Apple Cinnamon Puffs

This recipe came from my sister-in-law many years ago...who happened to live in an apple orchard and served up the best apple dishes to all who stopped by. I have made it on many occasions over the years...at times in large pans to feed a crowd.

Ingredients:

• 6 large tart apples
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon red food colouring (optional)

Directions:

1. Peel and thinly slice apples.
2. Place in a 9" x 12" greased baking dish.
3. Combine water, sugar and colouring and boil to a syrup (about 5 minutes) over medium heat.
4. Pour over sliced apples.
5. Top with cinnamon puffs (directions below) and bake at 375° for about 30 minutes.
6. Serve warm with premium vanilla ice-cream.

Cinnamon Puffs:

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup shortening
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons melted butter
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Combine flour, baking powder and salt.
2. Cut in butter with pastry blender to form crumbs.
3. Stir in milk to make a soft dough.
4. Drop by spoonfuls on top of apples.
5. Combine melted butter, sugar and cinnamon for topping.
6. Make a dent in the top of each puff and spoon on a little topping.

Notes:  If the apples are rather slow-cooking, I place the pan in the oven for some fifteen or twenty minutes to pre-cook before topping with the cinnamon puffs.

Fruit Torte Sheet Cake

With fresh fruit readily available at this time of year...here is a fairly simple way to prepare a fresh fruit torte for a large group. I was given this recipe by my friend Wendy several decades ago...and have prepared it just as it is many times.

Ingredients:

• 1 Angel Food Cake Mix
• Fresh Fruit (peaches, blackberries and raspberries...or add strawberries, blueberries and kiwi)
• glaze
• whipping cream

Glaze:

• 1 1/2 cups fruit juice (peach, pineapple, etc.)
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method:

• Mix cake according to directions; spread in sheet cake sized pan (lined with parchment paper) and bake for 15 minutes. Cool. Remove from pan.
• Prepare glaze by combining ingredients and microwaving on Medium/High until thickened and clear...stirring every minute. Cool.
• Spread half of glaze on base.
• Arrange sliced fruit on glaze-topped cake.
• Spread with remaining glaze.
• Refrigerate.
• Serve with whipped cream. Optional Method #2 : When making fruit flans in round pans, I always add a custard layer...and so I decided to use the same custard as a base for the fruit on the sheet cake. Spread custard over sheet cake...top with fruit...spread with glaze...decorate as desired. Custard:
• 1 package vanilla pudding and pie filling (3 1/4 oz.)
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 500 ml. cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup whipping cream, whipped

Method:

1. Cook vanilla pudding according to directions.
2. Cool slightly, then beat in softened cream cheese until smooth.
3. Cool completely.
4. Fold in whipped cream. This custard is enough for two fruit flans...it stores well in the freezer.

Enjoy!

Dill Pickles

Homemade dill pickles...just like the ones my mother used to make...are on my 'to do' list every summer. There's just something about homemade dills that can't be found on the storeshelf! This is my mom's recipe...the same pickles I grew up with.


Ingredients:

• 10 pounds of pickling cukes (yield about 8 jars)
• 5 cups white vinegar used for pickling
• 13 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup pickling salt…coarse
• garlic pieces (peeled and cut in half)…two pieces per jar
• fresh dill
• small dried red chili peppers…one or two pieces for each jar

Method:

1. Wash cucumbers well...and leave in tub of cold water while packing jars.
2. Mix vinegar, water, sugar and the salt in a large pot. Stir the mixture well. Heat to a rapid boil on medium-high….then keep simmering while filling jars.
3. Prepare wide-mouth 1-quart jars. In each jar, put 1 piece of garlic, one head of dill, two small chili peppers and then enough cucumbers to fill the jar. Then add one more garlic piece and another sprig of dill.
4. Fill jars slowly with the hot brine and seal (being sure to clean all residue from the top of the rim of the jar first).
5. Place the lidded jars in boiling water bath for about 15 minutes…water in canner should cover the tops of the jars.
6. The pickles should be stored in a cool place for two months before serving. (So they say...I’m not sure we ever waited that long!)
   
   *If your water is hard, high in mineral content or has chlorine added, use bottled water.
   ** Pack the cukes into the jars really tight…they shrink as they are processed.

If you like a little zip to your pickles...be generous with the red chili peppers!

Enjoy!