How to Make Pie Crust

I used this pie crust for a bacon potato torte and seriously if you haven't tried it yet, please do, it is SOOO delicious!

So pretty much I have been Obsessed with pie crust lately! I just love the flaky texture that seems to make anything you put with it better! The recipe I use I got from here and I love it, it is so easy!

Pie Crust

2 1/4 cup flour

1 tsp salt

2 sticks (1 cup) butter, chilled and cubed

8-10 TBS ice water

Mix the flour and salt, using a pastry blender cut in the butter, until it looks like coarse crumbs.

Get a cup of ice water, mix it into the flour mixture two tablespoons at a time until it all comes together to form a dough.

You want it just to the point where it all sticks together and doesn't fall apart when you form it into a ball.

Form into 2 balls (one for a top crust and one for the bottom crust) wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes

Then roll it out on a lightly floured surface.

Then use it for something SWEET! (I used my extra pieces and put some cinnamon sugar on it and baked them up... it was a nice simple treat!

Or something Savory! YUM!

Put bottom crust into the pie plate, add the filling, then cover with the top crust, crimping the edges closed. Cut slits in the top crust to allow steam to escape. Also brush some egg wash on for a little extra crisp and golden color (can be whole egg with a little water or milk added or just yolk and water, white and milk... I'm still learning but it doesn't make any HUGE difference :)!)

Pan Fried Zucchini

I LOVE Zucchini!! For a while I couldn't even think about it, because when I first got pregnant with Olivia I was craving deep fried zucchini. We got the official confirmation that I was indeed pregnant and went to Olive Garden to celebrate (Here they still have a smoking section in Olive Garden!! REALLY PEOPLE?? We should have just left because it stunk so bad!!) :) BUT I had to have my deep fried zucchini, I got SO sick and my whole pregnancy just the thought of it would make me sick!! It was awful!!! Now that I have turned your stomach... make this, you'll love your zucchini this way!! :) haha

Pan Fried Zucchini

butter

salt

pepper

zucchini

Cut your zucchini into slices. In a frying pan melt some butter over medium heat and salt and pepper the butter quite a bit. Lay the zucchini in the butter, cooking one layer at a time. Cook for 2 minutes or so on each side, until the zucchini is soft and is a little browned. Just put a little bit of butter in before each new "batch".

Simple yet very satisfying!!! :)

Corn Bread

This turned out really good! I usually just use the Jiffy corn muffin mix and add some sugar to it but since I didn't have any I thought I'd try it from scratch!

I got this recipe from here but I switched the amount of the flour and cornmeal so it would be less cake like and more corn bread-like.

Corn Bread

2/3 cup butter

1 cup sugar

3 eggs

1 2/3 cups milk

1/2 cup flour

2 cups corn meal

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and sugar. In a separate bowl combine the eggs and milk. And in yet another bowl combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Alternating add some of the dry mixture to the butter then the wet mixture, little at a time until it is all mixed in. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 22-27 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm with butter!

Sugar Cookie, Candy Pizza

Sadly I didn't get a picture with all of the toppings on because I brought it to an activity for girls to assemble themselves.
I am a leader for Activity Girls in my ward at church and I was in charge of bringing the treat. (I am always very quick to volunteer for bringing treat :) ) I decided to make 2 soft sugar cookies in my tart pan, bring some vanilla frosting for them to spread on and then some kit-kats, reese's, and mini m&ms for the toppings... YUM!

I got the recipe out of my Taste of Home cook book and the only thing I changes was I took out the almond extract and added 1/4 tsp extra of vanilla extract.

Soft Sugar Cookies

1 cup butter

3/4 cup sugar

2 eggs

1 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

1 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

Toppings

vanilla frosting

Kit-Kats, cut into small pieces

Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, cut into small pieces

Mini M&M's

(whatever you like best!)

Cream the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Combine flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Gradually add the the creamed butter mixture. I used my tart pan that has a removable bottom and it worked great because I think it would be hard to get out otherwise, if you don't have one I'd suggest using a pizza pan that has a small lip and just serve it in the pan (if you use the pizza pan it'd probably just make one really big cookie instead of 2 medium sized ones like I made.). Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

Spread with frosting and top with candy!

Raspberry Cream Cheese Bites

These were not as easy to make as I thought they would be but they were definitely delicious! I got the idea from this raspberry cream cheese braid recipe and these pizza bites.

Just use a bread recipe or you can use the bread from the raspberry cream cheese braid for the dough, I used my roll recipe.

Dough

3/4 cup water, warm

1/2 TBS yeast

1 TBS sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 cups flour

Filling

the measurements are a little weird because I halved the recipe for it because it makes a lot!

1/2 package cream cheese (4 oz)

1/2 egg

1/4 cup sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/16 tsp salt

1/4 cup raspberry jam

Glaze

1/2 + 1/8 cup powdered sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 TBS milk

Make the dough. Mix the warm water, yeast and sugar, then add the salt and flour. Let it rest while you make the filling. Soften the cream cheese and mix it with the sugar, egg, vanilla, and salt. Break your dough into small pieces, about 1/3 of the size you would make for a roll. Flatten each piece, not too thin or the filling will ooze out. Put a little bit of the cream cheese filling and a little bit of raspberry jam into each piece of dough and fold it around the filling and seal it. Put it into a 9 inch round cake pan seam side down, each pan should fit about 24 pieces. Bake at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Mix the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk and drizzle the glaze over the raspberry cream cheese bites! They were very yummy! Just a different way of serving the delicious raspberry cream cheese combo! YUM!!

Garlic Bread

So... you know that garlic bread that you can get at walmart for like 1.50 that is smothered in butter on both sides??? I have a confession to make... I LOVE that garlic bread! All of that crispy buttery goodness!! Well I decided to try to make it from scratch!! I was very happy with the results!! I was so proud that it looked just like it and my hubby even said it tasted better... so sweet! :)
I used this french bread recipe.

Garlic Bread

french bread

BUTTER :)

Italian seasoning

garlic salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice bread however thick you like. Butter both sides. Sprinkle both sides with garlic salt and Italian seasoning. Bake for 5 minutes on each side or until crispy and golden brown on each side. (I also put a little butter all around the crust just for good measure!! :) )