National Pie Day

In honor of National Pie Day, I'm going to share my blackberry pie recipe.  Usually, I guard this recipe, but I'm feeling generous today, so here goes...

Blackberry Pie (Or Raspberry, Strawberry, or Blueberry)

12oz Container Fresh Blackberries (approx. 3-1/2 cups)
1 Deep Dish Pie Shell
1 Refrigerated Pie Crust
1 Cup Sugar
1/2 Cup Flour
1 Teaspoon Corn Starch
1-1/2 Sticks, Unsalted Butter
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 Teaspoon Vanilla


Cut butter into 1/2" squares, allow to soften.  In a mixing bowl, combine sugar, flour, and corn starch.  Add 3/4 of the butter squares, "pinching" the butter into the sugar mixture.  You will pinch and stir until the butter is mixed well, but not smooth.  The butter pieces should be no larger than 1/8" when you are through pinching and mixing.  Add blackberries, lemon juice, and vanilla.  Gently stir and then let mixture sit for 20 minutes.  While mixture sits, unroll the refrigerated pie crust. In a small bowl, mix 1 Tablespoon of butter with 2 tablespoons of sugar; heat in microwave until melted.  Using a pastry brush, coat the pie shell and crust with melted sugar/butter.  Gently stir the berry mixture and spread evenly into pie shell.  Cut crust into 10 strips about 3/4" wide each.  Evenly space 5 strips and cross those strips with remaining strips.  Press ends of strips into pie shell, trim edges.  You will need to re-crimp the edges, so click the link below if you need easy instructions on how to do this.  Place remaining butter squares in the open spaces of pie.  Place pie on a cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 45 minutes, or until crust is light brown.

P.S. I can't stand for my pie crust edges to get too dark while the rest of the pie is cooking.  Here's a great tip to avoid that!  If you do this, just remove the foil about 30 minutes into baking.

Click HERE for instructions on Protecting Pie Crust Edge.


Click HERE for Pie Crimping instructions.

Fancy Crockpot Chicken

I named this recipe "Fancy Crockpot Chicken" because even though it's super easy to make, it presents nicely and is great for serving guests.  If serving your family, don't worry about making sides, because if your family is like mine, they will eat this dish in bowls which will be refilled at least once.  If serving guests, I suggest a garden salad with Italian dressing and garlic bread.  The garlic bread needs to be kind of crispy, so it can be dipped in the chicken's gravy. This is a requirement if you're in the South. :-)

FANCY CROCKPOT CHICKEN

INGREDIENTS:

1 to 1-1/2 pound Frozen Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

1 can Cream of Chicken Soup

1 Large Onion

1 container Fresh Whole Mushrooms

1 package (16oz) Bow-Tie or Rotini Pasta

1/2 cup Self-rising Flour

1 cup Wine (Anything but red!  If using cooking Sherry, reduce to 1/2 cup)

4 cups Water

1/2 teaspoon Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning

1/2 teaspoon Garlic Powder OR 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic

1 teaspoon Salt

1 tablespoon Olive Oil

Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese

Additional Salt and Pepper for Chicken Breasts

Garlic Salt for Pasta

DIRECTIONS:

Rinse mushrooms and place in large crockpot.  Cut onion into quarters and then slice, making approximately 2"x1/2" strips, add to crock pot.  Add cream of chicken soup, water, wine, flour, and seasonings.  Stir until well blended.  Add additional salt and pepper to chicken breasts, rub well.  Add chicken to crock pot, cover and cook on low for 6 hours or high for 3-4 hours.  If you have to go to work and can preset your pot to turn to warm, set it cook for 4 hours on high and then warm.  Otherwise, you can just turn the pot to low and let it cook as long as necessary.  I do suggest using frozen chicken breasts if they will cook all day.  

30 Minutes before serving, fill a pasta-sized pot with water, leaving room for pasta.  Add olive oil.  I generally add 1 teaspoon of garlic salt, which I highly suggest.  Bring water to a boil and add pasta.  Cook until done, drain well.

Serve chicken mixture over pasta and sprinkle heavily with Parmesan cheese.  ENJOY!!!

Mercy Seat

I've been a bit "under the weather" for a few days, and yesterday, I just wanted come comforting. I put one of my family's favorite recipes in the crock pot, turned on a feel-good movie ("You've Got Mail"), and put on my favorite pair of comfy pajamas. Isn't it funny how we can wallow in our self-pity or sickness by celebrating it? Even if I ate a burger and fries, my tummy was going to feel yucky, but it's like that chicken was calling out to me "You're sick! Eat me!".

 Through different times in my life, I've found myself feeling yucky, though I wasn't sick. Having your heart broken, being "broke" financially, or feeling brokenness over a loss can all leave you feeling yucky inside AND out. Each time, I knew I couldn't fix my yuckiness with chicken, pajamas, or movies. I knew that the only help I would receive would come from the Lord. Often, during these times, I didn't just want to pray, I needed to pray. I needed to run into the shelter of the Lord. I needed to feel His protection, His grace, His love. Years ago, I heard a song titled "Mercy Seat", and while all the lyrics don't apply to my situations of despair, the chorus conveys my feelings like nothing else could ever do. "I'm running. I'm running. I'm running to the Mercy Seat. Where Jesus is callin', He said His grace would cover me. His blood will flow freely. It will provide the healin'. Come runnin' to the Mercy Seat I'm running to the Mercy Seat." Have you ever felt like you just wanted to go running to your parents for comfort? Maybe your spouse or best friend? That's how we should feel about Jesus!  We know that He loves us more than anyone could ever love us, so there's no better person to run to than Him!

Does that apply to you? Sometimes it applies to me. My human nature overcomes my spiritual nature and instead of running to the One who can help me, I run to others for their opinion. If it does apply to you, I want you to click on the following link. I'm asking you to close your eyes and listen with your heart.

Go running.  Click here:  MERCY SEAT

New Year's Soup

If you want a hearty soup that's not only good for you, but also meets the requirements for superstitious New Year's rituals, THIS IS THE SOUP FOR YOU!  (This soup can also be cooked in a crock pot.)

Ingredients:

1 bag of Greens (Collard or Turnip)
1 large Yellow Onion, diced or cut in 1/2 and thinly sliced
1 can diced Tomatoes, undrained
1 can Black-Eyed Peas, undrained
2 medium-size Potatoes, cubed
1 16oz package Beef Link Sausage, cut into bite-size pieces
1 envelope Lipton Onion Soup Mix
4 Beef Bouillion cubes
1 teaspoon Garlic Salt

STOVETOP DIRECTIONS:

Fill a "Stock Pot" or deep soup pot with water, 2/3 of the way up.  Add boullion cubes, soup mix, and salt and bring to a boil.  Add the full bag of greens.  Your water will not cover the greens, but they will dramatically shrink very quickly.  Add cans of peas and tomatoes, onion, and potatoes.  Stir, pushing the greens down into the boiling water.  Put the lid on the pot leaving it 1/2" from sealing.  Turn the burner to Low-Medium heat and let it it simmer for 20 minutes.  Add sausage to soup, return to a boil, and turn back to Low-Medium heat.  At this time, you will determine if you need to add more water.  I usually add approximately 2 cups of water at this time, but you can add more or less, depending on how much liquid you prefer.  I strongly urge you not to add more than a cup at a time, giving the soup time to continue "cooking down".  The greens will cook down considerably, and you still want the soup to be hearty!  Allow the soup to simmer for at least one hour after adding sausage.  Serve with cornbread!

CROCKPOT DIRECTIONS:

Boil 4 cups of water.  Add soup mix and bouillion cubes and stir until dissolved.  Pour soup mixture into large crock pot and add water until pot is 3/4 full.  Add all other ingredients to crock pot and cook on low for 4-6 hours.  If you have to go to work, don't worry if you have to leave it for 8 or 9 hours.  Your sausage and greens will cook down more, but your soup will taste DELICIOUS!

Easy Stroganoff

Ingredients:
1 lb Ground Beef
6-8 slices Bacon
1 Yellow Onion, diced
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 cup Water
1 small can Sliced Mushrooms
1 cup Sour Cream
1 bag Ribbon Pasta or Egg Noodles

Cook bacon, drain, crumble, and set aside.  In a large skillet, brown ground beef with salt and an ample amount of black pepper.  Drain fat from beef and return to stove burner.  Add bacon, onion, soup, water, and mushrooms and stir well.  Turn heat to low, cover, and allow to simmer while you prepare the noodles.  Fill a medium size pot 2/3 high with water, and add 1 teaspoon of salt.  Bring water to a boil and add noodles.  Return noodles to a boil, stir, and turn to low-medium to cook uncovered until done.  Add sour cream to meat mixture, taste and add salt and additional pepper, if desired.  Drain noodles and serve meat mixture over noodles.  Serves 4.