This is a quick dish. It’s do-ahead easy. And it’s versatile.
Don’t care for green beans? No worry.
Substitute broccoli, cauliflower or asparagus. They all work just as well in this simple, yet delicious dish.
If you do it ahead of time (no more than a day), be sure to let it come to room temperature before serving.
Grilled Green Beans with Honey, Feta and Dill
Start to finish: 15 minutes
Servings: 6
2 pounds green beans, trimmed
Olive oil
3 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/2 cup crumbled feta
Fresh dill
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1. Heat the grill to high.
2. In a large bowl, toss the green beans with just enough olive oil to lightly coat.
Lay the green beans across the grate of the grill horizontally so that they don’t fall through.
Grill, turning once or twice, for 6 to 8 minutes, or until lightly charred and tender.
3. While the beans grill, in small bowl mix together the honey, garlic and red pepper flakes.
4. When the beans are done, pile them onto a serving plate.
5. Drizzle the honey mixture over the beans, then sprinkle with feta cheese.
6. Top with sprigs of fresh dill and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
Recipe from Alison Ladman, Associated Press writer.
Nutritional information per serving: 130 calories; 40 calories from fat (31 percent of total calories); 4.5 g fat (2 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 125 mg sodium; 20 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 15 g sugar; and 5 g protein.
Monday, August 10, 2015
Goat Cheese-Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes
If you’d like to get a bit of crisp on the edges of your sweet potatoes, just open the foil on the top of each after about 10 minutes of cooking.
These sweet potatoes also are easily prepped ahead of time. Just slice, smear and wrap them up to a day ahead, then refrigerate until ready to grill.
Goat Cheese-Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes
Start to finish: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
4-ounce log goat cheese
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium sweet potatoes
Olive oil
Kosher salt
1. Heat one side of the grill to medium.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the goat cheese, butter, orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper, thyme and garlic. Set aside.
3. One at a time, cut deep slits crosswise into each sweet potato. The slits should be spaced about 1/2 inch apart and cut down to within about 1/4 inch of the base of the potatoes. Don’t cut all the way through; you want the potato slices to remain attached at the bottom.
4. Microwave the potatoes for 5 minutes on high.
5. Use a thin spreading knife to carefully spread a small amount of the goat cheese mixture between each of the slices in the potatoes. Brush each sweet potato all over with olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
6. Wrap each potato in foil, then place on the cooler side of the grill. Cook, moving them occasionally to prevent burning, for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender all the way through.
7. Allow to remain wrapped and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe from Alison Ladman, Associated Press writer.
Nutritional information per serving: 260 calories; 130 calories from fat (50 percent of total calories); 14 g fat (8 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 30 mg cholesterol; 680 mg sodium; 27 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 5 g sugar; and 8 g protein.
These sweet potatoes also are easily prepped ahead of time. Just slice, smear and wrap them up to a day ahead, then refrigerate until ready to grill.
Goat Cheese-Stuffed Grilled Sweet Potatoes
Start to finish: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
4-ounce log goat cheese
2 tablespoons butter, softened
Zest of 1 orange
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 medium sweet potatoes
Olive oil
Kosher salt
1. Heat one side of the grill to medium.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the goat cheese, butter, orange zest, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, the pepper, thyme and garlic. Set aside.
3. One at a time, cut deep slits crosswise into each sweet potato. The slits should be spaced about 1/2 inch apart and cut down to within about 1/4 inch of the base of the potatoes. Don’t cut all the way through; you want the potato slices to remain attached at the bottom.
4. Microwave the potatoes for 5 minutes on high.
5. Use a thin spreading knife to carefully spread a small amount of the goat cheese mixture between each of the slices in the potatoes. Brush each sweet potato all over with olive oil and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt.
6. Wrap each potato in foil, then place on the cooler side of the grill. Cook, moving them occasionally to prevent burning, for 25 to 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender all the way through.
7. Allow to remain wrapped and rest for 10 minutes before serving.
Recipe from Alison Ladman, Associated Press writer.
Nutritional information per serving: 260 calories; 130 calories from fat (50 percent of total calories); 14 g fat (8 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 30 mg cholesterol; 680 mg sodium; 27 g carbohydrate; 4 g fiber; 5 g sugar; and 8 g protein.
Grilled Pineapple Fruit Salad
From Press Enterprise, July 15, 2015
Want an easy way to add a little punch to your otherwise humdrum fruit salad? Just add some heat.
Toss pineapple rings on the grill for just 4 to 5 minutes per side. The intense heat of the flames caramelizes the natural sugars of the pineapple and adds a smoky char
.
Once the pineapple rings come off the grill and cool a bit, they can be chopped and tossed with all the usual fruit salad suspects.
Want to take it even further? Thickly sliced peaches and nectarines also could be grill and added to this salad.
And for additional non-grilled items, consider tossing in some blueberries and grapes.
The peppery bite of torn fresh basil is called for here, but mint also would be good.
Grilled Pineapple Fruit Salad
Start to finish: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
1 pineapple
1 quart strawberries, hulled and halved (or quartered for larger berries)
4 kiwi, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
2 mangoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
1. Heat the grill to medium-high.
2. Lay the pineapple on its side and slice of the top and bottom. Stand it up, then slice off the peel on the sides one strip at a time. Return the pineapple to its side and cut the pineapple into 1/2-inch slices.
3. Grill each slice for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until lightly charred. Set aside to cool until easily handled.
4. Once the pineapple is cool, cut it into bite-sized pieces, trimming around and discarding the core.
5. In a large bowl, combine the pineapple chunks, strawberries, kiwi, mangoes, basil and a pinch of salt. Stir very gently.
6. Chill for 20 minutes to allow the juices to meld. Stir very gently before serving.
Recipe from Alison Ladman, Associated Press writer.
Nutritional information per serving: 210 calories; 10 calories from fat (5 percent of total calories); 1 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 45 mg sodium; 51 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 40 g sugar; and 3 g protein.
Want an easy way to add a little punch to your otherwise humdrum fruit salad? Just add some heat.
Toss pineapple rings on the grill for just 4 to 5 minutes per side. The intense heat of the flames caramelizes the natural sugars of the pineapple and adds a smoky char
.
Once the pineapple rings come off the grill and cool a bit, they can be chopped and tossed with all the usual fruit salad suspects.
Want to take it even further? Thickly sliced peaches and nectarines also could be grill and added to this salad.
And for additional non-grilled items, consider tossing in some blueberries and grapes.
The peppery bite of torn fresh basil is called for here, but mint also would be good.
Grilled Pineapple Fruit Salad
Start to finish: 20 minutes
Servings: 6
1 pineapple
1 quart strawberries, hulled and halved (or quartered for larger berries)
4 kiwi, peeled and cut into bite-size pieces
2 mangoes, peeled and cubed
1/2 cup torn fresh basil leaves
Kosher salt
1. Heat the grill to medium-high.
2. Lay the pineapple on its side and slice of the top and bottom. Stand it up, then slice off the peel on the sides one strip at a time. Return the pineapple to its side and cut the pineapple into 1/2-inch slices.
3. Grill each slice for 4 to 5 minutes per side, or until lightly charred. Set aside to cool until easily handled.
4. Once the pineapple is cool, cut it into bite-sized pieces, trimming around and discarding the core.
5. In a large bowl, combine the pineapple chunks, strawberries, kiwi, mangoes, basil and a pinch of salt. Stir very gently.
6. Chill for 20 minutes to allow the juices to meld. Stir very gently before serving.
Recipe from Alison Ladman, Associated Press writer.
Nutritional information per serving: 210 calories; 10 calories from fat (5 percent of total calories); 1 g fat (0 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 45 mg sodium; 51 g carbohydrate; 7 g fiber; 40 g sugar; and 3 g protein.
Grilled Cauliflower ‘Steaks’ with Lemon-Lime Feta Gremolata
From the Press Enterprise, July 25, 2015
The trick to slicing cauliflower into “steaks” is to use only the center of the cauliflower head.
Basically, you trim away the sides, then cut the center into thick slabs.
This always presents leftover little florets that fall away. Sure, you can save them for another meal (and please do!). Or you can use those little pieces to make a gremolata to go on top of the steak!
In this recipe, every bit of the cauliflower head is used, and a touch of feta is added to the topping for a little salty goodness.
Start to Finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
2 small heads cauliflower
1 clove garlic
1 lime
2 lemons
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1. Heat the grill to medium-high.
2. Trim off and discard the cauliflower leaves, then flip each head over so that the stem end is facing up. Trim about 1/4 inch from each side to flatten, then cut each head in 3 thick slabs. Reserve 1 cup of the side florets you trimmed away.
3. Using a fine wand-style grater, grate the garlic into a medium bowl.
4. Grate in the zest of the lime and 1 lemon, then juice the lime and 1/2 of the lemon into the same bowl. Finely chop the cilantro and reserved cauliflower bits and add to the bowl along with the feta. Season with salt and pepper.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and juice from the reserved lemon half.
Brush one side of the cauliflower steaks with the lemon oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then place them oiled side down on the grill.
6. Cook for 4 minutes, brush the top sides of the steaks with additional lemon oil, flip and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly charred and tender.
7. Slice the remaining lemon into 6 wedges.
Spoon several tablespoons of the gremolata over the steaks and serve with a lemon wedge.
Recipe from Melissa d’Arabian for the Associated Press.
Nutritional information per serving: 70 calories; 25 calories from fat (36 percent of total calories); 3 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 5 mg cholesterol; 150 mg sodium; 10 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 4 g sugar; and 4 g protein.
.
The trick to slicing cauliflower into “steaks” is to use only the center of the cauliflower head.
Basically, you trim away the sides, then cut the center into thick slabs.
This always presents leftover little florets that fall away. Sure, you can save them for another meal (and please do!). Or you can use those little pieces to make a gremolata to go on top of the steak!
In this recipe, every bit of the cauliflower head is used, and a touch of feta is added to the topping for a little salty goodness.
Start to Finish: 30 minutes
Servings: 6
2 small heads cauliflower
1 clove garlic
1 lime
2 lemons
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons crumbled feta cheese
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1. Heat the grill to medium-high.
2. Trim off and discard the cauliflower leaves, then flip each head over so that the stem end is facing up. Trim about 1/4 inch from each side to flatten, then cut each head in 3 thick slabs. Reserve 1 cup of the side florets you trimmed away.
3. Using a fine wand-style grater, grate the garlic into a medium bowl.
4. Grate in the zest of the lime and 1 lemon, then juice the lime and 1/2 of the lemon into the same bowl. Finely chop the cilantro and reserved cauliflower bits and add to the bowl along with the feta. Season with salt and pepper.
5. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil and juice from the reserved lemon half.
Brush one side of the cauliflower steaks with the lemon oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, then place them oiled side down on the grill.
6. Cook for 4 minutes, brush the top sides of the steaks with additional lemon oil, flip and cook for another 4 to 5 minutes, or until lightly charred and tender.
7. Slice the remaining lemon into 6 wedges.
Spoon several tablespoons of the gremolata over the steaks and serve with a lemon wedge.
Recipe from Melissa d’Arabian for the Associated Press.
Nutritional information per serving: 70 calories; 25 calories from fat (36 percent of total calories); 3 g fat (1 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 5 mg cholesterol; 150 mg sodium; 10 g carbohydrate; 3 g fiber; 4 g sugar; and 4 g protein.
.
Grilled Vegetables with Tahini Sauce and Spicy Panko
From the July 15 Press Enterprise:
Grilled Vegetables with Tahini Sauce and Spicy Panko
Start to finish: 1 hour
Servings: 8
1/4 cup tahini, well stirred
21/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Kosher salt
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 head broccoli, quartered down the center
1 small head cauliflower, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick “steaks”
6 large carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
Vegetable or canola oil, for brushing the vegetables
Ground black pepper
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the tahini, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the water, lemon juice, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add additional water if necessary to achieve a pourable consistency. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium, heat the remaining 11/2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Add the red pepper flakes and a hefty pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the breadcrumbs turn golden, about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Heat a grill to medium. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Set up a bowl of ice and water and place it next to the pot. Add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes. Use tongs to remove the broccoli from the water and place in the ice water. Cool completely, then pat dry with paper towels.
Repeat this process with the cauliflower and carrots, cooking the cauliflower for 2 minutes and the carrots for 3 minutes.
5. Brush all of the vegetables well on both sides with vegetable oil.
Season with salt and pepper and, working in batches if necessary, grill them on direct medium heat, with the grill covered, until they have distinct grill marks on the bottom, about 5 minutes.
Turn them over and grill on the second side until they have distinct grill marks on the second side and are tender, about another 5 minutes.
Arrange the vegetables on a platter, drizzle with the tahini sauce and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top.
Recipe from Sara Moulton for the Associated Press.
Nutritional information per serving: 180 calories; 90 calories from fat (50 percent of total calories); 10 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 210 mg sodium; 19 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 5 g sugar; and 6 g protein.
• • •
The trick to slicing cauliflower into “steaks” is to use only the center of the cauliflower head.
Basically, you trim away the sides, then cut the center into thick slabs.
This always presents leftover little florets that fall away. Sure, you can save them for another meal (and please do!).
Grilled Vegetables with Tahini Sauce and Spicy Panko
Start to finish: 1 hour
Servings: 8
1/4 cup tahini, well stirred
21/2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon minced garlic
Kosher salt
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 head broccoli, quartered down the center
1 small head cauliflower, sliced into 1/2-inch-thick “steaks”
6 large carrots, peeled and halved lengthwise
Vegetable or canola oil, for brushing the vegetables
Ground black pepper
1. In a medium bowl, stir together the tahini, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, the water, lemon juice, garlic and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Add additional water if necessary to achieve a pourable consistency. Set aside.
2. In a large skillet over medium, heat the remaining 11/2 tablespoons of olive oil.
Add the breadcrumbs and cook, stirring, for 1 minute.
3. Add the red pepper flakes and a hefty pinch of salt and cook, stirring, until the breadcrumbs turn golden, about 1 minute more. Remove from the heat and set aside.
4. Heat a grill to medium. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Set up a bowl of ice and water and place it next to the pot. Add the broccoli and cook for 2 minutes. Use tongs to remove the broccoli from the water and place in the ice water. Cool completely, then pat dry with paper towels.
Repeat this process with the cauliflower and carrots, cooking the cauliflower for 2 minutes and the carrots for 3 minutes.
5. Brush all of the vegetables well on both sides with vegetable oil.
Season with salt and pepper and, working in batches if necessary, grill them on direct medium heat, with the grill covered, until they have distinct grill marks on the bottom, about 5 minutes.
Turn them over and grill on the second side until they have distinct grill marks on the second side and are tender, about another 5 minutes.
Arrange the vegetables on a platter, drizzle with the tahini sauce and sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top.
Recipe from Sara Moulton for the Associated Press.
Nutritional information per serving: 180 calories; 90 calories from fat (50 percent of total calories); 10 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 210 mg sodium; 19 g carbohydrate; 5 g fiber; 5 g sugar; and 6 g protein.
• • •
The trick to slicing cauliflower into “steaks” is to use only the center of the cauliflower head.
Basically, you trim away the sides, then cut the center into thick slabs.
This always presents leftover little florets that fall away. Sure, you can save them for another meal (and please do!).
Sunday, August 9, 2015
Honey Gingerbread Cookies
Shawn Stair, our special editions editor, brought these to the newsroom, and they were delicious!
He, in turn, stole it from an article published in the Press Enterprise 12/09/2010. Here's what we wrote then.
At the New York Public Library, visitors to the Winnie-the-Pooh room are greeted by a gigantic mural of the roly-poly bear and his friends sitting down to dinner.
"That the iconic image that the publisher chose to welcome people into the room," says Elizabeth Bird, senior children's librarian at the institution, which is home to the Pooh stuffed animals owned by the real-life Christopher Robin. "That's the first thing you'll see, before you even see Pooh." Another wall features Pooh with his famous honey pots.
Food, friendship and simplicity have always been central to A.A. Milne's classic tales. And as tribute to this notion, Dutton Publishing has re-issued Virginia Ellison's 1969 book, "The Winnie-the-Pooh Cookbook."
Though the updated recipes for "smackerels" like honey toffee apples and easy honey buns have been purged of lard, the book still features original drawings by Ernest H. Shepard interspersed with memorable quotes from Pooh and his coterie. The messages speak even to today's children.
"Kids understand being hungry and wanting more of your favorite food," Bird says. (Duh!) "It's kind of a wish fulfillment. Imagine having a pot as big as yourself filled with your favorite food. Like a big pot of cake."
Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours (30 minutes active)
Makes about 30 cookies
1/2 C sugar
3 C all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 C butter or margarine, cut into dots and brought to room temperature
1/2 C honey
1. In a large bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Use your fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients. When thoroughly worked in, add the honey and stir until blended.
2. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly-floured surface, roll the dough out about 1/8-inch thick.
4. Use 3-inche cookie cutters to cut cookies from the dough. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until just golden at the edges.
5. Cool 1 minute on pan before transferring them to a rack.
6. Frost.
Per cookie: 108 calories; 55 calories from fat; 6 grams fat (4 grams saturates, 0 grams trans fat); 16 mg cholesterol, 12 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 0 g fiber, 117 mg sodium.
He, in turn, stole it from an article published in the Press Enterprise 12/09/2010. Here's what we wrote then.
At the New York Public Library, visitors to the Winnie-the-Pooh room are greeted by a gigantic mural of the roly-poly bear and his friends sitting down to dinner.
"That the iconic image that the publisher chose to welcome people into the room," says Elizabeth Bird, senior children's librarian at the institution, which is home to the Pooh stuffed animals owned by the real-life Christopher Robin. "That's the first thing you'll see, before you even see Pooh." Another wall features Pooh with his famous honey pots.
Food, friendship and simplicity have always been central to A.A. Milne's classic tales. And as tribute to this notion, Dutton Publishing has re-issued Virginia Ellison's 1969 book, "The Winnie-the-Pooh Cookbook."
Though the updated recipes for "smackerels" like honey toffee apples and easy honey buns have been purged of lard, the book still features original drawings by Ernest H. Shepard interspersed with memorable quotes from Pooh and his coterie. The messages speak even to today's children.
"Kids understand being hungry and wanting more of your favorite food," Bird says. (Duh!) "It's kind of a wish fulfillment. Imagine having a pot as big as yourself filled with your favorite food. Like a big pot of cake."
Start to finish: 1 1/2 hours (30 minutes active)
Makes about 30 cookies
1/2 C sugar
3 C all-purpose flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. ground ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1 C butter or margarine, cut into dots and brought to room temperature
1/2 C honey
1. In a large bowl, sift together the sugar, flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. Use your fingertips to work the butter into the dry ingredients. When thoroughly worked in, add the honey and stir until blended.
2. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. Heat the oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly-floured surface, roll the dough out about 1/8-inch thick.
4. Use 3-inche cookie cutters to cut cookies from the dough. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until just golden at the edges.
5. Cool 1 minute on pan before transferring them to a rack.
6. Frost.
Per cookie: 108 calories; 55 calories from fat; 6 grams fat (4 grams saturates, 0 grams trans fat); 16 mg cholesterol, 12 g carbohydrate, 1 g protein, 0 g fiber, 117 mg sodium.
Saturday, June 13, 2015
Grandma Bonnie Longenberger's Pie Crust
This pie crust recipe comes courtesy of Linda Dancho, in our newsroom. She makes the world's best pies, and says you can keep the crumbs in this crust in the freezer until you need them.
This recipe makes enough for a double-crusted pie.
Tips for beginning pie makers are below.
Ingredients:
2 C flour
1/2 Tbs sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 C lard (I use vegetable shortening)
1 small egg, beaten
1/2 Tbs vinegar
1/4 C water
In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt.
With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in lard/shortening until mixture resembles course crumbs. Freeze here if you like.
Mix together egg, vinegar and water, then add to flour mixture. Mix until dough is moist enough to form a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.
Divide dough in half. Put the other half back in the freezer. On a lightly-floured surface and using a floured rolling pin, roll one half into a 12-inch circle. Press dough into pie plate.
If making a single-crust pie, crimp now. I'll tell you how below. Prick bottom with fork, place in freezer while preparing pie filling.
Fill pie.
If making a double crust pie, roll out the second crust after you fill the first one. Lay it gently on top of filling.
Crimp crusts together. Cut vent holes in top, then sprinkle with sugar and maybe cinnamon, if you have cinnamon in the filling. Bake according to directions of your pie recipe.
Making a pie crust from scratch the first time is scary. But don't worry - worst case scenario, you can run out and buy a couple frozen pie crust if yours doesn't work.
Personally, I find the crust-making always goes easier if my mother is in the room. She doesn't have to say anything or do anything - her mom aura just seems to help.
But here's a few tips to help you on your way, mom or no mom.
Lightly flip the dough on the flour when you start so it has a light coating. Then, after the first few strokes with the rolling pin, lift up the disc of dough and sprinkle a little more flour on your rolling surface. This will prevent sticking.
DON'T roll the rolling pin back and forth. Roll out from the center, in one direction only. Otherwise it'll rip. I learned this from Theresa Robles, who taught me how to roll tortillas.
The colder the dough, the better. Sometimes I use ice water instead of regular water.
To lift a pie crust and move it to the plate, gently roll it up like a Torah scroll on your rolling pin. Then unroll it into the pie pan.
If it rips anyway, don't panic. Patch it together best you can. It doesn't matter at all on the bottom crust. And it'll prove it's an authentic homemade crust if a seam shows on top.
To make a pretty crimped edge, make a "peace" sign your pointer and middle finger on one hand and put them on the edge of your pie crust with your fist over the middle of the pie and your fingers pointing toward the edge. Then use your thumb on your other hand to push the dough between your fingers. If you're making a double-crusted pie, catch both layers of dough with your thumb. (You can also do this to store-bought single crusts to make them look homemade, in a pinch. And yes, of course that pun was fully intended.)
You can use a knife or scissors to trim the excess dough.
This recipe makes enough for a double-crusted pie.
Tips for beginning pie makers are below.
Ingredients:
2 C flour
1/2 Tbs sugar
3/4 tsp. salt
3/4 C lard (I use vegetable shortening)
1 small egg, beaten
1/2 Tbs vinegar
1/4 C water
In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar and salt.
With a pastry blender or two knives, cut in lard/shortening until mixture resembles course crumbs. Freeze here if you like.
Mix together egg, vinegar and water, then add to flour mixture. Mix until dough is moist enough to form a ball. Wrap in plastic and chill 30 minutes.
Divide dough in half. Put the other half back in the freezer. On a lightly-floured surface and using a floured rolling pin, roll one half into a 12-inch circle. Press dough into pie plate.
If making a single-crust pie, crimp now. I'll tell you how below. Prick bottom with fork, place in freezer while preparing pie filling.
Fill pie.
If making a double crust pie, roll out the second crust after you fill the first one. Lay it gently on top of filling.
Crimp crusts together. Cut vent holes in top, then sprinkle with sugar and maybe cinnamon, if you have cinnamon in the filling. Bake according to directions of your pie recipe.
New pie maker tips
Making a pie crust from scratch the first time is scary. But don't worry - worst case scenario, you can run out and buy a couple frozen pie crust if yours doesn't work.
Personally, I find the crust-making always goes easier if my mother is in the room. She doesn't have to say anything or do anything - her mom aura just seems to help.
But here's a few tips to help you on your way, mom or no mom.
Lightly flip the dough on the flour when you start so it has a light coating. Then, after the first few strokes with the rolling pin, lift up the disc of dough and sprinkle a little more flour on your rolling surface. This will prevent sticking.
DON'T roll the rolling pin back and forth. Roll out from the center, in one direction only. Otherwise it'll rip. I learned this from Theresa Robles, who taught me how to roll tortillas.
The colder the dough, the better. Sometimes I use ice water instead of regular water.
To lift a pie crust and move it to the plate, gently roll it up like a Torah scroll on your rolling pin. Then unroll it into the pie pan.
If it rips anyway, don't panic. Patch it together best you can. It doesn't matter at all on the bottom crust. And it'll prove it's an authentic homemade crust if a seam shows on top.
To make a pretty crimped edge, make a "peace" sign your pointer and middle finger on one hand and put them on the edge of your pie crust with your fist over the middle of the pie and your fingers pointing toward the edge. Then use your thumb on your other hand to push the dough between your fingers. If you're making a double-crusted pie, catch both layers of dough with your thumb. (You can also do this to store-bought single crusts to make them look homemade, in a pinch. And yes, of course that pun was fully intended.)
You can use a knife or scissors to trim the excess dough.
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