apple custard pie

Friends, I think we have our first family recipe.

A week or so ago we went on a lovely drive through Niagara County on the hunt for fresh apples, concord grapes, pumpkins, and other seasonal produce. We bought a bushel of the sweetest apples I’ve ever tasted, and I quickly laid plans to make a pie. I’m not actually a big fan of fruit pie, so I wanted to come up with a way to make an apple pie that I would really enjoy. I was inspired by Julia Child’s recipe for a custard apple tart from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, but I changed a few things and used a different recipe for the crust.

It was so, so good. Creamy custard with sweet apples and just the right amount of spice. I’ll be making this pie every fall.

Apple Custard Pie

Ingredients:
1 pie crust (see below)
3-4 of your favorite apples
Pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy cream
1 tbsp vanilla extract

Pie crust:

Use whatever pie crust you like, I’m a fan of Gluten-Free Girl’s pie crust recipe, or for a conventional crust, I really like this one by Smitten Kitchen.

In either case, add a pinch of cinnamon to the dry ingredients for this pie, you’ll notice the difference. Also note, especially if you are using the Smitten Kitchen recipe, you do NOT need to pre-bake the crust. The baking time for the custard will be plenty of time for the crust to bake.

Prepare your pie crust, and roll out to 1/4″ thickness and line your pie pan. Fold over the edges or crimp your crust, and poke some holes in the dough with your fork so it doesn’t puff up in the oven.

To make the custard, whisk together the eggs, sugar, cream, and vanilla until combined.

Chop 3-4 apples (depending on size – I used 3 large Jonagold apples) into slices and lay them in concentric circles around the pie crust. Sprinkle the apples with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg, then pour the custard mixture over the top.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes or until the custard in the center has set.

I’d recommend refrigerating this pie overnight after it cools, it’s absolutely delicious cold.

rainier cherries

the little things

This morning at our favorite diner, the owner surprised us by sending our waitress over with tiny pancake treats in the shape of our initials. Now we really know our favorite place loves us back! It’s those little things that make me feel like there really is something special about Buffalo and the community we’ve got here.

(Photo taken at Amy’s Place. Thanks, Amanda!)

summer pasta #1

I love pasta, but summer is not the season for thick red sauce or traditional alfredo sauce. I’ll be posting a few different summer-friendly pasta recipes over the next few weeks as I try different combinations of fresh veggies and herbs.

Linguine with Slow-Cooked Zucchini, Basil, and Cream

(adapted slightly from this recipe on NPR)

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, cut into paper-thin slices
3-4 medium zucchini, sliced into thin coins
1 tsp kosher or fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 c. heavy cream
Handful large basic leaves, chopped into strips
1 pound dried linguine (regular or your favorite gluten-free variety – mine is Ancient Harvest Quinoa Linguine)
1/2 c. fresh grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese
1/2 c. fresh grated Romano cheese

Warm the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Stir in garlic and cook for 3-5 minutes or until garlic begin to soften. Do not let the garlic brown. Add the zucchini, salt, and a generous amount of pepper and cook slowly over medium to medium-low heat, gently tossing from time to time, for about 30 minutes or until zucchini are completely tender. The zucchini will be very soft, with some coins breaking up as they cook.

Gently stir in the cream and cook for 5 or so more minutes, or until the cream has thickened slightly. Turn off the heat and add the basil, tossing the sauce gently to incorporate. Reheat the sauce briefly when the pasta is almost done cooking.

Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil and salt generously. Add the pasta, stir, and cook until al dente (usually 8-10 minutes). Reserve about 1 cup of the cooking water, and drain the pasta in a colander.

Transfer the pasta to the frying pan and gently toss to incorporate the pasta and sauce thoroughly, adding a splash or two of cooking water to loosen. Add the parmigiano and romano cheeses and toss again, adding more cooking water if necessary. Top with a few fresh basil leaves, and serve immediately.

Makes 4-6 servings.

black and blueberry preserves

It’s berry season!

I started off this summer’s canning adventures with a tart, berrylicious blend of blueberries and blackberries and minimal additional sugar.

Black and Blueberry Preserves

Makes 4 pints

8 cups blueberries (cleaned and stems removed)
2 cups blackberries (cleaned and stems removed)
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 lemons

Combine the berries, sugar, and juice of two lemons in a large sauce pot. Cook over medium heat for approximately 20 minutes, mashing with a potato masher to crush berries and release the juices. Skim any foam off the top, ladle preserves into clean half-pint jars, affix lids, and can in a water bath canner.

The set of these preserves is loose with lots of whole berries. I’d recommend it on pancakes or waffles, or with a soft cheese on crackers or a bagel.

banana bread

This recipe was inspired by a recipe I found written on a scrap of paper while cleaning last week. I don’t know the original source, but I’ve edited it slightly and the results were positively delicious.

Banana Bread

1 stick melted butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or your favorite gluten-free blend)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
2 thoroughly ripe bananas

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a loaf pan or 9×9 baking pan.
Combine the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the egg, butter, and vanilla mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the bananas and greek yogurt, and pour evenly into your pan. Bake for 30-60 minutes (varies depending on the pan you use). The top and sides should be a golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean.

If you’d like, add chocolate chips, walnuts, or sliced almonds along with the bananas and yogurt in the final step for some yummy variations.

strawberry short-cupcakes with rosemary

Strawberry season is in full swing in Buffalo, and I really wanted to take advantage of it in my baking. I’m working on a recipe for a gluten-free strawberry cake, but for now I kept it simple with a sweet strawberry shortcake-like creation. I made gluten-free yellow cake cupcakes, fresh whipped cream, and a compote of fresh local strawberries and fresh rosemary. They were delicious! Sweet, fresh, and a little woodsy.

Here is a simplified recipe:

Strawberry Short-Cupcakes with Rosemary

12 ct. your favorite yellow cake cupcakes*

For the compote:
6-8 large strawberries
1 sprig rosemary
Splash of orange juice

Chop the strawberries into smaller than bite-sized pieces. Chop a small amount of rosemary into tiny pieces. You’ll want about 1/2 teaspoon. Add the strawberries, rosemary, and splash of orange juice to a small sauce pan. Simmer on low for 5-10 minutes.

For the whipped cream:
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar

In a large bowl, whip cream until stiff peaks are just about to form. Beat in vanilla and sugar until peaks form. Make sure not to over-beat, or cream will become lumpy.

Using a teaspoon, hollow out a shallow hole in each cupcake. Drop a dollop of whipped cream in the center, and a small spoonful of compote on top. Enjoy!

*I used a basic gluten-free recipe and reduced the sugar and the vanilla to give the cakes a heartier taste. They’d also be great with traditional shortcakes, or regular sweet cake.

every morning

afternoon snack

golden plum & honey jam

Oh, how I’ve missed making jam. Today I made a small batch of jam with some golden plums and local honey. It may have been a grey, rainy day (let’s not talk about the snow), but this jam definitely brightened up my little kitchen. Delicious!

Golden Plum & Honey Jam

makes 1-1/2 pints (can be doubled)

2 lbs. golden plums, chopped and pitted with skins on
8 oz. local honey
1 cup raw sugar
juice of 1 lemon

* Note: This recipe does not call for pectin. Because you can cook the skins of the plum in the jam, this provides enough pectin to allow the jam to set. You know, in case you were wondering.

Throw the plums and lemon juice into a large soup pot. Cook over medium-high heat for 10 minutes, mashing and stirring regularly.

Add the sugar and honey, cook down for another 10 minutes or so or until the jam has set (use the old plate-in-the-freezer test to check).

Ladle into 4 clean half pint jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Enjoy on some honey wheat toast, or your favorite breakfast bread!