Grandma Ople's Apple Pie

I've tried quite a few different apple pie recipes in the past few years but I keep coming back to this one.  I really, really like it.  It might be close to my favorite, but I don't feel right about choosing a favorite because so many recipes are great and differ quite a bit.  This one is definitely a wonderful choice though - you won't be disappointed.

It's from a member of All Recipes.

It was a gorgeous fall day and I baked this pie with the doors open and the sunshine streaming in.  It was the perfect day to make an apple pie.

We had picked some apples from our apple tree out back and it was delightful making a pie out of our own fruit.  I loved it!  Due to baking the best pie crust ever - this was possibly the best pie I've ever made.

The Best Pie Crust I've Ever Made

I followed the pie tutorial on the Pioneer Woman's website by a pie pro she had guest-post.  I've never made a better crust in my life - and I've made a lot of different types of crusts.  It was flaky, buttery, extremely flavorful and just straight up wonderful.

HERE is the tutorial and recipe.  I don't know what the heck leaf fat or whatever it's called is, so I just used one cup of butter instead (which she says is just fine to do).  I washed mine with heavy cream before baking it.

I am obsessed with Pinterest these days and recently saw the beauty that is this pie crust:



How gorgeous is that?  So I wanted to do something similar.  For some reason I thought I had a cute leaf cookie cutter like this... but I was wrong.  I had to opt for pumpkin-shaped and it was kind of lame.  But DELICIOUS!

This is the best crust recipe I've found.  Use this on your Thanksgiving pies for sure!

Apple Poppyseed Spinach Salad

I loosely based this recipe on THIS one, but it's one of those things you can just throw together with anything you have on hand and like.

baby spinach
slices of a sweet apple (I used ones off my tree in the backyard)
goat cheese
craisins
roasted walnuts
apple poppy seed dressing (SEE THIS POST)


This is super delicious and very easy. I love fall salads!  This would be good for Thanksgiving too.

The Bovine's Apple Poppyseed Dressing

This Apple Poppyseed Dressing is seriously easy to make & pretty delicious - especially on a fall salad with apples and goat cheese. Yum!  There is something really rewarding about making your own dressing.

Here is where I got the recipe.

the bovine's apple poppyseed dressing:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons frozen apple juice concentrate
3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons light tasting olive oil
1/3 cup water
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon molasses (optional - I didn't use because I didn't have it)
1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons dried onion flakes
4 to 6 dashes salt, or to taste
1 tablespoon poppyseeds

Combine all ingredients but poppyseeds in a blender.Mix well until blended. add poppyseeds. Mix well. Refrigerate 4+ hours to let onions rehydrate and flavors meld.

Crispy Cheddar Chicken

Last night I made this Crispy Cheddar Chicken.  I was so looking forward to it because anything with cheese is amazing in my book.  Well... it was easy to throw together and didn't take much time - so that was a plus - but I wasn't blown away by the taste.  It was actually just not that great.  The picture on the original recipe's website looks so amazing so I thought it would be fantastic.  Just not so.  But it's okay.  My husband hasn't tried it yet and maybe he'll tell me I'm crazy and it's really good.  I hope it is just me! If you try it and like it - let me know!

*** UPDATE *** My husband just called and said this is amazing.  So I guess I'm just crazy.

Candy Corn Cupcakes

I had the highest hopes that these would turn out perfect and adorable like they are on the blog where I found the RECIPE for Candy Corn Cupcakes.  Just so you know, these don't taste like candy corn (which is downright disgusting if you ask me), they just look like them.  They are so adorable if done right.  I made the batter and the colors looked so cute and I even thought I did a good job of evenly distributing the batter so there was half yellow/half orange.  All is well until the bottoms of your cupcakes BURN.  I was so angry.  After all of that work most of the batches' bottoms burned, requiring me to cut off the burned part and have most of the batch just cupcake tops that were orange.  I put them on the bottom shelf of the oven to bake and there's where my problem was.  I guess you live and learn in the kitchen.  Not every batch can turn out perfect.

I also made the frosting  recipe to go with these.  It's not my favorite because I'm partial to a thick cream cheese frosting and this is more that light, whipped store-cupcake frosting/filling.  It's tasty though, for sure.  I used almond instead of vanilla because that's what I used in the batter and I wanted to remain consistent.

These are really cute (if you do it right) and are great for around Halloween.

Before - when things were still hopeful

After.  Not so hopeful anymore.

This one sort of turned out right.  Too bad the picture is so blurry.

Mexican-Style Goulash

I made this Mexican-Style Goulash last night.  I don't really see how it sets itself apart all that much from normal goulash.  Next time I might add a can of beans or a can of green chilies to the mix to make it live up to its name a little more.  This recipe uses one pot (yay!), is fast, easy and makes enough to eat leftovers over the next day or two.  Definitely not gourmet-tasting, but it does the job and is pretty yummy.

HERE is the recipe. I used a whole can of corn instead of a cup of frozen.  I also used mozzarella because I was too lazy to grate cheddar last night and my mozzarella was already grated.  Does it get much lazier than that?  Sheesh.

Pumpkin Cornbread

Last night I made Pumpkin Chili and this Pumpkin Cornbread as a side.  This is the perfect fall meal!  I am slightly obsessed with this cornbread recipe now, it has more flavor than normal cornbread with the spices and pumpkin - but the pumpkin isn't too much.  I poured honey on mine and it was wonderfully scrumptious.  Next time I hope I have some honey butter to go on it... that would make it out-of-this-world.

Heavenly...

Pumpkin Turkey Chili

My favorite fall recipe: Pumpkin Turkey Chili.  It's easy and fast to make and is just a great recipe for a cool, crisp autumn evening in your cozy home.  This recipe is from All Recipes.  I sometimes make a double batch just because it's so good to have leftovers of.  The pumpkin isn't overpowering at all, there is just a hint of it.

If you're looking for an easy, fall-like recipe to try for dinner, you should definitely make this.  Last night I made it with a new recipe I found, Pumpkin Cornbread.  I'll post that recipe next.  Perfect meal!

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Okay... this may be my favorite pumpkin baked good recipe EVER.  My sister-in-law sent me this recipe and I wish I could kiss her from a 1,000 miles away for it!  Delicious, amazing, wonderful!


Pumpkin Cake


4 eggs
1 2/3 c. sugar
1 c. oil
16 oz. pumpkin
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. nutmeg


Mix eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin together until well blended. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Pour into a sheet pan. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Do not frost until cool.

Frosting

6 oz. cream cheese
1 stick butter
2 tsp. vanilla
3-4 c. powdered sugar

Let the cream cheese and butter soften to room temp. Then mix cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add vanilla and powdered sugar 1 cup at a time and mix until smooth and you have reached desired consistency.


I am keeping it in the fridge and it tastes really great cold.  I definitely recommend keeping it cool before you eat it.  


I will be making this every fall forever.

Flat Apple Pie

Hello! It's been awhile.  I went on vacation and someone else was feeding me! Now that I'm home, there are several recipes on the agenda.  Last night I realized I had some leftover store bought pie crust.  I usually hate store bought pie crust and love making my own.  But since it was just sitting there I decided to throw together an apple pie.  I checked my favorite cook book (PW) and there was a recipe for "Flat Apple Pie".  This recipe is only in her cook book and not on her website, but I found another blog who has posted the recipe for your use - GO HERE.

I love making apple pie more than almost anything.  There's something so rewarding about taking an apple pie out of the oven... it smells so heavenly.  This was a little less exciting because it was store bought crust.  I was also a little skeptical because there is only brown sugar and sugar, no spices or anything!  But... as always... PW didn't disappoint. I had myself a piping hot slice and it was delectable.  It takes literally minutes to throw together (because I don't peel my apples) and tastes super good.

I love you apple pie!


I only had enough dough to make three small flat pies.  You're supposed to make two large flat pies.  Mine turned out pretty ugly - but taste is all that matters when it comes to pie.

Before baking.

After baking.