Spicy Refrigerator Cookies

Another recipe you should make in double batches … a plain Jane cookie that tastes really good. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy; add egg and vanilla and mix well. Mix together dry ingredients; add to butter and mix well. Shape into rectangle-shaped tubes, wrap in wax paper and chill in refrigerator until dough is hard. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Slice dough into cookies, … Continue reading Spicy Refrigerator Cookies

Soft Oatmeal Cookies

When we say soft, we mean soft – these are nothing like traditional crunchy, chewy or sticky oatmeal cookies. They are soft, almost cake-like cookie drops that even small children will devour. Mom and Carla were both addicted to them, and would choose these over any other kind of cookie, anytime.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy; add eggs one … Continue reading Soft Oatmeal Cookies

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Jon Stewart once dissed strawberry rhubarb pie as the Agent Orange of pie-dom. Despite our deep and enduring admiration of him, we disagree – this pie has made people who fear and loathe rhubarb look forward to the pink stalks every spring. It’s a challenge to get it right, though – May rhubarb tastes better than late June rhubarb, but fresh strawberries aren’t even close … Continue reading Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Pie and Pastry Doughs

Whether you call them pastry doughs or pie crust doughs, their purpose is the same. Pâte brisée is generally used for open-faced tarts, not pies, but the only real difference is in the ingredients: pâte brisée has eggs, and pie crust doesn’t. For a fully baked pie crust, bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until golden brown. If you need to partially … Continue reading Pie and Pastry Doughs

it’s pie season – tips for pastry doughs

Pies can make otherwise confident cooks cower in fear. Pie crust is hard to handle, can turn out soggy, burns unpredictably, and is best when made with lard – which is enough on its own to frighten most of us (not to mention our cardiologists). Fillings won’t thicken, fruit won’t cook, and the first cut slice always looks like someone dropped it on the floor. … Continue reading it’s pie season – tips for pastry doughs