Knowing
- Intros—Welcome, Jay!
- Thanks and listener mail
- Why we cook
Reading
- Food in the Bible
- Hospitality as Christian virtue
- The first Thanksgiving: Myth and fact
Passing On
Recipes
Squash Apple Bake
2 lbs butternut squash, peeled and sliced into rings/circles (or just cubed)
2 cooking apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into rings (or just cubed)
1/2 c. brown sugar
1 T. flour
1/4c. melted butter (or margarine)
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/8-1/4 t. salt
Layer squash in ungreased casserole. Layer apples on top of squash. Mix brown sugar, flour, butter, cinnamon, and salt and drizzle over squash and apples. Cover and bake at 350 50-60 minutes or until squash is tender. OR just microwave on high 20 minutes.
NOTE: The layered rings look nice, but it can sometimes be difficult to determine when the squash is done, so I’ve switched over to just cubing the squash and apples and mixing it up–everything cooks up more evenly that way, plus it’s easier to serve.
The Eldreds’ Apple Pie
This recipe makes one nine-inch apple pie. Number of servings will vary depending on appetite.
Filling
Ingredients:
6-9 large tart apples peeled, cored, and sliced.
If you have one, a peeler/corer/slicer is extremely useful, simply run the apple through and then cut into quarters.
You may need to adjust the number of apples based on their size or the size of the dish.
Experiment with multiple varieties; I use Granny Smith and two “secret” varieties.
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg (optional; to taste)
To Make:
Mix all together in a large covered container, shaking until the apple slices are evenly coated.
Adjust sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg to taste; if using juicy apples, more flour may be necessary.
Set in refrigerator while making the crust.
Crust
Ingredients:
2/3 cup lard or other shortening (I sometimes substitute butter flavored Crisco)
2 cups all-purpose unbleached flour
1 tsp kosher salt
5 tsp ice water
To Make:
Mix everything except the water until crumbly – don’t be afraid to use your hands!
Add ice water – the colder the better
Mix into a ball
Divide into two parts, gently forming two balls, and let rest for several minutes
Assembly
Flatten one ball on a flat, floured rolling area and roll from center to edges.
When the crust is about half the size of the pie pan, gently turn the crust over and gently finish rolling.
Tip: If you have trouble lifting your crust from the rolling area, use a thin spatula or turner to help lift it onto the rolling pin.
Use rolling pin to transfer crust from rolling area to pie pan, centering the crust as much as possible.
Gently press the crust to the pie pan, pinching together any cracks or tears; use “extra” crust to repair any holes that may develop during transfer.
Roll out the second ball in the same manner, leaving it on the rolling area for the time being.
Remove filling from refrigerator and fill the pie in an even manner, avoiding any large gaps.
Transfer the top crust from the rolling area to the pie pan, centering it as before.
Seal the edges by pressing the two crusts together with a fork.
Stab top crust several times with a fork or sharp knife to allow steam to escape.
Melt an amount of butter and drizzle over top crust, then sprinkle with sugar.
Baking
Heat oven to 400o
Bake for 50 minutes, turning halfway through.
Note: pies larger than 9 inches may require between 4 and 10 minutes of additional baking time.
Keep an eye on the pie – the goal here is evenly browned edges.
Refrigerate for one day, allowing the pie to set.
Of course, you can always eat it warm and runny. Taste is subjective, after all.
Eating
Serve cold or reheat in microwave for twenty seconds or until desired warmness is achieved; pairs well with coffee and vanilla ice cream.
Sausage Cornbread Dressing
1 8-in cake pan cornbread, prepared
1 lb bulk sausage
1 sleeve Saltines
1 medium onion, diced
1 cup celery, diced
7c. chicken stock
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. sage
1 tbsp poultry seasoning
5 eggs beaten
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine crumbled cornbread and crushed Saltines. Set aside. Brown sausage in large skillet. Drain and reserve fat. Add sausage to cornbread mixture in bowl. Cook celery and onion in pork fat until soft; add to bowl. Add spices, stock and eggs. Mix well. Pour mixture into greased 9×13 Pyrex dish and bake about 45 mins, until set.