thanksgiving desserts Archives - Good Food St. Louis

Pie Them Apples

November 2, 2022

What warms our hearts more sweetly than “mother, home, and apple pie.”

With that in mind, and a few extra apples on hand, I made my first apple pie of the season this past weekend. The expression, “easy as pie,” is an apt one for this recipe. Just get’ch a store-bought crust, peel and slice up some apples, and add a few spices and butter. Ta-da! You have a dessert in no time.

Peel and slice

But when making an apple pie there’s always several questions that come to mind? My daughter-in-law, Lisa, made this apple pie, which is far more artistic than most of mine.

Apple Pie Q&A

Should I make or buy the crust? I used to make a fully-larded pie crust. It was flakey and fabulous. Then I used the frozen, fluted, base that comes in a aluminum tin. I gave that up and was about to return to handmade crust. Then I came upon Pillsbury’s roll out dough that suits me fine and requires just enough handling to make me think I’m making the dough from scratch.
What kind of apples should I use? If you Google that question, you’ll find that various varieties are touted for their texture and taste. I always go with the green Granny type. Often I throw in about half Braeburn or Pink Lady. It’s hard to go wrong here, though the extra sweet apples such as Red Delicious are not as desirable.
Should I use a top crust or lattice work? Lattice is always fun, though my latticing doesn’t always come out evenly. I tend to use the lattice on peach or berry pies and the flat crust on apple. But I’ve seen some wide lattice work used on apple pies that’s quite attractive.
How many slices should I allow per serving? Six if your family or guests are a ravenous crew with a sweet tooth—or if you’ve shorted them on the entrée. Seven slices works well, especially if you add a dollop of whipped cream or ice cream. People on diets might settle for one, or more, slivers. It’s a tough call, so why not make two pies just in case.

It’s the Pumpkin Bread Time of Year

November 10, 2019

Between Halloween and Thanksgiving, pumpkins dot the landscape. They line porches, driveways, store entrances, mantels and school rooms. Food writers tell us how to use pumpkin in everything from cupcakes to lasagna to ice cream.

Thank Goodness for Libby

Years ago I baked a pumpkin pie from scratch. I even cooked the pumpkin, which I cut into pieces and baked for an hour before pureeing. Since then, I’ve stuck with Libby’s. Not because cooking my own pumpkin was hard; I just didn’t care for the way mine turned out; it was stringy and coarse. Face it, Libby has better kitchen equipment than we do.

Pumpkins for More than Pies

Gorgeous!

I’ve not had angel food cake, pudding, butter, muffins, or cocktails made with pumpkin, though with Libby’s help, I’ve often baked the more traditional pies and pumpkin bread. One of my cooking buddies makes an awesome pumpkin cheesecake; another roasts the seeds. I enjoy.

Cyndy recently sent me a photo of two lovely loaves of pumpkin bread. She had baked them for gifts and they turned out so pretty, she made more to freeze. She said the plump loaves were incredibly moist and spicy and even better the next day.

According to those who test such things, this bread is nearly identical to the slices sold at Starbucks. Take a look at the Starbuck’s Pumpkin Bread to see how easy it is to assemble.

Customizing Your Bread

I told Cyndy her photos looked good enough for Southern Living.

Of Note: In keeping with the suggestions made in the Comments at allrecipes.com, Cyndy lessened the oil to 1/2 cup and increased the pumpkin to 1 cup. I’d be tempted to go lighter on the sugar, too, but Cyndy used the amount called for and said it was not overly sweet.

I have since found a recipe that includes a handful of frozen chocolate chips—being cold helps the chips stay intact. Alternatively, drop in a few dried cranberries.

Writing about this scrumptious bread, I’m beginning to drool on my keyboard. Hmm. . . come to think of it, I have all the ingredients on hand. . . . more later.