Turkey Empanada Filed under ( cheese, main dishes, Mexican food, pie, quick and easy, turkey )

Let's see, leftover turkey, check! Leftover pie crust, check! Leftover room in my belly for something so rich and delicious, double check!

I found this on MmmmmCafe and made it that night, grateful for a way to use up that very last bit of turkey. They were easy and fun to make and a total family pleaser, does it get any better than that?

Turkey Empanadas

Ingredients

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken (or turkey)
1 (8-ounce) package shredded Colby and Monterey Jack cheese blend
4 ounces cream cheese, softened (I didn't mind the cream cheese, but I could have done without it)
3 oz. green chilies
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 (15-ounce) package refrigerated pie crusts
Water

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet. In a large bowl, combine the chicken and next 7 ingredients. Unroll 1 piecrust onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 15-inch circle. Lightly brush the edges of crust with water. Place chicken mixture in the center of the round. Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges with a fork to seal. (Up to this point, the recipe can be made ahead and frozen for up to 1 month). Arrange empanada on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle top with cheese, if desired. Bake for 25 minutes.

Palidor at Crazy Asian Gal was sweet enough to give me the honest scrap award. Thanks Palidor! Go check her out, she's a lot of fun and always posting great things. I'm supposed to list ten things about myself. I think I have done this in the past, so I'll try to think of some different things:

1. Next to cooking, I'd say my favorite thing is reading. I could live right in between a Barnes and Nobles and a Williams Sonoma and live happy!
2. I really hope that by the time I reach the end of my life, I can say that I've visited every continent in the world. I love to travel!
3. I'd love to go to cooking school someday, but the show Hell's Kitchen has me really scared to try it, lol!
4. I come from a family of plate sharers, meaning, when you go out to eat with my family, prepare to have just about everyone's fork in your plate at least once. But in return, they expect you to try their dish too. It's one of the many things I love about my family.
5. I have music constantly playing in my house. I'm especially enjoying all of the Christmas tunes playing right now.
6. This is my absolutely favorite time of year. I usually go nuts in the kitchen baking and cooking. This year I'm being a bit more conservative because I don't want to deal with a bunch of holiday weight when it's over!
7. Farmer's Markets are like playgrounds to me, I could spend hours there and leave a happy girl, even if I don't buy anything!
8. I'd rather deal with cold weather than hot weather. Call me crazy, but I get way too grouchy in the heat.
9. Fuzzy socks, slippers and comfy warm jammies are an absolute necessity in my life.
10. If it wasn't for the food blog, I wouldn't push myself half as much to try new dishes.

So there you have it, how to you like that random smorgasbord of facts! I'm going to go ahead and pass this on to the following:

Shelby at Grumpy's Honeybunch
Kim at Stirring the Pot
Melody at Cheat Day Cafe
Kim at The Ungourmet

Go check these gals out, I know you'll love them as much as I do!

Dutch Apple Pie Filed under ( dessert, fruit, pie )

My husband and I make a good pair, but we're horrible for each other when it comes to refraining from treats and losing weight! I love my pizza, hamburgers, and greasy savory dishes, but HE loves his cake, brownies and cookies. So, if I'm not baking something in the kitchen, he is! So when my man decided he wanted an apple pie, by golly, he went in the kitchen and started making one. Don't get me wrong, I love that he knows his way around the kitchen, I just wish one of us was a bit more into salads!

This is just another recipe out of what seems like the hundreds we did with the box of apples we got at the orchard. That box of apples might not seem like a lot...but my gosh did it take forever to use them up! I liked this recipe because it's not your standard apple pie. I think what really got me was that the filling has sour cream in it, which makes it creamy and slightly tangy. My favorite part was the crumbly topping, it finishes off the pie really well. However, both my husband and I agree that a little bit of warm caramel on the top would make it even more perfect, next to a side of ice cream of course!

Dutch Apple Pie
By Taste of Home, Baking Book

Ingredients

3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
pinch of salt
1 egg beaten
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup (8 oz) sour cream
2 cups chopped peeled tart apples
1 unbaked pastry shell
STREUSEL TOPPING:
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cold butter

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour and salt. Stir in the egg, vanilla and sour cream until smooth. Add apples; mix well. Pour into pastry shell. Bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 325; bake for 30 minutes.

2. For topping, combine flour and sugar in a small bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over pie; bake 20 minutes longer or until filling is bubbly and topping is browned. Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or chilled. Store in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Chess Pie Filed under ( chocolate, pie )

I have been making a tons of different desserts lately.  Chess Pie is a popular southern pie and my mom recently shared this recipe from her friend Mary.  I remember my dad going on and on about this pie.  My Dad loved pie - but then again I think my dad loved all desserts!

My family loved it.  I liked it better without whipped cream but my hubby liked it better with.  Enjoy!

Chocolate Chess Pie

2 eggs

3/4 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cocoa... I sift together with sugar and mix with eggs.. I also use a mixer to mix it well

1/2 stick butter ( melted & mixed with above)

1 can condensed milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix all ingredients with mixer... put in unbaked pie shell

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-45 minutes or until set.. it shouldn't jiggle too much in center but will continue cooking a little after removed from oven... Can be served plain or with whipping cream... even ice cream.. or it's good just by itself...

Note:  Using the mixer blends it well and makes a better consistency...

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PECAN PIE Filed under ( dessert, holiday, pie, recipe traditions )

This is my mom's recipe for pecan pie. It is truly the best ever. I am from the south and I know my pecan pie. I highly recommend it. This pie has been a part of almost every family celebration since I was born! Mom makes her own pie crust or we use Pillsbury or the frozen Marie Callender's pie crusts. I used the MC one this past time and it was so yummy!

Peggy’s Pecan Pie

pie crust
½ cup of light Karo Syrup
½ cup of dark Karo Syrup
3 eggs – slightly beaten
1 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
¼ tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
1/3 stick butter
1 ½ - 2 cups of chopped pecans

Let pie crust get to room temperature and put in pie pan and seal edges. In a small bowl – beat 3 eggs with the sugar. Add nutmeg, cinnamon and vanilla. In a medium saucepan, heat the Karo syrups on medium high to high watching carefully – will develop a glaze on top. Remove from heat and add butter to melt. Add Karo mixture to egg mixture. Add chopped pecans. Pour into pie crust and bake @ 300 for about an hour – til middle is firm - not jiggly as I would say.

Enjoy with fresh whipping cream! ( tip for making your own whipped cream - put your bowl and beaters in the freezer for a while - if not going for real whipped cream then use Reddi-wip - best store bought)

Tiny Spinach Quiches Filed under ( Appetizers, bacon, cheese, eggs, holiday food, party food, pie, quiche, spinach )

I have a thing for tiny bite-sized food. Having kids might have something to do with that, but it also makes for the most convenient party food. It doesn't require silverware, rarely even a napkin. You pop it in your mouth, no plate, no commitment, and then you grab a second.

I actually made these today for an Easter Egg hunt. I figured we could use an adult snack in the midst of the sugar frenzy we were about to be surrounded in. Truth be told, they're a bit of work, but they're also fun when you're looking for a nice project in the kitchen to focus on. The pastry is quick and easy to make, but next time I'm just going to buy a pie crust, it will save me a lot of time and work. The best thing about the quiches is that they make a great appetizer, but they'd also be a hit as a breakfast or brunch item. Plus, I love that bright green color, so nice for spring.

Tiny Spinach Quiches
Adapted from Favorite Brand Name Appetizers

Ingredients

Pastry:
3 oz softened cream cheese
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup flour

Filling:
5 slices of bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup grated Swiss cheese (I used Mont Jack and Mozzarella)
1 small package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
3 eggs
3/4 cup light cream (I used fat free half and half)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. To prepare pastry, cut cream cheese and butter into flour. Form into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour. Lightly flour rolling pin. Place pastry on lightly floured work surface, roll out to 1/8 inch thickness and cut into 16 circles with 3 inch biscuit cutter. Line sixteen mini muffin cups with dough circles.

2. To prepare filling, preheat oven to 375. Sprinkle bacon, then cheese, evenly over bottoms of unbaked pastries. Squeeze spinach dry and spread evenly over bacon and cheese. In medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Pour evenly into pastry cups. Bake 30 minutes, or until set.

If you'd like to make this into a pie, pour into 9-inch pie crust.

Smile for the camera kids! Smile! Kids!

Happy Easter!!!

Lemon "Icebox" Pie Filed under ( lemon, pie, recipe traditions )

My mom makes this pie often as it is a very favorite of my brother. My dad loves it too. It truly takes like 5 minutes to make. If you like lemon - you will love this pie - very refreshing.

This is a pie my mom learned to make from her grandmother - Mooney is what we called my great grandmother. This pie has been in my family for years. Basic but yummy!

Lemon Icebox Pie

1 small graham cracker crust
2 tbsp butter, melted
1 can condensed milk
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
1/2 cup bottled lemon juice
small container whipped topping


Brush the graham cracker crust with melted butter and bake according to directions on container. This will give your crust that extra crunch. Allow crust to cool. Mix the condensed milk with your beaten yolks until thoroughly mixed. Slowly add the lemon juice stirring as you add. The lemon juice actually "cooks" the egg yolks so you have to stir constantly to avoid getting pieces of egg. Pour mixture into baked pie shell. Top with small container of cool whip.

*I also mix some extra graham cracker crumbs with a little melted butter. I toasted this on the same cookie sheet next to the pie crust when I heated it. Sprinkle this on the whipped topping for a more finished look.

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Sawdust Pie Filed under ( chocolate, coconut, dessert, pie )

Marshall, Texas is known for the Marshall Pottery. Next door to the Marshall Pottery is a quaint little restaurant called "The Hungry Potter". We always got a kick out of this because my maiden name is "Potter." I am not even sure if this restaurant is still there.

Anyway, they served a pie that is to die for. It reminds me of a dense pie version of the Magic Bars or the 7 Layer Bars. They would serve it warm a la mode or with fresh whipping cream. This is easy and oh so yummy - the perfect treat for your Valentine!

Sawdust Pie

1 1/2 cups coconut
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans or walnuts
7 egg whites
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

1 uncooked pie crust ( I used Marie Callender's)

Mix the first 7 ingredients and pour into an uncooked pie crust. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.

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