Alan's Pie Pastry

Ingredients:3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. sugar

1/2 to 1 Tbsp. kosher salt (such as Diamond® crystal)

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 3/4 cups cold unsalted butter, cut up

2/3 cup ice cold water

2 Tbsp. sour cream

1 tsp. vinegar

Directions:

In a very large bowl combine flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Cut in butter leaving pea sized chunks.

In a 2 cup glass measure whisk water, sour cream, and vinegar; pour, all at once into flour mixture, and quickly distribute. Stop!
Make sure dough is slightly crumbly. Divide dough mixture into 3 equal portions (about 12 to 13 ounces each) Refrigerate for 2 hours or better,overnight (finish by hand). DO NOT OVERMIX- the finished dough should break, not stretch.

Gently knead in bag to bring dough together. Form into discs.

Use at once or wrap and store in refrigerator for several days or in freezer for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator if frozen.  *note: I didn't read through the directions before hand like I should have, and the crust was still light, flaky, and oh, SO perfect!

Tawny Pumpkin Pie

1 1/4 C. cooked pumpkin (fresh is best)
3/4 C. white sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. flour
1/2 tsp. pumpkin spice
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 C. evaporated milk
1 Tbs. water
1 tsp. vanilla
1-9" pastry shell (unbaked)
Directions:
Combine pumpkin, sugar, salt, spices and flour in mixing bowl. Add eggs; mix well. Add evaporated milk, water, vanilla and mix. Pour into pie crust and bake in a 425 degree oven for 15 min. Reduce heat and bake at 350 for 35 min. or until set. ( I cover edges with a pie pastry cover to avoid over browning crust).

Glazed Ginger Carrots

1 bag baby carrots
1/4 C. brown sugar
1 tsp. ginger
1/2 C. butter
Directions:
Cook carrots until desired tenderness is achieved. Drain and place in bowl. Add remaining ingredients and toss until covered.

Grandma Mower's Green Bean Casserole

2 cans green beans
2 cans cream of mushroom soup
1 can fried dry onions
Directions:
drain green beans, pour into casserole dish and mix in mushroom soup. Cover with fried onions and bake at 350 until hot and  bubbly.

Creamy Mashed Potatoes

8-9 potatoes pealed and cut into quarters
2 qts water
2 Tablespoons chicken bullion
1/2 C. skim milk or fat free evaporated milk
spray butter
Directions:
Boil potatoes in water and bullion until fork pokes in easily and potatoes break apart. Drain and transfer potatoes to mixture. Add milk. Mix till creamy. Dallop into bowl and spray with butter. Oh, so yummy, minus the fat!

Deviled Eggs

6 hard boiled eggs (cooked at boiling for 15 min. cooled and peeled)
1/4 C. Mayonnaise
1 tsp. mustard
1 tsp. vinegar
Paprika (to sprinkle)
Directions:
Cut hard boiled eggs in half long ways, and remove yolk. Mix mayo, mustard, and vinegar together adding salt to taste if desired. Add yolks to mayo mixture and cream together. Put mixture in decorator bag and squirt into egg whites. Sprinkle with paparika and garnish with parsley as desired. Enjoy!

Harvest Stuffing

1 C. shredded Carrots
1 C. chopped celery
1/2 C. chopped onion
1/2 C butter
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
8 C. dry bread cubes
2 C. finely chopped apple (I use Gala or Braeburn)
1/2 C. chopped walnuts (opt.)
1/4 tsp. wheat germ
1/2 C. chicken broth
1/4 tsp. each salt and pepper
In lg. skillet cook carrots, celery, and onion in butter till tender. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and pepper. In a bowl combine bread cubes, apple, walnuts, and wheat germ. Add carrot mixture. Drizzle with enough broth to moisten, tossing lightly. Add more broth until desired moistness is achieved. Use to stuff one 8-10 pd. turkey. Makes 8-10 servings. (I double or triple for Thanksgiving Dinner).

Apple Pie Filling

4 ½ C. white sugar

10 C. water

1 C. cornstarch

3 tbs. Lemon juice

2 tsp. Ground cinnamon

2 drops yellow food coloring

¼ tsp. Ground nutmeg

2 tsp. Salt

6 lbs. (or 24 C.) Apples peeled, cored, & quartered

Directions:

In a large pan, mix sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add salt and wwater and mix

well. Bring to a boil and cook until thick and bubble. Remove from heat and add lemon juice and food coloring. Sterilize canning jars, lids and rings by boiling them in a large pot of water Pack sliced apples into hot canning jars, leaving a ½” headspace. Fill jars with hot syrup and gently remove air bubbles with knife. Put lids on and process in hot water bath for 20 min.

Harvest Applesauce

24 C. Cooking Apples, cored and quartered

2 Cups water

10 Cinnamon Sticks (opt.)

1-1½ Cups sugar

Directions:

In large pot combine apples, water and if desired, cinnamon sticks.
Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15-20 min.
Stirring often. Remove cinnamon and pulse in a food processor
to desired consistency. Return pulp to pot and stir in sugar. If
needed, add ½ to 1C water. Bring to a boil. Makes 6 pints (24-½C.
servings).
Preservation options and directions:
Boiling water canning: Ladle hot sauce into hot, sterilized jars, leaving a ½” Head space. Adjust lids. Process in boiling water for 15 min. for pints and for 20 min. for quarts. Freezing: Cool applesauce. Spoon into freezer containers, leaving the recommended headspace. Seal, label, and freeze.

Mom's Mimic Outback Steakhouse Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:
8-9 unpeeled red potatoes cut into fourths
1/4 C butter
Johny's garlic spread (I get ours at costco)
1/2-1 C milk

Directions:
Boil potatoes until tender cut with a fork. Strain and turn into mixer. Mix in butter and garlic spread to taste adding milk slowly and only until desired creamed consistency is achieved. Seem simple? It is, but the results, Oh so mouthwatering. Enjoy with a great Steak or rib dinner!

Rich and Creamy Homemade Ice Cream

This recipe is rich, creamy, quick to make, contains no eggs, requires no cooking, and is the best homemade ice cream I've ever tasted!

Ingredients:

2 C. Whole Milk or Half & Half

2 C. Heavy Cream

1 C. White sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 C. fresh mashed strawberries
7 drops red food coloring

Directions:
In large bowl combine all above ing. Pour mixture into the freezer bowl of ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions. 8 servings. Flavor may be altered according to desire. We have enjoyed this immediately out of the ice cream machine, or after hours or days of freezing. Texture and consistency depend upon freezing time. In any case, Enjoy!

Alger Family Homemade Pizza

1 Cup plus 2 tbs. warm water

2 1/4 tsp. dry yeast

pinch of sugar

3 C. flour (may need more, may need less)

1 1/4 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. olive oil

In glass measuring cup measure water, add yeast and pinch of sugar. Let stand till yeast begins to foam. Stir to dissolve. While yeast is standing, combine flour and salt in mixer. Add oil to yeast mixture and slowly add to flour mixture while mixing.

Mix until smooth and turn out onto floured surface. Let rise in covered bowl 20-30 min. (you may wait until doubled if desired. We like the density of the bread without waiting for the dough to rise).

 Roll out onto pan of choice. Dough makes two thin crust pizzas, one stuffed crust pizza or one thick crust pizza. You may also get 4 personal pizzas with this dough. Top with sauce, cheese and desired toppings of your choice. Bake at 425 degrees for reg. pizza 15-20 min. or 20-30 min. for calzone or stuffed crust pizza.  

Best Ever Monster Cookies

1 C. Butter
1 1/4 C. Sugar
3/4 C. Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1 C. Peanut Butter
1 C. M&M's (I add more if it looks like I need to)
2 C. flour
1 C. rolled oats
Cream together butter, sugars, and eggs. Add vanilla and peanut butter and mix. Sift in dry ingredients (except oats). Mix in oats. Roll into ice cream scoop size balls and bake at 325 degrees until golden or to your liking (about 15-20 min.) Enjoy!

Colleen's Fudge nut bars

This rich bar recipe was given to me years ago and has been a family favorite ever since. If you are looking for something different with texture and rich taste, these are the dessert for you. Enjoy!

1 C Butter
2 eggs
2 1/2 C flour
1 tsp. salt
2 C brown sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
3 C quick oats
directions- Cream butter & sugar, mix in eggs & vanilla. Sift flour, salt, soda, and oats. Then add dry ing. to creamed mixture.
Filling:
1-12 oz pkg choc. chips
2 T Butter
1 C chopped nuts
1 C sweetened condensed milk
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
In saucepan over hot water, mix choc. chips, milk, butter, and salt--mix & melt until smooth. Stir in nuts and vanilla. Spread 2/3 of the oatmeal mixture in bottom of greased jelly roll or 9x11" pan. Cover with chocolate filling. Dot with remaining oatmeal mixture and swirl into chocolate. Bake at 350 for 25-30 min. or until top is lightly browned. Filled with rich, tastey goodness!