Pie Crust

Once you make your own pie crust, you never ever go back to buying it again. It's really easy and don't let it intimidate you. So simple and the ingredients are simple, too.

Pie crust can also be used for any recipe that calls for them like empanadas, pasties, some cookies and pastry shells. It's very versatile and no bad ingredients you can't pronounce.

You can vary the taste and texture by using all shortening, all butter or a mix of 1/2 butter + 1/2 shortening. Always use CRISCO. Always. Cheap shortening makes a cheap aftertaste. Don't learn the hard way. If you want super flaky, you can always substitute one with lard. Just make sure all your ingredients are very cold. This is important. Do not over knead because it will make your dough tough and that is not good. Here we go.



Pie crust #1 can be doubled

1 1/2 cups flour + 1/2 tsp salt
cut in:
1/2 cup cold butter
until it's small peas consistancy.
Add slowly 1/4 cup ice cold water. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.

For certain dessert crusts you can also add cinnamon and sugar to the flour mix.

Pie Crust #2 from Ziegler cookbook. Super flaky, has interesting taste.

3 cups flour
1 tsp salt
Mix well. Cut in 1 1/4 cup cold Crisco (or mix of Crisco and butter)
Add: 1 beaten egg mixed with 4 TBS water and 1 tsp white vinegar
Mix well, roll out immediately.
If too dry, add 1/2 TBS water a few times after mixing.

Leftover pie crust can be rolled out, spread with butter and cinnamon sugar. Roll up, slice into pinwheels. Bake at 350 for 7-10 minutes for cookies.

Portuguese/Hawaiian Sweet bread

Mix together your dry ingredients. 

2 1/2 tsp yeast

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup sugar

4 cups flour

Mix together in another bowl

2 TBS melted butter

1 egg

1/2 cup very warm water

1/2 cup very warm milk

Add wet to dry in food processor. Mix until dough is soft and pliable. Let rise 30 minutes in greased and covered bowl. Punch down, let rise in greased pie pan another 20 minutes. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. 

Dumplings for Stew

Dumplings for Chicken Stew

1 1/2 cups flour

2 tsp baking POWDER

1/2 tsp salt

Mix well. Cut in:

1 tablespoon shortening or butter 

add 3/4 cup milk

Drop into stew by spoonful. Cover and let steam for 15 minutes. 

Stuffed Tomatos

350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes

4-6 large tomatos
2 TBS butter
12 oz sausage like Jimmy Dean
1 chopped onion
1 minced garlic clove
3/4 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp italian seasoning

Core tomatos, slice off top. Scoop out pulp into bowl. Drain tomatoes upside down on paper towels. Place on foil covered baking sheet or in lined muffin tins if they fit.

Saute sausage, onion, garlic in butter. Stir in tomato pulp and cook well. Drain a little liquid off but not all. Add breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and seasoning. Mix well.

Spoon sausage mix into tomato shells. Bake.

Sausage mix can also be used to stuff large zucchini. Follow directions but substitute zucchini for tomato.

Got the recipe from old friend Nancy Coralles in Wahiawa.

Boogernose Soup

Ahhh lovely green boogernose soup. Many a stomach was filled on a cold day with this hammy concoction. Well it's super cheap, delicious with fresh warm herbed bread or biscuits. I usually used leftover ham or ham bone from holiday dinners to make this. The ham and bone could be frozen for months. Sausage balls are also an option. Another slow cooker winner.  All hail the boogernose!

Split Pea Boogernose Soup

2 cups split peas
1/4 pound chopped raw bacon or 1/2 cup diced cooked ham or 1 leftover ham bone
1 cup finely chopped onion
basil, garlic, herbs
7-8 cups water

Bring all to a boil. Simmer 2 1/2-3 hours, stirring often until well cooked and all pureed on its own. Salt when done.

If adding sausage balls, add those at the last 1/2 hour.

Can also be made in slow cooker. Add sausage balls to last 3 hours of cooking.

Sausage balls: mix and roll into 1 inch meatballs
1/2 lb raw ground sausage
1 tsp parsley
1 egg
2 1/2 TBS bread crumbs
italian seasoning

Grandmas Holiday Cookies

THIS is the holiday cookie recipe that Grandma Z made for every school party, holiday party, etc. Super simple, makes a lot. Just don't roll out too hard or more than once because they will get brittle and hard when baking. Great iced or glazed. Store dough in refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. 

Cream together:

2 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup Crisco

Add: 2 eggs, 2 tsp Baking POWDER, 1 tsp vanilla. Mix.

Add alternately: 4 cups flour and 1 cup milk. Mix after each addition. 

Chill for 3 hours. Keep chilled during rolling. Roll out 1/3 inch thick, use cookie cutters. 

bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Let cool before glazing or frosting. 

Biscuits and what you can do with them

Biscuits are easy. Can use this recipe for pigs in a blanket, cinnamon rolls, and any other way you would use the pop-n-fresh aftertaste dough. Can use buttermilk in place of milk.

Biscuits

2 cups flour

3 tsp Baking POWDER

1 tsp salt

Mix well. Add 4 TBS butter. Cut in. 

Add 3/4 cup milk slowly while mixing. Knead 10 seconds on floured board. Over kneading makes a hard tack biscuit. Roll and cut out. Bake 450 for 12-15 minutes. 

For pigs in blanket: roll out, cut into squares. Roll the weenie up in a square and bake 15 minutes. 

For cinnamon rolls: roll out fairly thin but not too thin. Spread with melted butter. Sprinkle cinnamon and sugar on top. Roll up into long log, pinch seal the seam. Slice and bake for 12-15 minutes. Drizzle with a glaze of melted butter and powdered sugar with some vanilla. 

Meat roll: Brown 1 lb ground beef with onion, garlic. Drain well. Mix in salt and some seasonings. 

Roll out biscuit dough. Spread ground beef all over. Roll up, pinch seal the seam. Bake seam down on baking sheet for 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Slice to serve with gravy.