Spatulas, Corkscrews & Suitcases

BEST THANKSGIVING PIE RECIPES: Pumpkin Pie, Apple Pie, Pecan Pie Recipe and More!

Still looking for the most popular THANKSGIVING PIE recipes for your Thanksgiving dinner this week? Stop looking! All your favorite Thanksgiving pie recipes are right here! Since Thanksgiving pie making begins in ernest on Wednesday, I've made up a list of all my favorite pies. These are the same pies we made in the bakery and for wholesale orders for over 15 years, so I know the recipes work.

Start off with the BEST PIE CRUST RECIPE. This is the tried and true, Best Ever Pie Crust that we made for years at the bakery, and I'm talking about thousands upon thousands of pies! And if John can make pie crust, anyone can! Just follow the directions to the letter and it'll come out fine.

Pie Crust Recipes

• Best Ever Pie Crust Recipe - How To Make A Perfect Flaky Pie Crust for the Holidays
• 3 Easy Pie Crust Recipes - Oreo Cookie Crust, Graham Cracker Crust and Sweet Short Dough
• Flaky Pie Crust Recipe by Sweety Pies

 

Apple and Pumpkin Pies

• Homemade Apple Pie Recipe With Granny Smith Apples
• Apple Streusel Pie Recipe
• Classic Pumpkin Pie - Just like Libby's
• Pumpkin Pecan Pie Recipe

 

Nut Pies

• Toll House Chocolate Chip Cookie Pie
• Classic Pecan Pie with Toasted Pecans
• Chocolate Pecan Pie Recipe with Roasted Pecans
• Maple Walnut Pie Recipe with Pure Vermont Syrup
• Kentucky Derby Pie Recipe
• White Chocolate Brandy Almond Pie

 

Fruit Pies and Galettes

• Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe
• All-American Cherry Pie Recipe
• Blueberry Pie Recipe
• Fresh Blackberry Pie Recipe
• Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe
• Fresh Peach Pie Recipe
• Fresh Peach Pie with Streusel Topping
• Fresh Raspberry Pie Recipe
• Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe
• Apple Cranberry Tart & Galette Recipe
• Rustic Free-form Peach Galette Recipe

 

Cream and Mousse Pies

• Chocolate French Silk Pie
• Boston Cream Pie Recipe
• Key Lime Pie with Whipped Cream
• Coconut Custard Pie Recipe
• Chocolate Cream Pie
• Strawberry Mousse Pie Recipe
• Peanut Butter Cream Pie Recipe
• Chocolate Kahlua Mousse Pie
• Butterscotch Cream Pie
• Bailey's Irish Cream Pie
• Peanut Butter Pie with Oreo Cookie Crust

 

Frozen and Ice Cream Pies

• Frozen Peach Ice Cream Pie
• Frozen Peach Yogurt Pie Recipe
• Pina Colada Frozen Pie Recipe
• Strawberry Daiquiri Frozen Pie

 

VEGAN Baking Recipes: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Baking

You don't have to be on a vegan diet to enjoy these vegan baking recipes. Vegan Red Velvet Cake and Cupcakes Recipe and Vegan Cheesecake are just a few of the delicious vegan recipes in this brand new cookbook.

Save $5.90 by pre-ordering from Amazon, and Barnes & Noble now for only $11.05.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Baking is due to hit the book store shelves on April 5th, and Amazon will send the books the day it's released. It's also available in the Kindle edition for $9.99.

I received my two author's copies in the mail last week from the publisher and have been totally excited ever since. I still can't believe I'm holding the book in my hands after 14 months. It seems like yesterday!

Order from Amazon here
Order from Borders here
Order from Barnes & Noble here

VEGAN PEANUT BUTTER PIE

RECIPES OF THE MONTH Part II

Julia Child's Nicoise Salad, Peanut Butter Buckeyes, Pear & Plum Tart, Apple Cranberry Tart, Chocolate Eclair Cake, Heirloom Tomato Recipes, Roasted Red Potatoes, Veggie Borscht and How to Cook Corn on the Cob.

Here's another list of recipes I've been working on the last two months or so. There's more to come too! Print them off or bookmark them for later use. And please feel free to email the links to your friends!

Julia Child's Nicoise Salad Recipe - Inspired by the French Chef - Salad Niçoise Recipe inspired by The French Chef: Black Nicoise olives, fresh or white albacore tuna, hard boiled eggs, heirloom tomatoes and fresh green beans set this salad apart from the ordinary ho-hum salad. Bon Appétit!

Roasted Red Potatoes Recipe - Red Bliss Potatoes sprinkled with olive oil, garlic & herbs and roasted in a hot oven or on the grill. Add some sauteed onions & peppers and call them Home Fries! Slice some smoked mozzarella chicken sausage and call it supper! Side dish or main dish, you decide!

Corn on the Cob: How to Cook Sweet Corn - Here's the secret recipe to perfect corn on the cob! Sweet Corn, Silver Queen, Butter & Sugar - whatever the variety - follow these simple directions, and you'll be enjoying the best sweet corn this summer!

Vegan Borscht Recipe & Video by Hippy Gourmet - Who says borscht has to have meat? This PBS episode has the Hippy Gourmet cooking alongside guest Lara Gutnik from the Ukrain. Delicious and authentic, this soup is an excellent example of borscht gone vegan!


 


Heirloom Tomato Recipes - Caprese Salad, Heirloom Tomato Tart, Tomato Sandwiches, BLT Sandwich and Brouchetta are just some of the delicious foods you can make with a bushel of heirloom tomatoes.

Apple Cranberry Galette Recipe - Stonewall Kitchen's Apple Butter, orchard apples & fresh cranberries from the bog, snuggle together with cinnamon & spices in a rustic free-form flaky pie crust & tart.

Fresh Raspberry Pie Recipe - Fresh raspberries baked in a flaky pie crust with plump ripe raspberries and spices. Dress it up with a lattice or double crust and serve à la mode with ice cream! Simply delish!

Buckeyes Recipe: Chocolate Dipped Peanut Butter Candy - Football or chocolate candy? Similar to a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup, and shaped like a buckeye, these chocolate dipped peanut butter candies are absolutely addicting!

 

Rustic Pear and Plum Tart Recipe - Stonewall Kitchen's Dulce De Leche caramel sauce, ripe Bartlett pears & Italian prune plums baked with nutmeg & spices in a flaky free-form pie crust. Just add ice cream.

Key Lime Pie vs Lemon Meringue Pie - The recipes for Key Lime Pie & Lemon Meringue Pie are very different, and yet both are refreshing summer pies made with citrus fruits – lemons and limes. Would you choose Graham Cracker Crust, or Flaky Pie Crust? Meringue or Whipped Cream topping?

Blackberry Cobbler Recipe with Fresh Peaches - Blackberry Cobbler baked with fresh peaches and blackberries, bubbling up under a sweet biscuit topping.

Eclair Cake Recipe with Chocolate Frosting- This no-bake eclair cake layered with graham crackers, Cool Whip & vanilla pudding is frosted with homemade chocolate icing. Also called ice box cake, it's a perfect birthday cake or easy dessert!

Peach Recipes - Here's a recipe box full of 15 Peach Recipes! Peach Pie, Peach Cobbler, Peach Ice Cream Pie, Peaches & Cream Scones and many more. If it's peaches you crave, this list of peach recipes will tempt you!

RECIPES OF THE MONTH

 


Nutella S'mores, Apple Bread Pudding, Zucchini Bread, Blackberry Cobbler, Baked Flounder, Chicken Tetrazzini, Banana Nut Muffins, BLT Pasta Salad, Corn Pudding and Deli Style Macaroni Salad.

I Got My Bakin' MoJo Back!
Yes, I'm still alive! And I'm back with a bunch of new recipes! July & August were very busy months with tons of company, sailing and searingly hot temperatures that left me with almost no will to bake or cook. We don't have AC on the boat, and when that sun beats down on the deck, it heats the inside temps to over 100 degrees. There were days I just packed up my laptop and went to the library to escape the heat. The gas grill was my best friend for weeks! I got my MoJo back now that the days have turned cooler, and I've started baking and cooking again! Even our son Brad got the baking bug yesterday and made a batch of cookies, just because he could!

Recipes of Some of the Month!
This is just 1/3 of the things I've written since I've been AWOL the last 4 weeks. I'll post more in the days to come. PLUS, I have another Giveaway planned, so keep your eyes peeled for that as well! As always, feel free to print these Examiner and Suite101 recipes out, and make sure to email them to your friends too!

BLT Pasta Salad Recipe
Bacon, Lettuce & Tomato Macaroni Salad – A twist on the classic BLT Sandwich! Use spiral pasta to hold more Italian dressing, add crisp bacon, romaine lettuce and vine-ripened tomatoes. Great for lunch, brunch or supper!

Macaroni Salad Recipe with Mayonnaise
Classic deli style macaroni salad with onions, peppers, celery, hard boiled eggs, mayonnaise and celery salt. Hamburgers & hot dogs, barbecues, cookouts & picnics, could all use a big helping of this easy macaroni salad!

Chicken Tetrazzini Recipe
Chicken Tetrazzini casserole with leftover roast chicken, spaghetti, butter, mushrooms, onions, sherry, cream and spices. This lip-smacking dish is perfect for pot lucks and large family dinners.

Corn Pudding Recipe: Scalloped Corn
Easy side dish casserole for quick meals & holiday entertaining. Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix is the secret ingredient! Don't let the name 'Corn Pudding' throw you off. This is an amazing veggie casserole. Red peppers and green scallions give it festive color, while canned and creamed corn give it great texture.

Baked Flounder Recipe with Cracker Topping
Baking flounder, sole or cod is a quick & easy way to prepare this mild white fish. Just a few simple ingredients, and tender baked flounder is ready to serve.

Red Onion Jam Recipe
Large red onions simmered and cooked down with butter, sugar and balsamic vinegar, makes an amazing relish or jam that's perfect for burgers, cheese, appetizers, tarts & galettes or dipping. Quick & Easy!

Banana Nut Muffins Recipe
Moist & flavorful muffins loaded with ripe bananas, walnuts and chocolate chips if you like. Banana streusel muffins freeze well, so bake a double batch for later. Great for brunch, snacks, picnics or with a cup of tea!

Nutella S'mores Recipe
Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, campers and kids  will love these s'mores made with Nutella Chocolate Hazelnut Spread, honey graham crackers and toasted marshmallows.

Zucchini Bread with Chocolate Chips
Moist & flavorful Zucchini Nut Bread recipe loaded with chocolate chips, cinnamon and walnuts. Easy quick bread recipe can be baked in mini loaf pans or cupcakes with cream cheese frosting!

Apple Bread Pudding Recipe with Fresh Apples
Fall dessert recipes with fresh apples, Vermont maple syrup and apple juice concentrate make this apple bread pudding with whip cream a perfect cool weather snack.

White Chocolate Frosting Recipe
Melted white chocolate coating, blended with butter & cream cheese frosting. Decorate Red Velvet Cupcakes, Coconut Cake, Chocolate Cupcakes, or frost a cheesecake. 

Fresh Peach Pie Recipe with Streusel Topping
Flaky pie crust loaded with fresh ripe peaches & spices, topped with sweet brown sugar praline streusel.

Blackberry Muffin Recipe with Fresh Blackberries
Blackberry Muffins with brown sugar & pecan streusel topping. 

4th of JULY DESSERT RECIPES

 

Patriotic Red, White & Blue Desserts
What are you doing for the 4th of July? Are you having a cookout, watching a 4th of July parade, going to a ballgame? We're going to a party on a BIG yacht! Bigger than ours, and oh so classy! Actually, our sailboat, even at 40 feet long, looks rather small and dinky compared to our friends ocean trawler. Lots of great food, good drinks and awesome friends!

Whatever you're doing this weekend, you're most likely gonna need some tasty desserts and salads. Maybe even some cocktails? It's a long weekend for most people, and that means more food and company than you'd anticipated. Here's a list of holiday recipes I've been working on for weeks. Some are Red, White & Blue recipes, all are perfect for cookouts, barbecues, picnics and parades. Mix and match according to the function. Add some sparklers and bottle rockets and make sure to have plenty of fun!

Red White & Blue Flag Cake - What would the 4th of July be without a Red, White & Blue Flag Cake? Blueberry stars, strawberry stripes and sparklers set this Firecracker Cake off quite nicely!

Fresh Blueberry Recipes - Blueberry Muffins, Fresh Blueberry Pie, Blueberry Buckle, Blueberry Smoothie, Blueberry Popsicles, Blueberry Pancakes, Blueberry Crisp, Red White & Blueberry Pizza, Lemon Blueberry Bread and much more!

Fresh Cherry Recipes - Summer dessert recipes scream for fresh cherries! Cherry Pie, Cherry Cheesecake, Cherry Cobbler, Cherry Chocolate Fudge Brownies, Cherry Clafouti, Cherry Almond Scones, Cherry Rhubarb Cobbler, Cherry Kisses, Peach & Cherry Galette, and many more.

Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe - Big juicy strawberries chilled in homemade strawberry glaze, nestled in a graham cracker or vanilla cookie crust and topped with fresh whipped cream.

Red, White & Blue Desserts - Cakes, cupcakes, tarts, cobblers, shortcakes, trifles, ice cream cake, cheesecakes, berry pops and so much more!






Stampin' Mama Designs

This Red, White & Blue Flag Cake, Buttercream Frosting and photos, are from Erika at Stampin' Mama.com. Erika's cupcake toppers are a special design from GinaK Stamps. Complete instructions as well as links for stamps, cardstock, etc., can be found at Erika's blog, Stampin' Mama. Thanks Erika!

RECIPE ROUND-UP & FOOD BLOG INTERVIEWS

Spring & Summer Recipes
Summer is here! Yes, I know it's not the official Summer Solstice June 21st date yet, but it feels like summer in my bones. I don't know about you, but I'd rather be cooking and eating outside than slaving away in a hot galley. Plus, if you're like us, we always have LOTS of company in the summer. And there's NO way I want to miss any of the fun stuck inside cooking. So with that in mind, I'm focusing on easy recipes this season. Lots of salads, fruits & veggies, and grillin' & chillin' grub! You'll probably still see some long HOT recipes too, because I love desserts, and just because I can!

My Dad was visiting last week, and it seems all we did was go out and eat. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE to go out and eat as much as he does, and we always find the best Rhode Island foodie joints. Add to that all the cribbage and visiting we did, and well, I didn't get much done. But I did have fun with my Dad, especially surprising him with his 80th birthday party!

I also mentioned in my last post, that I'm the new National Food Blog Examiner for Examiner.com. It's taking me a little while to adjust, so I haven't posted a lot anywhere the last week or two. If you're an active food blogger with amazing photos, I'll be looking for an interview from you!

Salads, Cobblers, Pies, Crisps & more!

Spinach Salad with Strawberries & Raspberry Vinaigrette - Just made this last night for supper. I wasn't sure I'd like the flavor combination, but it was awesome! The sweet and sour flavors, totally different textures between the crunchy pecans, juicy strawberries, and the spinach was a refreshing treat in every mouthful! Super easy to throw together too, but looks like you've been arranging the salad all day! 

Red White & Blue Recipes for 4th of July - Not just for the upcoming holiday, this list of Star Spangled recipes from Strawberry & Blueberry Shortcake to Patriotic Bomb Pops, are sure to inspire you any day of the summer!

Fresh Fruit Pie Recipes - A collection of all my favorite spring and summer fruit pies. Choose from Blueberry Pie, Cherry Pie, Peach Pie, Blackberry Pie, Lemon Meringue Pie and Fruit Galettes - the easiest pie of them all! OK, I threw in the Homemade Apple Pie too, because it really is the All-American Pie, perfect for a patriotic holiday!

How to Make a Fresh Fruit Cobbler - Basic mixed fruit cobbler recipe with fresh seasonal peaches, apples, rhubarb, cherries & berries, all nestled under a sweet biscuit topping. Serve with ice cream!

Rhubarb Cobbler with Fresh Peaches & Cherries - How to use fresh rhubarb, what fruits go good with rhubarb, and finally a fantastic Mixed Rhubarb Cobbler recipe to serve with ice cream. Make good use of this abundant, tart but tasty fruit this season!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp Recipe - Sometimes tart rhubarb needs a little help. Sweet juicy strawberries are all that's needed to tame the tartness, and transform an otherwise boring fruit into a thing of beauty and deliciousness! Easy recipe!

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Recipe - Garden fresh rhubarb and sweet ripe strawberries start to ripen in the spring in many locations. By summer, the garden is full of these two complimentary fruits that seem so suited to each other.

Food Blog Interviews

Brown Eyed Baker: Interview with Michelle Norris

Wicked Good Dinner: Interview with Dawn Viola

So, that's it for now. Back to baking, cooking and writing before the weather gets too hot. And just to rub it in a little to all you landlubbers out there...There's nothing quite like sitting in the cockpit with my feet up, sipping on a cold drink and gazing at a million dollar view with my laptop! It's a tough life, but someone has to live it, and it might as well be me! 

FRENCH PEAR TART RECIPE - TWD

                                          

Tuesdays With Dorie
Guess who picked the Tuesdays With Dorie recipe last week? OK, you're never going to guess, so I may as well spill the beans! The French Pear Tart was chosen by none other than Dorie Greenspan herself! Thank you Dorie for letting us use your name and your book, Baking: From My Home To Yours for the last year! 52 recipes in 52 weeks! I missed a few here and there, but for the most part, I made my share. My book is splattered and stained with a bunch of dog-eared corners. There were plenty of successes and a few flops. Some I would make again and again, and some I would never make again.

Dorie Greenspan
I missed last weeks recipe because I thought I had to have fresh Bartlett pears for the tart. I brought them home rock hard. 5 days later, they were still hard. Then, I read the recipe! It calls for either canned or fresh pears! That's what I get for not reading the recipe first. Once I got to making the tart, it was a no-brainer. Very easy. You can find the recipe on pages 368 and 369 of Dorie's book, OR you can go directly to Dorie's blog for the recipe! YES, Dorie has her own blog! Go take a look and see how nice it is. Lot's of info and photos.

                                                                    

French Pear Tart
Anyway...to get back to the recipe. Easy-Peasy! Make a sweet tart dough and press it in the pan. I don't have a fluted tart pan, so I used my 9"  springform cheesecake pan. Bake the crust a bit. Make a delicious almond cream (which is more like a paste than cream) and spread it on the bottom of the cooled crust. Slice the canned pear halves almost all the way through and poke them into the almond cream and bake. When it cooled, I sprinkled some confectioners' sugar on top to make it look like it snowed (which it did!) and then we ate it!  The only change I made in the tart was to use brandy because Brad drank all the rum! I like brandy better than rum anyway. It's more mellow.

So, there you have it. An easy and delicious French Pear Tart. It would probably taste real good with a scoop of French vanilla ice cream on top, don't you agree?
 

Check out all the other French Pear Tarts on the Tuesdays With Dorie blogroll and see how pretty they are! And, while you're there, you can read the exclusive interview with Dorie.

THANKSGIVING PIE RECIPES

                                                                                                                                                    

WAIT!       DON'T START BAKING YET!

Looking for Some New Thanksgiving Pie Recipes?
Here's a collection of pies that I've made over the years that you might like for your Thanksgiving table! All the links bring you right to my own personally developed and tested pie recipes on Suite101. Many trials and errors and plenty of rejects later, and these are the resulting recipes, so I know they work! Email them to a friend or print them off for later. Just say YES to pie this Thanksgiving!

                                              

                                

Pie Crust? No Pie Crust?
Think outside the box this holiday. If you don't feel like fussing with pie crust, buy one! Buy a graham cracker crust instead. How about a free-form Galette or cute little tarts instead of a big pie. Or, you could even bake the Pumpkin Pie in individual ramekins for a classy look. The pies...I mean sky's...the limit here! The possibilities are endless!

Best Ever Pie Crust Recipe - In order to make a great pie, you have to start with an awesome flaky pie crust!

                                                                           

Classic Pumpkin Pie Recipe - We've made thousands of these yummy pumpkin pies over the years. Add some fresh whipped cream and enjoy!

                                                          


Grandma's Homemade Apple Pie Recipe - Granny Smith apples make the best apple pie. Serve it with a scoop of Ben & Jerry's gourmet ice cream!

                                                     


Chocolate French Silk Pie Recipe - Death-by-Chocolate pie piled high with whipped cream and chocolate curls. You're gonna love this one!


Pecan Pie Recipe with Toasted Pecans - The pie that made us famous - at least in our own minds! Toast the pecans first for the best flavor.

                                                       

Chocolate Pecan Pie Recipe - This is the wicked-good sister to the Classic Pecan Pie! The addition of chocolate makes it outrageously rich!

                                                                 

Key Lime Pie - Not quite a true Key Lime, but even better! This is one of Dorie's recipes. You have to taste it to believe it!

                                                                            

French Apple Pie Recipe - One crust pie, canned apples and buttery streusel topping. Doesn't get much easier than this!


Lemon Meringue Pie Recipe - Classic made-from-scratch lemon pie filling and tons of sweet meringue. Just like my Grandma's pie!

                                                                           

Chocolate Cream Pie - Another one of Dorie's spectacular pies. Made-from-scratch chocolate pudding in a flaky pie crust and piped with whipped cream stars!


Cherry Pie Recipe - Made with fresh cherries for ruby-red Christmas color. Make a lattice top just cause it's so pretty!

                                                                

Blueberry Pie Recipe - Fresh or frozen blueberries work well in this pie. Serve warm with your favorite ice cream.


Peach Pie Recipe - Again, fresh or frozen peaches will get you rave reviews with this pie. Add some vanilla ice cream and listen for the oohs and aahs.

                      


Strawberry Mousse Pie Recipe - Easy to make fluffy mousse pie made with fresh or frozen strawberries and piled high with whipped cream. These would make great layered parfaits! Pretty on the holiday table too!

                                                                  

Peanut Butter Cream Pie Recipe - Sinfully rich peanut butter pie! Drizzle some chocolate ganache over the top for a real treat!

                                                                          

Chocolate Kahlua Mousse Pie - For adults only please! This pie is made with Kahlua, a coffee flavored liqueur. Very decadent, but light and fluffy at the same time!


White Chocolate Brandy Almond Pie - Very similar to the Pecan Pie, this one has white chocolate, toasted almonds and brandy for taste like you've never had before!

                                                                   

Apple Cranberry Tart & Galette Recipe - This is the "pie" you want to make if you don't have the time to fuss with a real fancy crimped pie crust. Just roll out the pie dough, slather it with apple butter, layer your apples, throw some cranberries at it, fold over the crust and bake. Viola!

                                                                   

Peach Galette Recipe - Fresh peaches work best for this galette. Add some cranberries for a festive holiday dessert.

                                                                             

So, there you go! Plenty of Thanksgiving pies to choose from. And after you're all done rolling the pie crust? Better drink the wine! Don't want it to go to waste!

Let me know how you do. Send me a photo and I'll post them after the holiday!

APPLE CRANBERRY GALETTE & Stonewall Kitchen Caramel Apple Butter

                                               

Cranberry Apple Tart - Or Is It a Galette?
What's the difference between a tart and a galette? I Googled this question a while back and couldn't come up with anything good. So, I made up my own answer, which may or may not be very scientific or even accurate. But, it is what it is, and here's my take on the subject. A tart can be sweet or savory. A galette can be savory or sweet. They're both made with pastry dough or pie crust that can also be sweet or savory. They can be filled with fruit as in this Apple Cranberry Tart or my Fresh Peach Galette. Or, you can fill it with veggies for dinner time, and try my Heirloom Tomato Galette with Red Onion Jam or my newest savory offering - Vegetarian Zucchini Galette with Asparagus & Pesto!

                                                                    

The crust can be formed in an elegant way, using a fluted tart pan, or it can be rolled out free-form and baked on a sheet pan like an artistic masterpiece. Pan or no pan? Sweet or savory? Fruit or veggies? Dessert or dinner? Is this totally confusing you yet? The final answer is...it can be either, and both! It can be made any way you'd like. Look in your fridge and pantry. Dream something up and make it your own!

                                                        
                                                             

Stonewall Kitchen
I love all the Stonewall Kitchen products that I've tried to date. Well, that didn't come out right did it? I didn't try to date Stonewall Kitchen, but if I could move in with them, I would. The store I mean! I would be perfectly happy living in Stonewall Kitchen's store. Just lock the door behind me and I could play baker or cafe manager. Heck, I'd be happy just playing with all the bottles and jars of jam and sauces! Maybe it's the OCD coming out in me, but I'd love to stack and arrange all these cute bottles of Caramel Apple Butter. Are you listening Stonewall Kitchen? I want to move into your pretty New England store, the one with the gorgeous designer kitchen and play pastry chef! I'll bring my own pillow! Hellooooo??? Maybe if I yell loud enough, they'll send me a case of Caramel Apple Butter for free advertising?

                                                                            

Stonewall Kitchen's Caramel Apple Butter
Stonewall Kitchen makes an awesome Caramel Apple Butter that I couldn't wait to try. Being right smack dab in the middle of apple season, it just seemed like the right time to play around with this sticky, gooey fruit butter. Plus, I love caramel - in anything, on anything - you get the picture! The gourmet market around the corner sells ALL their products, and it's quite a bit cheaper than buying it direct through the catalog! Shhh....don't tell though! The price might go up!

                                                           

                                                                          

Getting Back To The Apple Cranberry Tart... or Galette!
Once you master my easy-peasy Best Ever Pie Crust, the sky's the limit! This Apple Cranberry Tart Recipe is so simple to make. Just roll out the dough, spread some Stonewall Kitchen's Caramel Apple Butter over the pie crust, layer the sliced apples and cranberries, fold the crust up around the fruit and bake! It becomes second nature after you've made it a few times...really! When it cooled down, I sprinkled some confectioners' sugar over the top and added some freshly beaten whipped cream. Drizzle some more of the Caramel Apple Butter over the top and you have an elegant but rustic and very tasty dessert!

                                                                 

      

Suite101 and My Recipes
So, you're probably wondering where is this invisible recipe? For those of you who haven't been with me from the beginning, I'll explain. I'm a Freelance writer for Suite101. I link all my recipes through my blog, so that all you have to do is click on this Apple Cranberry Tart & Galette Recipe link, and it will take you right to a pretty neat looking page where my recipe is showcased with my name and all. You can bookmark it for later use, scroll down the page and email the recipe to a friend, or print it off for yourself. It's actually easier than my blog, because there, you have a "print this article/recipe" option!
 

                                                                            

ZUCCHINI GALETTE with Heirloom Tomatoes, Asparagus and Pesto

                                                     

Galette, Free-Form Tart or Rustic Pie?
I've been in the Galette mood lately because they're just so quick and easy to make. Also called free-form tarts or rustic pies, these easy galettes are made with flaky pie crust, sweet buttery crust or even puff pastry. Just roll it out, smear it with an appropriate spread, fill it with savory veggies and cheese like the Heirloom Tomato Galette or seasonal fruits, fold up the edges and bake. Easy Peasy right?

                                                                               

Heirloom Tomatoes!

                                                                    

Fresh Basil Pesto!

A few weeks ago, I bought some zucchini and summer squash at the farmers' market. I had a couple of heirloom tomatoes hanging around, a bunch of tender asparagus and a ton of fresh basil growing in a pot. I whipped up a quick batch of pie crust, some pesto and came up with this galette. John loves this kind of supper. I love it too because it is easy! You don't have to buy any special equipment or form a traditional pie crust in a pie pan. It can be an ugly-pie! Or you can get creative and trim the edges and cut out elaborate pastry leaves to decorate the top. Anything goes with this recipe!

                                                                              

Zucchini Galette Ready For the Oven
                                                               

Add Some Parmesan Cheese, Fold it up and Bake!      

You can find the recipe for ZUCCHINI GALETTE with Tomatoes, Asparagus and Pesto over at Suite101.com. Add the page to your favorites list and make it often. Vary the veggies if you don't have squash on hand. The recipe is vegetarian, but you can add some bacon, ham or chicken and make it a meat-lover's supper! Add broccoli if you don't have asparagus. Use red onion jam if you don't have pesto. Whatever you have on hand, any way you make it, just have fun and enjoy the fruits of your labor!