Never Leave Home Without It

Thanksgiving with family and guests

Every year I open the door and yell, “Happy Thanksgiving! We’re here!” It’s my way of bursting into my mother’s and father’s house without knocking or waiting for someone to open the door. There are no formalities with my family. I’m here to help with the festivities and I’m here to share the day with those I love most.

Stepping into the kitchen, I can smell the wafting aroma of buttered turkey and freshly made apple pie. A trace hint of cinnamon underlies the atmosphere. Mom or Dad has been making petite cinnamon rolls with the leftover pieces of homemade pie crusts. It’s a tradition that I remember from when I was a little girl and my sisters and I enjoyed them almost as much as the pies themselves. I continue to make them every holiday and now my son and nieces and nephews get to enjoy them too.

The house is bustling with preparing for the family meal. Mom is vacuuming or dusting. She has been up since the crack of dawn basting and cooking the 25 pound turkey. Dad has washed all the serving platters and is now feasting on the crackers or pickles to be put out for hors d’oeuvres.   We don’t usually eat until two in the afternoon, but people are bound to get hungry before then. Dad takes special consideration to keep all the kids and guests happy until dinner is served. I brought the celery stuffed with cream cheese and olives for my annual contribution as well. Arranged on the end tables are bowls of mixed nuts and a nutcracker with picks. This keeps my husband and brother in law happy while they watch the football games.

In my hands, and in the hands of my son, are all the other goodies that I baked for Thanksgiving. My sisters and I (and my brother too!) took a vow that no more would Mom have to do all the cooking by herself. There were too many of us now to leave that burden on her and Dad alone. It’s not like when we were kids and no one else knew how to cook. So, as soon each one of us could reach the stove and fix a dish, we each found our specialty to bring to the table.

This is the most fun part about celebrating Thanksgiving.  Each one of us kids was raised the same way and ate the same thing growing up; but as we learned to cook we each developed our own sense of taste and flavor. My brother and I both love Brussels sprouts and we fight over who gets the most. If I make them, I just add some butter, salt and pepper and call it good. My sister, however, cut hers in half and roasts them with bacon. They are incredible! I never would have thought of that.  Mashed potatoes are another family favorite that no Thanksgiving table should be without. For years, my dad peeled the potatoes and then cooked them and mashed them and added the required salt and pepper.  Once my son learned to cook, however, the task of the potatoes turned to him.

Potatoes have been my son’s favorite food since he began to eat with his fingers. If there was a potato to be found, my son probably discovered it. Jay could eat French fries or mashed potatoes any time of the day. Then it happened, my son found a recipe that called for potatoes, cheese and ranch dressing- three of his favorite foods! He experimented at home with his new found treasure and when he perfected the recipe, he brought it for his Thanksgiving donation. His potatoes are the rage for anyone who tastes them and are now a permanent resident beside the holiday bird.

As I find room on the kitchen counter for my sweet potato casserole and pumpkin chocolate chip bread, my sister yells to me from down the hall.

“Did you bring my pie?”

“Yes,” I answered. “I brought both of them.” It’s not actually my sister’s pie, but she has now claimed it as her favorite so I have to indulge her fantasy.

“I don’t care about the other one,” she corrects me. “I just want the one without nuts.”

“I know.” I roll my eyes, but she doesn't see me.

My nephew opens the basement door with cans of Pepsi in his hands. He sees me and kisses my cheek.

“Hi Auntie April, Happy Thanksgiving.” He sees the pies that I’m carrying. “Are those my pies? Oh man, I can’t wait for dessert?”

I smile at my football fanatic nephew and proceed to find room on the dessert table for my specialties.

Mom comes to inspect my wares and helps move the other pies around to make room for mine.

She looks at me and asks, “Now, which one is the one with the walnuts? That one is mine.“

I point out the freshly baked goody with the toasted walnuts on top. “That’s the one, Mom. I put nuts on top so we could tell the difference and so Sarai won’t eat it by accident.” My niece Sarai is allergic to walnuts, so it’s imperative she knows which pie she can eat.

Mom separates the two pies and places hers a little further back on the table. “Better to be safe than sorry.”

I look at my mom and shake my head. “You know, you have to share that pie with me. I like nuts in it too.”

She nods as she heads off to finish getting dressed before the rest of the family comes. “I know, I’ll make sure you get a piece.”

I have to laugh. When I first introduced my chocolate chip pie to the family, only Mom and I really enjoyed it. Everyone else tasted a small piece and it sat in the refrigerator for quite a few days. Everything changed the day I changed the official recipe and made the pie without walnuts. Now everyone had to have a piece of April’s Chocolate Chip Pie. It was a smash hit with both the kids and the adults. When my sister lived far away, she would even call me just to get the recipe. It’s the only pie my oldest nephew would ask for every holiday and for his birthday.  

Chocolate Chip Pie has become a staple for every family holiday we celebrate. I make it whenever we need a dessert for a special occasion. This means Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, and Independence Day. It’s also requested for birthdays, bake sales, and just because we need something chocolatey! It is an easy recipe to bake and can be doubled for your freezing convenience. I don’t have an option any more to make one or two pies. One of them has walnuts and the other is left plain. Both are good and both are rich beyond compare. Top your slice with fresh whipped cream or vanilla ice cream and you will never leave your Thanksgiving holiday without it again.

April’s Chocolate Chip Pie

1 - 9 inch pie crust - unbaked, deep dish

2 eggs

½ cup flour

½ cup sugar

½ cup brown sugar

1 cup oil

1 cup chocolate chips (or half a 12 oz bag.)

1 cup walnut pieces

In large bowl, beat eggs until foamy. (Make sure they are really foamy - this helps to make it crusty on top.) Add flour, sugar, and brown sugar. Beat until well blended. Blend in oil. Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.** Pour into pie shell. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour and 10 minutes. Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream, if desired.

Recipe may be doubled. Bake 2 pies and freeze one for later.

** Walnuts can be omitted if desired. To make one pie with nuts and one pie without, prepare a double batch and then pour half the batter in one pie crust. Add the nuts to the remaining mixture. Then proceed as directed.

The Littlest Memories

I love Thanksgiving. It has always been one of my favorite holidays. Not because of all the great food and time of year, but because it is a family tradition. It’s the one day of the year that focuses on loved ones gathering and realizing that life is about relationships and being grateful for one another. It’s about sharing time together and remembering what it means to be a family.  I really become angry when Thanksgiving is skipped over as all the retail stores first focus on Halloween and then skip straight into Christmas. Don’t get me wrong, I love Christmas too. I just wish people would take the time to stop and ponder about Thanksgiving. Our country originally began because of the love and appreciation for a Great God and His Blessings. The pilgrims knew how important it was to set aside days from the end of their harvest to give thanks for their health and their new friends and community. Our society seems to always be in such a hurry to go somewhere or do something. We tend to forget those little things during the day that bring us such pleasure and smiles. Before we know it, the day is over, the week has rushed by and our year has come and gone without any recognition of anything good. Thanksgiving was established so that we as a nation could take one day to give thanks for the abundant grace that has been bestowed upon us. (Abraham Lincoln implemented the fourth Thursday in November for this purpose and I believe it should be honored by everyone.)

 Thanksgiving is also a great time for our family. We all come together – to the best of our ability- and enjoy a great feast and lots of playtime. We celebrate our gratitude with turkey, stuffing, potatoes, all kinds of vegetables and goodies, plus an array of desserts that would knock your socks off. There are many people in our family, so anywhere from 14 to 18 relatives could be sitting at the table, depending on who makes it home for the holiday. That’s a lot of food and a lot to be thankful for. Our meal begins with prayer and then each person around the table must declare what he or she is grateful for. (With that many people, it can take a while and sometimes one of us can be accidentally skipped, so we have to speak up and stop whoever jumped their turn. It’s happened to me once or twice. J) It’s always a good time to listen to the other members, especially the little ones, think about their blessings and share with all of us.

With such a large amount of people at our table, especially if we have guests, one particular tradition that we had to establish was the use of place cards. Chaos arises when no one knows where to sit. There’s always someone who wants to sit by his grandfather or doesn't want to sit by her cousin, or else the baby needs to be beside his dad so that mom can actually eat hot food this year. One Thanksgiving we had to move my brother in law because he kept looking at himself in the mirrors. No one could carry on a conversation with him, without his peering around your head. It became quite the holiday joke. If you have a big family, you know what I’m talking about. Over the past years, it has been my pleasure to create each member his or her own place marker. I actually enjoy discovering new ways to mark each person’s plate and I challenge myself to do something different each year. Some years, depending on finances and time, are simpler than others, and some place cards have even been banished due to family requests.

We had such an occasion one year when my brother and his fiance came home for that particular Thanksgiving. Eddie rented a great condo overlooking the lake for the last week of November. In some northern states, this would have been ridiculous, but in Virginia, it was absolutely beautiful. The sky was filled with sunshine and the air was warm with a light breeze. The kids were free to visit the small beach and watch for the ducks that were near the boats. At the time, the youngest of our family was either four or five years old and she was the belle of the ball. She helped set the table and made Thanksgiving crafts to share with everyone. She especially liked helping me put out the place cards at everyone’s plate.

The place cards that year happened to be made of peanut butter fudge with a tiny monogrammed flag for each person. I had poured the fudge into small cupcake tins to make individual sized servings. It would be a little prelude for dessert if anyone wanted something sweet after dinner but before we served pie. The fudge cups, as I called them, came out very cute with mini pilgrim flags and decorative papers. My niece, Heleigh, loved them. She was so excited that there was peanut butter fudge and it was just her size! She kept asking me when we could eat them and did I have any extra, in case someone dropped theirs or got lost or if we had guests. I assured her that there were extras and she could eat her place marker whenever her mother told her she could. She nodded and then proceeded to position her card next to her grandmother. Once she had finished helping, I asked her mom if Heleigh could have a piece of fudge for being such a good helper. Her mom agreed and I gave my niece her reward. Her face lit up like sunshine. She devoured that little bit of candy and sat back humming and rubbing her tummy with delight.

The dinner was fantastic and we were all stuffed. No one wanted to move, except for the kids. It was time for some football. The adults mulled about and began cleaning up slowly but surely. My mom’s rule of thumb is that it’s necessary to clean one mess before making another.  It really isn't so bad when you have many hands helping. We had our routines and pretty soon we are all in the kitchen either picking apart the turkey or storing the extra stuffing or wiping off the table. This was the job that Heleigh wanted to help with. She would assist Auntie by cleaning the little things off the table, so I could wipe it off. The little things, of course, meant all those place cards which had to be moved or disposed of to make room for the pies and other desserts.

It all began rather casually. Heleigh was first allowed to eat her piece of fudge after she finished her meal. Then as she began to remove items from the table, she asked each family member what they wanted to do with their marker. Her brothers and sister told her she could put it anywhere, they didn't care. She could eat if she wanted to.  So she did. When she asked her uncle or aunts if they wanted their piece of candy, they responded that they were too full, she could have their fudge if she wanted. She did. Her grandmother and grandfather told her the same thing. By the time the dining room was cleaned, my niece had devoured 10 out of 14 pieces of peanut butter fudge. She suddenly developed more energy than a bunch of Energizer bunnies all rolled into one! Her words were speeding out of her mouth like a locomotive and she ran around the couch so many times I thought my head would spin.  When it was actually time to eat dessert, we knew something was wrong because Heleigh wanted none of it.  She tried eating a small piece of chocolate chip pie and then crashed on the couch. She fell asleep within minutes. When Heleigh finally woke up, her mom asked her how much fudge she had eaten. Heleigh wasn't sure; she had lost count.

The best part of the story happened later on that night. My niece got out of bed and traipsed off to her mom and dad’s room to wake my sister up. My sister was alarmed and asked Heleigh if there was anything wrong. My adorable niece, with her hair all matted around her face and her little pajamas twisted in a bunch, looked at her mother and with a growling voice said, “I want more fudge!” To this day, I am not allowed to bring or make my niece any peanut butter fudge without written permission from her mother first.

My peanut butter fudge is a favorite for my niece and for the rest of my family too. It’s very easy to make and it hardens every time. That’s why I like this particular recipe. I have tried others, but I usually end up using them as ice cream topping or for dipping my apples. The recipe makes a fairly good size batch of fudge. When using the little cupcake tins, it will fill all 24 indentations with some leftovers. Just make sure that during this holiday season you eat your fudge responsibly.

Peanut Butter Fudge

½ cup butter or margarine

1 lb light brown sugar

½ cup milk

¾ cup peanut butter

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 lb confectionery sugar

In medium saucepan on medium heat, melt butter.

Stir in brown sugar and milk.

Bring to boil and stir for 2 minutes. Do not overcook.

Remove from heat. Mix in peanut butter and vanilla, stirring well.

Add conf. sugar and beat until smooth.

Spread into greased 9 inch square pan or divide into mini cupcake pans prepared with paper liners.

Chill until firm. Makes 3 ½ lbs of fudge.

Recipe may be doubled. Be very careful about boiling and stirring. Overheating can dry out fudge and make it hard to spread.

Little Cake of Horror

It’s the end of October and everyone is thinking the same thing - Halloween. There are pumpkins on the porch and witches on their broomsticks. Monsters peek out from behind closed doors only to be met with horrible creatures ringing doorbells and demanding treats of the sugary kind. Stores are filled with costumes and candy in preparation of all Hallows eve and parties of frightening proportions. It seems as if this creepy occasion begins as soon as school starts and the leaves fall. Children of all ages plan for their one great night of dress up. What should I be this year – a zombie? A vampire? A princess or a hobgoblin from the latest movie? The choices are endless.

I don’t usually celebrate Halloween. I did when I was younger and we did take my son out trick or treating when he was little. Soon the trick or treating turned into church parties and spending the evening in watching assorted horror movies with a big bowl of popcorn in a dark room.  We still enjoy the gore and gruesome films of the times, such as The Last House on the Left, or Halloween, or Friday the Thirteenth; but we also experiment with the classics of Frankenstein and Dracula. Being a student of film-making, my son watches all kinds of movies and television shows to expand his repertoire and experiences. We actually began watching a different horror movie for each day in October and he critiques and compares how such movies have changed throughout the years. It’s exciting to learn all the film-making lingo as I listen to my son, but I have seen more blood and guts over the past month to last me until next October.

I have to say that I enjoy some of the gruesome goodies that appear during this season. I’m not thinking about a bowl full of spaghetti pretending to be intestines or peeled grapes imposing as eyes; I am talking about those cookies that resemble witches’ fingers or ghosts made of meringues that float on top of a cemetery cake. I am always interested in new and fun ways to bake and I have tons of sites on my computer for just that reason. I will include some of these pages for your perusal so you can be inspired too!

With all the blood, guts, and gore that come with some of our favorite movies, I had to incorporate this for my own pleasurable eating. When my son was filming his thesis film about a crazed teen idol whose personality delves into some sinister evil, I had to commemorate the occasion with a specialty cupcake. It portrays all the oozing blood of infamous slasher movies along with the yumminess of red velvet cake and shards of sugar glass sticking out in all the wrong places. Making the sugar glass and edible blood was a bit time consuming, but it was well worth it and everyone loved the motif. (And who knew, sugar glass is what bottles were made of in the old days of film.)

Broken Glass Cupcakes is a great recipe to make whether you have to go to a party or whether you’re just sitting at home watching your favorite gory movie. If you have the time, go for it and surprise everyone as you sip on sweetened blood or bite shards of glass between your teeth.

Broken Glass Cupcakes

 Ingredients:

 1 Can white frosting

1 Box Red Velvet Cake Mix

 Sugar Glass:

 2 cups water

 1 cup light corn syrup

 3 1/2 cups white sugar

 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

 Edible Blood:

 1/2 cup light corn syrup

 1 tablespoon cornstarch

 1/4 cup water, or more as needed

 15 drops red food coloring

 3 drops blue food coloring

 Directions:

 Prepare Red Velvet Cake Mix According to box, line cupcake tins with paper cupcake liners. Use red or silver colored ones if possible. Divide cake batter between lined cupcake tins. Bake according to box instructions. Let cool and frost cupcakes with white frosting.

To make the sugar glass, mix 2 cups water, 1 cup corn syrup, white sugar, and cream of tartar in a large saucepan; bring to a boil. Use a candy thermometer and boil sugar syrup until temperature reaches 300 degrees (hard ball**), stirring constantly. The mixture will thicken as water evaporates. When sugar reaches 300 degrees, quickly pour onto a clean metal baking pan. Cool until completely hardened. Break into "shards" using a meat mallet.

**Hard ball stage happens when a drop of mixture placed in a cold glass of water becomes a hard ball on the bottom of glass. If you don’t have a thermometer, this is one way to find out if the candy is ready. It takes a bit of time, but it is worth it. **

To make the edible blood, mix together ½ cup corn syrup and cornstarch in a large bowl. Slowly stir in the ¼ cup of water, adding more if necessary, until the corn syrup mixture has thickened to the consistency of blood. Stir in the red and blue food coloring. This edible blood is so real it’s creepy. If you don’t use it all, save in a sealed container and use to freak out your friends while watching vampire movies.

Stab each frosted cupcake with a few shards of broken sugar glass. Drizzle on drops of "blood" to complete the effect. Enjoy with your favorite ghosts and goblins!

Here are a few sites that have an inspired me for ghoulish fun and baked goods.

http://iambaker.net/?s=halloween+spider+in+a+jar+

http://www.bettycrocker.com/search/searchresults?term=Halloween%20desserts

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/frightening-witchs-finger-cookies-114039.aspx

http://leitesculinaria.com/22852/recipes-ghostly-halloween-meringues.html

The Purist of Cookies

It began when I was just a baby. My mom claims that my dad started it and I just continued in the manner of which I knew. It’s true. When my loving father gathered all my baby food and prepared to feed me, he would separate each flavor onto my plate and never the two would mingle. Each morsel of breakfast, lunch, or dinner would remain secluded in its own space. No blueberry buckle would ever touch the mashed sweet potato, nor would any creamed chicken ever know the merging of green beans or mushy peas.

It didn't stop there. As I grew I continued to keep all my foods separated. While others mixed their corn on top of their mashed potatoes, mine were on opposite sides of my plate. I couldn't bear the site of a casserole with vegetables and noodles and gravy all spooned out in one bowl. Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches were out of the question. My mom made one half with peanut butter and the other had jelly. (Eventually I just progressed to only a peanut butter sandwich, so much easier at lunchtime.) Thanksgiving feasts of turkey and potatoes and Brussels’ sprouts and cranberry sauce and carrots and all the other festive foods challenged my food fetish beyond compare. My brother and sisters easily piled on their selections and then topped the whole dish off with gravy. (Secretly I gagged.) Each food on my plate was categorized and compartmentalized according to their size and aptitude toward spreading. All that meant was that if the applesauce was going to spread out, it went into a separate bowl. May I say here, that my dad still enjoys his salad portion in a bowl as well. I don’t know why, but it’s true; so I obviously take after him. J

Growing older did help to alleviate my habit to a degree. My foods can now touch one another, but they are never combined. I still cannot abide shepherd’s pie or corn mixed up with any food, but I have learned to tolerate gravy on my potatoes. I can also place my applesauce on the same plate as my broccoli now. When people ask me over for dinner and ask if there is anything I can’t eat, I am brave enough to be honest and tell them I don’t fare well with casseroles or beef stroganoff. The thought of noodles and gravy and meat all swirling around together is vile in my book. Doesn't matter if you’re the best cook in the world, I’m not eating it. Yuck!

Although this food OCD may be extreme in some circumstances, it has its value when it comes to baking. I like pies, and cakes, and cookies that have distinct flavor.  I want my cinnamon raisin bread to taste of cinnamon and raisins. My blueberry pie must burst with each bite of that lovely blue fruit. I make an awesome chocolate chip pie that entices the taste buds with deep chocolate and salty walnuts. Each flavor is separate and undeniable. When I bite into a food, I want to taste what is in it. I don’t want a mouthful of goop and mush with no flavor.

One of my favorite recipes that stands out above the crowd is for peanut butter cookies. Many people have their personal preferences as to how to make them or what they should taste like. I think if it is called a peanut butter cookie, it should radiate the nuttiness and goodness of peanut butter. After experimenting with quite a few recipes, the one I use now has been deemed the best by everyone who tries it. What is quite remarkable is that the recipe does not call for any flour, so if someone you know is allergic to wheat or gluten, this is a wonderful cookie to share with him or her. This recipe is so easy and requires only 3 ingredients. A busy mom will appreciate how quickly it is to prepare and if company unexpectedly stops by, most kitchens have all these ingredients on hand. I think you will enjoy this pure unadulterated peanut butter cookie. Just get your glass of cold milk ready for a delicious treat. If you are one of those people who like to dunk your cookies, then enjoy to your heart’s content. As for me, well, you probably already know the answer.

Purely Peanut Butter Cookies

1 - 15 oz. jar of creamy peanut butter

2 large eggs

1 ½ cups sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop out all peanut butter in a medium size bowl. Add eggs and sugar and stir thoroughly. Batter will be very sticky. 

Using a teaspoon, spoon out a heaping size of batter and roll them in your hands to make small balls (approx.  1 ¼ inch in size.)

 Place balls on ungreased cookie sheets. With a fork, mark each cookie in a crisscross fashion.

Bake in oven for 12 -14 minutes. Let cool for 1-2 minutes.** Remove from pan. Enjoy!!! These cookies store best in an airtight container. This recipe makes approximately 48 cookies.

**During the holidays, I sometimes place a chocolate kiss in the middle of the cookie while they are cooling. Just unwrap the chocolate and press lightly into the cookie. Let the chocolate harden a bit and then remove from pan. The cookie is still purely Peanut butter, but chocolate is always a nice touch too!**

Pumpkin, Pumpkin, Who's Got the Pumpkin?

Stepping outside the door, my foot crunches the golden yellow leaves. A gentle cool breeze rustles more russet red and crimson orange swirls off the tired tree limbs. The sun peaks between the clouds and I draw my jacket a little closer. Sitting on the front stoop of every house as I walk along the sidewalk are pumpkins of every size and shape. Some are fat and plump; some are tall with a long stem. I see little ones lined all in a row and then there are those giant orange gourds that could hide a parcel of midget clowns inside if they wanted. Triangle eyes have been chiseled out along with either a happy grin or a scary toothy ridge. In the evening, they are lit up with small candles and they glow all through the neighborhood. It’s October and the jack o’lanterns are on the rampage.  

There are many that love that wonderful time of the year when the days are a bit chillier and we prepare for long nights at home with homemade stew and biscuits or cinnamon applesauce simmering on the stove. My favorite time of the year came as my family bundled up in sweaters and heavy pants and ventured off to the apple orchard to pick a few bushels of Macintosh or Granny Smiths. Dad would grab one of those long handled rods that allowed him to pick fruit from the top of the tree. Mom would stand right beside him and inspect each piece for bruises or brown spots. If it had any sign of imperfection, it was not allowed into our barrels of goodies. We all learned at an early age what Mom allowed and what was strictly prohibited. (I still inspect my apples the same way even when I go to the grocery store.) My brother and sisters and I would anxiously search for the best trees to climb. The limbs had to branch out so we could easily find a foot hole. We had so much fun as we tasted each apple from each tree to make sure they were sweet and not mushy.

After apple picking, we sometimes headed off to the barn to find our perfect pumpkin. There were so many to choose from, but we knew which kind was best for that perfect Halloween face. Our perfect specimen had to have a sturdy handle (stem), that’s how we knew it was fresh. Any that broke in our hands, we disregarded with contempt. The pumpkin itself had to be firm and rounded all the way around. There were many that had a flat spot on one side and they were sometimes considered, but generally we only agreed on one that was perfectly formed.  Believe me, when you’re trying to get four kids to agree on anything, it is not an easy task. We at least could concur on that.

Once that perfect orange gourd was chosen, we would head home and Mom would begin the tradition of peeling and chopping apples for her special chunky applesauce. My sisters and my brother and I would start designing what kind of face we would carve into our masterpiece. Would it be happy, grumpy, scary, or funny? We had such a great time even though I don’t think Dad enjoyed sticking his hand down into all that orange goo and pulling all its stringy insides out. We would separate the seeds to prepare them for roasting and snacking on later.

Pumpkins have been a long time tradition in our family - whether they were carved into jack o’lanterns or baked into loaves of delicious pumpkin bread. My aunt Shirley baked some of the best pumpkin nut bread in round cans. It was such a treat. I wanted to learn to make my own pumpkin bread and for years I searched for the right recipe. I found quite a few; each one involved and detailed. They tasted wonderful, but they were also very time-consuming. Eventually I found a fantastic recipe that was quick and easy and a great hit with everyone who tried it. The recipe was so well received that I am asked for it even when pumpkin is not so readily available. It’s a good thing that I can generally find my ingredients on the shelves of most grocery stores, no matter what time of the year it is. This recipe can make either two good sized loaves or 24 muffins. It can also be prepared plain, with nuts, or with chocolate chips. My family loves them all, but the pumpkin chocolate chip muffins have become the ultimate favorite with everyone. I think you will be pleased with the taste and the simplicity of one of my most requested recipe…

April’s Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (Bread)

1 box of Spice Cake mix (whichever brand you like the most.)

1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin – not pumpkin pie mix, just plain pumpkin

2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice (can also use mixture of 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ½ tsp. allspice as a substitute.)

¼ cup of water.

12 oz bag of chocolate chips (or 1 cup crushed walnuts, if you prefer)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Line your muffin tins with paper liners or grease. If making loaves, grease two 9x5 loaf pans.

In a large bowl, mix spice cake mix along with the whole can of pumpkin.** 

Add water gradually to loosen up the batter. Sprinkle in pumpkin pie spice and mix thoroughly. Gently fold in the chocolate chips (or nuts.) Spoon the mixture into your muffin pans or loaf pans. 

Bake muffins for 23 – 25 minutes, loaves for 35-40 minutes. (Follow the baking directions on your boxed mix for the appropriate sizes, just test with toothpick until it comes out clean.) Let cool and enjoy!! 

Makes approximately 24 muffins or 2 loaves. This recipe is great for those Moms or Dads who don’t have a lot of time to make from scratch goodies or can’t find fresh pumpkin in the middle of winter or spring.

**Do not add anything else to this recipe. The pumpkin along with the cake mix bakes up perfect as is.)

One Potato, Two Potato, Three Potato, Four

Did you ever play that game when you were younger? You know the one – where two or more of you sit in a circle and count potatoes with your fists on top of each other. (This came way before the current fist pumping all the young people do now, but who knows, maybe it started here. J) I don’t know what the game was actually, but it was fun nonetheless. So many different games we used to play – hopscotch, four square, charades, dodge ball, along with many, many others. I remember everyone on my block gathering in my backyard for our weekly game of kick – ball. We especially loved it when my mom would join us. A couple of the guys down the street gave her the nickname “Slugger” because she could really kick that ball far. It was so much fun…

Those memories we have when we were little last with us all through our lives. They can come from a old picture, playing a particular game with our kids, a tradition during the holidays, or a certain food we always ate.  If you look back, I’m sure there was something your mom or dad cooked or baked that was special to your family. Or maybe it was a food that was simple to prepare and inexpensive for your large family to eat. My youngest sister remembers the blade steaks that my dad used to buy at the grocery store. They were individual sized pieces of beef that had a sliver of gristle (or fat) down the middle of the meat. This cut of steak was extremely reasonable in price for a family of six to eat.  Dad loved to eat steak and he shared that love with all of his family, so to have steak at least once a week was a treat for us.  My sister, however, was not so happy. While the rest of us enjoyed our steak and potatoes and salad, she couldn't stand that gristly thing that sat on her plate. She was a good girl and ate her food, but the memory of that blade steak stayed with her for the rest of her life. To this day, she will not buy or cook that piece of meat for herself or her family. It’s a family story we all enjoy sharing when we get together for dinner or the holidays. She hated blade steaks, I hated chicken thighs, and my dad hated liver. 

Growing up in a family of six was difficult at times, but my mom and dad didn't let on to us kids.  We knew we weren't rich in the monetary sense, yet we never went without. There was always food on the table and Mom made sure her children never went hungry. (She hated it when she knew other children were suffering too. She would shop at the store and pick up extra food to give away for other families having it rough too. I don’t know how many times we did that during the year.) Mom would also think of new ways to prepare whatever was in the house to eat. Whether it was hamburger or pasta or potatoes, Mom was in the kitchen taking care of her family to the best of her ability. One such recipe came to be an absolute favorite for all four of us children. I don’t know if anyone else in the world eats this, but I love it and so do my sisters and brother. We have made it countless times since we were little and I have shared with my son and he loves it too. It’s our very own “Potato sandwich.”

 I share this recipe simply because it is something my family and I love. I cannot claim it is highly healthy for you, because honestly, it isn't. The ingredients consist of oil, butter, salt, potatoes, and white bread. (I have used wheat bread with this recipe and it works, but it’s not the same as when I was younger.) Potatoes have always been a staple in my family’s home and when you’re feeding four kids and there isn't much food in the pantry before Saturday or Sunday grocery shopping, potatoes are a perfect filling food. The Potato Sandwich filled up our little bellies and we were quite content. 

As I grow older, I realize that life brings on changes in our day to day routines and in our way of thinking. I am more conscious of my exercise (that I don’t do enough) and my eating habits. I try to limit my intake of salt and fatty foods. I portion my share of cookies and goodies, and I try my best not to eat a lot of fried foods. Everyone once in awhile though, I am in need of a warm and fuzzy remembrance of my childhood. That is when I take out the frying pan and potatoes, and I prepare myself a memory for all my taste buds.

Mom’s Potato Sandwich

Ingredients - (Makes 2 sandwiches)

3 good sized russet potatoes (I’m from Maine and I’m partial to russet)

½ cup oil or more (You want enough to cover the bottom of your pan plus some extra)*

4 pieces of white bread (Wheat is okay if that’s what is on hand.)

Butter or margarine (To spread on the bread.)

Salt

Paper Towels or napkins

Directions

Wash potatoes thoroughly, or if you choose peel them. (My mom always peeled them for us.) Slice potatoes into medium thin slices. They don’t have to be uniform, but the thicker the potato, the longer it takes to cook. Don’t make them too thin though, because then you will be making potato chips. (They taste good too!)

Pour oil in pan and heat carefully. You will be frying the potatoes so be careful. Let oil heat slightly before placing potatoes in pan. Be watchful of spattering. Place potatoes in pan in a single layer if possible. This helps them to fry better and not stick together as much. Brown one side of the potato lightly and then turn over with spatula or slotted spoon. Allow other side to become golden brown. When finished, dry the fried potatoes on a layer of paper towels to absorb the extra grease. Salt them according to your taste. Finish cooking the rest of the potatoes in the same manner.

Once potatoes are ready, spread butter or margarine on one side of each piece of bread. Cover two of your bread slices with all those cooked potatoes. Place the other piece of buttered bread on top. Cut in half diagonally because that is how you truly cut a sandwich for someone you love, even when it’s just you. Sit back, turn on your favorite childhood cartoon or show and enjoy!

*If you have a deep fryer, fill it to the desired level with your oil. I love mine and they are so easy to use. 

Easy as Apple Pie

One of the greatest memories I have when I was growing up was my great grandmother’s kitchen. She was a lovely Italian woman who came to America from Italy as a young woman so she could finally marry the boy of her dreams. She was not very tall and she did not speak English well at all. However, that woman could cook.  She made everything from scratch, because that was the way she was taught and, honestly, that was all that was available back then. I remember the front yard of her brick house being tilled and planted with all sorts of vegetables and herbs. White trellises of wood were adorned with red and white grapes for her personal winemaking.  Pantries (more than one of course) were filled with canned tomatoes and green beans. Just walking through her back door transported you from the small city streets of Maine to the cozy center of an Italian heritage. The smells that wafted through the windows ranged from garlic spiced spaghetti sauce to the cinnamon infused apples in her homemade apple pie.

Her apple pie was not like any other I had ever known. Sitting on her windowsill there were no small round pie pans steaming from the oven. No, my great grandmother baked her apple pie in a giant 11 x15 rectangle pan and more often than not, she made more than one at a time.  The kitchen would be filled with all the makings of flour, shortening, sugar, cinnamon, and apples – everything she needed to make her own crust and pie filling. It was a treat for anyone to have a piece of her pie, and being the Italian momma that she was, you went home with some too.

Apple pie has always been an absolute favorite of mine. There is something about the tartness of a Macintosh apple mixed with the right combination of cinnamon and sugar that speaks to the little girl in me every time. Apple pie is a reminder of autumn leaves and bright orange pumpkins sitting on the front porch. We make apple pie when the air turns brisk and we pull out our favorite sweaters for those long evenings in front of the fire. It’s not Thanksgiving unless there is at least one apple pie sitting on the dessert table waiting to be cut open. Apple pie is one of the most beloved desserts anyone could ask for.

With the holidays fast approaching I thought it would be appropriate to begin this blog with a simple recipe for apple pie.  There are many personal tastes for this wonderful baked good, so feel free to experiment and make it your own. Some people love lots of cinnamon, some like to add nutmeg. Some connoisseurs will tell you to make the apples al dente, while others prefer their apples to be soft and glazed. My father personally likes his apples diced smaller and slathered with lots of cinnamon and sugar. Whichever way you enjoy your pie, make it so you want to dive into it as soon as it comes out of the oven. It doesn’t matter if it’s soupy or firm, or you enjoy it with cheese on top or ice cream, all that is required is that when you take that first bite, you revel in the delight of your creation.

The recipe that follows is one I have used since I was old enough to read recipes. In our family, we taste everything as each step progresses. Taste your apples and decide if they are sweet or tart. I love using a combination of granny smith apples along with gala. (If I were still back in Maine, I would only use Macintosh.) Find your favorite apple or apple combination. If the apples prove to be tart, add more sugar. Try one or two of the pieces after you have added the cinnamon and sugar and see how it tastes. If it tastes good before it’s cooked, it will taste great after it’s baked. That’s a simple trick I learned throughout my experiences baking. (It works with cookie dough too.) Once you've decided the apples are seasoned enough then it’s time to pour them into the pie crust.

Just a note on pie crusts – they are not always easy to make. I struggle from time to time to create just the right texture and tenderness when it comes to my apple pie. More times than not, I prefer to buy my crusts already made and save the time and energy trying to produce one. Usually I am so excited to be able to make apple pie that I have no patience with the shell. It’s your choice if you want to make your own crust or buy one from the grocery store. I have included a pie crust recipe for those who are ambitious, just in case.

The most important thing to remember when baking an apple pie or anything else in your kitchen for that matter is to have fun. Don’t be afraid to make the recipe your own. That is exactly what I have done with many of the recipes you will find on this sight. If you are new to cooking or baking, follow the recipe and enjoy your rewards. As you become more experienced, experimenting will become part of the fun too.

April’s Apple Pie Recipe

2    9inch pie crusts (unbaked)

5-7 apples (depending on size)

1 cup sugar

4-5 teaspoons cinnamon

1-2 tablespoons flour

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Peel and slice apples into nice size pieces. (For new bakers – do not use the cores. J) Place in large bowl. Add cinnamon and sugar. Mix well until all apples are coated. Taste the apples; if the mixture is sweet enough, it’s done. If you prefer it sweeter add more sugar and/or cinnamon, depending on your preference. Add the flour to keep filling from becoming too runny. Let apple mixture sit for 5-10 minutes. If it looks too syrupy, add more flour. Mix well.

Place apples in bottom pie crust. Try to arrange apples as flat as possible so the filling is full. Place other pie crust on top of the apples carefully. Press edges together between your fingers to seal them. Make indentations along the edges to make it look pretty – you can use your fingers or fork tines. Make a few small cuts into top crust with a knife to release the steam.

Cook at 375 degrees for approximately 40 minutes. Watch to ensure your pie crust doesn't burn. Let cool and enjoy. (For easier clean-up, I place my pie on a cookie sheet lined with aluminum foil. This is just in case the juices build up and over flow.)

Simple Pie Crust Recipe

3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon fine salt

2 teaspoons granulated sugar

2 sticks of cold unsalted butter - cut into small pieces

8 to 10 tablespoons ice water

1.      Combine the flour, salt, and sugar in a large bowl and stir briefly until mixed properly. Using a pastry blender or your fingers, cut the butter into the dry ingredients until it’s in pea-size pieces that are slightly yellow in color, about 4 to 5 minutes. (For new bakers, this means to crumble the butter into the dry ingredients until its combined and in small pieces.)

2.      Drizzle in 8 tablespoons of the ice water and mix just until the dough comes together. (Add the last tablespoon of ice water if necessary, but don’t overwork the dough or it’ll become tough.)

3.      Divide the dough into two mounds. Shape or roll each mound of dough into a flat disk approximately 12 inches across, cover it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, then place it in a pie pan for the bottom crust. Save the other one for the top crust. (If you leave it on the plastic wrap, it’s easier to place on your filling.)

4.      This recipe makes enough dough for the top and bottom of 9- to 9-1/2-inch apple pie.