Deep Dish Apple Pie with Whole Wheat Crust

Deep Dish Apple Pie with Whole Wheat Crust
adapted from Eating Well

Ingredients

Crust

• 1 1/4 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 4 tablespoons ice water

Filling

• 4 cups thinly sliced peeled McIntosh apples, (about 1.5 pounds)
• 4 cups thinly sliced peeled Granny Smith apples, (about 1.5 pounds)
• 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• Pinch of ground allspice
• Pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
• 1 large egg white, lightly beaten, for brushing

Preparation

1. To prepare crust: Whisk whole-wheat flour, 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Cut butter into flour with a pastry blender. Add sour cream and oil; toss with a fork to combine with the dry ingredients. Sprinkle water over the mixture. Toss with a fork until evenly moist. Knead the dough with your hands in the bowl a few times; the mixture will still be a little crumbly. Turn out onto a clean surface and knead a few more times, until the dough just holds together. Divide the dough in half and shape into 5-inch-wide disks. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. Meanwhile, make filling: Combine apples, brown sugar, lemon juice, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and pinch of salt in a large bowl. Reserving 4 cups, transfer the rest of the apple mixture to a Dutch oven. Cook over medium heat, stirring, until the apples are tender and beginning to break down, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the reserved apples and 2 tablespoons flour; let cool for about 30 minutes.
3. Preheat oven to 425°F.
4. Remove the dough from the refrigerator; let stand for 30 minutes to warm slightly. Roll one portion into a 13-inch circle. Invert the dough into a 9 1/2-inch deep-dish pie pan. Scrape the filling into the crust. Roll the remaining portion of dough into another 13-inch circle. Invert the dough onto the fruit. Trim the crust so it overhangs evenly. Tuck the top crust under the bottom crust, sealing the two together and making a plump edge. Flute the edge with your fingers. Combine 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon in a small bowl. Brush the crust with egg white and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar. Cut 6 steam vents in the top crust.
5. Bake the pie on the bottom rack for 20 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375° and continue baking until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling, 25 to 35 minutes more. Let cool on a wire rack for about 1 1/2 hours before serving.

Make Ahead Gravy from Roasted Turkey Stock

I don't know about you - but with all the horror stories about lumpy gravy and all the other last minute dishes to prepare on Thanksgiving I appreciated this recipe for make ahead gravy. I make the Turkey stock a couple weeks before Thanksgiving and put it in the freezer. I made the gravy using the turkey stock a couple of days before Thanksgiving.

Roasted Turkey Stock
adapted from Cooking Light 

 

Ingredients

• 3  pounds  turkey wings
• 1  gallon water, divided
• 2  teaspoons  canola oil
• 2  cups  chopped onion (about 1 large)
• 1/2  cup  chopped carrot (about 2 medium)
• 1/2  cup  chopped celery (about 1 stalk)
• 1/2  teaspoon  black peppercorns
• 1/2  teaspoon  dried thyme
• 4  parsley sprigs
• 1  bay leaf

Preparation

Preheat oven to 450°.

Place wings in a single layer on a jelly-roll pan. Bake at 450° for 1 hour or until browned. Remove wings from pan. Add 1/2 cup of water to the pan and scrape off the brown bits.

Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and celery; cook 5 minutes or until tender. Add turkey, pan liquid, remaining 15 cups water, peppercorns, thyme, parsley, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer; cook for 3 hours or until reduced to 12 cups. Discard solids. Cover and chill overnight. Skim solidified fat from surface; discard.

Yield: 12 cups


Make-Ahead Gravy
adapted from Cooking Light

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 2  tablespoons  butter, softened
• 5  cups  Roasted Turkey Stock, divided
• 2  teaspoons  chopped fresh sage
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

Using a fork, combine the flour and butter in a medium bowl. (This will help prevent lumpy gravy)

Heat a large saucepan over high heat. Add 2 cups stock; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 cup (about 5 minutes). Add the remaining 3 cups stock; bring to a boil.

Stir 1 cup stock into flour mixture, stirring with a whisk until smooth. Pour mixture into saucepan; reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until thickened, about 15 minutes. Stir in sage, salt, and black pepper.

Yield: 12 servings 

Mashed Potatoes with Horseradish Butter

Wow were these potatoes a hit at Thanksgiving. This was actually my first time making mashed potatoes and this recipe did not disappoint. The horseradish flavor is not overwhelming and the shallots go along great!

Mashed Potatoes with Horseradish Butter
adapted from
Cooking Light


Ingredients

Horseradish butter:

• 1  tablespoon  minced shallots
• 1/4  cup  butter, softened
• 1 tablespoon  prepared horseradish

Potatoes:

• 6 1/2  cups  cubed peeled Yukon gold potatoes (about 2 1/2 pounds)
• 1  bay leaf
• 1/4  cup skim milk
• 1/4  cup  chicken broth
• 1/4  cup  reduced-fat sour cream
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. To prepare horseradish butter, heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add shallots to pan; cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; cool.
2. Combine shallots, butter, and horseradish in a small bowl; blend well. Transfer butter mixture to a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape butter mixture into a 3-inch-long log, using plastic wrap to help mold. Wrap log tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until firm.
3. To prepare potatoes, place potatoes and bay leaf in a large saucepan; cover with water. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes or until tender; drain. Discard bay leaf. Mash potatoes to desired texture. Combine milk and broth in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave at HIGH 1 minute or until warm. Add milk mixture, sour cream, salt, and pepper to potatoes, stirring until well blended. Serve with horseradish butter.

Beer Can Chicken

So yes I got suckered into buying one of those beer can chicken contraptions. And now that summer is winding down I finally decided to use it. Verdict - it was great, easy, and no indoor mess and I may start using it to make rotisserie-style chickens at home rather than buy the store bought ones loaded with sodium.

There is no recipe really. Just rub your favorite dry rub under the skin and pour your desired beer into the bottom. Place the chicken on top and grill at 350 for a little over an hour. (I made the mistake of having the grill a little too hot at first and burned the skin since the fat dripping down created flames.)  With chicken it is best to use temperature as guide to check for donenesss. Chicken should be cooked to 165.

Cornmeal-Maple Biscuits

Maple is another flavor that reminds me of my childhood. My Dad grew up in Vermont and we always had real Vermont Maple syrup as a pantry staple.  These biscuits are super easy and have a great maple flavor. I served with some beer can chicken from the grill and roasted vegetables. The leftovers made a great breakfast as they are on the sweet side.



1 dozen biscuits

1 cup (4 7/8 ounces) whole yellow cornmeal
1 cup (4 ounces) whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup(4 ounces) skim milk
1/4 cup (2 3/4 ounces) maple syrup

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Whisk together the cornmeal, whole wheat flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Cut the butter into the dry ingredients with a fork or pastry cutter until it resembles course crumbs.

In a separate bowl, stir the milk and syrup together, and add to the dry ingredients, stirring until evenly moistened.  Scoop the dough on baking sheet in heaping tablespoons. Bake until the edges are light golden brown, 15 minutes.

Adapted from Whole Grain Baking, King Arthur Flour

Cantonese-Style Grilled Pork

My Mom grew up on a pig farm so it is fitting that my first post is a pork recipe. I have many memories of eating pork growing up and if cooked right(not overcooked!!!) it is delicious, moist, and healthy.  This pork recipe is easy enough for a weeknight meal.  If you work away from home during the day like me go ahead and marinate the pork overnight or prepare it in the morning before work. I did and it still turned out great.
I served the pork in a lettuce wrap with a side of vegetables.  It would also be great in a stir fry.

4 servings

1 lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed of fat
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
2 tablespoon hoisin sauce
2 tablespoon ketchup
1 tablespoon dry sherry
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 garlic clove, minced

Freeze pork for 45 minutes or defrost from frozen until no longer rock solid. Cut across the grain into 1/4 inch slices. Sprinkle with salt.
Combine sugar and next 6 ingredients (through garlic) in a large Ziploc bag. Knead to blend. Add pork to bag and coat with marinade. Marinate in fridge for 3 hours.
Heat grill to medium-high heat. Place pork on grill coated with cooking spray. Grill for 2 minutes on each side.

Adapted from Cooking Light

Tip: I store ginger in the freezer. It is easier to grate and I never use the amount I buy in one recipe.