Snickerdoodle Pie

Snickerdoodles.  I have posted about them here on latent chestnut and on Family Tree-Eats.  They are one of my favorite cookies, and Emilie's personal favorite.  The other day, Em and I were making fresh pasta, and she kept talking about wanting to make a pie with the pasta dough.  I told her that the dough was completely different and that we would make a pie another time.  Though, I must say that the rolled pasta sheets do look similar to pie crust.

She wouldn't let it go and kept talking about making a pie.  I kept telling her we would do it another day.  Out of the blue, she said, "Can we make a snickerdoodle pie?"  That question perked my ears up in a hurry.  I had never heard of a snickerdoodle pie, and this sounded like to perfect time to dream one up.  We had a few errands to run, so she sat in the backseat with a pen and paper and I started listing off some ingredients for her to write down.  Before we knew it, we had the makings of a snickerdoodle pie.

As soon as we got home, we made a pie crust and put it in the refrigerator to cool before rolling it out.  Then we got to work on making the filling. I must have channeled my grandma's buttermilk pie recipe when Emilie and I were thinking of ingredients, because these pies are very similar.  Perhaps because I thought buttermilk would be the perfect component to a snickerdoodle inspired pie, because of it's tang.  But what gives snickerdoodles that bit of tang, I wondered?

When I think of snickerdoodles, I think of a cookie that is soft and chewy on the inside, delightfully crispy on the edges.  I think of the warm spiciness of the cinnamon and the use of cream of tartar in the recipe.  Dare I add cream of tartar to the pie?  What does it even do?  Does it even have it's own flavor?  I needed answers!

I went straight to the source and popped open my jar of cream of tartar and tasted it all by itself.  It was quite tangy and acidic.  Which makes sense because my snickerdoodles have a bit of tang that is balanced out by the sugar and cinnamon.  Cream of tartar also acts as a stabilizer, so I thought that it couldn't hurt to add some to our new pie creation.  I think it is just as much a part of snickerdoodles as the cinnamon and sugar coating.

The pie filling came together like nothing, especially since Emilie did it all by herself while I was rolling out the pie crust.  I just gave it a final whisking at the end to make sure all the ingredients were thoroughly integrated.  To replicate the cinnamon sugar coating on the traditional cookie, we mixed some cinnamon and sugar together and rubbed it in to the empty pie shell.  Then, with about 20 left in the cooking process, we dusted the top of the pie with more cinnamon and sugar.

The pie had the look of a snickerdoodle, but it was now time for the moment of truth...tasting and judgment!  Upon removing the first slice of pie, I breathed a sigh of relief because the filling had set up beautifully.  It was nice and creamy, and just looked delicious.  After taking the first bite, my eyes lit up and I knew we had something special.

This pie is creamy, tangy, sweet and cinnamon-ny.  The pie crust and the cinnamon and sugar topping add a nice texture, that is ever so reminiscent of a snickerdoodle.  The tang from the buttermilk and cream of tartar are balanced by the sugar to create a truly unique pie.  This one is a keeper!

Just out of curiosity, I did an internet search for snickerdoodle pie and found the options very limited. So, not only is this pie incredibly satisfying and delicious, I think it is pretty unique, too.  To think, it probably wouldn't have happened if Emilie didn't want to make a pie with pasta dough...


Snickerdoodle Pie
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 stick melted butter
1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup buttermilk

1 9 inch pie crust (preferably homemade)

1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 tablespoons sugar

Directions
Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1 1/4 cups of sugar, melted butter, flour, cream of tartar, and buttermilk until thoroughly combined.

In a small bowl or cup, mix together the cinnamon and 3 tablespoons of sugar.

Take half of the cinnamon sugar mixture and rub onto the top of the empty pie crust.  Then, pour the filling into the pie crust and bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.   Reduce the oven temperature to 300 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes. 

Then, pull out the oven rack or take the pie out of the oven and top with the remaining cinnamon and sugar mixture.  Return the pie to the 300 degree oven and continue to bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the filling barely jiggles when moved. Cool completely before serving.

Macaroni and Cheese

A comfort food if there ever was one.  Few things are more satisfying than sitting down with a big bowl of macaroni and cheese.  It is one of my favorite things that Grandpa used to make.  I couldn't track down his recipe, but seeing how my grandparents always had San Giorgio pasta in the pantry, I suspect his recipe may have came from the back of the box, with a few modifications.

It's those modifications that I can't put my finger on.  I've come close, but it still isn't exactly what I am looking for.  I'm pretty sure Grandpa added sauteed onions to his mac and cheese which is something I have yet to try.  Another secret ingredient that was sprinkled on top of the macaroni and cheese when I was growing up was dulse. 

Dulse is a red algae that grows along the the northern coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific oceans.  It is used as a flavor enhancer and it adds a wonderful flavor element to macaroni and cheese.  Plus, the little red flecks are visually appealing and leave people guessing as to what it could possibly be.  I can't really describe the flavor, but it is unique, and my mac and cheese is much better with it.  I don't know who started putting dulse on the macaroni and cheese in my family, but it probably has something to do with my aunt owning a natural food store.

My macaroni and cheese has become a staple at Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings, and there is rarely any left in the dish.  It is rich, creamy, and delicious, with just the right amount of crunch along the top and sides.  The perfect accompaniment to almost any meal, especially during the autumn and winter months.

Macaroni and Cheese

Printable Recipe

8 oz elbow macaroni

4 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup flour

2 1/2 cups milk

8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon dulse (optional)

Fresh black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

Cook macaroni according to package directions in salted water and drain. 

Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Once the butter is melted, whisk in the flour, salt, pepper, and 1/2 teaspoon of dulse.  Whisk in the milk until combined and free of lumps.  Bring the mixture to a boil, whisking occasionally.  Then add the shredded cheese and stir to combine.

Fold the cooked macaroni into the cheese mixture and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish.  Sprinkle the top with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of dulse.  Bake for 30 minutes and allow to rest for five minutes before serving.

Recipe can be easily doubled and baked in a 9 x 13 pan.

Beer Battered Mushrooms

Bring the fair home with these delectable beer battered mushrooms!  One of the highlights of the county fair for me is the food.  Well, the food may be the only highlight.  Once a year, I look forward to going to the fair and indulging on the guilty culinary delights.  Fried vegetables is always on the list of items to procure.  There is just something about a selection of vegetables battered and deep fried with a side of ranch dressing that I just can't say no to.  The fried mushrooms are one of my favorites, so I wanted to try them at home.

I have made these a few times, consistently enough that the last time I made them I wrote down the recipe.  The batter couldn't be simpler, and the mushrooms are ready in no time.  The batter is versatile enough that it can be used on other vegetables as well.  I have tried cauliflower, onions, zucchini, garlic sprouts, and even cheese.  Even making them at home, the mushrooms are still my favorite.  There is just something about the crispy batter matched with the tender, juicy meat of the mushroom that is just so satisfying.  

Beer Battered Mushrooms

Printable Recipe

3/4 cups beer (your choice)

3/4 cups flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

8 oz. white button mushrooms

4 cups cooking oil

Pour the oil into a 2 quart saucepan and heat until it reaches 350 degrees.  

Add the flour, salt and pepper to a medium mixing bowl.  Slowly pour the beer into the mixture and whisk until smooth.  Dip mushrooms into the batter to coat well.  Fry mushrooms in batches of 4 or 5 in the oil for about four minutes or until golden brown.  Remove the mushrooms to a paper towel lined plate and sprinkle with a little additional salt.  Serve immediately.

Apple Crisp



Warm, crunchy, sweet, and comforting.  Apple crisp warms the soul and is truly a celebration of the season.  I wouldn't go as far to say I like apple crisp more than apple pie, but it is right up there in terms of culinary autumnal delights.

Apple crisp comes in so many different forms and just about every recipe I found for it is different, sometimes drastically.  From the amount of crisp topping, to whether or not to use a thickening agent in the apple mixture, the preferences vary greatly.  Such differences are what inspired me to come up with my own apple crisp recipe.

I prefer my apple crisp to have a thicker crisp topping, but not too much to overpower the apples.  The topping for my apple crisp is sweet and crunchy with just a little salt to enhance and bring all the flavors together.  I like to use regular rolled oats because I think they make the crisp look and taste better.

I add a thickening agent to the apples, in this case tapioca flour, because I don't like the apple juices to be runny.  The apples are seasoned in much the same was as the filling in Nonna's apple pie, with the addition of lemon juice and apple cider.  The apple cider adds a depth of flavor, and the lemon juice adds a bit of tartness that counters the sweetness of the topping nicely.

I've been tinkering with a recipe to call my own for the last couple apple seasons, and I am very happy with the end result.  This is truly my idea of what apple crisp should be.


Apple Crisp
Printable Recipe

Ingredients:
4 pounds Jonathan apples (or your favorite baking apple)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons apple cider
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons tapioca flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger

Topping:

1 cup flour

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, diced and chilled

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Peel, core, and cut the apples into small wedges. Combine the apples with the lemon juice, cider, sugars, tapioca flour and spices. Pour into a 9 x 13 baking dish.

For the topping, combine the flour, sugars, salt, oatmeal, and cold butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the mixture is crumbly.  (This can also be done by hand or with a fork).  Scatter the topping evenly over the apples.

Place the crisp on the middle oven rack and bake for 1 hour or until the top is lightly browned and the apples are bubbly.

Pear-nana Bread

The kids love banana bread, and I am quite fond of it myself, actually.  One afternoon, I noticed a few over-ripe bananas on the counter along with a pear that was a little past its prime.  I knew I should make some banana bread, but I didn't know what to do with the pear.  Just then, a light bulb came on in my head and I decided to dice up the pear and add it to the banana bread.

My first loaf was a little too dense, but it had really good flavor.  It reminded me of a pear bread pudding fresh from the oven.  The experiment was successful enough that I decided to make another loaf, adjusting a few things from what I learned with the first one.

My second loaf was a complete success.  The bread was light, moist, and sweet.  The pears added such a nice flavor, as well as a slight textural change.  The kids ate it up too, so it passed that test.  I was also glad to find another use for pears, since I don't really have a lot of recipes that call for them.  So I figured, if I couldn't find a recipe that calls for pears, I might as well come up with one of my own.  I will be making this bread again for sure.  I hope you do, too!

Pear-nana Bread

Printable Recipe

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 egg (lightly beaten)

3/4 cup very ripe bananas (mashed)

1/2 cup diced pear

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 teaspoon lemon zest

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease and lightly flour a 8x4x2 inch loaf pan.  In a mediumm bowl sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and ginger. 

In a separate bowl, combine the egg, mashed banana, diced pear, sugar, oil, and lemon zest.  Stir until all ingredients are well combined.

Make a well in the center of the dry mix and add the banana mixture all at once.  Stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture comes together.  Do not over mix.  The batter will be lumpy.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack for about fifteen minutes before removing from the loaf pan. 

Carrot Cake

My old stand-by.  I have been making carrot cake since I was in my early teens and it has always been a hit.  I first started making it for family gatherings, and I remember a conversation I had with my Aunt Joan about how I shredded the carrots.  Not that shredding carrots is some big mystery, but she noted how they were so fine, and weren't really noticeable at all.  Ever since then, I make a point to always shred my carrots by hand on the medium grating blades of my box grater.  Over the years, my recipe hasn't changed much.  I have tweaked my cream cheese frosting recipe a bit, added more cinnamon; and I like to pack in as many shredded carrots as possible to get three cups, since they are the star of the show.

At work, we have a birthday cake rotation, each person is asked to bring in a cake for the person who's birthday comes after their own.  Last year, when it was my turn to bring a cake, my co-worker asked for a carrot cake.  After trying the cake, several people asked me for the recipe.  I didn't want to just copy the recipe from the cookbook I used because of the changes I made, so I typed up a recipe of my own. 

When preparing to post the recipe here on my blog, I didn't know who to give the credit to.  I did a little research and found that recipes themselves aren't copyrighted, but the text of them are.  I could use the exact same ingredients of a recipe, write my own directions, and call it 'original;' but that wouldn't be ethical.  However, with the changes I have made to my carrot cake recipe, I can proudly say this is a true "Luke" original, and my first original recipe posted on Latent Chestnut.  I can't think of a better recipe to hold that title than my carrot cake.

Carrot Cake
Printable Recipe

2 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups finely shredded carrots (firmly packed)
1 cup cooking oil
4 eggs
1 batch cream cheese frosting (see recipe below)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and lightly flour a 13x9 baking dish.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. In a small mixing bowl, beat together the eggs and oil, then add the shredded carrots and combine.  Next, add the carrot, oil and egg mixture to the dry mix until it just comes together; making sure not to over mix. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake in a 350 degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. package Cream Cheese, softened
4 oz. butter, softened
3 1/2cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla

With an electric mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese and butter until thoroughly combined and light and fluffy. With the mixer on low speed, add the salt and gradually add 2 cups of the powdered sugar, beating well. Add the vanilla and the gradually add the remaining 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar.  Once the powdered sugar is combined increase the mixer to high and mix until the frosting reaches spreading consistency.