Bewitchin' in the Kitchen

Sorghum Cake

Ingredients

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sorghum molasses

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 cup water, boiling

 

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Grease a 9" x 9" baking pan.

Cream the sugar and butter together.

Add sorghum and mix.

Sift together flour, baking soda and cinnamon in another bowl.

Stir dry ingredients into the creamed mixture.

Stir the boiling water into the batter; it will foam up.

Bake about 45 minutes until done.

Julia tells me she doesn't buy salted butter, so she added 1/4 teaspoon salt. It came out really fluffy, somewhat gooey and very tasty. 

Cherry Pie

Cherry Pie Recipe using Fresh Cherries

• 9" Flaky Double Crust Pie crust (found in freezer section of market)
• 4 1/4 cups fresh cherries, pitted with stems removed
• 1 1/4 cup sugar, more if cherries a very tart
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons butter, cut in small pieces
• 1 Tablespoon milk or cream for brushing the top
• 1 Tablespoon sugar for dusting

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Place bottom pie crust in a 9" pie plate and set aside. Place a moist towel over the top crust dough so it doesn't dry out.

Set pie vent in center of bottom crust, if using a pie vent

In a mixing bowl, mix together pitted cherries, sugar, flour, cinnamon and vanilla extract and pour into pie crust. Dot with butter pieces.

Gently lay top layer of crust over the cherry mixture, poking the top of the pie vent through the top crust or cut dough into strips and weave into a lattice top.

Brush the top pie crust with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

You will need to cut small vents in the center of top crust if you are not using a decorative pie vent, but not necessary if the top crust is a lattice top.  

Place on a lined baking sheet and bake for an hour.

Slice, add ice cream and serve. Enjoy!

Kentucky Derby Pie

Kentucky Derby Pie

Ingredients:

1 cup  sugar
6 Tablespoons plain flour
2 eggs, beaten
1 1/2 cups butter, melted
1 cup pecans, chopped
6 ounces chocolate chips
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla or more to taste
1 unbaked 9" pastry shell


Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Combine sugar and flour, add eggs, butter and vanilla. Gently fold in pecans and chocolate chips, and pour into unbaked pie shell.

Bake for about an hour. And serve warm!

Muscadine Cake

Muscadine Cake

1 box yellow cake mix

1 small box vanilla instant pudding

1/2 cup oil

4 eggs

1 1/4 cup Post Familie muscadine juice

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix all ingredients and pour into a well-greased and floured bundt pan.

Bake for 45-50 minutes, until done.

Cool slightly, then turn out and glaze using 4 Tablespoons muscadine juice and 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar.

Poke holes in the cake and let the glaze soak into the holes.

(Post Familie muscadine juice can be ordered from CLM Services, Leroy and Barbara Mullins, Oxford, MS. 662-234-9595 or email iaclm@olemiss.edu.)

Twinkie Tiramisu

Twinkie Tiramisu

8 Twinkies
1 cup unsweetened brewed coffee
1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1/3 cup sugar
2 (8.75-ounce) packages mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
10 vanilla wafers, crushed

Cut the sponge cakes in half lengthwise and fit the bottom halves into a 7 by 11-inch pan. Drizzle half the coffee over them.

Whip the cream to soft peaks and sweeten it with the sugar. Whisk the mascarpone cheese a bit to loosen it and fold in the whipped cream. Pour half of this mixture over the sponge cakes and spread it out evenly. Make another layer with the tops of the sponge cakes and drizzle them with the remaining coffee.

Mix about 10 drops of food coloring into the remaining cream mixture, enough to make it the same yellow color as the sponge cakes. Spread this evenly over the sponge cakes. Coarsely crush the vanilla wafers and scatter them over the top. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

TIP: If your local grocer doesn't carry mascarpone cheese, simply make your own by combining half ricotta cheese and half whipped cream cheese.

George Duran is a chef and entertainer. Author of Take This Dish and Twist it and host of Ham on the Street and Secret Life of... on Food Network.

Adorable Pink Pig Cupcakes

Ok, so I'm watching my carbs and sticking to my New Year's Resolution to lose weight. This is what I am doing.

Baking is what I am not doing. But that doesn't mean I can't research and report on what others are baking. Like these completely adorable Pink Pig Cupcakes from "Down Home with the Neeley's" on the Food Netowork.

The cake is red velvet and the icing is cream cheese with a bit of red food coloring. The nose is made of half a marshmallow covered in frosting with brown M&M nostrils. The directions call for licorice eyes, but the blogger "Woof Nanny" (woofnanny.blogspot.com) just used cake decorating icing and sour watermelon candies for the ears. Blogger "Slaughterhouse Rules" (slaughterhouserules.blogspot.com) added red licorice lips.

Chattanooga Choo Choo Peanut Butter Pie

Chattanooga Choo Choo Peanut Butter Pie

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 4-oz package cream cheese

1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 and 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup toasted almonds

1 9-inch graham cracker pie crust

Cream Peanut Butter with Cream Cheese until blended. Add Powdered Sugar and mix well. Whip cream until light and stiff and fold into Peanut Butter Mixture with vanilla, reserving a little whipped cream for garnish. Fold in 2/3 of the almonds. Fill crust and top with remaining almonds.

Chill and Serve.

Garnish with dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of chocolate syrup. An Oreo cookie pie crust works great with this recipe, too.

Chattanooga Choo Choo Peanut Butter Pie

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 4-oz package cream cheese

1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar

2 and 1/2 cups heavy cream

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup toasted almonds

1 9-inch graham cracker pie crust

Cream Peanut Butter with Cream Cheese until blended. Add Powdered Sugar and mix well. Whip cream until light and stiff and fold into Peanut Butter Mixture with vanilla, reserving a little whipped cream for garnish. Fold in 2/3 of the almonds. Fill crust and top with remaining almonds.

Chill and Serve.

Garnish with dollop of whipped cream or a drizzle of chocolate syrup. An Oreo cookie pie crust works great with this recipe, too.

Italian Cream Cake

Italian Cream Cake

Cake:

1/2 c butter

1/2 c vegetable oil

2 c sugar

5 eggs, separated

1 c buttermilk

1 tsp baking soda

2 c flour, sifted (all purpose, NOT self rising)

1 tsp vanilla

1 c coconut

1/2 c chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans, I prefer pecans)

Cream butter, oil, and sugar. Add egg yolks one at a time, beating well. Stir baking soda into buttermilk. Add small amounts of flour, alternately with buttermilk, beating well. Add vanilla, coconut, and nuts.

Beat egg whites separately, until stiff. Fold into cake. Bake in a 9x13 pan or 3 8-inch round pans at 325 degrees for 45 minutes (less time if round pans).

** I use 2 9-inch round pans. I think the cake stays moister if it is thicker. Plus it's easier to ice two layers rather than three.

Icing:

Beat together:

8 oz cream cheese

1/2 c butter, softened

1 lb box confectioners sugar

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 c chopped nuts

This recipe was submitted by Mary Hord, founder of Almost Home, horse and large breed dog animal rescue. For more information on Almost Home or to volunteer or make a donation or offer to foster, please check out their website at www.almosthome.org.

SOCK-IT-TO-ME CAKE

SOCK-IT-TO-ME CAKE

1 pkg. butter cake mix

1/2 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup sugar

2 tablespoons brown sugar, or more

3/4 cup vegetable oil

2 tsp. cinnamon, or more

4 eggs

8 oz. sour cream

3 tablespoons orange juice or lemon juice

1 cup confectioners sugar

Combine cake mix, sugar and oil. Mix in eggs. Add sour cream and mix well. Stir in pecans. Pour half of the batter into greased tube pan. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon over batter.

Add remaining batter. Bake at 350 degrees for an hour until cake is done. Cool and glaze with mixture of confectioners sugar and orange juice or lemon juice.

Sparkling Cranberries

Sparkling Cranberries

For the simple syrup, raw cane sugar or real brown sugar lends a nice molasses flavor to the cranberries, but regular granulated sugar (or a blend of brown/white) will work.

2 cups cranberries, picked over

2 cups water

2 cups sugar

More sugar for coating: I do a mix of medium-grained organic sugar for the first coating, and then a second toss with regular granulated white sugar. You don't want a huge grain for that first toss, just something larger than standard sugar, smaller than most turbinado sugars. You can sort of see the different grain sizes in the third photo in the main write-up.

Place the cranberries in a medium glass bowl and set aside.
Make a simple syrup by bringing the water and sugar just to a simmer in a medium saucepan. Let the syrup cool for a couple minutes and then pour it over the cranberries. If the syrup is too hot the cranberries will burst, so be careful. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, drain the cranberries and toss them with larger grained sugar until they are well coated. I only use a scoop of sugar at a time, and small batches of cranberries, so the sugar doesn't get too damp. Place the coated cranberries on a baking sheet to dry for a few hours.

Do a second toss with the regular granulated sugar, this typically takes care of any sticky spots on the cranberries. Let dry another hour.

Makes 2 cups of sparkling cranberries

Boiled Custard

Boiled Custard

1 qt. whole milk

4 eggs

6 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

Heat the milk until just below the boiling point.

Beat eggs and sugar in a bowl.

Pour scalding milk over this mixture and stir quickly and thoroughly.

Return at once to a double boiler (cook over hot water) and cook until slightly thickened.

Cool by placing over cold water. Add vanilla when cold.

HINT: Should the custard curdle, remove from heat. Beat steadily and strain through a sieve.

Egg Nog

Same as above, but add bourbon or rum, to taste.

Spice it up with nutmeg and cinnamon.

<strong>Of course you can always get creative and add one or more stir-ins:</strong>

Chocolate curls 

Maraschino cherries
 
Cinnamon sticks
 
Orange slices
 
Extracts or flavorings 

Peppermint sticks or candy canes
 
Flavored brandy

Plain brandy, rum or whiskey
 
Fruit juice or nectar

Sherbet or ice cream 

Ground nutmeg 

Whipping cream, whipped

Homemade Marshmallows

Homemade Marshmallows  

Adapted from two recipes... Alton Brown and Martha Stewart

3 packages unflavored gelatin

1 cup ice cold water, divided

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

Nonstick spray

Directions

Place the gelatin into the bowl of a stand mixer along with 1/2 cup of the water. Have the whisk attachment standing by.

In a small saucepan combine the remaining 1/2 cup water, granulated sugar, corn syrup and salt. Place over medium high heat, cover and allow to cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Uncover, clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan and continue to cook until the mixture reaches 240 degrees F, approximately 7 to 8 minutes. Once the mixture reaches this temperature, immediately remove from the heat.

Turn the mixer on low speed and, while running, slowly pour the sugar syrup down the side of the bowl into the gelatin mixture. Once you have added all of the syrup, increase the speed to high. Continue to whip until the mixture becomes very thick and is lukewarm, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the vanilla during the last minute of whipping.

While the mixture is whipping prepare the pans as follows:

Combine the confectioners' sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl. Lightly spray a 13 by 9-inch metal baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Add the sugar and cornstarch mixture and move around to completely coat the bottom and sides of the pan. Return the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to the bowl for later use.

When ready, pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared pan, using a lightly oiled spatula for spreading evenly into the pan. Dust the top with enough of the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture to lightly cover. Reserve the remaining sugar and cornstarch mixture for later. Allow the marshmallows to sit uncovered for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.

Turn the marshmallows out onto a cutting board and cut into 1-inch squares using a pizza wheel dusted with the confectioners' sugar mixture or poultry shears which I love to call Chicken Scissors. Martha suggests using cookie cutters and cutting marshmellows in the shape of bells or Christmas trees, but it would take very small cookie cutters*. Once cut, lightly dust all sides of each marshmallow with the remaining suar and cornstarch mixture, using additional sugar if necessary, even colored sugar for added festiveness.

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 weeks.

* I noticed Wal-mart has what looks like molded baking sheets for making 3 dimensional cookies. I wonder if it would work for making homemade marshmallows? I feel another project in my future.

Spiced Apple Cake

Spiced Apple Cake Mix

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. powdered vanilla

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1/2 cup golden raisins

Combine and blend ingredients in a medium bowl. Store in an airtight container.
Attach this to the Jar

Spiced Apple Cake

Serves 8 to 10
1 Jar Apple Spice Mix
1 1/2 cups canola oil
3 large eggs
3 cups chopped apples

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees . Grease a tube or Bundt pan. Place the Spiced Apple Cake Mix into a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center of the Mix; add the oil, eggs, and apples. Stir until mixture is smooth. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 1 hour & 10 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool; remove from the cake pan.

Gingerbread Tea Cake

Gingerbread Tea Cake

Adapted from In the Kitchen class at the Brentwood Library, Maria Sochor, instructor

 

2 cups flour

 

1/2 cup sugar

 

1 tsp. baking powder

 

3/4 tsp. baking soda

 

3/4 tsp. baking powder

 

1/4 tsp. ground ginger

 

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

 

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

 

Combine ingredients in a quart-size Ziplock bag. Set bag in a nonstick loaf pan and wrap with ribbon, tying a cinnamon stick into the ribbon bow. 

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a loaf pan. Pour contents of jar into a medium bowl. Stir in 1/3 cup vegetable/canola oil or applesauce, 1 1/2 cups milk (can use cider instead), 1 tablespoon molasses, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract. Beat by hand until barely mixed, about 15 strokes. Batter should be barely pourable; add additional milk if necessary. Spoon batter into loaf pan and bake until lightly browned, about 45 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes in pan, then remove and transfer tea cake to cooling rack. 

Oh, Bring us some Figgy Pudding

Figgy Pudding, aka Plum Pudding

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

2 eggs

1 cup molasses

2 cups dried figs (about 1 pound), stems removed, chopped fine

1/2 teaspoon grated lemon peel

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Optional:
Whipped cream with a little vanilla and sugar whipped in for a delicious topping or ice cream.

1/3 cup warmed Brandy, pour on top and flame the pudding.

Preparation:

In an electric mixer, cream the butter until fluffy. Add the eggs and molasses and beat again. Add the figs, lemon peel, buttermilk and walnuts. Blend 1 minute. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Blend until everything is incorporated.

Grease and flour a Bundt pan and pour in the batter. Bake in a 325-degree oven for 1 hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

If you would like to steam the cake in the traditional way, allow a couple of hours extra. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and seal the pan tightly with aluminum foil. There is actually a mold with fitted lid manufactured for this very purpose and I see them often in antique stores. I don’t think they are still in production. The aluminum foil method is easier, cheaper and makes for less mess to clean up.

Set the pan into the stock pot and fill the pot with enough hot water to come one-half to two-thirds of the way up the sides of the baking pan. Bring the water to a boil, then cover the pot tightly with foil and the lid.

Lower the heat so that the water simmers gently, and steam the pudding for 2 hours. (Check to make sure that the water level isn't getting too low; fill with more water, if necessary.) Carefully remove the foil sealing the pot — open the foil away from you to protect your arms and face — and then take off the foil covering the pan. To test that the pudding is done, stick a skewer or thin knife into the center of the pudding — the skewer or knife should come out dry.

To remove the pudding from the pan (a tricky operation), I find it easiest to carefully empty the water into the sink, and then carefully ease the baking pan out on its side. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the pudding cool for 5 minutes. Detach the pudding from the sides of the pan using a kitchen knife, if necessary, gently invert it onto the rack. Allow the pudding to cool for 30 minutes.

If you'd like to flame the pudding, warm 1/3 cup of brandy in a saucepan over medium heat. Pour the warm liquid over the top of the pudding, and then, taking every precaution, set a match to the alcohol. When the flames die out, cut the pudding into generous pieces and garnish with the whipped cream or ice cream.

Yield: 12 servings

Recipe Source: The Frugal Gourmet Celebrates Christmas by Jeff Smith

It's Chess Pie

Chess Pie by Berniece Rochelle, aka Great Aunt Pete (no explanation given)

1 cup white sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 tbsp flour

1 tbsp corn meal

2 eggs

1/4 cup sweet milk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 stick butter, melted

Mix all the ingredients and pour into an uncooked pie crust and bake at 360 degrees for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Chess pie by Dorothy Ann Sanders

1 1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup butter

3 eggs

1 tbsp corn meal

1 tsp vinegar

1 tsp vanilla

Mix and bake in unbaked pie shell at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or til done.

One pie is lighter and spongier, where the other is denser and richer. I couldn't make up my mind and had to make both. After all, you can never have too much Chess Pie.

Sweet Potato Ice Cream

Sweet Potato Ice Cream

1 cup peeled, cooked, and mashed sweet potato

1½ cup half and half

1½ cup sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup whipping cream

  
Boil sweet potatoes until fork tender, drain, cool, peel, mash, set aside.

In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together milk, sugar, and eggs. Stir constantly for about 10 minutes (the mixture will start to thicken, but do not let it brown at all).

Remove from heat and whisk in sweet potato, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Chill mixture in the refrigerator, then churn in an ice cream maker according to directions. Enjoy immediately or chill in freezer overnight for firmer ice cream.

Makes about 1 quart.

Substitute Pumpkin for Sweet Potato...

Take one small pumpkin, pierce it a couple of times with a fork to allow steam to escape while baking, and place in a baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 90 minutes, until fork tender.

When it is done, peel back the skin and scoop the cooked pumpkin into a bowl, discarding strings and seeds. You can either dice the cooked pumpkin into small pieces with a chef’s knife to leave chunks in your ice cream or puree it with a food processor for a smooth texture.

***This recipe was modified from a recipe located on the website of Mary Janes Farm, www.maryjanesfarm.org.

Sweet Potato Pie

Sweet Potato Pie

6 cups cooked and mashed sweet potatoes 

1 pound butter

6 eggs

3 cups brown sugar

½ teaspoon salt

1 tablespoon ground ginger

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoon ground nutmeg

1 ½ cups evaporated milk

1 cup white sugar

Sweet Pie Dough, Recipe to follow

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a mixing bowl, combine sweet potatoes, butter, egg yolks, brown sugar, salt, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, and evaporated milk. Mix well.

Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form, add sugar and fold into sweet potato mixture.

Pour into pie shell and back at 400 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until firm.

Makes 3 pies

Sweet Pie Dough

1 box of Yellow Cake Mix

¾ cup sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 ½ cup plain flour

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon water

1 stick of butter, softened

Mix all ingredients together in a large bowl. Dough will be sticky and soft. Firm in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before rolling into crusts.

Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees before filling with Sweet Potato mixture.

Batter is good in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 6 months, if stored correctly.

Recipe makes three 9” crusts for both top and bottom. Sweet Potato pies only needs the bottom crust, so you could make 6 pies from this recipe. 

Baked Apples with Custard Sauce

Baked Apples with Custard Sauce

6 apples, such as McIntosh or Rome Beauty

1 cup light brown sugar

4 Tablespoons unsalted butter

½ cup water

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon freshly grated lemon zest

½ cup walnuts

½ cup dried apples, chopped

Custard Sauce

4 egg yolks

2 cups milk

¼ cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 Tablespoons brandy, apple brandy preferred

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Peel the top quarter of each apple, leaving the stem in tact. Then slice off the top quarter you just peeled, and set aside.  Core the apples, but leave the base intact.

Over medium heat, combine half the brown sugar, half the butter, water, half the cinnamon, and lemon zest in a small pan and bring to a boil, dissolving the sugar.  Remove from heat and set aside.

Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast until lightly golden and fragrant, 5 minutes max. Cool, coarsely chop and add to a bowl with dried apples, remaining half of brown sugar, remaining half of the cinnamon, and remaining half of butter.  Mix well and stuff inside cored apples, replacing tops.

Arrange apples in a 2 quart baking dish and pour syrup over them. Cover and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, baste with juices and bake additional 15 minutes.

Meanwhile in a bowl whisk egg yolks until blended.

In saucepan over medium-high heat, combine milk and granulated sugar and heat until sugar dissolves. Slowly whisk milk mixture into egg yolks. Pour mixture back into pan and return to medium heat. Stir constantly until mixture thickens to sauce consistency. Stir in vanilla and brandy. Strain into a pitcher through a fine seive, cover and refrigerate.

Remove cover from baking apples and broil in the oven for about a minute until lightly golden.

To serve, spoon the sauce onto individual plates and place an apple in the center.

***If you would like to save time on the sauce, simply melt 3 heaping scoops of premium vanilla ice cream and whisk in brandy and pour in your favorite pitcher. Cover and refrigerate until time for use.

Buttermilk Pie

Buttermilk Pie

1/3 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

3 egg yokes, beaten

3 Tablespoons flour

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 ½ cups buttermilk

3 egg whites, stiffly beaten into a meringue

1 unbaked 9 inch pie crust

Divide egg yokes from whites. Beat egg whites into a stiff meringue. Set aside.

Cream butter and sugar.

Add egg yolks and beat well.

Zest lemon.

Juice lemon.

Add flour, salt, lemon juice, zest, and mix thoroughly.

Add buttermilk.

Fold in beaten egg whites and pour into crust.

Bake for 10 minutes at 450 degrees.

Reduce heat to 350 degrees and continue baking for 40 more minutes.

You can make your own crust, but I used a ready made shortbread crust. Delish!

Funnel Cake

Funnel Cake

In a deep skillet, heat about an inch of oil until hot. You may want to test the heat because if it's not hot enough the only thing that will happen is you have a big mess. Don't get in a hurry. To test, spoon in a tiny bit of batter and see if it sizzles and fries immediately without smoking... smoking means it's too hot, no sizzle means its not hot enough.

Beat an egg and about 2/3 cup milk. Mix dry ingredients in a big bowl and slowly add egg mixture, beating until smooth; dry ingredients being 2 Tablespoons sugar, 1 and 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 teaspoon baking powder.

Using a funnel or the snipped off corner of a large freezer bag, allow batter to stream into hot oil in a web or daisy pattern. Start in the middle and work outward until you hit the size you like...I prefer the size of a saucer for easier handling, but most are the size of a salad plate.

Cook until brown, usually 2-3 minutes. Batter will fluff and turn golden and crispy.

Remove from oil and drain on a paper plate with a paper napkin in the center.

Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Stewed Fruit Fried Pies

Fried Pies

Biscuit Dough

1 cup Stewed Dried Fruit

Powdered sugar

Fat for frying

Prepare biscuit dough as directed and pat out to 3/4 inch thickness. Cut into 2-inch rounds. Roll each round out thinly to a 5-inch diameter. Put a heaping tablespoon of filling in the center. Moisten the edges and fold over to form a half circle and press the edges together with a fork.

Fry up in a heavy skillet in a small amount of oil or lard over medium heat. Brown on each side for approximately 3 minutes per side.

Drain on paper, sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve immediately. Most people just grab one and run. However you can serve on a plate with whipped cream or ice cream, though I've never seen it done this way.

Makes about 12 pies.

Stewed Dried Fruit Filling

4 ounces of fruit... Peaches, Apricots, Apples, Pears

3 cups of water

1/4 cup sugar

2 teaspoons butter

Cook fruit in water for 45 minutes over low heat, covered, until fruit is completely tender. Drain, mash, and season to taste. Start with sugar and butter. Get creative and add whatever fresh or dried spices sound good... cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, lemon juice.

Sweet Tea Pie

Crust

3 ounces cream cheese, softened

1 sticks unsalted butter, softened

1-1/4 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour

Filling

2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 cups sugar

8 large egg yolks

3/4 cup strong steeped orange pekoe tea, cooled (I used Luzianne)

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour

1-1/2 teaspoons cornmeal

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To make crust:

Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese and butter until combined. Add flour, mix until dough forms a ball. Pat dough into 9-inch pie pan.

Chill until ready for use, meanwhile preparing the filling.

To prepare filling:

Using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium til light. Add yolks one at a time, beating on low after each addition. Slowly add the tea, zest and lemon juice.

Scrape down bowl. Add flour, cornmeal, salt and mix well.

Pour into crust and bake for 50 to 55 minutes until set. Cool completely on a wire rack, and then chill for 2 hours in refrigerator.

Yields one 9-inch pie.

When serving, garnish with candied lemon peel, sweetened whip cream and fresh mint.

Candied Lemon Peel Garnish

To candy lemon peel, boil strips of lemon peel in 1/2 cup light corn syrup combined with 1/4 cup sugar and 1 cup water until translucent, about 8-10 minutes. Remove from syrup and rinse in warm water. Toss in granulated sugar and dry on waxed paper.

Pinto Bean Cake

Pinto Bean Cake

Bundt pan, greased and floured

2 cups raisins

2 cups finely chopped green apple

¼ cup scuppernong or muscadine wine, reserve remaining wine to enjoy with cake

½ cup softened butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 ½ cup cooked, drained, pureed pinto beans (or mashed sweet potatoes)

1 ½ cup flour

¾ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon powdered all-spice

½ cup chopped pecans

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Toss the raisins and apple together with the wine and set aside.

Cream butter with sugar. Beat in the egg and add bean puree slowly. Sift flour, salt, soda, and spices together and lightly fold into batter. Stir in pecans, fruit in wine, and vanilla.

Pour into the bundt pan and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees, until golden and sides pull away from the pan. Cool 15 minutes on a wire rack and invert to turn out.  Slice and serve.

Homemade Vanilla Extract
To make your own vanilla extract, rub two vanilla beans with the dull edge of a knife to evenly distribute the seeds, then cut the beans in half lengthwise, and place in a bottle of vodka or some other kind of liquor. Seal the bottle, and set in a cool, dark place for four to six months, shaking occasionally, until the flavor of the extract has mellowed. The clear vodka will turn a nice deep brown. When the extract is ready to be used, clean and sterilize several small bottles with screw-on lids, and fill with the homemade extract.