Raspberry Pie

This is a great fruit pie recipe.  You can make it with any berry, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, or even a mixture of all.  It is a combination of the recipe that I got off the side of the pie crust box and one I found online.

Ingredients:

• 1 (9 in.) refrigerated pie crust
• 1 1/3 C. sugar
• 2 T. quick-cooking tapioca
• ¼ C. cornstarch
• 5 C. fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed
• 1 T. butter
• 2 T. milk
• 2 t. sugar

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
2. Roll the pie crust into a 9 inch pie plate and gently press the crust into place around the pie plate.
3. Combine the sugar, tapioca, cornstarch, and raspberries together in a large bowl.  Allow the berry mixture to rest for 15 minutes.
4. Place the berries in the pie crust and dot with butter. Cover the pie with the other crust.  Seal the edges carefully.
5. Cut four slits into the crust and then brush with the milk and sprinkle the sugar over the top.
6. Bake for 50 minutes or until golden brown and filling is bubbly. (If the edges of the pie start to get too brown cover them with foil.)
7. Remove and allow to cool for at least 2 hours before serving. 

Tips and Tricks:

• I use Pillsbury Pie Crust, which can be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store, usually by the can biscuits.
• I serve this pie with vanilla ice cream.  Pie a la Mode!

Muffaletta Torte

This recipe was given to me by my co-worker, Jeff's wife, Mary Beth.  She made it for a shower and after one bite I had to have the recipe to make it for myself.  I made it for a birthday party and I had 3 people ask me for the recipe.  It's THAT kind of recipe.  ; )

Ingredients:

• 2 (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
• 1 C. Asaigo cheese, shredded
• 2 T. butter, softened
• ½ t. cayenne pepper
• ¼ lb. Genoa or hard salami, sliced thin and finely chopped
• ¼ lb. ham or mortadella,sliced thin and finely chopped
• 1 C. olive salad mix, drained 

Directions:

1. Combine the cream cheese, Asaigo cheese, butter and cayenne pepper in a food processor until well combined and soft.
2. To make the torte, line a container that holds at least 3 C. with foil or plastic wrap.  Spray with cooking spray and then add the drained olive salad (just use enough to make a thin layer).
3. Using a greased spatula, spread 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture in a layer on top of the olive salad, add the ham layer, spread 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture, add the salami layer and then the last 1/3 of the cream cheese mixture.
4. Cover the container and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
5. When you are ready to serve, place the container on the serving dish and invert.  Carefully peel away the plastic wrap or foil.
6. Serve with crackers.

Tips and Tricks:

• I chop the salami and ham in the food processor.
• I serve this with Wheat Thins.  They are sturdy enough to cut thorough the torte, so you don’t need to use a knife for spreading.  
• I use the Rouses or Boscoli brand olive salad mix.  

A Shot for America!

I made these for 4th of July, I know I should have made them earlier so you could have seen this post PRIOR to July 4th, and they were a BIG hit. We ate several of these little jigglers.  The Malibu gives a great flavor and they aren't as strong as my usual Jell-O shots.

  Ingredients:

• 1 (6 oz.) red, any flavor you like, Jell-O
• 1 (6 oz.) blue, any flavor you like, Jell-O
• 1 ½ C. Malibu rum
• 4 ½ C. boiling water
• 4 envelopes of Knox gelatin
• 1 can of sweetened condensed milk

Directions:

1.  Spray a 9”x13”Pyrex pan with nonstick spray.

2.  Make the blue layer: In a medium bowl, mix the blue Jell-O with 1 envelope of the unflavored gelatin. Add 1 ½ C. boiling water and stir to dissolve. When dissolved, add ½ C. Malibu and stir.  Cool to room temperature and pour into the prepared pan. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes, or until quite firm.

3.  Make the white layer: In another bowl, mix sweetened condensed milk with 1 cup boiling water. In a separate small bowl, sprinkle 2 envelopes of unflavored gelatin over ½ C. Malibu. Let stand for a few minutes and then add ½ C. boiling water to dissolve the gelatin. Add to the milk mixture and stir to combine. Cool to room temperature. Pour the white layer over the firmed-up blue Jell-O layer. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until quite firm.

4.  Make the red layer: In a medium bowl, mix the red Jell-O with 1 envelope of the unflavored gelatin. Add 1 ½ C. boiling water and stir to dissolve. When dissolved, add ½ C. Malibu and stir.  Cool to room temperature and pour over the firmed-up white layer. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or until firm.

5.  Slice into individual servings (small enough to hold in your hand), scoop out with a small spatula, and serve. For a more festive look, turn some of them upside-down so you have both red and blue showing on your serving platter.

Tips and Tricks:

• These can be made alcohol free.  Skip the last step, just add 2 C. of boiling water.
• For a more festive look, turn some of them upside-down so you have both red and blue showing on your serving platter.
• You can change this recipe up!  Red, White, and Green for Christmas, Green, White, and Orange for St. Patrick’s Day.  Red, White, and Pink for Valentine’s Day.  You get the idea!

Chicken Spaghetti

Get the troops together when you make this recipe.  It serves at least 12!  The other nice thing about it, it freezes great.  My sister-in-law's Mom, AnnaMae, introduced my family to this recipe MANY years ago.  It's a favorite!

This is just one of the MANY casserole dishes I filled with this recipe.

Ingredients:
Boiled Chicken:

• 2 chicken fryers, cut into pieces
• 2 onions, cut in half
• 2 celery stalks, cut into fourths
• ½ T. kosher salt
• ½ T. Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning

Chicken Spaghetti:

• ½ C. (1 stick) butter
• 1 lb. thin spaghetti
• 2 C. onions, chopped
• 1 C. bell pepper, chopped
• 1 C. celery, chopped
• 6 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ T. kosher salt
• ½ T. Tony Chachere’s Creole seasoning
• 1 ½ lbs. Velveeta, cut into small cubes
• 2 cans Rotel tomatoes with green chilis
• 1 can petit pois peas

Directions:

1. Fill a gumbo pot half way with water and set to boil over high heat.  Add the chicken, onions, celery, salt and Creole seasoning and allow to boil for 45 minutes.
2. Using a strainer spoon, remove the chicken pieces from the pot and set aside to cool.
3. Add the spaghetti to the chicken stock and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the pasta, but save the stock. (You can freeze the stock and use it for other recipes.)
4. In a Dutch oven, melt the stick of butter and sauté the onions, bell pepper, and celery, on low for about 20 minutes.
5. If you are making this to eat now, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. While the trinity is wilting, remove the skin and bones from the chicken and cut the chicken into small bite size pieces. Reserve.
7. Add the garlic and cook for one minute and then add the cubed Velveeta.
8. Stir frequently, when most of the cheese is melted, add the Rotel tomatoes.
9. When all of the cheese is melted, add the chicken, then the spaghetti and finally the peas.
10. Stir well to incorporate the mixture with the pasta.
11. Spray 2 baking pans or CorningWare 13”x 9”x 2” with cooking spray and transfer the Chicken Spaghetti into the baking dishes. 
12. Bake for 1 hour or until bubbly and golden brown.
13. Allow the dish to set for 5 minutes and then serve.

Tips and Tricks:

• These 2 pans will serve at least 12 people. 
• I usually make this the day before I want to serve it.  It freezes well, but don’t bake it until you are ready to serve it.
• I use Dubon or LeSueur petit pois peas.
• This recipe is LABOR INTESIVE, but it is worth it.