Apple Pie Battle of the Sexes

I've agreed to let my husband, Brian, battle me in the State Apple Pie contest at this year's Durham Fair. Last year we both entered items in the baking competition, but different categories. Two of mine earned "first premium" ribbons---zucchini bread and baklava---but my apple pie earned a dismal "third premium." The pie was a hippy version with a whole wheat flour crust, and my top crust cracked on the drive over to the fair. Brian scored a "first premium" ribbon for his classic French macarons in the Guys Only category. His taste of victory whet his appetite for more, and he has set his sights on...his wife.

So, the stakes are high---very, very high and it definitely feels like a Man vs. Woman thing even though Brian would argue vehemently that it's not. I have decades of baking experience under my belt and actually considered becoming a pastry chef. Brian has a strong competitive spirit and fine (read: maddening) attention to detail. We learned last year that the judges want a very simple traditional apple pie. Normally I'd say, "Screw that!" and do another hippy version, maybe with some kind of pecan streusal sprinkled on top and agave syrup for the sweetener, but I can't risk earning another third premium and suffering lifelong humiliation if Brian should score higher. So traditional it is.

We're both making trial pies tonight. I'm using the following Alton Brown recipe for inspiration and will be going for a traditional appearance with a few, hopefully delicious, taste twists thrown in.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/good-eats/super-apple-pie-recipe/index.html

I'll keep you posted with photos and updates and would love feedback.

Wish me luck!

Cukes and more cukes

Anybody else have lots of cukes? A link to a huge collection of cucumber recipes:


http://awaytogarden.com/cucumber-growing-qa-and-the-best-pickles-ever#more-15073

Oh-My-Goddess Dressing

Still waiting for most of our tomatoes (only sungolds have ripened for us so far), but we've had plenty of cukes and the herbs keep growing, so..... goddess dressing for our steak salad w/garden cucumbers. oh my!

1/2 cup plain yogurt
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup mayo
1/2 cup packed garden herbs (I used oregano, basil, thyme, sage and rosemary)
2 cloves garlic
1 slice lemon
salt and pepper (not too much--this is so flavorful already)

Food process and chill until ready to use.

Caprese Pasta Salad

A great, easy pasta salad w/ingredients that everyone (at least everyone w/any common sense) likes:

1/3-1/2 cup olive oil (depending on how much coating you like on your noodles)
1/8-1/4 cup balsamic (how much zing do you like?)
a couple spoonfuls of pesto (optional)
1 clove garlic (or more!)
salt and pepper to taste
1 pound pasta (farfalle or orechiette work well)
1/2-1 pound fresh mozz, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1 cup basil leaves, julienned

Combine oil, vinegar, pesto, garlic salt and pepper in a big bowl. Add cooked pasta, mozz, tomatoes and basil and toss. Enjoy!

Recipes from the Garden: Ham and Leek pizza

I found some volunteer leeks growing rampant in the vegetable garden (so that's what those giant, globular flowers were last summer). I got rid of most of them to make way for tomatoes and cukes, but left a few, hoping they will self-seed again this summer.

Anyway, I sauteed a vidalia onion w/the white parts of the leeks and some garlic for about 20 min, then topped the pizza w/red sauce, mozz, the onion mix and ham and the green parts of the leeks. It was a good spring-but-not-quite-feeling-like-spring-because-it-won't-stop-raining meal.

Yummy Granola Mix

Oven: 325

Mix:
2 cups oats
1/4 cup flaxseed or wheat germ
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup sunflower seeds or soy nuts

Mix:
1/3 cup oil (or 1/2 for more clumps)
1/3 cup honey (or 1/2 for more clumps)
1 tsp vanilla

Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix well with hands, forming clumps.

Bake 10 minutes. Add 1/3 cup nuts and 1/3 cup coconut. Bake 10 minutes more.

Remove and cool. Add dried fruit and choc chips, if desired.

Pizza--the Joy of Adam

This is basically the Joy of Cooking pizza dough recipe tweaked by me based on my dude-in-law Adam Shopis' research and teachings.

Mix 2 1/4 tsp. yeast in 1 cup hot water.

In Kitchen Aid bowl:
3 1/2 cups flour
1 Tbsp Salt
1 Tbsp Sugar
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
Mix with wooden fork or paddle attachment on low.

Add yeast/water. Add between 1/4-1/2 cup more water. Mix with fork until it starts to come together.
Then use bread hook attachment and mix on medium low for 10 minutes. Dough should stick to bottom of bowl but not sides. Add water or flour accordingly if necessary.

Coat large bowl with oil. Form dough into a ball and put in bowl. Cover tightly with lid or plastic wrap. Let rise 60-90 minutes in a warmish place. Sometimes I start the dough in the oven for 10-15 minutes with the oven light on, but you will have to remove it in order to:

PREHEAT THE OVEN TO IT'S HIGHEST SETTING FOR ONE HOUR. If you have a convection oven, use that setting. Make sure the pizza stone is in there on the lowest rack.

Make your pizza as usual, but if you've preheated properly, the pizza should only take 4-7 minutes so WATCH IT VERY CLOSELY until you know how quick your oven is going to cook your pizza.

The great thing about this dough is you really can't screw it up too badly (and believe me I've tried). It's going to be soft, crispy brown on top with crust bubbles and it is always delicious. Mangia!!!!