I've been slacking!

I know! I was making pies for Thanksgiving (Tar Heel and Apple) so I haven't made anything new. This week, I promise.

Almond biscotti!

I'm going to dip it in dark chocolate, here it is cooling

and here covered in chocolate!

Sent via BlackBerry from T-Mobile

Ginger cookies with cinnamon vanilla glaze

Ginger cookies with cinnamon vanilla glaze
Originally uploaded by 1001Sweets

My camera battery died so all i got were camera phone pics!

Easy recipe and very tasty! The glaze is super sweet so I only topped half of the cookies.

Caramel Apple Crumble Pie

Caramel Apple Crumble Pie
Originally uploaded by 1001Sweets

An accident turned tasty! Honey crisp apples drenched in home made caramel with a nutmeg and cinnamon crumble, all over a shortbread base.

Old Fashioned Apple Pie

Old Fashioned Apple Pie
Originally uploaded by 1001Sweets

It's late so I will post the recipe later. Plus then I'll have some feedback as this is for a coworker's birthday.

TarHeel Pie with Graham Cracker Crust

TarHeel Pie with Graham Cracker Crust
Originally uploaded by 1001Sweets

I sent this home with Chrissi and Walt, so they will have to chime in on how well it came out!

Tar Heel Pie
- 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1 cup chopped pecans
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 2 eggs, beaten

1. Preheat the oven to 350°

2. Pour the warm melted butter over chocolate chips and stir to melt.

3. Blend all remaining ingredients and stir into chocolate chip mixture.

4. Pour into unbaked pie shell. Bake in 350 degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes.


Graham Cracker pie crust
- 1 1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker crumbs
- 1/3 cup white sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter, melted

1. Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until well blended . Press mixture into an 8 or 9 inch pie plate.

2. Chill for about 1 hour before adding the chocolate pie filling.

Vegetarian Pot Pie

Vegetarian Pot Pie
Originally uploaded by 1001Sweets

I add Quorn to this recipe for extra protein but you can leave that out if you aren't into fake meat. This recipe can leave extra filling so I just keep that simmering and add it to my leftovers.

Pot Pie
- 2 Tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 bag Quorn chik'n tenders
- 1 Small onion, chopped
- 1 Clove garlic, minced or 2 Teaspoons of minced garlic
- 2 Large carrots, diced
- 2 Potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1 Stalk celery, sliced 1/4 inch wide
- 1 Cup cauliflower florets
- 1 Cup broccoli florets
- 1 Cup fresh green beans, trimmed and snapped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 3 Cups vegetable broth
- 1 Teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 Teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 Recipe pastry for double-crust pie

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2. Heat oil in a large skillet or saucepan. Cook onions, garlic and Quorn chik'n tenders in oil until the onions are clear and the tenders are browned, stirring frequently. Stir in carrots, potatoes, and celery. Stir in cauliflower, broccoli, green beans, and vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, then turn heat down to a simmer. Cook until vegetables are barely tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

3. In a small bowl, mix the cornstarch, soy sauce, and 1/4 cup water until cornstarch is completely dissolved. Stir into vegetables, and cook until sauce thickens, about 3 minutes.

4. Roll out 1/2 of the dough to line an 11x7 inch baking dish. Pour the filling into the pastry lined dish. Roll out remaining dough, arrange over the filling, and seal and flute the edges.

5. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until the crust is brown.


Crust
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup shortening
- 8 tablespoons ice water

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).

2. Mix 2 cups flour and salt with vegetable shortening using pastry blender. Mix in 6 to 8 tablespoons ice water and stir until mixture forms a ball. Divide ball in half.

3. Using a rolling pin, roll one of balls to fit the bottom and sides of an 11x7 inch baking dish. Roll out the other half of dough to form top crust.

Toffee Chocolate Chip cookies

Toffee Chocolate Chip cookies
Originally uploaded by 1001Sweets


This is my secret recipe and these cookies are AWESOME.

Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1 Cup softened butter
- 1 Cup sugar in the raw
- 1 Cup packed brown sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ Cups flour
- 1 Teaspoon baking soda
- 2 Teaspoons hot water
- ½ Teaspoon salt* (*only if using unsalted butter)
- 1 Cup semisweet or bitter sweet chocolate chips
- 1 Cup milk chocolate chips
- 1 Cup toffee chips (or a full bag of Heath toffee chips for extra chewy cookies!)


1.Preheat oven to 350°.

2.Cream together butter and all sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs, then vanilla. Dissolve the baking soda in hot water and add to batter with salt. Stir in flour and all chips.

3.Spoon onto ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 12-15 minutes or until edges are browned.

weekend round up

on the menu:
- vegetable pot pie, 
- toffee & chocolate chip cookies 
- tar heel pie with a graham cracker crust.

Apple Streusel Muffins

Apple Streusel Muffins
Originally uploaded by 1001Sweets


The smell of apples and cinnamon on a cool fall day can make anyone smile.

My experience with muffins is that they often turn out dry and bland. These are moist and very sweet! The only thing I would do differently next time is increase the cinnamon in the muffin mix.

Muffin Mix
- 2 Cups all purpose flour
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- Heaping 1/2 Cup light brown sugar
- 1 Large apple
- 2 Eggs
- Generous 1 Cup of milk
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 6 Tbsp sunflower oil or 6 Tbsp cooled, melted butter

Streusel Topping
- Scant 1/2 Cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 Teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 1/2 Tbsp butter, chopped into small pieces
- 2 Tbsp light brown sugar

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12 hole muffin pan with 12 paper liners.

To make the streusel topping, place the flour and cinnamon in a bowl. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the sugar and set aside.

To make the muffins, sift together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar. Peel, core and finely chop the apple. Add to the four mixture and stir together. Place the eggs in a bowl and beat lightly, then beat in the milk, vanilla extract and oil.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the beaten liquid ingredients. Stir gently until just combined; do not overmix! Spoon the batter into the paper liners. Scatter the streusel topping over each muffin.

Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes or until well risen, golden brown and firm to the touch. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then serve warm or transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.