A Chicken In Every Pot (Pie)

Well, Trader Joe's has done it again.  Their puff pastry sheets are better than the well known brand that I have used and fought with for years. Trader's sheets are already flat and served two in a pizza box style packaging.  So no more unkinking the other and trying to roll it out...the flat sheet is ready to lay on, cut up, or fashion design the many uses this pastry has in store for us. This is the second time I have used this pastry for pot pies.  For some reason I thought pot pie to be difficult, but now that I know how to do it, I can whip these out in no time for as many people as I need to serve.  This is President's Day, so I am making a big one.  I use one sheet for the topping and the second sheet I cut into strips for dipping in the pot pie gravy. It's President's Day, let's eat chicken!

 

One of the most interesting links I have found is http://pinterest.com/all/?category=food_drink. I could spend hours on this site and not repeat myself.  I think it will be the 'new' site to visit. It covers all aspects of life, not just food and drink. Give it a try when you have some time to surf. I love it. Here is a sample.  I'm making this!

 

Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Loaf

Picture from Lemon Drop recipe from Sweet Pea's Kitchen

Lemon Blueberry Yogurt Loaf

Looks pretty simple to make..... 

§ 1 1/2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, divided

§ 2 teaspoons baking powder

§ 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

§ 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt

§ 1 cup sugar

§ 3 large eggs

§ 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest (approximately 2 lemons)

§ 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

§ 1/2 cup vegetable oil

§ 1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, thawed and rinsed

For the Lemon Syrup:

§ 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice

§ 1/3 cup sugar

For the Lemon Glaze:

§ 1 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted

§ 2 to 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom and sides of one 9 x 5-inch loaf pans; dust with flour, tapping out excess.

2. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

3. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, sugar, eggs, lemon zest, vanilla and oil. Slowly whisk the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, mix the blueberries with the remaining tablespoon of flour, and fold them very gently into the batter.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the loaf comes out clean. Let cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing loaf to a wire rack on top of a baking sheet.

5. While the loaf is cooling, make the lemon syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir together the lemon juice and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Once dissolved, continue to cook for 3 more minutes. Remove from the heat; set aside.

6. Use a toothpick to poke holes in the tops and sides of the warm loaf. Brush the top and sides of the loaf with the lemon syrup. Let the syrup soak into the cake and brush again. Let the cake cool completely.

7. To make the lemon glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar and 2-3 tablespoons of the lemon juice. The mixture should be thick but pourable. Add up to another tablespoon of lemon juice if the mixture is too stiff. Pour the lemon glaze over the top of each loaf and let it drip down the sides. Let the lemon glaze harden, about 15 minutes, before serving.

Yields: 1-9×5 loaf http://pinterest.com/all/?category=food_drink

This cheesecake and the picture are from Mennonite girls can cook. This is a little different from my regular cheesecake recipe that I got from a friend over thirty years ago.  I think this will make a nice change.

Applecrisp Cheesecake

Crust:

• 1/2 cup of butter
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup flour

1. Beat the butter, sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
2. Add the flour and mix well.
3. Pat the dough on bottom and 1" up the sides of a 9" spring form pan.

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 2-8 oz / 250g packages of cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup of sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

1. Beat cream cheese and sugar until well blended.
2. Add 1 egg at a time beating after each egg addition.
3. Add vanilla beat again mixing well.
4. Spread over crust.

Apple Crumble:

• 4 cups sliced apples
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 cup oatmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 cup softened butter

1. Layer the raw apples over the cream cheese filling.
2. Combine ingredients until crumbly and sprinkle over apples.
3. Place the spring form pan on a parchment lined cookie sheet for easy clean up. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes.
4. Reduce temperature to 300 and continue baking 1 hour longer or until golden brown.
5. Cool on a cooling rack.
6. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving.