Jenny's Apple Custard Pie

Ingredients for Pie

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

2 lbs.  apples 

(Pink Lady or Honeycrisp are good options) (4 to 5 apples) (sliced for pie)

2 tbsp. sugar

1 tbsp. dark rum (optional)

1/4 tsp. table salt (divided)

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1 cup heavy cream

1 tsp. vanilla

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1 blind baked pie crust

Ingredients for Topping

1 cup sliced almonds

1/3 cup sugar

2 tbsp. unsalted softened butter

pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Melt butter in sauté pan.  

Add apples and 2 tbsp. of sugar. Sauté until apples are soft but not mushy.  Stir in rum and salt. 

Spread apples over the bottom of the blind baked pie crust.

Whisk together eggs, egg yolks, cream, 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla, nutmeg, and 

remaining 1/8 tsp. salt.  Pour over apples in pie crust. 

Bake pie about 30 minutes at 325 degrees

 until custard is barely set in the centre.

For the almond topping combine almonds, sugar, softened butter

 and a pinch of salt in a bowl. 

Remove pie from oven and sprinkle with topping.

Return pie to oven and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes until custard is almost set but still slightly jiggly in the centre.  Cool pie completely before slicing. Can be refrigerated but remove from fridge to serve at room temperature.

NOTE:  Topping can be varied.  Another variation would be a topping that would be used for apple crisp (flour, sugar and butter OR flour, oats, sugar and butter). 

Other nuts could be used for the topping as well.

Enjoyed this pie at Jenny's in Boylston on a Pre Christmas Visit 2024.

Crabapple Jelly

The Calgary Crew were visiting Grandmaman and Grandpa at their new house for their annual summer camp week and found a wonderful crabapple tree.

 All three kids took a trip up the ladder to pick the crabapples and then Grandpa finished the job.

  Once the apples were picked they needed to be sorted to take out the leaves and the ones that had bad bits on them.

  While Ethan continued to help Grandpa sort the rest of the apples Tristan and Reegan got the apples washed.

  We cooked the apples on Grandmaman's new gas stovetop and then began the slow process of straining the mush to get nice clear juice. (6 cups water/dutch oven of apples)

We tried cheesecloth (above) and a jelly bag (below). 

The next morning we went to Pat's house, Grandmaman and Grandpa's new neighbor, where Pat graciously demonstrated how to make the juice into delicious jelly and how to preserve it in glass jars.  

Here you see Pat measuring 8 cups of juice and adding 6 cups of sugar.

Next step was boiling the juice until the gel stage. Apparently if you lay a wooden spoon over the top the boiling liquid won't boil over.

 Voilà, jars of jelly ready to go in a hot bath.

 Here you see Pat putting the jars into the canner.

 A big thank you to Pat for sharing her expertise and another to Grant for showing the kids his collection of model airplanes.

STEP 1   PREPARE THE JUICE FIRST
Prepare crabapple juice by washing crabapples.  Fill dutch oven with crabapples  and cover with  6 cups water.  Bring to boil and simmer for about 30 minutes.  The crabapples can be mashed a bit during this process but don't mash tooooooo much.
Cool slightly then strain the juice.  I found it worked great to strain first through a colander, pushing down a bit to hurry the process but then to put that juice through the jelly bag.  Too much mashing and squeezing can make the juice cloudy.

STEP 2    PREPARE THE JELLY
8 cups crabapple juice
6 cups sugar
(1 cup juice use 3/4 cup sugar)

Boil the juice for a couple of minutes and then add the sugar. Continue to boil for between 10 to 25 minutes.  Do the gel test after about 10 minutes

Gel tests
1) Temperature Test-around 220 F    
2) Spoon-Dip a dry metal spoon into boiling jelly. Lift a small portion of juice in spoon above steam from the pot, letting it cool for a few seconds. Turn the spoon so the jelly drips off side of spoon into pot. The jelly is done when the syrup forms two drops that flow together and sheet or hang off the edge of the spoon to fall as one drop.
3)Frozen plate-Put a little juice on a frozen plate.  Put the plate back in the freezer for a couple of minutes and see if the gel crinkles.

STEP 3     PRESERVING THE JELLY IN GLASS SEALING JARS
(Alternate method would be to put in freezer jars and freeze.)
When jelly is ready skim the scum.
Ladle jelly into hot sterilized jars and seal using the following method.
To prepare the jars put clean jars in a 250 degree oven (filled with hot water to prevent cracking) until ready to use to sterilize.
Boil the lids for 5 minutes.
Fill the jars with jelly, place lid on and screw on top not quite tight.
Put jars in boiling water in a canner, covering to 1/2 inch of water and boil gently --for 2 cups 20 minutes--1 cup for 15 minutes.

STEP 4 ENJOY THE JELLY

Click crabapple  for a lots of good tips on crabapple jelly making.

Apple Raisin Pancakes

Summer Camp chez Grandmaman Morning Pancakes

2 cups flour

2 tbsp. sugar

2-1/2 tsp. baking powder

2 tsp. cinnamon

1-3/4 cups  milk

1/2 c. egg substitute

1/4 c. melted butter

3/4 c. pared, chopped apple

3/4 cup raisins

Combine dry ingredients. Beat together milk, egg and melted butter; stir into dry ingredients.  Stir in apple and raisins.  Cook on a lightly greased griddle over medium high heat, using 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.  Makes about 15 4 inch pancakes.

(typed by Ethan)

Reegan 2014

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Chicken, Broccoli and Apple Salad

450 g (1 lb) cooked chicken, diced

1/2 large red delicious apple diced

1 1/2 cup broccoli florets, cooked and cooled

1/4 cup raw almonds, chopped and toasted

1/2 cup sliced green olives

1/4 cup organic dried apricots, chopped

4 slices crispy bacon, crumbled

Vinaigrette

1 clove garlic, chopped

the juice of 1 lemon

1/4 cup mayo

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1 tbsp honey

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper

1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

In a small food processor, or with the help of a stick blender, process all the ingredients for the vinaigrette until smooth and creamy.  Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add cooked chicken, diced apple, cooled broccoli, toasted almonds, green olives, dried apricots, crispy bacon and vinaigrette and mix until thoroughly combined.

Place the salad in the fridge for a few hours before serving to allow flavors to fully develop.  This salad will keep in the fridge for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container.

Bavarian Cheese Cake

Crust 

1/2 cup butter

 1/3 cup sugar

 1 cup flour 

1/4 tsp vanilla

Pat in pie plate or flan pan (bottom and up sides).

Filling

 1 egg

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

8 oz cream cheese

Whip until smooth and pour onto crust.

Chop 3 or 4 medium apples (peeled and cored)

 for top and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Baked Brie

1/2 cup blanched almonds

pinch of ground cayenne, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and salt

1 wheel (350 g) Double Cream Brie Cheese

3 tbsp. apricot jam

1 tsp. chopped fresh rosemary

1.  Preheat oven to 375. 

2.  Toast almonds in a skillet over medium heat, stirring until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes.  Turn off heat and stir in spices and salt.  Reserve 2 tbsp. almonds for garnish and roughly chop remaining nuts.

3.  Slice brie in half horizontally.  Place bottom portion in the Brie Baker, spread 2 tbsp. jam on cut surface and sprinkle with chopped nuts and 1/4 tsp. rosemary.  Top with remaining cheese, spread remaining jam on top and sprinkle with the reserved whole nuts.

4.  Place covered Brie Baker on a baking sheet.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Garnish with remaining rosemary and serve with crackers and sliced apples.

Enjoyed this for lunch today with Oma.  We both thought that this recipe is worth repeating.

Baked Apple Dumplings/Quenelles de pomme

Black dog Grandma (aka Grandmaman) loves recipes with apples, especially when the temperature begins to drop, you begin to feel the chill in the air, the leaves on the trees blaze with autumn colours and as the apples begin to drop, Chicken Little calls "The sky is falling".  The best thing about this recipe is that it was a hit with Papa. Serve warm with cider sauce and  ice cream.

The best apples for this recipe are Golden Delicious, Braeburn or Gala (sweet and moderately firm).

Makes 8 dumplings

Apples halved, cored and filled with the butter mixture

Dough

2 1/2 cups flour

3 tbsp. sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

10 tbsp. ( 1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled

5 tbsp. vegetable shortening, cut into 1/2 inch pieces and chilled

3/4 c. cold buttermilk

Process flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in food processor until combined.  Scatter butter and shortening over flour mixture and pulse until mixture resembles wet sand.  Transfer to bowl.  Stir in buttermilk until dough forms.  (I used buttermilk powder added to the dry mixture and then water.)  Turn out onto lightly floured surface and knead briefly until dough is cohesive.  Press dough into 8 by 4 inch rectangle.  Cut in half, wrap each half tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.  (I refrigerated overnight.)

Apple Dumplings

6 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

3 tbsp. unsalted butter, softened

3 tbsp. golden raisins, chopped

4 Golden Delicious apples

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees.  Combine sugar and cinnamon in small bowl.  In second bowl, combine butter, raisins, and 3 tsp. cinnamon sugar mixture.  Peel apples and halve through equator.  Remove core (use melon baller), taking care not to pierce the bottom of the apple halves. and pack butter mixture into each apple half.

On lightly floured surface, roll each dough half into 12 inch square.  Cut each 12 inch square into four 6 inch squares.  Working 1 at a time, lightly brush edges of dough square with egg whites and place apple, cut side up, in center of each square.  Gather dough one corner at a time on top of apple, overlap edges and crimp to seal. Cut a vent hole in the top of each dumpling.

Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.  Arrange dumplings on prepared baking sheet, brush tops with egg whites, and sprinkle with remaining cinnamon sugar.  

Bake until dough is golden brown and juices are bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes.  Cool on baking sheet for 10 minutes.  Serve with Cider Sauce.

Sprinkled with cinnamon sugar and ready for the oven

Cider Sauce

To make this sauce up to two days in advance, reduce the cider mixture until it measures 1 1/2 cups, then refrigerate.  When you're ready to serve, return the mixture to simmer and whisk in the butter and lemon juice off heat.

1 cup apple cider (I used apple juice.)

1 cup water

1 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

2 tbsp. unsalted butter

1 tbsp. lemon juice

Bring apple cider, water, sugar, and cinnamon to simmer in saucepan and cook over medium-high heat until thickened and reduced to 1 1/2 cups, about 15 minutes.  Off heat, whisk in butter and lemon juice.  Drizzle over dumplings to serve.

Warm and ready for the cider sauce 

Crab Apple Jelly and a New September Ruby Tree

Crab Apples are almost a tradition in the backyards of Canadians.  Most people have a luv-hate relationship with them.  In the Spring, the crab apple trees are beautiful and covered with flowers.  Come Fall, they are covered in small, sour apples and people are left wondering what to do with all the fruit.

The finished jelly...  Four jars of yummy!

This crab apple jelly was made with the crab apples from our backyard.  Since the trees aren't very big yet, the bounty was also small this year (4 jars of jelly).  Click on the above link to get the recipe from the Canadian Living Magazine Website.  It is the 'classic' recipe and it turned out very yummy.

I will always remember Grandma (Oma) Peterson's huge crab apple tree in her backyard and especially enjoying her crab apple jelly on buttered toast.  Hoping to recreate Oma's jelly, I made my first batch today.  Since I've never canned before (it seems complicated and scary), I bought freezer jars, in which you fill and freeze the jam, defrosting when needed.  Seemed simple enough.

The Crew has been loving butter-jelly toast for breakfast.

This summer also marked a special day as Grandma retired from teaching.  To celebrate, we bought her a September Ruby Apple Tree.  This apple tree is special as it replaced an old apple tree that needed to be cut down in their yard last summer.  The type of apple tree, a September Ruby, is also very significant as it is the name of Grandma's Art Studio.  Check out Grandma's art studio and blog.

T-man and the tree

Reegs and the tree

E-man and the wheelbarrow:  "Let's get to work already!"

The Calgary Crew and the tree

Grandpa and Mommy planting the tree

The Calgary Crew and Grandma's new September Ruby Tree

Love,
Twin B
xoxoxoxoxoxoxo

Lost + Found

Isn't it great when you find something that you thought you'd lost?  

For example, E-man lost his ball cap, but found it again at the bottom of the lost + found bin at school.  Gotta love those overflowing bins of unspeakable randomness.  

T-man was thrilled to find his favourite stuffed animal squished between his bed and the wall this morning, after he 'lost' it during the night.  It was tears, tears, tears until BEAR-Y was discovered.

T-man and BEAR-Y

Reegs is busy finding the potty as we have begun the journey of loosing babyhood and finding big girl-ness.  Fun times, maybe Mommy is loosing her mind?

Reegs sitting on the potty.  Stickers on her shirt for making pees in the potty.  She looks really serious because she is chewing a jelly bean reward.  Yes- I bribe my children!!!

My lost + found story involves a batch of homemade applesauce that I froze last fall.  It was an accidental find as Kev almost brought the container to work (he thought it was chili).  I was super excited to try this recipe out with the applesauce made from Grandma's garden.

Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins (makes 12)

Ingredients

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup buttermilk (or 1 Tbs vinegar and 1 cup milk)

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup applesauce

1 egg

Directions

Place oats in a small bowl, pour in buttermilk. Let sit for two hours at room temperature.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease 12 muffin cups or line with paper muffin liners.

In a large bowl, stir together whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda and brown sugar. Stir in oat/buttermilk mixture, applesauce and egg; mix well. Pour batter into prepared muffin cups.

Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of muffin comes out clean.

Love Twin B

xoxoxoxoxoxo

Old School Pork Chops with Apples

A chilly February Day calls for a simple classic.  I love Jamie Oliver's take on pork chops and apples.  His Old School Pork Chops with Apples recipe is simple, flavourful and super easy.  The kids love it just as much as we do.  I served them up with creamy sweet potato/potato mashed potatoes.  I really liked Jamie Oliver's method of cutting the edge of the pork chops...  it looks cool and really helps cook the chop evenly too.  I had an extra sweet potato leftover from the weekend and simply added it to the pot of regular potatoes.  Yummy supper!

This dish would also be great during the fall, when the weather starts getting that 'edge' of chilly, where you need to put a sweater on in the evening to stay cozy.  When I think apples, I ALWAYS think GRANDMA and her huge yard full of apple trees.

E-man at ONE, chomping a sour apple.

E-man with apple juice dripping from his chin, sitting on Grandma's porch.

E-man at TWO, with his pants full of apples.  

E-man (2 years) and T-man (3 months) in the leaves at Grandma's House.

T-man, tasting a sour apple at age ONE.

Ooo, look at all the yummy apples!  T-man (1 year old)

E-man holding the ladder steady at three years old.

Reegs at 6 months, reaching for her first apple.

Reegs loves all of Grandma's flowers!

Love Twin B
xoxoxoxo