Cast Iron Skillet Apple Pie

We are now into the fall season and here in Western New York, we have plenty of beautiful colors all over the trees. It's time to fill the house with those wonderful aromas of cinnamon and spice. Baking this cast iron skillet apple pie did just that.

I love cooking with my cast iron skillet. This iron skillet apple pie is so easy to make, and I'm sure it will be a family favorite.

With pie crust made from scratch and, a layer of brown sugar and melted butter on the bottom of the skillet that bakes into the pie crust, makes this one a fall favorite.

Cast Iron Skillet Apple Pie: Crust 

2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup Crisco (Cold)

6 to 8 tablespoons of Ice Water

You can make your own pie crust or buy it already made. I made my own by adding the flour, and the Crisco (Cold and cut into small pieces) into my KitchenAid mixing bowl.

Using the flat bar I turned it on low speed and began adding the cold water one tablespoon at a time until the dough was formed.

Then, I divided the dough into two equal pieces. I wrapped them and set them in the refrigerator while I prepared the apples.

Cast Iron Skillet Apple Pie: Filling

4 large Granny Smith Apples (Peeled, cored, and sliced)

3/4 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons flour or cornstarch

1 teaspoon nutmeg

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

I mixed all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Then, placed it in the refrigerator while I prepared my cast iron skillet and the pie crust.

For the bottom of the cast iron skillet:

1/2 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

Melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in and spread the brown sugar until it is absorbed and covers the bottom of a 10-inch cast-iron skillet. Remove it from the heat and roll out your dough. It's best to roll out the pie crust between wax paper or parchment paper.

Place the bottom pie crust over the brown sugar mixture in the skillet. Fill the skillet with the apple mixture. Then place the top crust and form the edges together. 

Cut 4 to 6 slits in the top of the pie crust. I brushed the top with 2 tablespoons of melted butter. Then sprinkled some sugar and cinnamon on top. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour.

The crust was flakey and tender and the filling was sweet, with a nice buttery, brown sugar bottom. If you like your apple pie on the tart side, cut back on the sugar or eliminate the brown sugar in the filling.

As always thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy it!

You might also like my Muffin Tin Apple Pies

& 

Muffin Tin Apple Pie

Chocolate Peanut Butter Peanut Clusters

This simple recipe for these chocolate peanut butter clusters was given to us by a good friend years ago.

We normally make these every Holiday season. This year, we just ran out of time and never got around to making these.

That means I had all the ingredients at home and ready to go. The AFC playoff game this Sunday was so one-sided that I decided to gather everything and check these off my list for some sweet treats.

These little treats are just so easy to make. And what a great idea to make them and keep some in the freezer for those chocolate-and-peanut cravings.

Here are the simple ingredients I used. Reese's Peanut Butter Chips, Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips, and Salted Peanuts.

After melting the Reese's Peanut Butter Chips and the Chocolate Chips together, I stirred in the peanuts and dropped them onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Peanut Clusters

Ingredients:

1- 10oz. bag Reese's Peanut Butter Chips
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1-1/2 cups salted peanuts

Directions:

1. In a microwave-safe bowl or double boiler, melt the peanut butter chips and chocolate chips. (I used my double boiler on the stovetop)
2. Stir the chocolate continuously until all is melted and smooth.
3. Add the peanuts, stir, and mix well.
4. Drop onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper using a tablespoon.
5. Let them sit for a few minutes and place them in the freezer for about 10 minutes. 

 I yielded 24 of these little treats but, I used heaping tablespoons. I could have had 30 or more if I used just a little less.

As always, thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy!

Farberware Classic Stainless Series 2-Quart Covered Double Boiler

 

Cake Mix Pumpkin Squares

These cake mix pumpkin squares are another one of our Holiday favorites. You really don't have to wait for a Holiday to make this bite-size dessert.

Fran makes these a few times a year mostly for Thanksgiving and Christmas. This year I wanted to post and share the pumpkin squares dessert with you. So, I made them under Fran's direction using the recipe that she has been using for years.

I have to tell you, these are so easy to make and so delicious. Bobby just can't get enough of them when we make them.

Cake Mix Pumpkin Squares are made in 3 easy steps

Step 1: Make the Bottom Layer

Step 2: Make the filling

 Step 3: Make the Topping

Bottom Layer Ingredients:

1 Box Lemon Cake mix (Remove 1-1/2 cups for topping)
1 stick melted butter (I used salted but you can use unsalted)
1 egg beaten

In a medium mixing bowl, mix together using a fork. Then press and spread into a 9-inch x 13-inch greased glass baking dish. Bake the bottom layer for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, then let cool.

Ingredients for the Filing:

1 can pumpkin (29oz.)
3 eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2/3 cup milk
3 tablespoons cinnamon

I mixed all of this together using our hand mixer. Then spread this over the top of the cooled bottom layer.

Ingredients for the Topping:

1-1/2 cup Lemon cake mix
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons melted butter
1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional) I didn't use chopped nuts

Mix together with a fork until it is crumbly. Then spread the topping over the pumpkin filling. Bake this at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes or until a knife comes out of the center clean.

Here are your cake mix pumpkin squares right out of the oven. Set this on a rack and let cool completely before placing in the refrigerator.

We cut these into 1-1/2 inch across the 9-inch width and 2-inches by the length of the baking dish, yielding 36 pumpkin squares.

As always thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy

Pyrex 1107101 Basics Clear Oblong Glass Baking Dishes, 2 Piece Value Plus Pack SetKitchenAid KHM512ER 5-Speed Ultra Power Hand Mixer, Empire RedLibby's, 100% Pure Pumpkin, 15oz Can (Pack of 6)

Italian Easter Ricotta Rice Pie

This Italian Easter Ricotta Rice Pie is my Mother's recipe. She made these every year for Easter and as you can see these are a little different than your traditional pie.

They are really little hand pies made with sweet dough, ricotta cheese, and rice filling. Anybody who knows me knows that I have a passion for preserving these old family recipes.

I found my mother's recipe for these last year and gave them a try but I failed. You see, my mother's handwritten recipes are short the instructions all she had written down was the ingredients. So I had to figure out the rest on my own. And, this year I did.

Italian Easter Ricotta Rice Pie: Ingredients:

For the Dough:

5 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
3 eggs beaten
1 cup Crisco
1 cup warm water

The Filling:

2 lbs. ricotta cheese
1/4 lb. cooked rice (You'll need 1/2 cup uncooked to get 1/4 lb. cooked)
3/4 cups white sugar
3 eggs
2 eggs beaten (You'll need these later to seal the pies and brush before baking)

I first made the rice according to the package instructions. I used Jasmine Rice because it is a long grain and sticky rice. This helps hold the filling together.

While the rice was cooling I mixed the dough. I used my KitchenAid Stand Mixer with the dough hook.

 I added all the ingredients for the dough except the flour into my mixing bowl. I added the flour last turned it on low speed and mixed until the dough was formed.

If you don't have a stand mixer use a large bowl and mix by hand. Next, I set the dough aside and started to make the filling.

Again, using my stand mixer I added the ricotta cheese, sugar, eggs, and rice into the mixing bowl. Using the flat bar I mixed this on low speed until everything was mixed together. I put the filling in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

I rolled the dough into about a 14-inch long x 2/12-inch high log

I cut the dough into 3/4-inch slices and rolled them out on a floured surface into a circle about 1/8-inch thick.

I filled the center with 1/4 cup of the filling. Then, I brushed the edges of the dough with the beaten egg. I carefully folded the edges together and then pinched along the seams with a fork.

I placed my little pies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper four pies on a cookie sheet. Then, brush on the beaten egg over the whole surface of each pie.

 I baked them at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Then place them on a rack to cool. These Italian Easter Ricotta Rice Pies brought back many fond memories for me. With the sweet dough and the sweet ricotta cheese and rice filling, they make a perfect Easter treat.

Italian Easter Ricotta Rice Pie: Traditional Pie

I also made your traditional Italian Ricotta Rice Pie by doubling the filling recipe. I used a 9-inch pie crust and a 9-inch pie plate.

I baked this pie at 350 degrees for 60 minutes let it cool and then placed it in the refrigerator. So, you can make this either way or as I did both of them.

As always thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy.

Norpro Wood Pastry/Pizza Roller 4.25in/10.5cmKitchenAid KP26M1XER 6 Qt. Professional 600 Series Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer - Empire Red

 

Glazed Lemon Almond Biscotti

Every year my cousin sends me a box of fresh lemons from his backyard lemon trees in Arizona. So, I put them to good use with these Glazed Lemon Almond Biscotti.

The lemon and almond are a delicious combination of flavors for biscotti. If you're not a fan of almond flavor you can leave it out. I like lemon so I also made a lemon glaze for my biscotti.

Biscotti is a perfect treat if you're having friends over for coffee or tea. And, biscotti is really not difficult to make.

Glazed Lemon Almond Biscotti: Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup white sugar
6 tablespoons butter
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon grated rind of lemon
2 teaspoons of almond extract
2 teaspoons baking powder
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 large eggs
1/4 cup slivered almonds

In a large mixing bowl, I beat together the sugar, butter, lemon rind, salt, baking powder, and almond extract. I used my hand mixer until the mixture was smooth.

Next, I added the lemon juice, eggs, and almond slicers. I continued mixing until they were combined. Turning the mixer to low speed I added the flour and mixed until a sticky dough formed.

Because the dough is a bit sticky it's best to shape the biscotti log right on a piece of parchment paper. I shaped the log to 14" long x 3" wide x 3/4" high.

Tip: It helps to use a wet spatula to shape the sticky dough.

I placed the log on a large cookie sheet and baked it at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Then I removed it from the oven and let it cool for about 30 minutes.

Notice that I had some cracks on top of the log. I can assure you this does not affect the flavor of the biscotti at all.

After the log was cooled I brushed it with lukewarm water and waited for about 5 minutes before slicing it into 1/2" slices. The warm water helps soften it to make it easier to slice.

I turned the oven down to 325 degrees and prepared another cookie sheet with parchment paper. I set the slices on their side and baked them for 12 minutes per side for a total of 24 minutes until they were golden.

Glazed Lemon Almond Biscotti: The Lemon Glaze

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice or 1 teaspoon of milk


I whisked this together in a small bowl and drizzled the glaze over the top and down the sides of the biscotti.

You might also like our Quick and Easy Lemon Bars

As always thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy.

Caramel Apple Pizza Recipe

I just love trying new recipes and, I love pizza so, so I thought, why not try a fruit pizza. I know that fruit pizza is nothing new but, this is the first time I've ever made it.

I had a couple of fresh Granny Smithe apples in the refrigerator so I decided to make this caramel apple pizza. And, what a wonderful sweet treat it is. This is perfect hot out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. Oh! doesn't that sound good?

First I made my standard pizza dough. While the dough was rising I peeled and cubed two Ganny Smith apples.

 The recipe and measurements are all below. I melted the butter in a medium saucepan. 

Then add the apples and all other ingredients into the pan.

Stir together until it comes to a slight boil then you can remove it from the heat. 

Next, I greased an 11-inch x 17-inch pizza pan. 

Spread the dough and brush it with 1 tablespoon of melted butter before pouring the apple mixture.


I baked this at 450 degrees on the center rack of the oven for 15 minutes. I melted Kraft Caramel Bits and drizzled it over the top. Then mixed my white icing made with powdered sugar and milk and drizzled it over the caramel.

Here is what I used for the dough:

3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 tablespoons Crisco or vegetable oil
1-1/4 cup lukewarm water
1 package dry yeast

Add the warm water into a mixing bowl then add the yeast. When the mixture begins to bubble add the oil.

Now, add the flour and begin mixing until you have a nice firm ball of dough. I always use my KitchenAid Stand mixer for this part. Cover and set the dough aside to let it rise. About one hour until it doubles in size.

For the Apple Topping:

2 Granny Smith Apples (peeled and cubed)
4 tablespoons butter melted
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon All Spice
1/2 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/4 cup milk

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, add the apples and the remaining ingredients. Stir over medium heat until it boils then remove it from the heat.

The Caramel:

1/4 cup Kraft Caramel Bits
1 tablespoon Milk

In a microwave-safe bowl melt for 30 seconds at a time. Stirring in between, I did this three times for a total of 90 seconds. This gave me a nice smooth caramel to drizzle.

The White Icing:

2 cups powdered sugar
4 tablespoons milk

I whisked this in a small bowl until it was nice and creamy. Then drizzle it over the caramel.

Vietnamese Cinnamon Ground By Penzeys Spices 1.7 oz 1/2 cup

This Penzeys Vietnamese Cinnamon is the best we've ever used. It is extremely aromatic and so flavorful and sweet. You only need to use about 2/3 of what any recipe calls for.

Mix this with some white sugar and enjoy it on your toast, hot cereal, or waffles. For amazing pancakes add some of this to the batter. This also is a perfect addition to your coffee or hot chocolate.

Kraft, Caramel Bits, 11oz Bag (Pack of 3)


Here is another favorite we like to use when baking. These Kraft Caramel Bits really come in handy during the Holidays.

 No need to unwrap your caramels anymore these are perfect for baking and ready to use right out of the bag.

Norpro Wood Pastry/Pizza Roller

And, let's remember one of my favorites. The Norpro Pastry and Dough Roller. This little kitchen gadget works wonders with pastry and pizza dough.

I've had this little tool for years and, it makes rolling out the dough so easy. Especially pizza dough. The small end is contoured which really helps get to dough right to the edge of the pan.

As always thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy.

Quick Easy Blueberry Muffins

Friday morning, Fran and Jamie had some errands to run. So, that left Bobby, Tyler, and me the whole morning on a rainy day.

I made some scrambled eggs for Bobby, and all Tyler wanted was chocolate milk. I remembered Fran telling me that we had some blueberries in the refrigerator that needed to be used.

Since it was raining out, I thought the guys would like to help me make some blueberry muffins. Tyler was more interested in building things with his Tinker Toys, so Bobby and I got to work on these quick, easy blueberry muffins.

To make easy blueberry muffins from scratch, you only need a few simple ingredients and, of course, fresh or frozen blueberries. Our blueberries were fresh, and we had everything else we needed. The ingredients and instructions are below to make these quick and easy blueberry muffins.

First, we made the batter using my KitchenAid Stand Mixer. Then we folded in the fresh blueberries by hand using a spatula.

We sprayed a large muffin tin with Baker's Joy Non-Stick Spray and filled each muffin cup with 1/4 cup of batter.

We mixed some light brown sugar with white sugar and sprinkled it on top. Then, into the oven to bake for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees. We yielded 12 easy, moist blueberry muffins from this recipe.

Here is what we used to make our blueberry muffins: 

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup white sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon honey
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon baking powder
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk
1-1/2 cup fresh blueberries

Instructions:

1. Add the oil and sugar together and begin mixing on low speed.
2. Then add the eggs, vanilla, honey, baking powder, and salt. Continue on low speed.
3. Add the milk and one cup of flour, and continue mixing for about one minute.
4. Lastly, add the second cup of flour and continue on low speed until you have a nice batter.
5. Then fold in the blueberries by hand with a spatula.
6. Fill the muffin tins, then sprinkle the light brown sugar and sugar mixture over the tops.
7. Bake on the center rack at 375 degrees for 20 minutes until golden brown.

These easy-to-make blueberry muffins are perfect for breakfast or just a snack. I have to tell you, these didn't last long after coming out of the oven.

As always, thanks for stopping by, and I hope you enjoy.

Wilton Gold Non-Stick Bakeware Muffin Pan - Baking Pan for Muffins & Cupcakes - Made Without PFAS, Dent Resistant & Dishwasher Friendly - Offers Even Heat Distribution - 10.5 x 15 x 2 Inches, 12 CupKitchenAid Classic Series 4.5 Quart Tilt-Head Stand Mixer K45SS, Onyx Black