Apple Pie Filling

    

There isn't a single person in our house that doesn't love my apple pie.  My children all rave about it and I think it's pretty good too!  I have been making apple pie since I was able to use an oven.  My mother only really made apple pie at Thanksgiving, but I make it several times during the fall because my family loves it so much! 
     The best part of making this pie is watching my kids as they "sneak" into the kitchen while I'm peeling apples.  They all think that I won't notice their little hands as they sneak apple peels from my "garbage" bowl on the counter (I peel the apples into a bowl rather than into the garbage can so that my kids can indulge in the yummy goodness of the apple skins.)  They all giggle when I pretend to swat them away. 
     I am very meticulous about how I cut the apples, so for me, this isn't a quick process.  I do have a do hickey that peels and cuts the apples for me, but clean up is a pain, and I feel that I am not able to control the quality of my product the way that I like.  I prefer to work each apple individually, and I carefully cut away the core and all of the bits that could be hard from the apple.  I slice the apples into thin slices with a really sharp knife.  This helps me to cut most of the slices with the same thickness.
     I like a very simple apple pie, there are really no frills or special seasonings.  I use cinnamon, nutmeg, sugar, flour, and lemon juice.  That's it!  I like the taste of the apples, so I try not to cover it up too much.  Today, as I made this pie, I thought about my children and the memories that they will have of me making pies.  They often crowd around the counter (we have a peninsula) and watch me as I roll out the dough and place it in the pie plate, and like little scavengers, they compete for all of the scraps that are left on the counter.  I love that they will have these fun memories to take with them as they grow! 

The aroma that filled my house this afternoon was so heavenly!  The cinnamon and nutmeg enveloped the kitchen and wafted around the entire house!  Another reason why I love the fall season! 

To get started, all you need are 6-8 medium sized apples.  For today's pie, I used Cortland, but you can use Gala, Empire, Ginger Gold, or any combination of these.  I prefer not to use Macintosh apples because their flesh is really soft and they don't hold up well in the pie. 
After you slice them, you need to add the lemon juice, flour sugar, and spices.   Mix the apples well and make sure that all of the apples are coated.  Set them aside.

 

Roll the pie crust out and carefully place in your pie plate.  For this pie, I made a crumbly topping, but you can roll out another crust and use for the top if you prefer.  Fill your crust with the apple filling, making sure to scrap out all of the yummy juice.  Cover your pie (cut vents in the top if covering with additional crust) and bake in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes.  Turn the oven down to 350 and bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden and the pie is bubbling.  Cool completely or serve warm (with ice cream for an extra treat!) 

 

 

I promise you, this pie is amazing!  As I am sitting here writing this, my mouth is watering and I already had a piece!  I could sneak a little bite...all of my kids are sleeping and no one would ever know...right? 

 

 

Below is the recipe for both the filling and the crumb topping that I used for this pie.  I hope that your family loves it! 

 

Apple Pie Filling- Makes one pie

 

6-8 Medium apples, peeled and sliced thin (Approximately 3 pounds)

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 heaping tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

2 tbsp. flour

 

In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients, stirring well to coat evenly.  Fill a prepared pie crust.  Bake at 400 for 15 minutes and 350 for an additional 45 minutes. 

Cool completely or serve warm.

 

Crumb Topping- Makes one pie

 

1/4 cup cold butter

6 tbsp. flour

4 tbsp. brown sugar

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

 

Cut the butter into the flour, sugar, and cinnamon.  Spread evenly over the pie. 

 

The cost to make this pie was approximately $4.25 and feeds 8 people (generously...if you're serving kids it could feed a few more.)  That means that this pie is about $0.53 per person!  Super affordable. 

 

Do you have a family recipe that you would like to share?  If so, please leave it in the comments...I am always looking for new ideas!

 

Blessings to All!

 

 

 

 

 



Perfect Pie Crust

It's November and we can't very well go into the holiday season without talking about pies.  Yummy, delicious, warm apple and pumpkin pies.  It took so many years for me to get just the right recipe for pies.  I have tried them all...all butter, all shortening, half butter, half shortening, I have even tried recipes with vinegar in them.  I have watched some videos on YouTube and followed a few tutorials, and after all of my research, I have finally reached the perfect pie crust for me. 

There are many people who think that making their own pie crust is too hard, or too much work, but I am here to tell you that making your own is easy and doesn't take that much time.  I have tried to use those sold in the store and if you take a taste before the crust is baked, it is, in my opinion, the nastiest tasting stuff.  It is like cardboard...not something that I would recommend using.  Making a crust may take a little more effort, but I promise you, you won't be sorry. 

My children love it when I bake a pie.  I make both savory and sweet pies, as chicken pot pie is one of children's favorite meals.   Today, I am going to bake a pot pie using the recipe that the Pioneer Woman, Ree Drummand, has on her blog for chicken pot pie.  I love the way that her chicken filling tastes in a pot pie.  She only uses one pie crust, but in our family, we prefer a top and a bottom.  I also add other ingredients to the filling, such as veggies like peas and carrots. If you go to Pinterest and search for her, you should be able to find her recipe pretty quickly. 

I use my own pie crust recipe, which has become my favorite.  It is so easy and quick, you can have dinner on the table in no time.  I will do my best to describe each step so that you can duplicate it for yourself. 

First you will need to gather all of your ingredients- who's coming to the party?  Flour, salt, cold butter, cold shortening, and ice water. 

After gathering your ingredients, you will need a cheese grater and a pastry cutter (with some good old fashioned elbow grease), a large bowl, a fork, and some plastic wrap. 

                         In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Grate the butter and add the
                         shortening in small amounts.  Cut the butter and shortening in with the
                                                                         pastry cutter. 
        Add the water a little at a time and work it into the flour with a fork.  When the dough
          begins to come together, you can put the fork down and work it with your hands. 
            Work the dough into a ball and then wrap it tightly with the plastic wrap and chill.

  Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.  After chilling, cut the dough in half and roll it out onto a                                                             lightly floured surface.

This pot pie is a two crust pie with the plate lined on the bottom.  Fill the crust with the filling and line the second half on top.  Carefully cut the edge so that both the bottom and the top are about 1/2 an inch bigger than the pie plate.  Pinch the top and the bottom together to seal.  Flute the sides   using a fork or your fingers.  Crack an egg into a small bowl and whisk.  Brush the crust with the egg.  Bake the pie at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.  Then turn the heat down to 350 degrees and continue to bake for 45 minutes or until the crust is golden.

Allow the pie to rest for about 10 minutes and then serve.  This pie crust is delicious!   My kids love to eat it raw!  (I do too!)  Whenever I bake a pie, my children are never far away, and they usually clear up most of the scraps before I get a chance to make them into the yummy cinnamon sticks that my mother used to make for us as kids. 

 

This pie is so delicious!  The crust is light and flaky! 

 

I am going to be entering a pie contest this month and I will be using this crust!  I am so excited because I have never entered any contests before.  I really hope that the judges like it. 
I'll let you know how everything goes!

 

Do you have a pie crust recipe or method that you think is the best?  Please feel free to share!

 

 

Pie Crust- Makes 1 whole pie (top and bottom)

 

2 1/2 cups flour

1 tsp. salt

1 stick of cold butter

1/2 cup cold shortening

6-8 tbsp. ice cold water.

 

 

Directions-

Grate the butter onto a cutting board.  In a large bowl, combine the flour and the salt.  Add the shortening and the butter and cut in with a pastry cutter until the texture resembles course sand.

Add the water a little at a time, and blend in using a fork until the dough begins to come together.  Put the fork down and work the rest of the flour into the dough with your hands, making a ball.  Carefully wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. 

 

After chilling, cut the dough in half and roll out each onto a lightly floured surface.  Carefully lift and place into the prepared pie plate.  Fill the crust with the filling of your choice and top with the second layer.  Make sure to cut a vent into the top of the crust.  Bake the pie at 400 degrees for 15 minutes and then lower the temperature to 350 and continue baking for an hour or until the crust is golden brown. 

 

 

This recipe can be easily divided by 2 to make a one crust pie. 

 

 

Tomorrow, I will let you in on my apple and cherry pie filling recipes.  They are delicious and well worth the effort! 

 

Enjoy!

 

Blessings to All!

 



A Busy Fall

Okay, so I really want to know what happened to the month of October!  I was a busy worker bee and got a lot of fun projects done around the house.  This was great for my house...but not so good for you and the blog.  As November begins, on a beautiful (and strangely warm) day, I am ready to share some of my frugal tips and tricks for getting through the holidays on a budget. 

 

As many of you know, I have four children, and having a large family means that we have to live very carefully within our budget, especially while I am looking for work.  To do so doesn't mean that we sacrifice doing fun things as a family, or enjoying birthdays, or even having a night out to dinner every now and then. 

 

Speaking of birthdays, my youngest just turned 5 last month!  Oh my goodness...this makes me incredibly sad and overwhelming happy at the same time!  I love that he is growing and changing into a remarkable and loving little boy, but now he is not my little baby anymore. We celebrated by giving him the Batman birthday party that he asked for.  He was so excited! 

 

Now, it is time to get to work preparing for the holiday season! 

Yes, I said it...the holidays are coming. 

I am totally smiling as I am writing this because I love the holidays!  Thanksgiving and Christmas bring our families and friends together.  We share food and laughter, we share memories, and more than anything, we share joy and love. 

My contribution to the festivities is usually food. 

For the next few weeks, I am going to share some of my favorite recipes for Thanksgiving.

In December, I will share some of my very best cookie, candy, and fudge recipes. 

Being frugal helps us to enjoy the holidays for what they really are, a time to spread love and happiness to those around us. 

 

To get started, I decided to share a cookie recipe today that my family loves! 

These Molasses cookies came from my mother.  I grew up making them and now I share them with my own children.  They are soft and chewy, not hard and crunchy like most Molasses cookies. 

Baking these is a special treat for my children as they are delightfully spicy and fun to eat!

I hope that you take the time to bake these cookies, pour a glass of milk, and then sit and enjoy them with your family.  You won't be sorry!

 

 

Molasses Cookies (Makes approximately 3 dozen)

 

Here is what you'll need:

 

3/4 cup soft shortening

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup molasses

2 1/4 cups flour

1 tsp. cinnamon

2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tsp. ginger

 

 

 

In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar and shortening until creamy and smooth.

Add the egg and beat until soft and smooth.  Add the molasses, and the spices and mix well, scraping the sides of the bowl as you go. 

 

 



 

Add the flour, one cup at a time, until it is just combined. 

 

Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes.

 

Roll the dough into 1 inch balls and dip in sugar.  Place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes or until the cookies are slightly cracked and just lightly brown around the edges.  (Do not over bake unless you want the texture to be closer to a ginger snap.)

 

Leave the cookies on the cookie sheet for just a few minutes to set, then cool completely on a wire baking rack.  Store in an airtight container. 

 

I truly hope that your fall has been as glorious as ours! 

 

I would love to know what your holiday traditions are! 

Please feel free to share them here! 

 

Thank you for your patience during this very busy time of year!

 

Blessings to All!

Kim    



Pantry Basics-Freezer and Fridge

Awe...October, rich in beauty.  The sweet smell of pumpkin and cinnamon...the luscious taste of warm coffee on a brisk morning...and the ability to make a warm, comforting meal, without having to leave your home.  Sounds like paradise! 

Over the last few weeks, I have been sharing some of my ideas and tips for starting a pantry.  Once you have established a dry pantry and your spice cupboard, the next step is to have a freezer and refrigerator that are well stocked.  Small or large, the freezer is a must for food storage on a budget.  For the last three years I have been stuck with a small freezer (my large freezer died and we simply didn't have it in the budget for a new one.)  Having a small freezer did not deter me from having it well stocked, but I couldn't purchase those great turkey specials, or partake in a deal at the grocery store, if I didn't have space.  I had to improvise and make do with what I had.  Now, a friend of mine has given me a small stand alone freezer and it is awesome!  I am so grateful that I have the space back, especially since my boys are eating me out of house and home!  If you have a small freezer and refrigerator, don't be discouraged.  You can still "stock up" and have room for weekly purchases such as milk, yogurt, and eggs.  Here are just a few of the ideas that I currently use to keep my freezer and refrigerator stocked and ready.

1.)  Rotate your meat purchases- In order to maintain my budget every week I can't purchase more than one or two family sized meat packages.  So usually in the first week of the month, I will purchase all of my chicken for the month.  This includes one package of boneless skinless chicken thighs and a package of regular chicken thighs.  I may also purchase a family size package of chicken breasts, but not always.  The following week I will purchase a pork loin, pork roast, or pork chops (whatever is on sale).  The following week is ground beef.  The last week of the month I will purchase whatever is on sale, so for example, last month I purchased some Italian sausage, some bratwurst, and some polish sausage for recipes that I intend to make.  Other times this might include a ham, turkey breast, or chuck roast.  My meat purchases cannot exceed $20 per week in my budget.  This is how I keep that cost in check when I'm shopping, and my freezer always has meat in it.  Shopping this way keeps everything rotating in my freezer and I never have more than my freezer holds. 

2.  Vegetables- I always have 2 16oz bags of veggies on hand for each type that my family eats.  For example, I always have 2 broccoli florets, 2 corn, 2 peas, 2 green beans, and 2 mixed veggies in the freezer.  When I use a bag, I know that I need to add a bag to the grocery list.  It is rare that I ever run out, and when I do, I can always grab another variety for dinner.  Sometimes, for special recipes, I may have some peas and carrots in the freezer as well.  As a family, we never eat veggies out of a can.  I prefer the taste and texture of frozen.  If your family does eat canned veggies, make sure that they make it onto your dry pantry list so that you won't run out. 

3.  Cheese & Butter-  Did you know that both cheese and butter can be frozen for later use?   They can, but you should use caution because it won't take long for the cheese to turn rancid once it's out of the freezer and past it's expiration date.  I freeze cheese all of the time!  I just plan to use the package in it's entirety within 5 days of opening, so often times, I will purchase one package of shredded cheddar and mozzarella cheese every time I shop.  Since my family only eats real butter, I have to be sure that I have enough on hand.  I usually purchase 3 pounds every 2 weeks.  If I am running out of space in my refrigerator, I will throw a pound of butter in the freezer to pull later. 

4. Condiments-  This is a big one, and often a scary one at times.  How long should you keep that open bottle of salad dressing in the fridge?  Well, I have done some research on the subject and my best advise is to throw things out 30 days after opening.  This includes all of my salad dressings.  Why?  Well, most of these items have enough vinegar to keep bacteria away, however, mold can grow on the rim and just inside the bottle top, Yuck!  Making fresh salad dressings is a great way to stay within your budget while also keeping quantities low.  If you aren't able to get through the family sized bottle of ketchup in a months time, purchase a smaller bottle. 

5.)  Sour cream, yogurt, and other dairy purchases-  I always keep sour cream, yogurt, and cottage cheese in my house.  These are "pantry" items for me because we eat them regularly and they never have time to go bad in my fridge once they are open.  My family goes through 3 gallons of milk, one family sized yogurt, and two containers of cottage cheese a week.  When I go shopping, I look at what I have on hand and purchase only what I need.  Paying attention to how quickly your family consumes their favorite cold storage items can be extremely helpful when trying to stick to a budget. 

Other items in my budget are produce, frozen potatoes, and breakfast items. I always have eggs on hand, usually a 18 pack, every week.  I try to keep baby carrots, celery, and apples on hand as well.  When I am running low, I purchase more, so they may or may not be on my shopping list, it just depends on how quickly we consume them.  Other items that I keep in the house are yogurt sticks and cheese sticks.  They go in my children's lunches. 

Rotate, rotate, rotate-  It is so important that you rotate your cold storage items.  Everything in my freezer is clearly labeled with the date that it went in, and I rotate accordingly.  Items don't stay fresh forever.  If you open a container of sour cream, make sure that you have a use for the entire container within a week of opening.  In addition, rotate through your expiration dates and make sure to use up your older items first.  This keeps you from throwing your hard earned money into the garbage.   

Keeping a pantry is essential to living on a budget.  No matter how large or small your pantry is, it is important to only keep items on hand that you know you are going to use.  I just recently went through my cupboard and realized that I had three boxes of Jello in my pantry that had since expired.  I have completely stopped making Jello (for my own reasons), and I simply forgot they were there. 

I hope that my this article is helpful for you and your family!  Do you have any thoughts on keeping a pantry?  If so, please share them with us!  Do you have a favorite pantry meal? 

I am off to make some yummy pot roast for dinner!

Have a blessed day!

Kim

Homemade Pizza Crust

    

Some of my favorite memories as a child were when my father was in the kitchen making a fresh, homemade pizza.  He would make it for football games, slumber parties, and other special occasions around our house.  He was a pro, very meticulous in his work, especially when forming the crust.  He would sprinkle it with oil and oregano and then he would proof it in a partially opened oven.  Then he would add the toppings and we would wait while the pizza baked in our oven...I can still remember our excitement when he told us that it was ready!

     As I became an adult, my husband and I still enjoy a fresh baked pizza.  The kids love it when they can make their own and choose their toppings.  I let them roll out their own dough, dress their pizza with whatever they want, and we still watch the oven door as the dough rises and bakes.  It is a heavenly smell! 
     There are times when we order a pizza and have it delivered, but for the most part, we make our own.  Here is a quick breakdown of what I spend when I make a pizza versus having one delivered. 

1 (8oz) can of tomato sauce per pizza ($.25)
12-16 slices of pepperoni ($.50)
1/2 cup of chopped onions, mushrooms, olives, peppers, or any other pizza topping that you prefer (approximately $.80)
1 1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ($.90) 

Pizza Crust- Makes 2 (12 in.) pizza crusts or 1 (16  in) and a small

1 1/4 cup warm water (tap water...minimal cost)
1 package of active dry yeast (or 2 tsp. yeast) ($.33)
1 tsp. sugar (minimal cost)
2 tbsp. oil (I use canola) ($.15)
1/2 tsp. salt (minimal cost)
3 1/2 to 4 cups all purpose flour ($.60)

Total pizza crust cost is approximately- $1.08 give or take...my breakdown is based on approximations.  There are approximately 10 cups of flour in a 5lb bag and I paid $1.55 at Aldi.  Therefore each cup is about $.15. 

The total cost for one 16 inch round pepperoni pizza is about $2.73.  I usually have to make two pizzas and I always add additional toppings so my total cost when we eat pizza is about $6.00.  If you compare that to the cost of ordering a pizza you are saving a ton of money!  Who says that you can't enjoy delicious, healthy food, on a budget!  No more frozen pizzas for this family! 

Making pizza dough is easy!  Probably the least threatening yeast based dough ever...it is extremely forgiving! 

First-combine the water, sugar, and yeast and let them stand

for about 5 minutes.  Watch the amazing science behind yeast as it begins

to foam and grow!

(This is my son's favorite part!)

When the yeast and water is nice and frothy, combine the flour, oil, and salt into a large bowl.

Add the yeast & water to the four and mix well. 

I use a stand mixer, but my dad did all of this by hand.

 

I knead my dough with a dough hook attachment on my mixer for about 5 minutes on medium speed.  I watch the dough and add a little flour if it seems a little too sticky.

 

If you knead it by hand on a lightly floured surface, this process takes about 8 minutes. 

 

Grease a large bowl and out the pizza dough in it.  Cover with saran wrap and place in a warm area until it is doubled in size, about 30 minutes. 

 

 

 

Roll out into desired shape and size.  I use my hands, but a small rolling pin is okay too.

I sprinkle a little cornmeal on the pan that I am using, in this case I used an air bake cookie sheet.

I brush the edge of the crust with a little oil and sometimes I sprinkle it with garlic salt.  Yum Yum!

 

 

Bake at 450 for 20 minutes or until the crust is brown and the cheese is melted. 

 

Delicious, homemade pizza, made in just a little over an hour! 

Isn't that how long it takes for most pizza deliveries? 

 

How do you like your pizza?  Do you have any tricks or tips to share?  We would love to hear from you!