Moms Snow Pie Food

FIRST SNOW CHERRY PIE WITH SNOWFLAKE SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• For the crust: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Combine the flour, salt, baking powder and butter in a food processor. Pulse until the consistency of fine meal. Add 4 tablespoons water and pulse until the dough begins to come together. Pinch the dough with your fingers; if it doesn't hold together, add a tablespoon of water at a time, pulsing between additions, until it does.
• Turn the dough onto a floured surface and work it until it just comes together.
• Form the dough into a disc, wrap it in plastic and place it in the refrigerator to chill at least 20 minutes.
• Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/8 inch thick. Transfer it to a 9-inch pie plate. Roll or trim the edges as you like.
• Line the dough with parchment and fill with pie weights. Bake until set, 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights from the crust.
• For the filling: In a large saucepan, combine the cranberries, cherries, apples, sugar, orange juice and zest and cinnamon. Bring to a simmer and cook until the cranberries pop and the cherries and apples are soft. Be careful to not cook the apple to mush. If using frozen cranberries and cherries, hold the apples until the last 5 minutes and then add them. Thicken by stirring in the cornstarch mixture. Stir for 1 minute. Stir in the brandy and remove from the heat.
• To make the pie: Fill the pie crust with the pie filling. Bake until bubbling, 35 to 40 minutes. Cool to just warm or room temperature. Top with the Sugar Cookies.
• For the cookies: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix together the butter, flour, sugar, vanilla and eggs on medium speed until well combined. Flatten the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic. Chill in the refrigerator, at least 20 minutes.
• Roll out the dough to desired thickness. Cut out cookies with your favorite cookie cutter.
• Place the cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until slightly crisp on the edges, 9 to 11 minutes; adjust for thickness.
• Let cool, then decorate as desired.

LEMON SNOW

Steps:

• Separate yolks from whites.
• Place whites (and beaters) in freezer to cool.
• Stir yolks& combine with lemon pie filling in a heavy saucepan.
• Add boiling water& mix well.
• Cook over low heat until thickened.
• Add sugar to egg whites& whip.
• Mix with lemon/yolk mixture.
• Pour into dessert dishes& refrigerate.
• Top with a dollop of whip cream (optional).

SANTA'S SNOW PIE

Steps:

• In a saucepan with the boiling water slowly stir in the sugar and salt, cook until clear- set aside.
• With an electric mixer in a medium mixing bowl beat egg whites until stiff.
• Add sugar mixture to mixing bowl slowly, add vanilla and crushed candies blending well with mixer.
• Chill mixture about 1 hour.
• Pour into prepared crust.
• Top with whipped topping.
• Garnish with shaved chocolate.

TOM'S MOM'S APPLE PIE

Steps:

• For the pie crust: Place the flour, granulated sugar and salt in a food processor. Pulse once or twice to evenly incorporate. Add the butter and lard and pulse until the fat is broken down into pea-size pieces, 5 to 6 pulses. Add the cider vinegar and 1 tablespoon of the cold water and pulse to combine. Continue adding a tablespoon of water at a time and pulsing after each addition until the dough just comes together (you may not need the full 1/3 cup water). Remove the dough from the food processor and form a third of the dough (about 9 ounces) into a disk. Form the remaining two-thirds of the dough (about 1 pound) into another disk. Wrap the disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
• Position an oven rack in the lower third of the oven and preheat to 425 degrees F.
• Remove the dough disks from the refrigerator and let sit at room temperature for 10 to 20 minutes to take the chill off.
• For the filling: Combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, cornstarch, cinnamon, salt, ginger and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.
• Put the apple slices in a large bowl and stir in the sugar mixture and orange juice. Mix to combine.
• Dust a clean work surface with flour and roll out the larger disk of dough into a 13-inch round. Transfer to a 10-inch pie dish. Pour the apple filling into the shell and then evenly distribute the butter pieces over the apples. Roll out the second disk of dough into an approximately 11-by-10-inch rectangle. Cut the dough into six strips, about 11 inches long by 1 1/4 inches thick.
• Form a lattice top by laying 3 parallel dough strips vertically across the pie. Fold the middle strip of dough in half back over itself and lay one piece of dough horizontally across the middle of the pie, perpendicular to the other dough strips. Fold the original strip of dough back down. Next, lift the other two strips of dough and fold them back over themselves. Lay another strip of dough perpendicular to the folded-over dough pieces. Fold those pieces back down and repeat on the other side with the remaining piece of dough. Trim the dough around the edges of the pie dish so there is no more than a 1/2-inch overhang.
• Fold the bottom crust up and over the edges of the lattice top and crimp the edges together between your forefingers and thumbs. Place the pie on a baking sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven and cover the edges with foil or a pie crust shield. Return to the oven and continue to bake until the filling begins to bubble, another 35 to 40 minutes. Let cool at least 1 hour.
• For the mascarpone whipped cream: Combine the mascarpone, cream and confectioners' sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Beat on high speed until the mixture forms soft peaks and is thick. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. (This can be made the day before.)
• Cut the pie into slices and top with the mascarpone whipped cream.

MY MOTHER'S SHEPHERD'S PIE

Steps:

• For the potato topping: Peel and cube the potatoes into 1-inch dice. Put in a large pot and add enough cold water to cover the potatoes by 1 inch. Season the water with salt and bring to a boil. Boil the potatoes until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain the potatoes and pass through a ricer. Add the milk, sour cream, melted butter and egg yolks to the potatoes and stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Season with salt and pepper and reserve.
• For the filling: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• In a medium saute pan over medium heat, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the pearl onions and cook, shaking the pan occasionally so the onions brown on all sides, until caramelized, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
• In a large ovensafe shallow braising pan, heat the canola oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions and rosemary and cook, stirring often, until the onions are slightly browned and soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the lamb and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the lamb cooked through, 4 to 6 minutes. Add the tomato paste, flour and sherry vinegar and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the chicken stock, peas and carrots and pearl onions and bring to a boil. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the parsley.
• For the additional topping: Top the lamb mixture with an even layer of the potato topping. Drizzle with the melted butter and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Transfer to the oven and bake until the topping is lightly browned, about 40 minutes. Garnish with additional parsley.

SNOW PIE

Steps:

• boil water coconut and sugar together reserving enough coconut to garnish.
• add cornstarch to thicken
• cool beat egg whites
• fold into cooled mixture
• fill crust
• beat whipping cream
• cover pie
• sift cocoa over pie
• sprinkle coconut
• chill.

MOM'S SNOW PIE

Steps:

• With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat egg whites and vanilla until soft peaks form; set aside. Combine sugar and baking powder in a separate bowl. Gradually add to egg whites; beat until stiff peaks form. Fold in cracker crumbs, pecans and chocolate, reserving 2 tablespoons chocolate for garnish. Spread mixture into a greased 9" pie plate. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool completely. Top with whipped cream and reserved chocolate. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Sweet treats are sure to be a welcome surprise nestled inside a vintage picnic tin. Tie a ribbon on the handle and slip in a sprig of greenery...so thoughtful.

MOMS APPLE PIE

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 400 degree.
• 2. Prepare crust if making homemade. If using store bought, place bottom crust into pie plate.
• 3. Prepare apples. Peel and slice apples about 1/4 inch thick, place in a medium bowl; add flour, sugars, cinnamon, lemon juice, mix and set aside. (taste after they start making juice). I leave these set for about 15 - 20 minutes, then stir again and taste. If the juice is too sour, add some more sugar. It should be somewhat tart.
• 4. Place the bottom crust in pie plate, having some overhang, spoon the apples and juice in. I heap mine; they will cook down, so make sure you have your dish heaped, but not running over. Top with pieces of butter.
• 5. Now, carefully top the apples with the other crust. Fold top crust under the edge of the bottom crust. Use a fork or fingers to pinch the crusts together.
• 6. I brush the top with milk, sprinkle with sugar, and cut several slits to vent.
• 7. Bake at 400 degree F. for 15 minutes; I cover the crust with foil to keep from getting too brown. Make sure you place foil under the pie as it the juices may leak out. Reduce heat to 350 degree F. and bake for another 50 to 55 minutes. I take a thin knife and slide it through one of the venting holes to make sure apples are tender. I made one deep dish and one regular 9 in. pie. You may need to bake a deep dish a few minutes longer, obviously there are more apples to cook.
• 8. Let cool on cooling rack. Cover and refrigerate pie till ready to serve. Cover left over pie and refrigerate.