. The oil will cause the dye to make an irregular pattern on the egg.

Waxed Eggs - Dip a portion of the eggs in melted paraffin or candle wax. Then dip them in the dye. Remove from dye. Dry and peel off the wax. The egg will be white on one half and colored on the other half. You can also dip in dye before waxing to get two colors.

Hollow Eggs - Poke a hole in one end of an egg with a very small needle. Poke another slightly larger hole in the other end. Then blow on the small end and the egg will come out the other side. Decorate Easter eggs as desired.

Natural Easter Egg Dyes

If you would like to try decorating Easter eggs with natural dyes, try the following:

• Yellow-- yellow onion skins, turmeric (1/2 tsp. per cup water) celery leaves
• Orange--any yellow dye plus beet juice
• Red--beets, paprika, red onion skins
• Pink--cranberry juice
• Blue--blackberries, grape juice concentrate, red cabbage
• Brown--black tea, white oak, juniper berry, coffee, barberry
• Light purple--blackberries, grapes, violets
• Green--alfalfa, spinach, kale, violet blossom plus 1/4 tsp. baking soda, tansy, nettle, chervil, sorrel, parsley, carrot tops, beet tops or dip yellow egg in blue dye

Hard boil eggs with 1 tsp. vinegar in the water. Place dying ingredients in non-aluminum pans, cover with water and boil 5 minutes to 1 hour until desired color is achieved. Use enough material to make at least 1 cup dye. Crush ingredients as they boil to extract as much dye as possible. Strain the dye. Most dyes should be used hot. Let each egg sit in the dye until it reaches the desired color. Some dyes will take longer than others to make the desired colored on the egg. Remove the egg and let dry.

*****

Jill Cooper and Tawra Kellam are frugal living experts and the authors of the Dining On A Dime Cookbook. Dining On A Dime will help you save money on groceries and get out of debt by cooking quick and simple homemade meals. For free tips & recipes visit http://www.LivingOnADime.com , sign up for our free Living On A Dime Newsletter and learn to save more!

Inspiration & Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

A sweet treat for my sweet Mother-in-law!  She came by over the weekend to deliver my Christmas present which had been delayed in the rush of the holiday shipping.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe from Dining On A Dime Cookbook

3/4 cups shortening, softened
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup (or more) chocolate chips

Beat shortening, sugars, egg, water and vanilla together until creamy.  Add flour and baking soda to creamed mixture.  Blend well.  Stir in oats, then add chocolate chips.  Drop by spoonful onto greased cookie sheet.  Bake in oven preheated to 350 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes. 

Frugal Inspiration - I love those little "magazines" from the grocery stores!  Besides the store specials and recipes, they contain great ideas for creating pleasing edible arrangements for guests.  One of my favorites is Inspirations from The Fresh Market.  Great ideas for platters that I can recreate on my own for less!

Mary Ellen

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Black-Eyed Peas & Collard Greens

A New Year's Day tradition - black-eyed peas slow cooked with kielbasa and ham (for good luck).  Collard greens seasoned with ham (for wealth).  Rice (for good health) and cornbread made from scratch (just because it tastes good!). 





Good cooking like this makes my husband glad he married a Southern girl!

Happy New Year!

Mary Ellen

Visit from Grandma-claus!

Yesterday, we were visited by my husband's mother, his siblings and their significant others.  It's always great to see his brothers and sister as they live out-of-state.  And of course, the kids always look forward to visits from Grandma!

 

Grandma came bearing gifts!

 

 

She brought tablets

 

and toys, much to the delight of the little ones!

 

 

The kids even got a chance to meet an actual Major League baseball player!

 

My gift is in the mail - literally!  It was delayed in all the holiday shipping.  But, I can't wait to get cooking with my new Le Creuset cookware set :)

 

Since the family came yesterday, today has been quiet and restful.  I've been busy in the kitchen prepping for our Christmas Dinner.  Making Sweet Potato Casserole and Jalapeno Coleslaw to go along with our Dijon-Pineapple Glazed Ham.  Later, we'll take a ride around and look at Christmas lights.  That's when the "elf activity" starts to pick up around our house :)  Every Christmas Eve, an elf stops by to drop off a new pair of pajamas and an ornament for the kids.  A reminder they should get to bed early tonight!

 

Mary Ellen







Got Thanksgiving Leftovers? Make A Pot Pie!

Homemade Turkey Pot Pie

Need to clear out some Thanksgiving leftovers from your refrigerator?  Then make a pot pie!  

For the crust, I used my favorite pie crust recipe - The Perfect Pie Crust recipe posted at The Pioneer Woman.  The recipe makes two crusts.  So, I made my pot pie with both a top and bottom crust.  Of course, you could just do a top crust for the pot pie and save the other crust for a dessert recipe!

To prepare the filling:
Adapted from this recipe

1 medium onion, diced
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all purpose flour {or corn starch}
1 3/4 cup chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
black pepper and garlic powder, to season
shredded turkey meat
leftover or frozen vegetables {I used green peas, frozen corn, frozen lima beans and also leftover brown rice}

In a saucepan over medium heat, saute diced onion in butter until tender.  Add flour (or corn starch) and stir.  Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk.  Simmer over medium-low heat until sauce thickens.  Add seasonings to taste.  Remove from heat and set aside.

*If you wish, you can add your veggies to the sauce while it thickens.  Since I was using vegetables that were already cooked or frozen, I did not add them in at this point because the baking time would be sufficient enough to cook them.

To bottom pie crust, add shredded turkey and veggies.  Then, pour the warmed sauce over the meat and vegetables.  Add top pie crust, seal edges and cut slits in top.

Bake in a preheated 425 degree oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until crust is golden and the filling is bubbly.

Enjoy!

Mary Ellen

Happy Thanksgiving!

 

 

Wishing you a Happy Thanksgiving!

 

*****

 

Our Thanksgiving Meal:

 

Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey (Pioneer Woman)

{Brine recipe included}

 

Crockpot Cornbread Stuffing (A Year of Slow Cooking)

{Homemade cornbread recipe for stuffing}

 

Sweet Potato Casserole

 

Brown Rice

 

Buttered Peas & Carrots

 

Pecan Pie (Pioneer Woman)

 

Pumpkin Pie

{used Perfect Pie Crust recipe for both pies}

 

 

Mary Ellen

 

 Image Credit

 

 



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*****

Don't forget to enter for your chance to win a FREE 8x10 canvas print!  Click to enter.

Mary Ellen

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Fall Recipe - Beef & Vegetable Soup

Beef & Vegetable Soup

 

A blustery, Fall day filled with lots of playing and jumping into leaf piles, calls out for a warm, hearty dinner!

 

Inspired by Mom Saving Mom's Hamburger Vegetable Soup recipe - but altered to make it more like my Momma's recipe!

 

1 lb ground, local grass-fed beef

3-4 potatoes, peeled and diced

3 carrots, peeled and sliced

1 medium onion, diced

1/2 cup brown rice

1-28 oz. can, diced tomatoes

 

the following, I don't really measure - just go by sight and preference

some frozen corn

some frozen peas

some frozen cut okra

tomato or vegetable juice

 

to season, dried oregano, dried basil, 2 bay leaves and black pepper

 

In a large pot, brown beef then drain.  Add in potatoes, onions and carrots.  Then add the diced tomatoes, frozen vegetables and rice.  Add enough tomato or vegetable juice to cover the ingredients.  Add in the seasonings, then cook over medium low heat until potatoes and carrots are done.  I usually let this simmer on the stove on low heat for 2 hours.  And the smell of the soup cooking, fills the whole house!  During cooking, stir and add more vegetable juice or water as needed. 

 

Mary Ellen 

 

 

Preserving the Season - Canning Pear Honey

Preserving the season - locally grown pears

Godwin's Orchards, Johnston County, NC

With the change in season, pears have made an appearance at our farmer's market.  Last year, I bought pears from my pastured egg lady.  But this year, her trees didn't produce.  Fortunately, the gentleman I buy apples from also has pear trees.  He offered me a great price on the pears, so I bought the entire basket right then and there!

Interestingly enough, I don't really like pears!  But, I do love pear honey - which is like applesauce (but with pears, of course!) and crushed pineapple.  And despite the name, there's no honey involved.  The finished product just has a golden, honey color - hence pear "honey".  

Pear Honey

original recipe can be found here

3lbs fresh pears, peeled, cored and chopped {you'll need about 7 lbs of whole pears}

3 cups sugar

1-8 oz. can of crushed pineapple in juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1.  Combine all ingredients in a large stainless steel saucepan.

2.  Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.

3.  Simmer for 40 minutes.

4.  Drain some of the cooking liquid and using an immersion blender (or masher), grind pears to a thick, applesauce like consistency.

My new canner - an anniversary present!

This girl loves practical gifts for the home :)

5.  Spoon into prepared canning jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. 

6.  Process in boiling water for 10 minutes.

I was able to make 7 half pint jars of pear honey - one of which was gifted to the gentleman from the orchid.  He's going to bring more pears to the market next weekend, so I'll be back in the kitchen canning very soon!

Attention Target shoppers...On my last Target trip, I found this box of 12 regular mouth canning lids with bands on clearance for $2.78.  That's the cheapest I've seen for this in our area.  Might be worth a look-see if you're in Target.  Also, tis' the season for discounted school supplies, backpacks and lunch boxes at Target.  Get a start on next year's school supply shopping or stock up for the rest of this school year!

Mary Ellen

Small Batch Canning - Habanero Gold Pepper Jelly

Habanero Gold Pepper Jelly

Recipe from Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving: 400 Delicious and Creative Recipes for Today

1/3 cup finely, sliced dried apricots

3/4 cup white vinegar

1/4 cup finely chopped red onion

1/4 cup finely chopped seeded red bell pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped seeded habanero peppers

3 cups sugar

1 pouch liquid pectin

1.  In a large stainless steel saucepan, combine apricots and vinegar.  Cover and let stand at room temperature for at least 4 hours or overnight.

2.  Prepare canner, jars and lids.

3.  Add red onion, red pepper and habanero peppers to apricots.  Stir in sugar.  Over high heat, stirring constantly, bring to a full rolling boil that cannot be stirred down.  Stir in pectin.  Boil hard, stirring constantly for 1 minute.  Remove from heat and quickly skim off foam.

4.  Pour hot jelly into prepared jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace.  Wipe jar rim.  Center lid on jar.  Screw band down until fingertip-tight.

5.  Place jars in canner.  Bring to a boil and process for 10 minutes.  Remove jars, cool and store.

*To enhance particle suspension, cool jars upright for 15 to 30 minutes or until lids pop down but jelly is not fully set.  As soon as lids are concave, gently twist and/or tilt individual jars to distribute the solids throughout the jelly.  Do not shake or invert jars!  Doing so might prevent jars from properly sealing.  

(Note:  My jelly was pretty well set once the lids popped.  But, my peppers and onions seemed to be very well distributed throughout the jelly.  I chopped them finely using my food processor and that may have helped with the even suspension).



The recipe yielded 3 and half pint jars of jelly for me.  I placed the half jar in the refrigerator for immediate use, instead of processing.  We scoffed it down with some cream cheese over dinner!

This was my first time using liquid pectin while canning.  Very simple and just a slightly different procedure than powdered pectin.  With powdered pectin, you add the sugar in after the fruit and pectin has come to a full rolling boil.  With liquid pectin, you add your sugar in with fruit at the start.  Bring the fruit and sugar to a full rolling boil.  Then, add the liquid pectin and boil hard for 1 minute.  My jelly seemed to set better with the liquid pectin (didn't need to do the sheet test).  So, I might just try it with my other jam and jelly recipes.

Happy Canning!

Mary Ellen



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