MINCED CRANBERRY PIE

MINCED CRANBERRY PIE

Every family has their own traditions that have graced their tables at Thanksgiving since time began.  Most everyone I know has their own special recipes for stuffing or dressing, techniques for roasting or frying turkey, or the countless variations on mashed or sweet potatoes.  However you choose to celebrate, nearly every Turkey Day feast seems to have one usual component:  Cranberry.

Growing up in Western Michigan, my family found themselves sitting down to break bread at the Thanksgiving table with two kinds of cranberry sauce.  The time honored version in the can, which was admittedly, something you just couldn’t stray far from.  However, over time the lovely addition of minced cranberry relish with a light, lemon infused whipped cream would join the menu.  And for those who were thinking it, Yes.  Yet another table-top influence of a certain Dutch Matriarch.

Minced cranberry relish recipes pop up all over the internet for both Holiday and canning related cooking.  My favorite recipe comes from the rather brilliant mind of a gentleman who saw the desperate need for improvement over as he rather adroitly pointed out:

“Anything that SLIDES out of the can, hanging in mid-air above the serving dish, and retains its can-like shape once it gets there ISN’T meant for normal consumption by humans.”

I suppose it’s fairly obvious that we don’t serve canned cranberry sauce at our table at Thanksgiving anymore.

Instead, I’m passing a little secret recipe from my family to yours for this delicious Minced Cranberry Pie.  This recipe can be altered to taste, and is table-slapping amazing as a relish as well as in a pie crust or tartlets.

MINCED CRANBERRY PIE:

·         Pie Pastry for a 2-crust, 9.5” deep-dish pie pastry

·         1 Lb. Fresh Cranberries, Ground

·         1 Orange, Ground (rind and all)

·         2 Cups Sugar

·         1 Tbs. Grand Marnier Liqueur

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees

In a food processor, grind up your fresh cranberries until nearly the consistency of pickle relish.  Set aside in a medium bowl.  Cut your whole orange, rind and all, into 8 pieces.  Place in food processor and grind for 2 – 3 pulses until a similar consistency as that of your cranberries.  Mix orange mixture into your cranberries.

As you mix your cranberry and orange mixture together, gradually add your sugar into the mixture.  Stir your combined fruit and sugar mixture until well blended together, and add your Grand Marnier liqueur to taste. 

Allow mixture to refrigerate for  1 – 4 hours to cure.  Add more sugar to taste if a less tart filling is preferred.

Roll out pie pastry and lay into a baking sprayed pie plate.  Spoon cranberry filling into your pastry shell.

This pie is typically baked as a 2-crust pie, and the filling can be covered with the top crust in a traditional fashion, or with cookie cutter pieces done in a shingle fashion, as shown in the photograph at top (unbaked).

Place a cookie sheet underneath the pie plate to catch any juice run-off.  Bake for 15 – 20 minutes or until top crust is golden brown.

DEEP SOUTH BOURBON PECAN PIE

DEEP SOUTH BOURBON PECAN PIE

A family favorite in our circle is this wonderful Deep South Bourbon Pecan Pie.  Where this is certainly not a new recipe, it’s been one that has made its way to family gatherings on both sides of Lake Michigan, and always seems to be enjoyed.  My hope is that as you gather yours around you during the holiday season you’ll be interested in trying it as well. 

Not so long ago, this little pie became a staple for Thanksgiving in my family.  In fact, it was the first pie that I brought to my very first Thanksgiving after moving to Chicago in 2000.  It’s seen plenty of mileage on it, and can possibly be said to be a nearly fool-proof way to get to invite back to anyone’s home for another visit that includes a meal and good company.

Pecan pie can be somewhat problematic, despite it seeming relatively easy to throw together, and it’s equally simplistic components.  This pie is a great one if you’re interested in capturing some true essence and flavor of The South, and without all the handwringing on whether the filling will set completely.  It’s a fantastic end to any meal and pairs well with just about anything and is a fantastic colder weather flavor.

DEEP SOUTH BOURBON PECAN PIE:

·         1 (9-inch) Deep-Dish Pie Shell, Unbaked

·         1 Cup Brown Sugar

·         ¼ tsp. Cinnamon

·         ¼ tsp. Cloves

·         3 Tbs.  Butter, Melted

·         1/2 Cup Dark Corn Syrup

·         3 Large Eggs, Beaten

·         2 1/2 Cups Pecan Halves, Crushed

·         2 Tbs. Bourbon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, stir together the brown sugar, cinnamon, cloves, and melted butter.  Add the corn syrup, eggs, pecans, and bourbon, and stir until all ingredients are combined.

Pour mixture into an unbaked pie shell, and place on a heavy-duty cookie sheet.   Bake for 10 minutes.

Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees , and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until pie is set. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

**Garnish Options:  To create a nice, finished look to this pie, consider finishing the pie top with 2 cups of pecan halves to decorate the outer edge of the pie shell, and adding a star in the center.  Another option is to use seasonal cookie cutters to cut additional shapes out of pie pastry dough like that pictured above.

"BIG FITZ" STEAK & ALE PIE

"BIG FITZ” STEAK & ALE PIE

When I found this recipe earlier this fall, I knew it was definitely a heartier pie, perfect for cooler weather, like November.  As irony would have it, when I was considering which ale to use, I was reminded of The Great Lakes Brewing Company, which has a fantastic porter, named after…you guessed it…”The Edmund Fitzgerald.”  The choice was obvious.

Growing up in the Great Lakes region of the Midwest, many of us may be familiar with stories of the great many shipwrecks that have taken place over the last several hundred years on Lakes Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, and Superior.  As I write this posting, we’re into early November, and no shipwreck stands out further in my mind that that of the “Edmund Fitzgerald.”

For those who are passingly or unfamiliar with this story either courtesy of the song “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, by Gordon Lightfoot, let me elaborate a bit more for you with some details:

The “Edmund Fitzgerald” (“Big Fitz” or “Mighty Fitz”), was an iron ore ship owned by the Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Weighing in at 729 feet long, 75 feet wide, and 38 feet tall, “Big Fitz” lived up to its name.  The ship was launched on June 8, 1958, and predominantly served as a working cargo ship transferring taconite iron ore pellets from mines near Duluth, Minnesota to Great Lakes ports in Detroit, Toledo, etc. 

“The Fitz” left port in Superior, Wisconsin on November 9, 1975 for Detroit, Michigan with a cargo of 26, 116 tons of iron ore pellets, and a crew of 29.  During the evening hours of November 10^th, the ship ran into severe winter weather conditions on its route through Lake Superior.  Experiencing hurricane force winds and waves up to 35 feet high, “Edmund Fitzgerald” continued on course, in the hopes of making White Fish Bay to safety.  Shortly before 7:10pm, the “Edmund Fitzgerald” disappeared from radar, sinking 17 miles from their port of safety, taking all 29 crew members with her.

There are countless theories, books, and websites dedicated to “Edmund Fitzgerald” and its tragic sinking.  Investigations have taken place over many years to gain better understanding on what caused the disaster, and the final resting place of the ship is a protected site by both the US and Canada.  The wreck was visited on July 4, 1995, and the original ship’s bell removed from the site, replaced with a replica inscribed with the names of the captain and crew members.  The bell is on display at the Great Lakes Shipwreck Historic Society Museum.  A memorial service is held yearly at The Mariner’s Church in Detroit, where the names of those who perished are read, accompanied by the ringing of the bell in remembrance of each individual.

From a personal perspective, I’d grown up hearing stories of “The Fitz”, but knew it only as a part of Great Lakes history.  The summer before my sophomore year in high school, my family took a trip to see a performance of the play “Ten November”, by Steven Dietz.  The show would have a very profound effect on me, particularly several months later when I worked on a production of the same show at my high school.  The story became much more real, and the legend part of me.

On a final and personal note, I’d like to take a brief moment to remember the 29 men who served as the crew of the “Edmund Fitzgerald.”  In particular, I pause to pay tribute to 43 year old Allen G. Kalmon, Second Cook.

“….The Legend Lives on…”

“BIG FITZ” STEAK & ALE PIE:

CRUST:

·         2 Packages of Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry, Thawed

FILLING:

·         3 Tbs. Flour

·         Salt and Black Pepper

·         1 ½ Lbs. Beef Stew Meat, Cut Into ¾ Inch Pieces

·         3 Tbs. Vegetable Oil

·         1 Large Onion, Chopped

·         1 tsp. Minced Garlic

·         2/3 Cup Beef Stock

·         2/3 Cup Great Lakes Brewing Company – “Edmund Fitzgerald” Porter Ale

·         1 Bay Leaf

·         ½ tsp. Thyme

·         1 Tbs. Worcestershire Sauce

·         1 Tbs. Tomato Paste

DIRECTIONS:

Season the flour with salt and pepper to taste.  Toss the beef in the flour, shaking off any excess.  Heat 2 Tbs. of oil in a skillet, browning the beef in batches over high heat until browned on all sites.  Remove beef and set aside.

Add remaining, 1 Tbs. of oil to skillet and fry the onion over medium heat for 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes.  Add the stock, ale, bay leaf, thyme, Worcestershire sauce, tomato paste, and browned beef.  Bring mixture to a boil, scraping up any brown pieces from the bottom.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer gently for 1 ½ hours, or until the meat is tender.

In a baking sprayed pie plate, lay the puff pastry in two pieces, allowing dough to drape over pie plate edges.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the meat and vegetables to the pie dish.  Reserve 2/3 cup of the gravy from the skillet, and pour the rest over the meat mixture.  Allow to cool.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Roll our remaining pieces of puff pastry on a lightly floured surface.  Cut strips of dough, roughly 5/8 inch wide, and weave in a lattice pattern over the top of the cooled filling, the strip edges falling over the edge of the pie plate.  Trim pastry around the edge of the pie plate, and roll crust edge towards middle of the pie, sealing the edges.

Bake for 25 minutes until puffed and golden.  Serve hot pie with any remaining re-heated gravy.

BANANA TOFFEE "BANOFFEE" PIE

BANANA TOFFEE “BANOFFEE” PIE:

Recently, some good friends of mine from Minnesota, suggested a pie that I was familiar with, but hadn’t given thought of trying due to the filling content:  Banana Toffee.  I was intrigued, so I figured I had to give it a try.  I was pleasantly surprised at not only how easily it went together, but more so, that the flavor combination of banana and caramelize toffee wasn’t all that terrible.  In fact, it was pretty delicious.

Naturally, I had to do a little research on the origins of this particular pie, and come to find out this crazy flavor combination is courtesy of the British!  Credit for the pie's invention is claimed by Ian Dowding and Nigel Mackenzie, the chef and owner respectively at The Hungry Monk restaurant in Jevington, East Sussex. The claim to have developed the dessert in 1972, having been inspired by an American dish known as "Blum's Coffee Toffee Pie", which consisted of smooth toffee topped with coffee-flavored whipped cream.

BANANA TOFFEE “BANOFFEE” PIE:

CRUST:

·         2 Cups Nilla Wafers, Crushed

·         1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

·         7 Tbs. Butter, Melted

FILLING:

·         7 Tbs. Butter

·         ½ Cup Dark Brown Sugar

·         1 Can Condensed Milk

TOPPING:

·         4 Small Bananas, Sliced

·         2 ½ Pints Heavy Whipping Cream

·         2 Tbs. Powdered Sugar

·         Heath English Toffee Bits

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a food processor, crush Nilla Wafer cookies into crumbs.  Remove to a mixing bowl and blend brown sugar with crumbs.  Mix in melted butter until crumbs are thoroughly coated.  In a baking sprayed pie plate or tart pan with removable bottom,  pour crumb mixture and press evenly against side and bottom of plate.   Bake for 8 – 10 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool completely.

In a sauce pan, melt the butter and sugar over a low heat, stirring all the time until the sugar has dissolved.  Add the condensed milk and bring to a rapid boil for about a minute, stirring until a thick golden caramel forms.  Spread the caramel into your crust chill in the freezer for about 1 hour, until firm or until ready to serve.

Remove your pie from the freezer.  Slice two of your bananas into thin slices and arrange in a circular pattern on the top of the toffee later. 

In a mixing bowl, begin whipping your heavy whipping cream.  Slice the remaining bananas and fold half of them into the softly whipped cream.  Spoon whipped topping over the sliced banana covered toffee layer.  Garnish with remaining banana slices and Heath English Toffee pieces.

PORK AND APPLE EN CROUTE

PORK AND APPLE EN CROUTE:

I admit it.  I love historical cooking.  Even more so, when I have recipes, concepts, or techniques that have been passed down or shared amongst friends.  A very good friend and fellow historical cooking enthusiast introduced me to a wonderful method dating back to the early 1500’s.  Though refined over time, the “en croute” method, or baking of a meat filling in a full pastry shell, is still as popular as ever. 

For those who are either unfamiliar with, haven’t had, or perhaps have but don’t remember a dish of the “en croute” style, it’s fairly simple.  The term "en croute" indicates a food that has been wrapped in pastry dough and then baked in the oven.  Salmon en croute and Beef Wellington are often the most common entrée recipes.  Your pastry can be either very light and flakey for recipes with lighter filling, or with more flour and shortening, a slightly heavier dough is perfect for a meat filled pie.

I recently tried this delicious variation on a English Victorian picnic staple, courtesy of the book PIES:  Sweet and Savory, by author and chef, Caroline Bretherton.  This is perfect hot or cold, and travels well as well as refrigerates well for about 3-4 days.

PORK AND APPLE EN CROUTE:

FOR DOUGH:

·         2 1/3 Cup Flour

·         1 ½ Cups Shortening or Lard

·         1 tsp. Salt

FOR FILLING:

·         1 Tbs. Olive Oil

·         1 Onion, Finely Chopped

·         3 ½ Oz. Pancetta or Proscuitto, Finely Chopped

·         1 ½ Lbs. Ground Pork

·         3 Sweet Apples, Peeled, Cored, and Grated

·         2 Tbs. of Apple Juice (or cider)

·         ¼ tsp. Nutmeg

·         1 Tbs. Sage

·         Salt and Pepper

FOR EGG WASH:

·         1 Egg Yolk, Beaten

·         1 Tbs. Cold Water

DIRECTIONS:

FOR DOUGH:

To make the dough, mix your flour shortening (or lard), and salt until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.  Add 6 Tbs. cold water, a little at a time, and bring together into a ball.  Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes. 

FOR THE FILLING:

Heat olive oil in a skillet and fry the onion and pancetta (or proscuitto) for 5 minutes, until soft but not fully brown.  Set aside to cool.  Mix the pork, apples, apple juice, nutmeg, and spices together in a large bowl well by hand.  Mix in cooled onion mixture by hand.

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.  Split the dough ball in half.  Roll out one ball of the dough on a well-floured surface into a large circle, about ¼ inch thick, and use it to line a baking sprayed 9 inch tart pan with a removable bottom.  Make sure to overlap your edges.  Trim all but ½ inch of the overhanging dough.  Use your fingers to push the dough down into the corners of the pan.

Pile the filling into the tart crust, pressing it down firmly.  Roll out the remaining piece of dough to make a circle large enough to cover the filling.  Brush the edges with a little of the egg mixture, placing the top on the pie, and press down firmly to seal.  Crimp the edges by rolling the edges under towards the center.  Brush the top with the remaining egg and poke two holes in the top of the pie to vent.

Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour, until golden brown.  Set the pie aside to cool fully.  Before serving, carefully push the bottom of the tart pan upward to remove the pie from the pan.  Serve with the tart pan bottom underneath to help stabilize when cutting.  This pie can be stored well wrapped in the refrigerator up to 3-4 days.

OCTOBERFEST PIE

OCTOBERFEST PIE

Few flavors seem to capture the true seasonal essence of autumn like pumpkin.  Like its fall-favorite cousin, the apple, the options are pretty limitless.  Whether your preference is for breads, muffins, or bars, or you’re one of the connoisseurs who love it in your coffee drink of choice, the fall months are perfect for full enjoyment of pumpkin.  Particularly when it comes to pie!

Now, admittedly, as with apple pie, the options and variations of pumpkin pie are all vast and varied.  Everyone seems to have their own special spice blend or twist on this American classic dish.  In doing a little research on pumpkin pie, it was interesting to find out the oldest documented recipe for this favorite dates back to 1621, in which settlers of Plimouth Plantation would roast hollowed pumpkins filled with milk, honey, and spices.  The pumpkin pie we know today, baked in a pastry pie crust, and capturing pureed pumpkin, evaporated milk, and spices, actually dates back to 1651.  And as irony would have it, we have a French chef, Francois Pierre la Varenne, to thank for what we consider an American holiday tradition.

I recently found a fantastic recipe from Raine Gottess, of Coconut Creek, Florida for an award winning “Octoberfest Pie”, which won the 2008 American Pie Council - Crisco Pie Challenge in the Pumpkin division.  This is NOT your Grandmother’s pumpkin pie recipe!  However, if you’d like to try something a little different, give this one a shot.  It’s a little time consuming, but well worth the work.

OCTOBERFEST PIE:

Crust:

·         2 Packages of Cinnamon Graham Crackers

·         ½ Cup Butter

·         4 Tbs. Brown Sugar

Filling:  Layer 1:

·         1  8 Oz. Package of Cream Cheese, Softened

·         2 Tbs. Sour Cream

·         1 Egg

·         ¼ Cup Sugar

·         ½ tsp. Vanilla

·         1 Tbs. Flour

Filling:  Layer 2:

·         1  8 Oz.  Package of Cream Cheese, Softened

·         1 tsp. Vanilla

·         1 ½ Cups Powdered Sugar

·         ½ Cup Canned Plain Pumpkin

·         ¼ tsp. Cinnamon

·         ¼ tsp. Ginger

·         1/8 tsp. Cloves

·         1 8 Oz. Tub of Whipped Topping

Filling:  Layer 3:

·         1  4 Oz. Box of Jell-O Cheesecake Flavored Pudding Mix

·         ½ Cup Milk

·         ¾ Cup Canned Plain Pumpkin

·         ¼ tsp. Ginger

·         ¼ tsp. Cinnamon

·         1/8 tsp. Nutmeg

·         1/8 tsp. Cloves

·         1 8 Oz. Tub of Whipped Topping

Layer 4:  Whipped Topping:

·         2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

·         2 Tbs. Powdered Sugar

DIRECTIONS:

FOR CRUST:

Using a food processor, finely crumble your graham crackers.  In a mixing bowl, blend graham cracker crumbs, brown sugar, and melted butter.  Spray a 10-inch pie plate with baking spray.  Press crumb mixture into pie plate.  Immediately put in the freezer.

FOR FILLING LAYER 1:

Preheat to 450 degrees.  Using a mixer, beat well the softened cream cheese, sugar, and egg.  Add sour cream, flour, and vanilla.  Pour into the graham cracker crust.  Cover the edges with foil.  Bake as follows without opening the oven door:

·         450 degrees for 8 minutes

·         Reduce to 25 degrees for 20 minutes

·         Turn off Oven – allow to sit in oven for 15 minutes

Allow to cool fully before adding additional layers.

FOR FILLING LAYER 2:

Using a mixer, beat softened cream cheese with vanilla.  Add powdered sugar.  Mix in pumpkin and spices.  Fold in whipped topping.  Spread over cooled pie.  Return to freezer.

FOR FILLING LAYER 3:

In a bowl, using a whisk, mix pudding and milk until thickened.  Add in pumpkin and spices.  Fold in whipped topping.  Spread over Layer 2.  Refrigerate for 1 hour.

FOR WHIPPED TOPPING:

In a large bowl, beat heavy whipping cream at a high speed for 2-3minutes.  Gradually add powdered sugar as cream thickens.  Spread topping on top layer with a spatula or decoratively pipe with a pastry bag and tip.  Garnish with chopped pecan and lightly sprinkle with cinnamon.

CLASSIC CREME BRULEE PIE

CREME BRULEE PIE

Special dishes and special people go hand in hand.  They’re even more special with you get to share them together!  I’m thrilled to be able to share one of my favorite recipes for a traditional French favorite, Crème Brulee, which I recently had the opportunity to not only share making with a truly dear friend, but also share with some as well at the 40^th Birthday party of an amazing and remarkable friend.

Crème Brulee, for those of you who may not as of yet had the pleasure of trying is basically a delicious vanilla custard with a caramelized sugar top crust.  Most commonly, you’ll find it in finer restaurants in a individual portioned dish, and usually served with or without a bottom crust.  The light, rich, and creamy custard is a lovely way to end a meal, and always a nice choice for a little pick-me-up in the afternoon with a cup of coffee!

So, to my two favorite ladies, a Bunny and a Spider, thanks for letting me share this with you both!  As you continue on with your two new adventures, I’m hoping that you will find them much like Crème Brulee:  Rich in Substance, Delicious and Enjoyable, and Timeless!  To the rest of my readers, may the table that is life always be full for you!  Bon Appetit!

CRÈME BRULEE PIE:

For Crust:

·         2 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs

·         1/3 Cup Sugar

·         6 Tbs. Butter, Melted

·         ¼ tsp. Cinnamon

For Filling:

·         3 Egg Yolks

·         6 Tbs.  Sugar, Divided

·         ½ tsp. Vanilla Extract

·         2 ½ Cups Heavy Whipping Cream

·         2 While Vanilla Beans, Chopped

·         2 Tbs. Brown Sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and cinnamon.  Add melted butter, stirring until all dry ingredients are moistened.  Spray a 9-inch pie plate with baking spray, and press crumb mixture into the pie plate.  Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until lightly browned.

Beat egg yolks, 4 Tbs. Sugar, and vanilla until thick and creamy.  Set aside.

Pour cream into a sauce pan and bring to a simmer over low heat.  Add chopped vanilla beans.  Do not allow to boil.  Remove cream from heat immediately, whisking in the egg and sugar mixture.  Beat until thoroughly mixed.

Pour cream mixture into the top portion of a double boiler.  Stir over simmering water until mixture coats the back of a spoon, approximately 3 minutes.  Pour mixture into your pre-baked pie shell or into a shallow, heat resistant dish.  Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes.  Allow to cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Preheat oven to broil.  In a small bowl, combine remaining 2 Tbs. white sugar, and 2 Tbs. brown sugar, and mix thoroughly with a fork.  Sprinkle mixture through a sieve over the top of the pie.  Place pie under the broiler, being careful as to not burn.  Sugar mixture should brown slightly as it melts.  Refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

This pie can be garnished with whipped cream or fresh berries for a lovely presentation!