Sweet Juicy Homemade Apple Pie is Perfect for Apple Picking Time!

By Jodee Weiland

Years ago in fall we would go apple picking with our children, and when we got home it was time to bake.  We liked to bake Apple Walnut Bread, and we always made enough to freeze some for a later date.  We, also, made Sweet Juicy Homemade Apple Pie.

https://learnfromyesterday.comSweet Juicy Homemade Apple Pie is perfect for apple picking time and perfect for dessert as well. In our family, homemade apple pie is perfect any time because we love it. Consequently, I can’t imagine apple picking without baking apple pie!

https://learnfromyesterday.comThe pie crust we made was usually a combination of the basic recipes we found, and to this we would add what I would call an overload of apples.  Why an overload, you might ask?  Well, I always felt the apples were the healthiest part of the pie, so why not get as many in as possible.  I usually stacked my fresh apple mixture higher than required, but that only made the pie tastier.  Apples cook down so much that piling them high gave me a nice high pie instead of a flatter one.  Call me silly, but that’s how I like it!

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Sweet Juicy Homemade Apple Pie is Perfect for Apple Picking Time!

For the flaky pie crust: (this recipe is enough for the top and bottom crusts)

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted whipped butter
6 to 7 tablespoons ice cold water

In a food processor combine the flour, sugar, and salt.  Add the butter and pulse until the texture is crumbly with the butter in small pieces.  Add 1 tablespoon of water at a time, pulsing the mixture as you go.  You may use only six tablespoons of water, but if needed, use more.  Add water until the mixture looks crumbly, but can be formed into 2 balls in your hands.  Refrigerate one ball, while you roll out the other to fit your pie dish on a lightly floured surface.  When rolled to the right size, fold it in half to move to your pie dish.  I use a pastry sheet with printed circles of various sizes to roll out my dough in order to get it the right size and shape.  My pie dish is a 9 inch dish.  The other ball will be rolled out later to create the top crust for your pie.  Refrigerate the pie dish with the bottom crust.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees while finishing your pie filling.

Apple pie filling:

6 to 7 cups of thinly sliced, peeled cooking apples
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon butter

Combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Gently stir this mixture into your apples.  Spoon the apple mixture into the pie dish with the bottom pie crust. I like to stack it up high, but only high enough so I can still cover it with the top crust.  Cut up the 1 tablespoon of butter and spread it over the top of the apples before putting on the top crust.  Roll out the top crust to fit over the top of your apples and then press the edges together all the way around the pie dish sealing the pie crust edges.  Now cut several small slits in the top pie crust with a sharp knife, so the steam can escape while cooking.  I usually cut eight one inch slits like a star burst at the top.

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Place the pie dish on a cookie sheet covered in parchment paper to catch any juices from the pie and for an easier clean up afterwards.  Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes until the crust turns a golden brown.  Once done sprinkle a little sugar across the top, then set the pie on a cooling rack for at least one hour before cutting.

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When you serve your Sweet Juicy Homemade Apple Pie, you can either serve it plain or choose to serve it with an ice cream of your choice.  Either way, you will enjoy this delicious sweet and juicy apple pie.  The children love to eat this pie with hot chocolate or just plain milk.  I love a cup of fresh coffee with my pie, but no matter how you choose to eat this dessert, you’re going to love it!  This Sweet Juicy Homemade Apple Pie is perfect for apple picking time, so have some fun and finish off your day with a great dessert!  Enjoy!

Homemade Cream Cheese Pound Cake…Delicious and Easy to Make

By Jodee Weiland

Looking for something good to serve with all those grilled peaches, that homemade ice cream, or the berries you bought this week? What about a delicious pound cake?

https://learnfromyesterday.comI’m always looking for something to serve with ice cream, grilled peaches, or berries I purchased at the Farmer’s Market.  The one thing I know of that complements it all is Homemade Cream Cheese Pound Cake…Delicious and Easy to Make.

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This pound cake is made with cream cheese and that gives it a rich smooth taste.  What I like most about Homemade Cream Cheese Pound Cake, besides the fact that it tastes delicious, it is never overly sweet, but rather just sweet enough.  For this reason adding any grilled fruit, fresh fruit, or even ice cream to this pound cake only enhances the flavor rather than putting you into sugar overload.  Now don’t misunderstand, this pound cake is delicious even by itself, so when you make it, you decide how you want to serve it.  It’s up to you!

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Homemade Cream Cheese Pound Cake…Delicious and Easy to Make

1 and 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted whipped butter softened
1 cup sugar
1 and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
3 eggs room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Grease and flour loaf pan.

https://learnfromyesterday.comIn a bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.  In a second bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and vanilla together with a mixer until creamy.  Gradually add the eggs, continuing to blend together with a mixer.  Once done, add a little of the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture, blending them together. Finally, add and blend in the cream cheese until completely mixed.

https://learnfromyesterday.comPut this in the greased and floured loaf pan you prepared earlier.  Once filled, tap the pan lightly and carefully on the counter or table to make sure it is evenly spread in the pan.  Put the loaf pan in the oven and bake at 325 degrees for about 60 minutes.  When lightly brown, use a toothpick in the center to decide if it is done. The toothpick should go into the center and when withdrawn be clean, if done.  Let the pound cake cool before removing from the pan to serve.

https://learnfromyesterday.comWhen serving your Homemade Cream Cheese Pound Cake…Delicious and Easy to Make, you decide how you want to serve it.  I like to serve it a number of ways, but my favorite is with a light dusting of sifted powdered sugar and fresh berries.  It’s simple, but so good.  On special occasions I will add ice cream with those fresh berries.  Whichever way you serve it, one thing is certain, and that is, you are going to love it.  So enjoy!

Oatmeal Banana Walnut Cookies…with Mini Chocolate Chips

By Jodee Weiland

Want an oatmeal cookie or do you want something a little bit more? Me? I’ll take the something a little bit more, but something a little healthier as well. Oatmeal Banana Walnut Cookies…with Mini Chocolate Chips anyone?

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I love a good oatmeal cookie, but lately I’ve been craving something a little bit more and a lot healthier than the average oatmeal cookie.  So I decided to put something together that meets that criteria for me and my family!

https://learnfromyesterday.comMy oatmeal cookies have mashed bananas and honey in them instead of brown sugar or sugar.  These cookies will not give your kids a sugar high, but they will soon be a favorite, not to mention a healthy treat.  I also added chopped walnuts, which I love, and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips for additional flavor, but just enough.  I was tired of raisins, but you can add them to this recipe if you want, although I think you will like these cookies without raisins.  I used whipped unsalted butter which is lighter and healthier than regular butter. And of course, the main ingredient is the oats, which are always healthy.  So try these cookies and find out for yourself just how good they are.

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Oatmeal Banana Walnut Cookies…with Mini Chocolate Chips

3/4 cup of whipped unsalted butter
1 cup honey
1 egg
1 cup mashed bananas
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 cup oats
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips
1 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

I like to use parchment paper on my baking sheets for easier clean up when done baking the cookies.

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Cream together the butter and the honey with a mixer.  Add in the egg first and then the mashed bananas, blending them into the mixture with your mixer.  Continue to blend in the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg with your mixer.  Now with a spoon, add in the oats and blend together.  Then add the walnuts and mini chocolate chips, again mixing in with a spoon.  Finally, gently mix in the flour, a little at a time, by stirring in with a spoon.

https://learnfromyesterday.comOnce this is all mixed together, drop tablespoon balls on to the cookie sheet, leaving room between cookies because they will spread out some while cooking.  Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes.  The time may vary depending on the size of the cookie you drop on the baking sheet.  To be sure watch your first batch and check the bottom of the cookie by gently lifting with a spatula.  The bottom should be lightly browned but not burnt.  I made about thirty cookies from this recipe.

https://learnfromyesterday.comThese Oatmeal Banana Walnut Cookies are delicious and a healthy alternative to store bought cookies or even recipes made with sugar.  They’re sweet, but not sugary.  Plus they have oats, mashed bananas, walnuts, and mini chocolate chips.  Your family will love them, and only you will know just healthy they really are.  We love these cookies in our home.  I think if you try them, you will love them, too.  So try them, and enjoy!