Apple Pie

This is Nancy Case's (Tim's mom's) recipe for apple pie.  To turn it into gluten-free apple crisp, I just made it without crust and used gluten-free flour. The last time I made this, I used Johnathon, Melrose, and Honey Crisp apples.  Good stuff!

1/2 cup sugar (Mom says a little more, I say a little less!)
6-8 apples (for a medium - large sized pie dish - I say squeeze in as many as you can)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon flour

Peel and slice the apples (I love them thinly sliced!).  Combine the apples with the remaining ingredients above in a big bowl.  Mix well.  Place this mixure into a pie plate (with or without the crust!).   Mix together:

1/3 cup melted butter
3/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar (again, I use a little less)

and drop by small amounts over the top of the pie.  (If you leave the butter unmelted and cut it in, you get a more uniform topping, but I like it chunky!)  Bake at 400F for 40-50 minutes or until the bubbles don't break.

Tomato Soup

From the Amana Colony Recipes Cookbook, through Nancy Hicks!

14 quarts sliced tomatoes (I remove the skins)
2 bay leaves
1 bunch parsley
7 medium sized onions, sliced
1 T celery seed
1 t baking soda
1 cup flour
6 tablespoons salt
1/2 tablespoon cayenne pepper
 1 cup sugar

Combine first 6 ingredients and cook until tender.  Make thin paste of  flour with some of the tomato juice.  Add this paste and remaining ingredients to tomatoes on stove.  Cook slowly for 1/2 hour.  Fill sterilized jars and seal. 

To serve, dilute with milk or cream to desired consistency.

Dumplings

2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
3 teaspoons shortening, such as Crisco (heaping)
4 tablespoons milk, or more if needed

1.    In a small bowl mix flour salt and baking powder.  Add shortening and work in with your fingers until it is blended and crumbles.

2.    Add milk a little at a time and mix until all flour is incorporated and it forms a soft ball.

3.    Roll on floured waxed paper about 1/8" thick.

4.    Cut in 1 1/2" squares and allow to dry for at least 1 hour.  Turn over and let dry.

Garlic Roasted Cauliflower

This is another one adapted from Ina Garten's barefoot contessa how easy is that?  I found this ridiculously tasty.

1 whole head of garlic, cloves separated
1 head cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
4.5 tablespoons olive oil
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Preheat oven to 450.

Add garlic cloves to small pot of boiling water.  Boil cloves for 15 seconds, then drain and peel.  If any cloves are large, cut them in half.

Toss cauliflower and garlic cloves in olive oil, 2 teaspoons salt, and one teaspoon pepper.  Roast in a single layer on a baking tray for 20 minutes.  Scrape cauliflower into large bowl with garlic and pan juices.  Add remaining 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, parsley, pine nuts, and lemon juice.   Toss well and serve warm.

Easy Chicken Patty Dinner

Garlic and Mint Lamb or Chicken Patties

1 ½ pounds ground chicken (or lamb)

1 small onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons McCormick Montreal Steak Seasoning

2 teaspoons ground cumin

¼ cup chopped mint leaves

¼ chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

4 pita breads or flat breads

plain Greek yogurt.

Combine ground chicken with onions, seasoning, cumin, mint, and parsley. Form 8 small patties, 1 inch thick and 2 or 3 inches across. Add patties to hot skillet. Cook 4 minutes on each

Easy Pasta Bolgnese

This recipe, adapted from Barefoot Contessa How Easy Is That?, is not too much harder than browning some meat and opening a jar of sauce.  It taste oh-so-much better than that, though!

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 pound lean ground sirloin
4 teaspoons minced garlic (4 cloves or so)
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/4 cups dry red wineSt
2, 14 oz cans diced or crushed tomatoes
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons pepper
3/4 pound pasta (shells work well)
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup grated parmesan, plus more for serving

Brown meat in skillet until slightly browned (about 5-7 minutes).  Stir in garlic, red pepper flakes, and oregano (Italian seasoning works, too!).  Cook for another minute or two.  Add 1 cup of wine to the skillet. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, salt, and pepper.  Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to boil.  Add salt, oil, and pasta.  Cook according to package directions.

While the pasta cooks, finish the sauce.  Add nutmeg, bail, cream and 1/4 cup wine.  Simmer 10 minutes until thickened.  Stir occasionally.  After pasta is cooked, drain and combine with sauce and Parmesan  Toss well and serve.