A Proverbs 31 Kind of Day

One of my favorite pies! I've been known to ask for this for my birthday; I love it that much! If you can't get over the name . . .that's OK! One bite and you'll know that this is one fantastic tasting pie! There is no hint of a buttermilk taste. There can't be; there's too much sugar in it! This is a fantastic, simple, back-to-basics pie that you can't go wrong with! The only regret you'll have is when it's gone! Buttermilk Pie 2 cups sugar 2 TBSP flour 1/2 cup butter, softened 3 large eggs, beaten 3/4 cup buttermilk 1/4 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract 1/2 tsp. butter extract** (can substitute vanilla for the butter extract) 1 tsp. white vinegar sprinkle of nutmeg on top once the filling is poured into the pie shell, if desired Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the prepared, unbaked piecrust into the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Combine the sugar with the flour.  Cream the butter and sugar toge...

I grew up with my mom making pies. She did the whole thing from scratch:  crust and all. I'm not sure that she ever really taught me how to make a crust; I just learned by watching her. I remember when I was younger, she and my Aunt would tag team pies: my mom would make the crust and my Aunt would make the filling. They made a good team! Making pie crust isn't hard. It does take a little practice . . . but who doesn't mind that! Homemade pie crust is also cheaper than the pre-packaged kind and it tastes so much better. Plus!  If you have left over pie crust, then you make pie crust cookies! That's what my mom did when she baked! The left-over crust scrapes where placed on a pan and dusted with cinnamon and sugar and baked. That makes "pie crust cookies!" Pie Crust (This makes a double crust) 2 cups flour 3/4 cup solid Crisco (shortening) dash of salt 1/4 cup ICE COLD water Place the flour and salt in a bowl and add the...

It's a Paula Deen recipe. Enough said! I know -- with her it's either love or hate. Nothing really in between. Regardless, she does have some good recipes. Remember when my hair dresser gave me the lemon pie recipe? Well, he also said this was amazing . As in, A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! I'm going to trust him. Here's why. He said he doesn't really care for pumpkin pie. Me either! It's just not my thing. But my boy cherub loves it. As in, really loves it! But when Darren said he doesn't like pumpkin pie, but this was fantastic; I'm gonna say it's fantastic. So here you go. Give it a try and see! Pumpkin Cream Cheese pie 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened 2 cups canned pumpkin, mashed 1 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 egg plus 2 egg yolks, slightly beaten 1 cup half-and-half 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, optional...

So I'm getting my hair cut last night and we're talking about Thanksgiving . . .  . . .and all of the crazy things that happen when family is around! We talked about what we had . . .  . . .and didn't have. In the midst of that conversation, the guy who cuts my hair said that after they went home on Thanksgiving, he made a pie. A really GOOD pie. He made a lemon pie! When I think "lemon," I don't usually think "Fall!" But he said it was soooooo yummy! Well, he didn't say "yummy!" He said, "good!" When they finished the last bit of it the other night, his wife said, "you're going to have to make another one of these!" Naturally, when I hear someone talk about a new recipe, I ask for it! Scripture says, "Ask and you shall receive!" I asked. I received! When Darren was telling me about the pie and how good it was, he said, and I quote, "What can be bad with Eagle B...

Image from Yelp! Several months ago we went on a road trip to a restaurant. That's right! We drove 90 miles to eat at a restaurant. A restaurant known for their fried catfish. It was worth the drive. I don't really know what was better; the fish the hushpuppies or the pecan cobbler. You know, I'm kind of confused about what cobbler REALLY is! In my heart of hearts, I think it's a lazy pie. I think. I'm not really sure though. But after tasting their pecan cobbler, the quest was on! I wanted to make a pecan cobbler too! I searched the internet looking at a ton of different recipes. None of them really sounded like it was like the one we had eaten at the restaurant 90 miles away. But in my search, this recipe kept turning up. With that, I decided this would be the recipe I'd try. It's Father's Day . . .as in yesterday! Buy my oldest cherub was with his Mimi on Father's Day. Not for Father's Day -- beca...

The other day, we were given a huge box of fresh California peaches. As in, a HUGE box! As in, "cut up and freeze" size box or "make jelly" size box or "share with your friends" size box or "search the internet for new recipes" size box! We've done a great job eating the peaches and trying new recipes.  So over the next few posts, I'm going to share with you some new peach recipes that we've enjoyed. The first recipe I made was a peach cobbler.  The cherubs just love peach cobbler!  This recipe is an older Southern Living recipe.  While the cobbler crust is similar to one I have posted earlier, the peach conncoction is what makes this dessert a splurge.  I'm going to say the fresh peaches are "stewed."  But don't tell people that, because then they conjure up some wierd tasting sensation and think they won't like it!  But truth is, you can make the peach conncoct...

My friend, Miss Gladys, sent this recipe to me at the request of the Mr. Actually, the Mr. said, "Oh, send that to Karen, she'd want that recipe!" Translated, "Oh, send that recipe to Karen, I want her to make it for me!" I must admit, while the Mr. and two cherubs just love applie pie, I'm not an apple pie lover.  But this recipe sounded delish. So I grabbed my cast iron skillet and the ingredients and had it whipped up in no time. And guess what! It is fabulous!  It should be . . . it's a Southern Living recipe! We ate our skillet apple pie with cinnamon ice cream! Easy Skillet Apple Pie 2 pounds Granny Smith apples -- cored* 2 pounds Braeburn apples -- cored* 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon salt -- optional 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla -- optional 1/2 cup butter -- melt in skillet 1 cup ligh...

Remember yesterday, we made little cutie pies?  Remember I had some leftover pie dough scraps?  Well, here's what we did!  We made a little pie in a jar!  That's right!  We (as in my sweet girly cherub and I) took the leftover dough, smushed it together and rolled it out again to the right pie dough thickness.  I tore pieces off and we began to smush it into the jar; pressing together the seams.  We lined the jar almost all the way to the top.  Since we weren't making a "2 crust" pie, I didn't worry about saving extra for the top.  We then filled it with the yummy, ooey-gooey filling and baked it for 40 minutes!  It was YUMMY!  When I first saw this idea, it said this was a "single serving" pie -- yeah, it can be, but it really is a lot of dessert!  Not that I wouldn't have any trouble eating it . . .it just wouldn't be in one sitting!  Last night, all 4 of us enjoyed this dessert and we were satisfied (yeah, I keep te...

These snow days can be dangerous!  It's so fun to get in the kitchen and try something new . . . as in, "eat" something new!  After all, one must sample the creation, right?  Today, I finished cutting out the sugar cookies and baking them off.  Once they cooled, I popped them in the freezer so that they would be out of the way until I was ready to frost them this weekend!  I think my cherubs will love a decorated cookie in their lunch box on Monday!  Especially my boy . . .when he pulls out his treat at the lunch table and it says, " love you ! " in big white letters!  Knowing him, he will "accidentally" drop it so that it crumbles and no one will ever see my love and admiration for him!  Oh, to be in 6th grade!  How embarrassing . . .to have a mom who loves you AND who makes you homemade cookies!  While I had the heart-shaped cookie cutter out, I grabbed the refrigerated pie crust that I've had stashed in my, well, "refrigerator...

During this time of the year . . . or really anytime, a quick and easy dessert is always nice to have "in your back pocket" so that with unexpected gatherings or a night in with just your family,a homemade dessert is always a treat!  You probably have these ingredients at home already!  Easy Cobbler Melt 1/4 cup of butter in an 8X8 pan Mix in a bowl 1 cup flour 1 cup sugar 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1 cup milk and pour over the melted butter, but don't stir! Add 3 cups frozen berries or frozen fruit of any kind *1/2-1 cup sugar sprinkled on top Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes until it is bubbly and it "looks done!" Cool a bit and serve warm. ** I only add an additional 1/4 cup of sugar.  But you do what your family prefers.  I think anything more than 1/2 a cup is too sweet; but it probably depends on how sweet you already are!  HA! Ben's mom sent me a note:  she made this with fresh apples, added a bit of sugar and cinnamon a...

Not too long ago, I headed over to Paula's house for a women's night out with other ladies from my Bible Fellowship class.  The whole point of the evening was to let the men take care of the children while we learned new and easy Fall entertaining ideas.  It was a great evening and Paula does a wonderful job of "fast and festive."  That night, she showed us an easy "hand pie" that I want to pass along to you.  But, when I tried it today, I decided that I'd try something new!  I'll share that with you too! Aut"yum" Pies 1 package refrigerated pie crust filling; such as mini chocolate chips carmel bits (the new unwrapped, ready-to-use carmel) pumpkin pie filling really, anything that can go in an unbaked pie crust; it just needs to be heated and not cooked 1 egg, mixed well with a bit of water for you egg wash Unroll the pie crust and cut out in shapes with your cookie cutters, making sure to have an even number of shapes.  D...

It's our last day of Summer break and today we're working on making sure we have everything together, then celebrating with a "Back to School" dinner!  The kids picked Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions.  This is a quick, throw together meal, that's colorful and tasty! Italian Sausage with Peppers and Onions 1 package fresh Italian Sausage 1 Green Pepper 1 Red Pepper 1 Yellow Pepper 1 Onion Cut each sausage link into 6 bite sized pieces.  Clean each of the veggies and chunk them into pieces.  I call this "rustic" chop.  You definately don't want them too small -- you don't want to sautee them, you'll cook them until their tender-crisp. Heat a bit of olive oil (maybe 2 TBSP) in a large pan over medium-high heat.  Put the Italian Sausage in and stir until coated and cook for 7-8 minutes.  Add the veggies, stirring to coat with the olive oil and cook thoroughly until  meat is done, stirring of...