Raisin Pie Recipe: A Wonderful Childhood Memory

Photo: Connormah

Raisin Pie Recipe

When I was a child, living in the Ozarks of Arkansas, my mom would bake us raisin pies. I simply loved them, and often got into trouble for trying to sneak a piece before dinner.

Over the years, though, Mom lost her recipe. She and I looked through all her cookbooks and recipes boxes, but could not find it.

Several years ago, I mentioned mom's raisin pie to my grown daughter and her husband. They instantly decided they would like to have some. Together we searched the Internet looking for the type of pie I remembered. It was a syrupy pie, similar to a pecan pie. All we could find were raisin pie recipes with sour cream or some other ingredient that I absolutely knew was not in mom's original recipe.

After thinking about it for a while, I mentioned that the pie I remembered was very similar to a pecan pie, and we decided to experiment and make one up. Using the best pecan pie recipe I had, we replaced the pecans with raisins and popped the pie into the oven. Because we were having such a crowd for that family meal, we baked two pies.

It smelled heavenly while baking. When it was served, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side, there was a collective sigh of satisfaction and enjoyment. Everyone loved it! One of my guests loved it so much, she went back for seconds, then thirds.

I suppose you know that raisins are chock full of fiber. With the fiber in the raisins and the sugar cooked with them, within a few hours, there was a slight laxative effect--for everyone but the one guest who had three slices. She experienced a more definite laxative effect! To this day, if you mention raisin pie to her, she will look wistful and tell you she wishes she could because it's just so good, but she's afraid to indulge.

Moral of the story: A little overindulgence sometimes brings unforseen consequences!

According to Raisin Research,
raisins and walking can lower your
risk of cardio vascular disease!

Raisin Pie Recipe

This pie is delicious, but should be eaten in moderation!

Ingredients:

•  4 eggs, beaten
•  1/2 cup dark corn syrup
•  1/2 cup light corn syrup
•  2/3 cup sugar
•  2 tbsp. butter, melted
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 2 cups raisins
• 1 tbsp. flour
• 1 unbaked (9") pie crust (for lattice top, you will need two)

Instructions:

Combine all ingredients but the raisins and the pie crust, and then beat with an electric mixer until blended. Stir in raisins. Pour mixture into the pie crust. If desired, cut second pie crust into strips and create a lattice top. Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 55 minutes until a knife inserted in the center comes out clear.

Visit the Links Below for More Great Raisin Pie Recipes!

• Simple Raisin Pie
• Old-Fashioned Raisin Pie
• Raisin Pie Recipe
• Mom's Very Old Recipe of Sour Cream Raisin Pie
• Raisin Pie Recipes (including a Lemon Raisin Pie)
• Apple Raisin Pie

Have you ever tried raisin pie?

12 No-Bake Cheesecake Recipes to Try

Photo: mattbuck

No Bake Cheesecake Recipes

I think I have mentioned, probably more often than you care to read, that I do not currently have a regular range with a large oven. The oven I have is a small counter top toaster oven. Good for what it is for, but not so good for making scruptious desserts, since it is hard to control the baking temperature with it.

For this reason, I have been searching for no-cook desserts I can whip up without having to have an oven. Lately, I have been hungry for cheesecake. It's one of my favorite desserts, and when it is no-bake, it is fairly quick and easy, too.

After searching the Internet for an hour or so, I found some scrumptious sounding no-bake cheesecake recipes that I would love to try. To make it easier to find them again, and to share with you, I have decided to create a list of the ones that look best to me. If your tastes are similar to mine, you may want to try them, too.

The Gelatin No Bake Cheesecake recipe looks interesting to me. I have had cheesecake and I have had gelatin, but I don't think I have ever had them layered like that. And I know I haven't had one with a cornflake crust. I hope you enjoy the following recipes.

12 No-Bake Cheesecake Recipes

• Spiderweb No Bake Cheesecake Recipe
• No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake Recipe
• Quick Cherry No Bake Cheesecakes (in Cupcake Wrappers!)
• No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe
• Philadelphia Peaches 'N Cream No-Bake Cheesecake
• No Bake Double Chocolate Oreo Cheesecake
• No-Bake Turtle Cheesecake
• No Bake S'mores Cheesecakes
• No Bake Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake
• White Chocolate Blueberry Cheesecake
• Gelatin No Bake Cheesecake Recipe (Grape and Lemon with Cornflake Crust)
• No Bake Peanut Butter Cheesecake

If you decide to try any of the recipes above, please let us all know what you thought.

What's for Supper? Cheesy Meatballs Recipe, Roasted Potatoes, Fried Cabbage, and Mashed Carrots



Photo: Michael Newton

Cheesy Meatballs Recipe

The cheesy meatballs recipe is another I got from my mother-in-law.

It works well to use a slow cooker instead of the oven to finish it up, too.

To make in a crockpot or slow cooker, layer the meatballs and cheese sauce mixture, ending with a layer of cheese sauce on top. Cook on high 3-4 hours.

Tonight's Menu

Cheesy Meatballs (recipe below)

Roasted Potatoes with Garlic & Parsley (video below)

Southern Fried Cabbage & Onions (video below)

Mashed Carrots (video below)

Lemon Bisque

Iced Tea

Cheesy Meatballs Recipe

This recipe is easy to make and a crowd-pleaser.

• 1½ lbs. ground meat
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup milk
• 1 large onion, chopped finely
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Make slightly flattened meatballs using 1/3 cup of the mixture. Brown meatballs in oil. Drain meatballs and place in a 9X13 inch baking dish.

In a small bowl, combine:

• 1 can cream of mushroom soup
• 1 can cheese soup

Pour the soup mixture over the meatballs. Bake in 350 degrees F oven for 20 minutes or until soup bubbles.

Southern Fried Cabbage

 Healthy Mashed Carrots

Roasted Potatoes with Garlic & Parsley

Click here for the Lemon Bisque Recipe.

What's for supper? Lemon Chicken, Squash Casserole, Green Beans, and Lemon Meringue Cake

Photo: gleangenie

What's For Supper? Lemon Chicken, Yellow Squash Casserole, Green Beans with Potatoes, and Lemon Meringue Cake

Does a mom ever go a day without hearing, "What's for supper?"

Sometimes, having to stop and think about a menu is difficult, especially after a hard day. Below I have offered another suggestion for what to say when the "what's for supper?" question comes up.

What's For Supper?

• Easy and Moist Lemon Chicken
• Yellow Squash Casserole
• Old Fashioned Green Beans with Potatoes Recipe
• Homemade Lemonade
• Lemon Meringue Cake

See the videos and recipes below:

Easy and Moist Lemon Chicken Recipe - How to Make Lemon Chicken  

 

 

Photo: Mike Mozart

 Yellow Squash Casserole

• Yellow squash (6 large)
• 2 tbsp. butter melted in skillet
• 1 chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup cracker crumbs
• 2 slices of bread
• 1/4 cup butter

Instructions:

Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Cook cubed squash 6-7 minutes in salt water. Drain. Melt butter in skillet. Dip 2 slices of bread in cold water. Squeeze and crumble up in skillet. Add squash cubes and cook 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat.

In a mixing bowl, mix eggs, parsley, and salt and pepper. Add egg mixture to squash, stir well and pour in casserole dish. Top with cracker crumbs and dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20-25 minutes.

How to Make the Best Lemonade 

Lemon Meringue Cake

(Makes 12-16 servings)

• 1 pkg. Duncan Hines Lemon Supreme Deluxe Cake Mix
• 1 regular-size package lemon pudding and pie filling
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup sugar

Photo: Annie Mole

Using 8 inch round cake pans, make and cool cake as directed on the label.

Cook lemon pudding and pie filling as directed for pie filling. Cool 30 minutes; stir several times.

Beat egg whites until frothy; gradually add sugar; beat until stiff but not dry. Split each cake layer into 2 thin layers.

Stack on cookie sheet or oven-proof plate; spread lemon pudding between layers and on top of cake. Spread meringue around sides of cake.

Bake at 450 degrees for about 5 minutes, until light brown. Cool to room temperature before serving. Store cake in the refrigerator.

Cherry Pie Recipes and Lattice Top Instructions

Photo: Benny Mazur

Delicious Cherry Pie Recipes!

Who doesn't love the sweet, tart taste of cherry pie?

Especially with a huge dollop of vanilla ice cream and a hot cup of coffee?

Today, I spent some time looking for cherry pie recipes, and thought I would share what I found with you.

Cherry Pie Recipes

• Classic Sour Cherry Pie with Lattice Crust Recipe | Epicurious.com—Find the recipe for Classic Sour Cherry Pie with Lattice Crust and other cherry recipes at Epicurious.com
• Easy Cherry Pie Recipe—Lightly sweetened filling with cherries, vanilla and almond extract. It’s to die for. This one is easy, too — Mix, Fill and Bake. That’s it.
• Cherry Pie Recipe - Food.com—I got this recipe from my sister-in-law when I got married and my husbands aunt had a cherry tree. It is our favorite! Prep time does not include the time it takes to pit the cherries or make the pie crust. ;) I use the Pie Crust recipe in the Fanny...
• Cherry Pie Recipe | Taste of Home—A traditionally delicious treat is a slice of this pretty cherry pie.—Frances Poste, Wall, South Dakota

Cherry Pie Recipe Demonstration - Joyofbaking.com

How to Make a Lattice Top Pie Crust

This video demonstrates with pre-made pie crust, but you can make your own using recipes found here and here.

 

 

Enjoy!

Cookbooks and Bread Recipes for the Stand Mixer

The Complete KitchenAid
Stand Mixer Cookbook

Stand Mixer Recipes

 

While any recipe can be adapted to stand mixers, there are some recipes specifically developed for use with them. KitchenAid, for instance, has several cookbooks. Some of the best are out of publication, but on Amazon, you can often find them used.

I have several favorites, including KitchenAid Best-Loved Recipes, the Ultimate Mixer Cookbook, and KitchenAid 3 Cookbooks in 1, that are no longer in print, but the have some really good recipes in them.

 

What I really like about stand mixer cookbooks is that they tell what specific speed to use in mixing, which mixer blade to use (i.e. wire, bread hook, or flat blade), and how long to mix at that speed. KitchenAid mixers use a different mixing movement than most mixers, so it usually doesn't take as long to mix a recipe as a regular mixer.

 

The bread hook blade, obviously, is used for mixing and kneading bread. The first time I used the bread hook blade to mix my favorite yeast bread recipe, I was thrilled. I had gotten away from baking bread often, since my hands are painful enough that I can't always knead the dough. The mixer does it for me, now. Below, I am including a list of links to some of the best bread recipes I have found online.

Bread Recipes for Stand Mixer Bread

• Stand Mixer Sandwich Bread Recipe
• Crescent Rolls for the Stand Mixer
• Hot Dog, Hamburger, or Hoagie Buns With the Stand Mixer
• Stand Mixer Parmesan Twisty Breadsticks

Do you enjoy making bread in your stand mixer?

Stand Mixers Make it Fun to Bake Cookies: Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe

Photo: Alcione

Stand Mixers Make it Fun to Bake Cookies!

 

A few years ago, my sister-in-law mentioned that she burned up her mixer before Christmas making divinity. A good friend who baked and decorated cakes for the public had the same thing happen to her mixer a few years back while she was making icing.

In my case, it was cookie dough that caused the demise of my hand mixer. My husband surprised me with a KitchenAid Artisan stand mixer to replace the one I burned up. Wow, what a difference. I've used the stand mixer since 2008, and absolutely love the ease in preparing cookie dough and other stiff dough.

Over a recent holiday season, my daughter-in-law and I made dozens of cookie recipes, several bread recipes, and a couple of pies using the mixer.

KitchenAid 5 Qt.
Artisan Stand Mixer

The stand mixer made it possible to continue other food preparation tasks while waiting for the dough to mix. It really is helpful for someone with painful hands and shoulders not to have to mix and stir heavy cookie batters and bread dough. It really does make cooking and baking a joy, again.

A quality stand mixer will out perform and outlast hand mixers. They are heavier and are able to handle heavier batters and dough.

One of the recipes that we used so much over the holidays was the Snickerdoodle Cookies Recipe. Our family loves them so much we are asked to bake them quite often, even when the holiday season has passed. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

 

 

A stand mixer makes it possible to

continue other food preparation tasks

while waiting for the dough to mix.

 

Snickerdoodles Cookie Recipe 

A Great Recipe for Any Occasion!

 

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 tsp Watkins double-strength vanilla
• 1 tbsp Watkins cinnamon, more if desired
• 2 tsp cream of tartar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup white sugar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Mix flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In the stand mixer bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups sugar, butter, shortening and eggs until well-blended and smooth. Turn mixer to low speed and mix in flour mixture.

Refrigerate dough, if needed, until firm enough to shape. Shape level tablespoons of dough into 1 1/2" balls. Mix cinnamon and 1/4 cup sugar in small bowl. Roll balls in cinnamon mixture. Place 2" apart on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned and tops are crinkled. Remove to wire rack to cook. Makes 48 cookies.
 

 

Making Snickerdoodles Makes Memories—Betty Makes Snickerdoodles with Her Grandson Carter

 

 

 

 

What is your favorite cookie recipe? 

 

Recipes to Use With Homemade Pasta

Photo: Petr Kratochvil

 

Homemade Pasta in Recipes

Yesterday and today, I have posted recipes for basic pasta and spinach pasta.

Homemade pasta works in any recipe that calls for pasta.

However, keep in mind that you will have to reduce the cooking time, since fresh pasta only needs 3 to 5 minutes to cook.

Here are some great ideas for recipes to try with your homemade pasta.

Links to Pasta Recipes

• 25 Quick Pasta Dishes
• FoodNetwork.com Pasta Recipes
• AllRecipes.com Pasta Main Dish Recipes
• SimplyRecipes.com Pasta Recipes
• 115 Pasta Dish Recipes
• How to Make Zucchini Noodles
• Italian Pasta Recipes
• Healthy Vegetarian Pasta Recipes

Homemade pasta makes

your recipes extra special!

 

How to Make Fresh Pasta

 

 

Do you prefer homemade pasta to store bought pasta?

Delicious Pie Recipes

Photo: Russ Brown

Delicious Pie Recipes

by Linda Pogue

Wow! This year is moving fast. It is already the end of August, and it seems like just yesterday was January 1. As I start thinking of the fall and winter months ahead, I think of the desserts for holiday baking.

One of my favorite desserts is pie. It usually doesn't matter what kind, though I do have some favorites. After reviewing the posts on this blog since the beginning post, I realized I have several good pie recipes here. So, I decided to make a post with links to all the pie recipes I have posted so far.

Pie and Crust Recipes

• Creamy Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe
• Key Lime Pie
• Traditional Pumpkin Pie Recipe
• Moms 7-Up Pie Crust Recipe
• Tips for Making the Perfect Pie Crust
• Blueberry Banana Cream Pie

 

No-Bake Cheesecake

I included the following recipes since they use a graham cracker crust. You can either make the crust yourself, as in the Lemon Bisque recipe, or you can use a purchased graham cracker crust.

• No-Bake Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Recipe
• Lemon Bisque Recipe
  

Family Favorite Pie Recipes

The recipes above are family favorites. Some have been in the family since the early 1960's. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Do you bake pies for holidays, too?

 

Please Comment Below

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

(c) Linda Pogue

No Bake Pumpkin Dessert

One of the staple items in my pantry is pumpkin puree. It is so versatile. You can make bread, cookies, pies, and even soup using the puree.

While it is so hot outside (and in my un-airconditioned kitchen), I am searching for recipes I can make that do not require an oven.

I found this recipe in my mother-in-laws recipe collection. I don't remember her making it, so I wasn't sure how it would turn out.

I tweaked it a bit. I didn't have pumpkin pie spice, so I substituted cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg for it.

The pie doesn't have as strong a pumpkin flavor as traditional pumpkin pie does. It is sweet without being too sweet.



Jesse
(c) Linda Pogue

I served it at a recent Sunday lunch get-together. Everyone loved it. There were only two pieces left to bring home, which was fine with Charles, since he liked it so much.

Jesse, my grandson, had hamburger helper and some of my pumpkin cheesecake.

Other than hamburger helper, his options were pork roast with vegetables, fried chicken, baked chicken, two kinds of beans, corn, three kinds of salad, cornbread, chips, cookies, three kinds of cake, chocolate pudding, and ice cream, but what shows on his plate is all he got.

I think his mom sent him back for some veggies. By the way, he liked the pumpkin cheesecake, but said the best part was the Cool Whip on top. I think he thought there needed to be more Cool Whip and less pumpkin.

---

Did You Know?

Pumpkin is full of beta-carotene, an important antioxidant!

---

 

No Bake Pumpkin Cheesecake Recipe

Click edit above to add content to this empty capsule.

 

(c) Linda Pogue

Ingredients:

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 tsp. ginger
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
• 16 oz. softened cream cheese
• 7 oz. jar marshmallow cream
• 8 oz. Cool Whip
• 2 graham cracker pie crusts

Instructions:

1. Pour canned pumpkin puree into a large mixing bowl.  Add cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the cream cheese and the marshmallow cream.
3. Fold the pumpkin mixture into the cheese mixture.
4. Pour into two graham cracker pie crusts. Smooth to the edges.
5. Top each pie with half the Cool Whip.
6. Cover and refrigerate 3-4 hours.

Photo: Petr Kratochvil

 

Do you like desserts made with canned pumpkin?

Please Comment Below

Nightshade and Gluten Free Carnitas Recipe with Bonus Nightshade Free Guacamole Recipe

Hands down one of my favorite foods is carnitas, and since I developed my allergy several years ago it is one food that I have not been able to eat.

Typically carnitas are cooked with cayenne and chili pepper -- a big NO NO for anyone with nightshade allergies. That's why I avoided them like the plague.

Well, as you know, I am a Texas girl, and Tex-Mex food is part of my heritage, so I decided I would make my own version of this yummy dish! I should have done it much sooner.

Nightshade Free Carnitas Ingredients:

Pork shoulder roast
Raw apple cider vinegar with the mother
Salt
Pepper
Garlic powder
Cummin
Cilantro
Lime Juice
Onion

(Traditionally carnitas are also baked with orange pieces, but I didn't have any. I'll do that next time!)

We are going to speed up the cooking process, so we'll be cooking in the oven. Set your oven to 300 degrees.

Place the pork shoulder roast in a large oven-proof pan.

Add 1/2 cup of raw apple cider vinegar with the mother over the pork.

I added a small amount of water as well, just enough that the sides of the pork was submerged in water. I did not submerge the top.

Sprinkle a generous amount of salt, pepper and garlic over the top of the pork.

Cover the top of the pork with cummin.

Place a lid on the pan and place in the oven. Cook for 2 hours, or until the pork is fall apart tender.

Remove the pork to a large bowl and shred it.

Chop a handful of cilantro and add it to the shredded pork.

Add 1/4 cup of lime juice over the pork and toss it. Make sure the pork is completely covered with the cilantro and lime.

Serve in corn tortillas with diced onion, sour cream and guacamole.



Bonus Recipe Nightshade Free Guacamole

Ingredients:

3 large avocados (They should be squeezable.)
Handful of cilantro
Lime
Chopped Onions
Salt

Cut the avocadoes into chunks and place in a bowl. Add 1/2 cup of chopped onions, a handful of chopped cilantro, and stir.

Squirt the top of the mixture with lime juice and salt to taste.


I hope you enjoy!

--Susan


How do you make your nightshade free and gluten free carnitas?

Nightshade Free, Gluten Free, Lower Carb Hamburgers to Die For

Anyone who knows me should know that I have severe nightshade allergies. So severe that I've had to change my entire life to cope with them.

I guess it was about two years ago now that I realized (with the help of a doctor) that I had to stop eating everything that was a nightshade vegetable -- all peppers, potatoes, tomatoes, artichokes, okra, eggplant, paprika (AND EVERYTHING that contains them. Really the list goes on and on.)

That didn't leave me with a lot of pre-made food choices, and at first it was a real struggle. But, I learned to cope. I've had to do a lot of research and adjust all my recipes. Thankfully,there are some good cookbooks and websites out there. There's even a Facebook support group.


Recently, my body has started giving me fits when I eat gluten, so I also eliminated that from my diet. While I was at it, I got rid of diet sodas, artificial sweeteners, and as much extra sugar as possible -- I still eat fruits, use raw sugar in my coffee, and eat ice cream on occasion (I'm not letting that go!)

I have noticed in the last few days that the swelling in my ankles is almost completely gone and I actually feel better. For weeks I've felt sluggish, excessively tired and completely uninterested in most things. Changing my diet has changed my life.

Of course, this change, once again, means new eating habits, so I thought I'd share what we had for dinner, because it was phenomenal!


Hamburgers To Die For (serves 5)

Ingredients:

3lbs hamburger meat (your choice as to type)
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Mix the ingredients in a large bowl and cook over medium high heat. You can adjust the spices to your preference.

Hamburger Topping

Ingredients:

1 yellow onion
3 large portobello mushrooms
1/2 stick real butter
Medium wedge of brie Cheese

Jullian the onions and mushrooms. Set aside. Melt the butter over medium heat. Add the veggies and cook until the onions and mushrooms are caramelized. Set aside.

Slice the brie into several slices, and place them on top of the cooked hamburger. Cover with the caramelized onions and mushrooms.


Nightshade Free Honey Mustard

Ingredients:

Herlocher's Dipping  Mustard (The one  I buy is nightshade free,but always read the ingredients!)
Local honey

Place several spoon fulls of Herlocher's Dipping Mustard into a small mixing bowl. Add enough honey to give the mustard a dressing consistency.

Serve over a fresh salad.

Great Mexican Food Recipes

Great Mexican Food Recipes

Photo Credit: Stacey Sauvago

I've been thinking of Mexican food for some reason. Here are some of great posts on the topic.

• Homemade Chili for a Crowd: Home made chili gives you the option of serving chili with crackers, or making several casseroles from the chili, including enchiladas or chili macaroni.
• Mexican Food: Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas: Warm, homemade tortillas, with or without melted butter, are the crowning touches to any homecooked Mexican meal. Making your own means you can control the quality of ingredients and avoid the chemicals in most purchased tortillas.
• Easy Mexican Recipe: Homemade Corn Tortillas: While store bought tortillas are fairly inexpensive, they contain preservatives and often use baking powder that has aluminum in it. A more healthful alternative is to make your own homemade corn tortillas.
• Easy Mexican Recipes: For a Texas girl, Mexican food is a part of life. The tart taste of lime, the pungent, warm taste of chili powder, and the cool, flavors of tomato and avocado are all a part of this food. 

Did you know you can eat Mexican food, even if you have a nightshade allergy? Check out these links:

• Nightshade Free Texas Chili Recipe 
• Nightshade and Gluten Free Carnitas Recipe with Bonus Nightshade Free Guacamole Recipe

Do you enjoy Mexican food, too?

 

Please Comment Below