Apple Pie by Grandma Ople

 From:  Apple Pie by Grandma Ople Recipe

Yields: 1 pie

6 small Granny Smith apples, or as needed

½ cup unsalted butter 

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

½ cup white sugar

½ cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup water

1 (9 inch) sour cream pie crust (see recipe in blog)

Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Peel and core apples, then thinly slice. Set aside.

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir to form a paste; cook until fragrant, about 1 to 2 minutes. Add both sugars and water; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Press one pastry into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Roll out remaining pastry so it will overhang the pie by about 1/2 inch. Cut pastry into eight 1-inch strips.

Place sliced apples into the bottom crust, forming a slight mound. Lay four pastry strips vertically and evenly spaced over apples, using longer strips in the center and shorter strips at the edges.

Make a lattice crust: Fold the first and third strips all the way back so they're almost falling off the pie. Lay one of the unused strips perpendicularly over the second and fourth strips, then unfold the first and third strips back into their original position.

Fold the second and fourth vertical strips back. Lay one of the three unused strips perpendicularly over top. Unfold the second and fourth strips back into their original position. Repeat Steps 6 and 7 to weave in the last two strips of pastry. Fold and trim excess dough at the edges as necessary, and pinch to secure.

Slowly and gently pour sugar-butter mixture over lattice crust, making sure it seeps over sliced apples. Brush some onto lattice, but make sure it doesn't run off the sides.

Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) and continue baking until apples are soft, 35 to 45 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

Sour Cream Pie Crust

 From:  No Fail, Sour Cream Pie Crust Recipe

Yields: 2 crusts

2 sticks unsalted butter (1 cup, 8 ounces, 225g) cubed

2 cups (280g) all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons sugar (for sweet recipes, otherwise skip)

1 teaspoon salt (skip if using salted butter)

1/2 cup (115ml) sour cream (full fat, NOT light sour cream)

Cut the butter into cubes and let sit:

Cut the butter into cubes and let it sit on the counter to take the chill off (don't soften the butter, just let it sit out for a couple minutes when you take it out of the fridge).

Whisk together the dry ingredients:

In a large bowl, vigorously whisk together the flour, sugar (if using), and salt (omit if using salted butter).

Work the butter into the flour:

Sprinkled the cubes of butter over the flour. Use your clean hands to squish the flour and butter together with your thumbs, fingers, and knuckles. Work the butter into the dough until you have what resembles a coarse meal with some flattened chunks of butter.

Add the sour cream:

Add the sour cream to the flour and butter mixture. Use a fork to incorporate into the mixture.

Form the dough into disks, refrigerate:

Use your hands to gather the pastry dough together into a large ball. Use a knife to cut the ball in half. Form into two disks. As you work the dough into disks, it should end up smooth, having the consistency of Play-Doh. Don't worry about over-working this dough. Form the disks so that there are no cracks.

Sprinkle all over with a little flour. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Once you wrap the dough disk in plastic wrap, you can massage the dough and the edges with your warm hands to close any cracks. Chill in the refrigerator for an hour or up to a day ahead.

Remove the dough from fridge, let sit, then roll out:

After the dough has been sitting in the fridge for an hour, remove it and let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes at room temperature to become more malleable before rolling out.

If it still feels too stiff to roll out, hold your hands around the edges to soften.

To roll out, sprinkle a clean, flat surface with flour. As you roll the dough, check to make sure the bottom is not sticking. If it is, lift it up and sprinkle a little flour underneath.

Roll out to 12 to 14 inches wide, to an even thickness

You can use this pastry dough for unstructured rustic pies or galettes, or single or double crusted traditional pies. It can also be used for a savory pot pie.

Whether you use the dough for a galette or a double crust pie, it will be prettier with a light egg wash. Just whisk one egg in a small bowl, add a teaspoon of water, and brush lightly over the exposed crust with a pastry brush, right before baking.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

 From:  The Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Ever - JoyFoodSunshine

Yields:  36

▢1 cup salted butter softened

▢1 cup granulated sugar

▢1 cup light brown sugar packed

▢2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

▢2 large eggs

▢3 cups all-purpose flour

▢1 teaspoon baking soda

▢½ teaspoon baking powder

▢1 teaspoon sea salt

▢2 cups chocolate chips (12 oz)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line three baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl mix flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

Cream together butter and sugars until combined.

Beat in eggs and vanilla until light (about 1 minute).

Mix in the dry ingredients until combined.

Add chocolate chips and mix well.

Roll 2-3 Tablespoons (depending on how large you like your cookies) of dough at a time into balls and place them evenly spaced on your prepared cookie sheets.

Bake in preheated oven for approximately 8-10 minutes. Take them out when they are just barely starting to turn brown.

Let them sit on the baking pan for 5 minutes before removing to cooling rack.

Cranberry Apple Stuffing

 From:  {Slow Cooker} Cranberry Apple Stuffing - House of Yumm

Yields: 6 servings

10 ounces dried bread cubes

▢2 cups chicken broth low/no sodium

▢4 tbsp unsalted butter divided

▢2 large eggs

▢2 stalks celery chopped

▢1/2 cup yellow onion diced

▢1 apple chopped

▢½ cup dried cranberries

▢½ tbsp sage diced

▢½ tbsp thyme diced

▢1 tbsp parsley diced

In crockpot mix together the eggs, chicken stock, and 3 tablespoons of melted butter.

Add in the bread cubes, celery, onion, and apple, stir until bread cubes are completely coated. Add in the cranberries and herbs. Stir to combine.

Slice the last tablespoon of butter into three thinner slices and place on top of the stuffing.

Cook in the slow cooker on HIGH for 1 hour. Stir with fork. Continue to cook on LOW for another 2 hours. Serve and enjoy!

Butternut Squash Soup

 From:  Butternut Squash Soup Recipe (Stovetop, Instant Pot or Crock-Pot!)

Yields:  6-8 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 white onion, peeled and diced

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 cups vegetable broth

1 carrot, peeled and roughly chopped

1 Granny Smith apple, cored and roughly chopped

1 medium (about 3–4 lb) butternut squash, peeled, seeded and diced

1 sprig fresh sage

1/8 teaspoon cayenne

pinch of ground cinnamon and nutmeg

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper, to taste

optional garnishes: smoked paprika, extra drizzle of unsweetened coconut milk, or see more ideas above

Sauté the onion and garlic. Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté for 1 to 2 more minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant.

Simmer: Add the vegetable broth, carrot, apple, butternut squash, sage, cayenne, cinnamon and nutmeg and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are all tender and mash easily with a fork. Remove and discard the sage. Stir in the coconut milk.

Purée: Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth. (Or alternately, see instructions in the notes below for how to purée the soup safely using a traditional blender.)

Season and serve: Taste and season the soup generously with salt and pepper as needed. Serve warm, topped with your desired garnishes, and enjoy!

Vegetable Pot Pie

 From:  Vegetable Pot Pie Recipe

Yields: 8 pot pies (individual)

1 package (2 sheets, 17.3 ounces) puff pastry sheets, thawed

1/3 cup unsalted butter

1 cup diced red onions, 1/4-inch dice

1 cup diced carrots, 1/4-inch dice

1/2 cup diced celery, 1/4-inch dice

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

8 ounces sliced brown mushrooms

1 1/2 pounds russet potatoes, 1/4-inch dice

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1/3 cup flour

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock

1 cup whole milk, plus 1 tablespoon for egg wash

1 cup peas

1 tablespoon chopped parsley

1 large egg, whisked

Prepare the puff pastry:

Thaw the puff pastry overnight in the fridge. If you forget, you can thaw it on the counter: Remove the frozen pastry from its packaging and defrost on a sheet tray until cool but pliable, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the vegetable filling.

Cook the vegetables:

Set a large skillet or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the butter to the pot. Once melted, add the onions, carrots, celery, garlic, and thyme.

Sauté until onions are tender and translucent, 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add potatoes, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper. Stir and cook for 7 minutes.

Make the gravy and finish the filling:

Sprinkle flour over the vegetables, stir and cook, to reduce the raw flour taste, about 2 minutes.

Slowly pour in the vegetable stock and milk, stirring constantly until the gravy is smooth. Allow the gravy to simmer until slightly thickened and potatoes are tender but not falling apart, about 5 to 6 minutes.

Stir in and combine the peas and parsley. Taste the vegetable pot pie filling, season with more salt and pepper as desired.

Preheat the oven and fill the ramekins:

Heat your oven to 400°F. Evenly divide the filling among ramekins, about 3/4 cup of filling per serving.

Cut the puff pastry:

Trim 1/4-inch around the edges of the puff pastry; this will help it look neat and allow the pastry to puff a little better. Cut each pastry sheet into four 4-inch squares, making 8 squares total. Place one square pastry sheet over each ramekin, allowing the edges to hang over the sides. Make 4 small slits in the top (1/2-inch long).

Bake the vegetable pot pies:

In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon of milk. Brush the top and sides of the puff pastry with egg wash. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Once your oven reaches 400°F, place the ramekins on the baking sheet. Bake until the puff pastry is puffed up and golden brown in color, 15 minutes.

Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies

 From:  Olive Oil Chocolate Chip Cookies – Salted Plains

Yields: 16

▢2 cups (236g) almond flour

▢¼ teaspoon baking soda

▢½ teaspoon salt

▢¼ cup + 1 tablespoon maple syrup

▢¼ cup extra virgin olive oil

▢1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

▢½ cup dairy-free chocolate chips I prefer mini chips

▢sea salt for sprinkling, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 

In a large bowl, combine almond flour, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add maple syrup, olive oil, and vanilla extract and stir to combine until dry ingredients are moistened and incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips and allow dough to rest for 5 minutes.

Scoop dough with a tablespoon and roll into ball. Space about an inch and a half apart on baking sheet. Using the palm on your hand, press ball down about halfway. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt. 

Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until edges are just golden brown. The tops will not brown like traditional cookies. Allow to rest on baking sheet for a few minutes then transfer to wire cooling rack. 

Store olive oil chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container for 5-6 days.

Tuscan White Bean Soup

 From:  Best Tuscan White Bean Soup - Eat With Clarity

Yields:  6

3 15 ounce cans cannellini beans drained and rinsed

▢1 yellow onion finely chopped 

▢4 cloves garlic minced

▢2 tablespoons olive oil

▢2 large carrots peeled and chopped

▢1 stalk celery diced

▢⅓ cup white wine I used pinot grigio

▢2 cups chopped kale stems removed, finely chopped

▢2 ½ – 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth see notes

▢1 tablespoon tomato paste

▢1 teaspoon salt or to taste

▢¼ teaspoon black pepper or to taste

▢¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes omit if you don't like spice

▢¼ teaspoon Italian seasoning

▢2 bay leaves

▢1 teaspoon dried thyme

▢½ teaspoon dried oregano

Saute the finely chopped onion in a large pot or dutch oven with the oil.

Once it starts to brown slightly, add in the garlic, celery and carrot. Saute an additional 10 or so minutes to let the veggies soften and brown slightly. The browning helps add lots of flavor!

Add in the white wine and saute until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 5-7 minutes.

Add in all remaining ingredients except for the kale (see notes about the amount of broth since there is a range, but I recommend starting with 2 1/2 cups), and stir well.

Bring to a boil, then cover and reduce heat to low. Let simmer for 15 minutes.

Discard the bay leaves, then transfer about 2 1/2 – 3 cups worth of the soup to a blender. Blend until smooth.

Transfer back to the pot and stir well to combine. If it's too thick, add in more broth until it reaches your desired consistency.

Add in the chopped kale and let simmer for a few minutes to allow the kale to wilt. Taste and adjust flavors as desired. I usually add a bit more salt and pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice.

Serve warm as is or with a hearty bread on the side. Enjoy!

Notes

There is quite a big range for the broth because it all depends on how thick you want the soup to be. If you want it more like a thicker stew, use 2-3 cups, but if you want more of a soup, use 3-4 cups. You can always add more if you want to thin it out, but I suggest starting on the lower end since it’s much easier to thin out than it is to thicken up. For photo reference, I used 2 1/2 cups total. 

You can leave the wine out if you prefer, but I recommend it for the best flavor!

Pumpkin Bread

 From:  Healthy Pumpkin Bread Recipe - Cookie and Kate

Yields:  1 loaf

⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil*

½ cup honey or maple syrup

2 eggs

1 cup pumpkin purée (I use the full can)

¼ cup milk of choice or water

1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin spice blend (or ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon ground ginger, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon allspice or cloves)

1 teaspoon baking soda (NOT baking powder; they aren’t the same!)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon salt

1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour

½ cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius) and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, beat the oil and honey together with a whisk. Add the eggs and whisk until blended. (If your coconut oil solidifies on contact with cold ingredients, simply let the bowl rest in a warm place for a few minutes, like on top of your stove, or warm it for about 10 seconds in the microwave.)

Add the pumpkin purée, milk, pumpkin spice, baking soda, vanilla and salt, and whisk to blend. Lastly, switch to a big spoon and stir in the flour, just until combined. Some lumps are ok! If you’re adding any additional mix-ins, gently fold them in now.

Pour the batter into your greased loaf pan and sprinkle lightly with cinnamon. If you’d like a pretty swirled effect, run the tip of a knife across the batter in a zig-zag pattern.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean (typically, if I haven’t added any mix-ins, my bread is done at 55 minutes; if I have added mix-ins, it needs closer to 60 minutes). Let the bread cool in the loaf pan for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer the bread to a cooling rack to cool for 20 minutes before slicing.

15 Bean Soup

 From:  Vegetarian 15 Bean Soup - Budget Bytes

Yields:  8 servings

1 lb. 15 bean soup mix* (2.69)

2 Tbsp coconut oil** ($0.44)

1 yellow onion 

2 cloves garlic 

4 carrots 

3 ribs celery 

6 cups water 

1 15 oz. can diced tomatoes 

1 tsp cumin 

1 tsp oregano 

1/2 Tbsp smoked paprika 

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 

Freshly cracked pepper 

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley 

to taste salt 

2 tsp apple cider vinegar 

The night before, place the beans in a large bowl and add cool water until the beans are covered with twice as much water as the beans. Let the beans soak overnight, or for at least 8 hours, in the refrigerator.

When you’re ready to begin cooking, drain the beans in a colander and rinse them well with fresh water. Set the beans aside so they can begin to warm up.

Mince the garlic and dice the onion. Add the garlic, onion, and coconut oil to a large soup pot. Sauté over medium heat for about 3-5 minutes, or until the onions are soft and transparent.

While the onion and garlic are sautéing, dice the celery and carrot. Once the onions have softened, add the carrot and celery to the pot and sauté for about 5 minutes more, or just until the celery starts to soften.

Add the beans to the pot along with 6 cups of water, and stir to combine. Place a lid on the pot, turn the heat up to medium-high, and bring it up to a boil. Once it reaches a rolling boil, turn the heat down to low or medium-low, and let the beans simmer for 90 minutes, stirring occasionally.

After 90 minutes, the beans should be quite soft and have broken down a bit, causing the water to look slightly thick and cloudy. Add the diced tomatoes (with juices), cumin, oregano, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, and parsley to the pot. Stir to combine, then let the soup simmer for another 20 minutes.

Taste the soup and add salt to taste (I added 1.5 tsp). Finally, stir in the apple cider vinegar. Keep in mind that as the soup is stored in the refrigerator, the salt may absorb into the beans and taste more muted. You may need to add more salt the next day.

Notes

*This is just a mix of 15 bean varieties in one bag, with an envelope of seasoning included. I used only the beans and tossed the seasoning packet.

**I used coconut oil because it has a mouthfeel similar to animal fat. You can use your favorite cooking oil in its place, if you prefer.