BUTTERSCOTCH CREAM PIE

Picky-Picky husband has declared this pie his all time favorite. I like it because of the sweet and flaky crust, the true butterscotch flavor and the stabilized whipped cream topping (I guess it is my favorite too).

BLUE RIBBON SWEET AND FLAKY PIE CRUST  (three 10" crusts)

4 cups all purpose flour
1¾ cups butter flavored Crisco
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 egg  lightly beaten
1/2 cup cold water

Cut the butter flavored Crisco into the flour (I have never made this with butter, so I can't comment on that). When the Crisco is about the size of a small pea, add the rest of the ingredients and mix with your hands until it comes together in a ball. Cover and let sit on the counter for about 15 minutes before you roll it out.

Roll one third of the pie dough out and fit it into a 9" pie plate. Cut off excess and crimp the top edge. Prick the bottom of the pie dough with a fork (see note). Bake in pre-heated 425°F oven for 15-18 minutes or until golden.  Remove from oven and let cool.

BUTTERSCOTCH FILLING  (fills one 10" pie)

1½ cups brown sugar (I use dark brown)
1/4 cup + 1½ teaspoons cornstarch
5 egg YOLKS only
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups milk (I use 2%)
3 tablespoons butter
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3/4 teaspoons rum extract

In a saucepan that has a heavy bottom, mix the brown sugar and cornstarch FIRST. Next add the egg yolks, salt, and milk.  Whisk until smooth and run a spatula around the edges of the pan to make sure you get everything out of the corners.

Cook, stirring constantly with a whisk, until the mixture is thick and bubbly (once it starts to thicken, it will thicken quickly). When it's nice and thick, remove from heat and add butter and extracts and mix well. If you don't have rum extract, just use all vanilla.

Pour into baked pie shell and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the hot pudding.  Chill for several hours or overnight before cutting.

STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM TOPPING

2 cups heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon unflavored gelatin powder
4 teaspoons cold water

In a small cup, mix the unflavored gelatin powder and cold water until dissolved. Let this sit on the counter until it turns fairly solid.  After it turns fairly solid (takes a couple minutes) reheat the mixture until it turns back to a liquid. I do this in my microwave and it takes 2 or 3 seconds ONLY...don't let it get hot!!  Set it aside to cool off a little, you don't want it hot, but don't let it cool so much that it gets thick again.

Next Whip the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar and vanilla until you get very soft peaks. With the mixer still running, dribble in the softened gelatin and continue whipping until you get stiff peaks (this happens pretty quickly). 

Spread on top of the pie. I top mine with toasted sliced almonds.

NOTE: Make sure you use a fork to poke holes in the bottom of the crust before you bake it, this is called "docking" and it will help your crust bake flat. I usually just press the tines of the fork through the raw crust about an inch apart all over the pie bottom.

NOTE: I've always made this pie crust with butter flavored Crisco. I have no idea how it would turn out using butter.

PINEAPPLE SAUCE FOR HAM

We love cranberry sauce with poultry, so I wanted to find a similar (but sweeter)recipe to serve with our Easter ham. Traditionally, I make mashed potatoes and gravy, but this year I am opting for potatoes au gratin, so I wanted a little something extra to serve with the ham (this is NOT a ham glaze, it is a condiment).

This recipe definitely was the BEST sauce I tried and it is so quick and easy (made with pantry staples) that I am certain I will be making it throughout the year. It is sweet but not overly sweet and has the consistency of a soft jam.

1/4 cup of water
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons DRY mustard powder
8 ounce can crushed pineapple with juice

Mix well and bring to a boil; turn heat down to a simmer and cook gently for 20 minutes (start timer AFTER it comes to a simmer). This sauce will thicken a little more as it cools.

If you don't have 20 minutes for this to cook, just simmer gently for 10 minutes then thicken with a little cornstarch and water slurry. You will get the same consistency but I think it tastes better if you do the 20 minute simmer.

Serve at room temperature (or chilled), with baked ham.

MINI PEANUT BUTTER CHEESECAKES

Chocolate glazed, mini peanut butter cheesecakes, what could be better? My family loves cheesecake and I've made a bagillion of them over the years, but I've never quite mastered cutting them cleanly, especially when serving a crowd. These mini cheesecakes are the perfect solution for Easter this year.

CRUST
1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons sugar
¼ cup melted butter
pinch of cinnamon

Mix crust ingredients well, set aside

FILLING
(2) 8 ounce pkg. cream cheese room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup creamy style peanut butter
3 tablespoons flour
2 eggs

Line cupcake pan with paper liners (this recipe makes 18 cheesecakes). Spoon a little of the crust crumbs into each paper liner and press down. Set aside and preheat your oven to 350°F

In a large bowl, beat the room temperature cream cheese and granulated sugar until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Add the peanut butter and vanilla and beat until smooth.

While beating, sprinkle in the flour and then add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until smooth.

Fill the paper liners almost full (I use an ice cream scoop for this).  Bake in 350°F oven for 20-23 minutes. My electric oven took 23 minutes.

Cool to room temperature, then top with chocolate glaze.

CHOCOLATE GLAZE
6 tablespoons melted butter
6 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa
6 tablespoons boiling water
2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Mix the cocoa into the butter until smooth. Add the boiling water and mix well. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and whisk till smooth.  Pour over the cooled cheesecakes and put in the fridge to help the glaze "set".

Store cheesecakes, covered, in the refrigerator until time to serve.

EASY SOURDOUGH WAFFLES AND PANCAKES

This is the lightest waffle you will ever eat, I guarantee. I found this recipe in an old Alaska cook book about 40 years ago and I've used it, without a single change, ever since; our kids were raised on these waffles. The recipe involves making a basic starter, then letting it sit, covered at room temperature for at least 24 hours (better at 48 hours). The longer you let it sit (up to 3 days), the stronger the sourdough flavor will be.

Hubby likes tons of butter and maple syrup, but I like my waffles with strawberries.

 Twenty four to forty eight hours before you want to cook the waffles, mix the following in a two quart pitcher (or bigger) that has a lid:

2 cups of all purpose flour
1 teaspoon white sugar
2 cups of warm water
2 packages of dry active yeast

Mix it well and put the lid on the pitcher (leaving a very small vent opening). Let the batter sit at room temperature 24 to 48 hours. This is called a sourdough starter.

When you are ready to cook, stir the above "starter" and add:
1 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 eggs (slightly beaten)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon baking soda

Stir well and let it sit for about five minutes before you cook them.I don't grease or spray my waffle iron, but I'm not sure how yours works.

This photo is a cross section of one of the waffles. You can see all of the bubbles inside of the waffle...that tells you how light and airy they are!!

SOURDOUGH PANCAKES
If you rather have pancakes, the process is the same as for the waffles, but the measurements are a little different. Put together the same starter (ingredients above) that you would for waffles. But after it has set for 24 to 48 hours, add:

2 slightly beaten eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Mix well and let the batter sit 5 minutes. Fry on very lightly oiled griddle.

Important Note:

This sourdough starter expand (in volume) like crazy about half hour after you first mix it (at least 3 times its original size) so keep that in mind when you choose something to mix it in. After a couple of hours, the batter will deflate to its original size.

The batter will increase in volume AGAIN when you add the baking soda. eggs, etc. I have always use a 2 quart juice pitcher with lid (to mix the starter in). I haven't had it over-flow yet (it comes close) but it won't.

NOTE: The longer you let the starter sit, the more likely you will have a clear liquid separate and sit on top of the starter. This is the "good stuff" that makes the waffles/pancakes taste like sourdough; do NOT remove it, just mix it back into the starter.

NOTE: As for how many people this recipe will serve; it depends on how many pancakes/waffles your kids can eat. I used to feed 2 adults and 3 young kids with this recipe. If you are feeding teenagers, I'd double the recipe.

CHOCOLATE MUFFINS

SUPER moist, SUPER chocolate-y, SUPER EASY (mix with a spoon), these chocolate muffins are a great "fix" for that chocolate craving!!

2  2/3  cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar 
1/2 cup unsweetened baking cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (I use mini-chips)

Mix the above dry ingredients in a large bowl, making sure they are all well combined. If you add the chocolate chips at this stage, they will not "sink" when the muffins are baked. I like to use mini-chocolate chips so the chocolate distributes evenly throughout the batter, but ANY kind of chocolate chip will work (mint is very good too!!)

In a different medium sized bowl, whisk the following wet  ingredients until smooth:

3 eggs
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup coffee (cold)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

After the wet mixture is whisked until smooth, add it to the bowl of dry ingredients and stir just until everything is moist.

Line cupcake pans with paper liners and fill 2/3 full with the muffin batter.  Bake at 325° for 20-25 minutes (my electric oven takes 20 minutes exactly). Test for doneness with a toothpick.

This recipe makes 3 dozen muffins