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Friday, September 26, 2014

Trisha Yearwood's Skillet Apple Pie




I'm totally into my fall geekery mode.

I love this season. LOVE it. I'm all about the pumpkin and the apples. I'm headed out this weekend to pick apples, so I thought I'd post this recipe that doesn't use said apples that I will be picking! Ha! What is wrong with me? I'll tell ya what....I'm crazy for apple pie.

Most of you who have read this blog for any amount of time know I have a pie sickness. I love PIE. This pie does not use fresh apples. It uses canned apple pie filling. Yes, I said it. Canned. Pie. Filling. and it's glorious!

So say you used up all the apples you picked and you really want pie. You have a hankering, a craving for pie. You don't have the time to CUT UP APPLES! You just don't. You want some pie and you want it fast. Your troubles are solved. Let me introduce you to this baby.....

SKILLET APPLE PIE.

It's a thing of beauty isn't it? Yes, you need a cast iron skillet to make this. If you don't already own a cast iron skillet and urge you to purchase one. It's the work horse of my kitchen. A 9 inch cast iron, pre-seasoned skillet like this one will run you under $20.

This pie was so good that I almost didn't get a picture of it with the filling showing. My boys were trying to dig into it again. I had to snatch it up and quickly grab a photo.

I cut the amount of butter and brown sugar that was in the original recipe and I didn't add the cinnamon whipped topping that was in the original recipe either. It didn't need it, but I wouldn't stop you from putting a big ole scoop of vanilla ice cream on this.




Trisha Yearwood’s Skillet Apple Pie
adapted from a Trisha Yearwood recipe
Printable recipe
4 tablespoons unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
2 refrigerated rolled pie crusts, such as Pillsbury
One 21-ounce can apple pie filling
2 teaspoons cinnamon sugar
1 tablespoon for melted butter for top.

Preheat the oven to 400.

Melt the 1/2 stick of butter in a 9-inch cast iron skillet. To the melted butter, add the brown sugar and melt them together on medium heat, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat then line the skillet with one of the pie crusts. Pour the apple pie filling over the crust and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of the cinnamon sugar. Use the second pie crust to cover the filling. Brush the top with the 1 tablespoon of the melted butter, then evenly sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon cinnamon sugar on top. Cut vents in the middle of the pie. Bake for 30 - 35  minutes or until golden brown.

Monday, September 22, 2014

Chicken Terrific

Chicken Fantastic

Wow, I've done it again! I've been a slacker with the blog. Sorry! This time I was on vacation. My in-laws visited and we just had the most wonderful time. There stay was too short, but we enjoyed every day of it.

They brought me the most precious gift too. One I want to share with you. More on that in a bit!

I'm so excited that Fall is finally here. It's my most favorite time of year to cook and bake. I'm giddy with all the great recipes I have in store for you all.

First, this casserole. Let me tell you, when I was making this I was thinking to myself..."this doesn't look very good".  I know it was called Chicken Terrific, but it wasn't looking so terrific. It was kinda a goopy and beige looking. I was hoping I just hadn't wasted all these ingredients on something that no one was going to eat. I really had my doubts, but this was really good. I was waiting with anticipation while my crew took their first bites and they all really loved it.

It's throw it all in a bowl and mix it together kind of recipe. If you are against "cream of" soup recipes, then stop right here. There are two can's of "cream of" in this and boxed stuffing mix! Blasphemy! I use them. I know some others poo-poo their noses up at them, but not me. I'm a busy working mom and I'll take shortcuts when I can.

I varied this from the original recipe just a bit. I added more chicken and omitted the water chestnuts, pimento and onions. You can leave them in or take them out or substitute them. This is a very forgiving recipe.

Chicken Fantastic 1

Now back to the great gift I got from my in-laws. My mother-in-law had asked me and my mom for a hand written recipe quite awhile back. She had mentioned something about Flickr books and I honestly thought that I was going to get some kind of a personalized recipe book from her, but what I got was so much more special. I got this:

Cutting board

A beautiful cutting board with my mother's recipe on one side and mine on the other, in our own handwriting! How crazy wonderful is that?

Cutting board 1

It's an instant heirloom I tell ya. Wouldn't this make a terrific gift for Christmas? If you've got old recipes from your mom, or your grand mom wouldn't this be a terrific present to pass down? I just LOVE it! Thank you again Mom! You always pick the best gifts! Here is a link to the store - Sister Specialty Shop.


Chicken Terrific
Original recipe from Cooking with K
Printable recipe
3 cups cooked chicken, diced (I used 4 cups which was the meat from one rotisserie chicken)
1 (6 1/2 oz.) pkg. wild rice
1 (2 oz.) jar pimento, diced (I omitted)
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup minced onion(I omitted)
1 (8 oz.) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped (optional, I omitted)
1 can cream of celery soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 16oz can French green beans, drained
1/2 cup Cheddar cheese, grated

Stuffing Topping
1 box of herb seasoned Stove Top Stuffing
1 stick butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350. Combine all the ingredients and place in a 9 x 13 dish. Top with cheese.

Combine Stuffing and butter, mix thoroughly. Sprinkle on top of the chicken mixture.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until golden brown.