Thursday, April 29, 2010

Pan-Seared Scallops on Linguine with Tomato-Cream Sauce

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Pan-Seared Scallops on Linguine with Tomato-Cream Sauce
From Cooking Light
Serves 2

1 C dry white wine
1/4 C minced shallots
2 T fresh lime juice
1 T grated peeled fresh ginger
2 T whipping cream
1 T butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 C chopped seeded plum tomato
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 t salt
1/8 t black pepper
1 1/2 C hot cooked linguine
Cooking spray
3/4 pound large sea scallops
1/8 t salt
Chopped cilantro

Combine first 4 ingredients in a medium skillet, bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/2 C (about 5 minutes). Drain mixture through a fine sieve into a bowl, reserving liquid; discard solids

Return wine mixture to skillet. Add cream; cook over medium heat 1 minute. Add butter, stirring until butter melts. Stir in tomato, 2 tablespoons cilantro, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and pepper. Add linguine; toss well. Cover and keep warm.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Sprinkle scallops with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Arrange scallops in pan; cook 2 minutes on each side or until done. Add scallops to pasta mixture; toss gently to combine. Garnish with cilantro, if desired.

**Notes from Em**
To get a good sear on scallops make sure you pat them dry. Once you think they're dry, pat them again. Seriously. They hold a lot of water and if you don't get it out, they will boil/steam rather than sear.

The sauce is really pretty runny. I added an extra 1-2 tablespoons of cream to help thicken it up.

If you don't like scallops, this recipe is fantastic on salmon, shrimp, tilapia etc.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

Harvard Beets

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Growing up my mom would make pork roast, parmesan potatoes, and Harvard beets fairly often for Sunday dinner. I was too afraid to try the beets because I was a picky child and beets were a scary vegetable. I've since come to appreciate how yummy they can be.

From Jean Patterson
Serves 4-6

1/2 C sugar
1 T corn starch
1/4 C white vinegar
1/4 C beet juice from can (add water to get full amount if needed)
1 can of beets (sliced or diced)

In a small sauce pan combine sugar and cornstarch, mix until well combined. Slowly add vinegar and beet juice/water. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until thickened. Add beets and return to a boil.

Thursday, April 22, 2010

Steak, Sweet Potatoes, and Wild Rice Pilaf

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My husbands birthday was yesterday, and as I expected he requested to have steak for dinner. He would be content with eating just a steak, but my stomach needs something more than just meat. So here's the meal that I put together for us, and his parents.

Ribeye Steak
White and Wild Rice Pilaf
Spinach Salad
Baked Sweet Potato
Chocolate Satin Pie

For the sweet potato bake at 450 F for 45. When they're done, slice it open lengthwise and top it with a little butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.

Tuesday, April 20, 2010

Spinach & Mushroom Calzones

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Spinach & Mushroom Calzones
Makes 4 Calzones


1 (10-ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups spinach leaves
1/4 C red onion, diced
1 package cremini mushrooms
1/4 C ricotta cheese
1 small can of beets, diced
Fresh basil, thinly sliced
1/4 C Zesty Italian Dressing

Unroll dough onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; using a pizza cutter, cut into 4 quarters. Sprinkle garlic, onion and beets evenly over dough rectangles. Drop a few small dollops of Ricotta cheese on top of the onions, garlic, and beets. Top with mushrooms, spinach, and basil. Bring 2 opposite corner to center, pinching points to seal. Bring remaining 2 corners to center pinching all points together to seal. Bake at 425F for 12 minutes or until golden. Drizzle with Italian dressing and serve warm.

**Notes from Em**
This is something that I'm sort of developing on my own, after being inspired by a couple of other recipes. It's kind of a work in progress. We didn't LOVE it as the recipe above is done, but it definitely has potential. You might want to put a creamy marinara or something with it. If I do it again I'll re-post it with its modifications.

One of those

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I KNOW! I haven't posted anything in a while, but I promise there are some really tasty recipe's coming up, I just need to try them myself before I tell you that they're fantastically awesome. It's just been one of those weeks...or couple of weeks. Ya know? I'm not going to complain, but I am going to blame my lack of cooking lately on my body suddenly feeling VERY pregnant. But here's a sneak peek of the recipe's that are coming up soon.

* Baked Lemon Pudding
* Spinach and Mushroom Calzones
* Harvard Beets
* Pan-Seared Scallops on Linguine
* Baked French Toast Casserole

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Homemade Oreo Cookies

2 comments
From Rochelle Fee
Makes about 20 finished cookies

1 box German chocolate cake mix
2 eggs
3/4 C butter, cut into small pieces
1 container cream cheese frosting

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Place dry cake mix into a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry cutter, combine butter with cake mix. Add eggs one at a time and mix well.

Once combined, roll dough into 1 inch balls and lace on a baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are firm and look dry. Remove baking sheet and allow to cool for 3 minutes. Transfer cookies to cooling rack and allow to cool completely. Frost one half of the cookies, then top with an unfrosted cookie.

Hollandaise Sauce

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Somehow, growing up, this sauce became MY sauce. Whenever we needed it for dinner, I was always assigned to make it. It comes from an ancient copy of Fannie Farmer's cook book. I don't think this particular book has a cover anymore, it's got all sorts of stains on it, and it's been well loved for a very long time.

Hollandaise Sauce
Makes 8 servings

3 egg yolks
2 T lemon juice
1/2 C butter, melted
2 T hot water
1/4 t salt
Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)

Place a small sauce pan on low heat or over a double boiler. Add egg yolks and beat until smooth but not fluffy. Add remaining ingredients. Stir constantly until sauce begins to thicken. Sauce will continue to thicken as it cools.

**Notes from Em**
If your sauce "breaks" (gets clumpy and curdled looking), add hot water 1/2 T at a time and whisk until it becomes smooth again.

Lemon & Herb Rice

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This rice recipe went with a chicken recipe that I really didn't like. But the rice is really good! So have some fun with it. It's good cooked like this, or with just bits and pieces of the herbs in there. I think I've only put the mint in it once, but I've made the rest of it several times.
 Lemon and Herb Rice
From Eating for Life
Serves 4

4 portions brown rice or bulgur wheat
Juice from 2 lemons
1 C fresh parsley, chopped
1/2 C fresh mint leaves, chopped
4 green onions, sliced
1 Roma tomato, diced
1 T olive oil
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/4 t salt

Prepare rice according to its package directions.

Once rice is fully cooked, add remaining ingredients; stir to combine. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes.

Thursday, April 8, 2010

Shauna Millet Meatballs

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Don't be thrown off by how weird these sound based on the ingredients. They're FANTASTIC little meatballs. My toddler, who is very picky about eating meat, had 8 of them for dinner last night, and 5 more for lunch today. Yes, they're that good.

1 bag frozen meatballs (about 80)
12 oz grape jelly
12 oz chili sauce
1 T lemon juice
1 T brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375. Spread meatballs in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

While meatballs are in the oven, combine remaining ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil; reduce to simmer.

Remove meatballs from oven and add to sauce. Toss until well coated and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.

**Notes from Em**
These are great for wedding and baby shower type snacks. Make them in a crock pot and serve them with toothpicks.

Mom's Chili Sauce

1 comments
Ok, I don't know what you're really going to want this recipe for, other than the meatball recipe that you need the sauce for. The sauce is really good though, kind of like a sweet bbq sauce. It would be really good on ribs. You'll also need to know something about canning in order to make this recipe, unless you just cut it down and make a small amount of sauce for whatever you're using it for.

2 dozen ripe tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or pureed
3 small green bell peppers, chopped
1 onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 C sugar
1 t chili powder
2 C vinegar
1 T salt
1 t ground cloves
1 t ground ginger
1 t allspice
1 t cinnamon

Place tomatoes, peppers, onion, sugar and chili powder in a large pot. Bring to a boil stirring constantly.

Add remaining ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring frequently to prevent scorching, for 3-4 hours until thick.

Ladle hot sauce into hot pint jars, leaving 1/4 inc head space. Adjust two piece caps. Process 20 minutes in a boiling-water canner. Makes about 6 pints.

Tuesday, April 6, 2010

Beef and Seven Vegetables

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I know I know, you're thinking "who needs a recipe for stir fry?". If you're like me you usually just get a bunch of vegetables, some meat, and buy some Stir Fry Sauce. The nice thing about this recipe is that you get to make your own sauce, which will save you a couple bucks that you can use on buying something more healthy than processed, preservative filled sauce.

From Lion House Classics
Serves 8

1 T cooking oil
3 C sliced cooked roast beef, or 1 1/2 lbs fresh lean beef, cut into strips
2 1/2 C carrots, cut in thin slices
1 1/2 C sliced green pepper
1 1/2 C sliced onion
2 1/2 C slant-cut celery
1 can (about 4 oz) bamboo shoots, drained
4 C beef stock
1/2 -3/4 C soy sauce
3 T cornstarch in 1/4 C cold water
15 cherry tomatoes
1 C fresh or frozen snow peas, or broccoli florets
Cooked rice or Chinese noodles.

Heat oil in frying pan. Add beef and brown lightly; remove meat. Add carrots and green pepper to pan; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add onions and celery; stir-fry for 1 minute. Add bamboo shoots. Remove vegetables and keep warm. Vegetables should remain crisp.

In heavy pot, bring soup stock and soy sauce to a gentle boil; thicken with cornstarch-water mixture. Add tomatoes, snow peas or broccoli, stir-fried vegetables, and meat; heat gently. Serve over rice or Chinese noodles.

**Notes From Em**
I had a LOT of trouble getting the sauce to thicken with the amounts of corn starch listed in the recipe. I think it took more like 8 T total for me to get it as thick as I wanted. The only other thing that I'd change up on this recipe is the tomatoes. Don't get me wrong, I'm a fan of tomatoes (ok, I'm learning to become a fan), but even my husband thought that the flavor wasn't quite right for this dish. I had some cashews and fresh pineapple handy that I threw in at the last minute as well for a little burst of flavor. Ultimately when it comes to stir-fry though, add the vegetables that you know you'll like, or at least that you think will hide well in the sauce.

Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Honey Apple Cake

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It's a mouthful of a name, but this recipe is fantastic, and really very healthy for being a dessert. The applesauce keeps it nice and moist, and the honey lends more flavor than sugar does.

From Cooking Light
Serves 16

Cake:
1 C quick-cooking oats
1 C hot water
1 1/2 C all-purpose flour
2 t ground cinnamon
1 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
1 1/3 C packed light brown sugar
3/4 C chunky applesauce
1/3 C honey
2 large eggs
Cooking Spray

Frosting:
1/4 C butter
1/3 C packed light brown sugar
1/4 C honey
1/2 C coarsely chopped almonds, toasted

Remaining Ingredients:
1 C frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
Ground cinnamon (optional)

Preheat oven to 350F.

To prepare cake, combine oats and 1 cup ho twater in a small bowl; set aside.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; leve with a knife. Combine flour, 2 t cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Combine 1 1/3 cups sugar, applesauce, 1/3 cup honey and eggs in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed 1 minute. Add oat mixture; beat at low speed until well blended. Add hal of flour mixture to sugar mixture; beat well. Add remaining flour mixture; beat well. Spoon batter into an 11 x 7 - inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350 for 48 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Place dish on a wire rack.

To prepare frosting, melt butter in a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add 1/3 C sugar and 1/4 C honey; cook 2 minutes or until bubbly, stirring constantly. Stir in almonds. Quickly pour frosting over cake; spread evenly using a rubber spatula.

Preheat broiler.

Broil cake 1 minutes or until frosting is bubbly and golden. Cool completely on a wire rack. Serve with whipped topping; sprinkle with ground cinnamon, if desired.

**Notes from Em**
This cake is really pretty done in a bundt pan. Check it after about 30 minutes, and then every 5 minutes after that. I also have never made it with the actual frosting, I just drizzled honey over it, and then sprinkled the almonds on it.

Monday, April 5, 2010

Frozen Blackberry-Lemon Chiffon Pie

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Frozen Blackberry-Lemon Chiffon Pie
Serves 12

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs (about 12 cookie sheets)
3 T butter, melted
2 T 2% reduced-fat milk
Cooking Spray
3 C blackberries
1/4 C fresh lemon juice
1/4 t salt
4 large egg whites
1 C plus 2 T sugar
6 T water
Fresh blackberries (optional)
Fresh mint sprigs (optional)

Combine first 3 ingredients in a bowl; toss with a fork until moist. Press into bottom and up sides of a 9-inch springform pan coated with cooking spray.

Combine 3 cups blackberries and fresh lemon juice in a blender; process until smooth. Strain mixture through a sieve over a bowl; discard solids.

Place salt and egg whites in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until foamy. Combine sugar and 6 tablespoons water in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a thermometer registers 250 F. Gradually pour the hot sugar syrup into egg white mixture, beating at medium speed, then at high speed, until stiff peaks form. Gently fold in blackberry mixture; pour into prepared crust. Cover; freeze 8 hours or overnight. Let stand 5 minutes at room temperature before serving. Garnish with fresh blackberries and mint, if desired.

**Notes from Em**
Keep in mind that this is a chiffon pie. Personally I wasn't expecting it to be as amazingly light as it was. And just a heads up that it melts very quickly, so serve and eat fast! I also got 16 servings out of this, and they were still adequately sized.

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Beef Stroganoff

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From Cooking Light
Serves 6

Legend has it that this dish was created for 19th-centry Russian general Count Alexander Stroganov, and it eventually became a dinner-party standby for American home cooks in the 1950's and 1960's. The recipe's longevity is no surprise; its combination of thinly sliced beef, mushrooms, and noodles in a creamy sauce has broad and comforting appeal.

 Beef Stroganoff
From Cooking Light
Serves 6

1 pound boneless sirloin steak, trimmed
3 C slice cremini mushrooms
1/2 C chopped onion
1 T Butter
2 T all-purpose flour
1 C fat free less-sodium beef broth
1/4 C dry sherry
1/2 t salt
1/8 t freshly ground black pepper
3/4 C reduced-fat sour cream
4 C hot cooked egg noodles
3 T minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Cut beef diagonally across the grain into 1/4 inch wide strips; cut the strips into 2 inch pieces.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add beef to pan; saute 2 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove beef from pan; place in a medium bowl and keep warm. Add cremini mushrooms and onion to pan; saute 4 minutes. Add cremini mushroom mixture to beef.

Melt butter in pan over medium heat. Add flour. Cook 1 minute, stirring with a whisk. Gradually add broth, stirring constantly. Cook 1 minute or until thickened and bubbly, stirring constantly.

Add beef mixture, sherry, salt and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes. Remove from heat; let stand 30 seconds. Stir in sour cream.

Combine noodles and minced parsley. Serve beef mixture over noodles.

Asian Beef Stir-Fry

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When selecting the cut of beef for stir-frying, look for a naturally lean cut, such as top sirloin, top round, top loin or flank steak, which are bursting with bold beef flavors.


Asian Beef Stir-fry
From Eating for Life
Serves 4

8 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 pound lean steak
1/8 t crushed red pepper flakes
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 onion, sliced
4 celery stalks, sliced
1 head napa cabbage, shredded
1/2 C lite soy sauce

Prepare spaghetti according to its package directions; drain and set aside.

While the spaghetti is cooking, slice steak lengthwise into 2-inch strips. Cut crosswise into 1/8 inch thick slices.

Lightly coat a large skillet or wok with cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, stir fry red pepper flakes and garlic for 1 minutes.

Add the steak strips to the skillet, stir-fry just until no longer pink, approximately 2 minutes. Remove the steak from skillet and set aside.

Lightly re-coat the skillet with cooking spray. Stir-fry onion and celery until tender, approximately 5 minutes. Add cabbage and cook until crisp-tender, approximately 2 more minutes.

Return steak to the skillet. Add cooked spaghetti and lite soy sauce; mix gently and heat thoroughly.

India-Spiced Patties with Yogurt Sauce

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From Rachael Ray
Serves 4

1 1/4 lbs ground chicken or lamb
2 T mild or hot curry paste
1 T grill seasoning
2 pinches of ground cinnamon
1 1/2 t ground cumin
1 1/2 t ground coriander
Extra-virgin olive oil
1 C Greek yogurt
1 garlic cloves
Juice of 1/2 lemon
A generous handful of cilantro or flat-leaf parsley
A generous handful of mint
4 leaves of Bibb or Boston lettuce, Chopped
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
salt
4 pita rounds

Pre-heat a grill or grill pan to medium-high.

Mix the ground chicken with the curry paste, grill seasoning, cinnamon, cumin and coriander and form into four large, 1/2-inch thick patties. Coat the patties with a little EVOO and grill for 4-5 minutes on each side (grill for 3 minutes on each side for lamb).

In a food processor, blend the yogurt with the garlic, lemon juice, cilantro and mint until smooth. Season the lettuce and tomatoes with a little salt.

Char the pitas on the grill, about 1 minute on each side, and cut about 1 inch off the tops. Open each pita and fill with a patty, a quarter of the chopped lettuce and sliced tomatoes and a generous spoonful of the yogurt sauce.

Orange-Poppy Seed Muffin Mini-Muffins

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With their lively crunch, poppy seeds make a festive addition to quick breads. To enhance and deepen their subtle flavor, steep the seeds in milk before adding to the batter. Like nuts, poppy seeds are rich in oils, and they should be stored in the refrigerator or freezer if kept for more than a few months. you can also bake these muffins in 12 standard muffin cups. Fill them three-fourths full, and increase the baking time to 15-18 minutes. For a simpler topping, omit the glaze and sprinkle the Demarara sugar before baking.
Orange-Poppy Seed Muffins
From Williams-Sonoma
Makes 24 mini or 12 standard muffins
3 T poppy seeds
1/2 C whole milk
1 3/4 C all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
1 t grated orange zest
2 large eggs
3/4 C granulated sugar
6 T unsalted butter, melted
1/2 C plus 1 T orange juice
1/2 C confectioners sugar

Position a rack in the middle of the oven, and preheat to 400 F. Butter 24 mini-muffin-pan cups or line them with paper liners. In a small bowl, combine the poppy seeds and milk and let stand for 20 minutes. In a bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and orange zest. Set aside.

By Hand:
In a bowl, whisk the eggs until blended. Stir in the granulated sugar, butter, the 1/4 C orange juice, and milk-poppy seed mixture, stirring until smooth. Add to the dry ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula just until moistened.

By Mixer:
In a large bowl, beat the eggs on low speed until blended. Add the granulated sugar, butter, the 1/4 C cup orange juice, and milk-poppy seed mixture and beat on low speed just to combine. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until moistened.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each cup about three-fourth full. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 12-14 minutes. Let cool in the pan on a wire rack fr 2 minutes, then turn out onto the rack.

To make the glaze, in a small bowl, stir together the orange juice and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Drizzle over the tops of the warm muffins in a zigzag pattern. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Flaky Pie Pastry

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Recipe from Williams-Sonoma

The rich flavor of butter and the flake-making quality of vegetable shortening produce a pie pastry that is both versatile and delicious. The butter and shortening should be very cold so that they will form the layers in the crust that contribute to the overall flakiness. Use ice water for the liquid to ensure that the shortening and butter do not soften during mixing. If you are making a savory pie, such as a quiche or savory galette, omit the sugar.

To use up your dough scraps, press them together and roll them out again into a long, narrow rectangle. Brush the surface with softened butter and sprinkle it with cinnamon sugar. Working from a long side, roll up the rectangle into a log, then cut crosswise into sliced 1 inch thick. Place the slices in a pan and bake alongside the pie. They are ready wen the pastry is golden brown and the sugar starts to caramelize in the pan.

For single-crust pie:
5 T cold unsalted butter
3 T cold vegetable shortening
1 1/3 C all-purpose flour
1 T sugar (optional)
1/4 t salt
4 T ice water

For lattice-crust pie:

1/2 C cold unsalted butter
4 T cold vegetable shortening
2 C all-purpose flour
4 t sugar (optional)
1/4 t salt
6 T ice water

For double-crust pie:

2/3 C cold unsalted butter
6 T cold vegetable shortening
2 2/3 C all-purpose flour
2 T sugar (optional)
1/2 t salt
8 T ice water

Cut the butter and vegetable shortening into 3/4-inch pieces.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar and salt, and stir to mix. Scatter the butter and shortening pieces over the flour mixture. Using a fork, toss to coat with the flour. Using a pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in the butter and shortening until the mixture forms large, coarse crumbs the size of large peas. Drizzle the ice water over the mixture and toss with the fork until the dough is evenly moist and begins to come together in a mass but does not form a ball.


Transfer the dough to a work surface. If making the single-crust pie pastry, shape the dough into a 6-inch disk. For the lattice pie, divide the dough into 2 portions, one twice as large as the other; shape the larger portion into a 6-inch disk and the smaller one into a 3-inch disk. For the double-crust pie, divide the dough in half and form each half into a 6-inch disk. Wrap each disk tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until well chilled, about 1 hour or for up to overnight.

To roll out pie dough:
Remove the dough disk(s) from the refrigerator. If the dough is cold and hard to roll out, let it stand at room temperature or 10-20 minutes. Dust a work surface and rolling pin with flour. For the bottom crust, use a 6-inch disk.

Rolling from the center toward the edges and in all directions, roll out the dough into a rough 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Use firm pressure and work quickly to prevent the dough from becoming warm.

Lift and turn the dough several times as you roll to prevent sticking, and dust the surface and the rolling pin with flour as needed. If the pastry sticks, loosen it with a bench scraper.


To line a pie pan with dough:

Carefully roll the dough around the pin and position the pin over the pie pan

Unroll the dough and center it in the pie pan, gently but firmly pressing it against the bottom and sides while taking care not to pull or stretch it. Repair any tears by pressing small scraps of dough over them.

Gently lift the edge of the dough with one hand, while pressing it into the edge of the pie pan with the other. Take care not to stretch the dough. If make a single-crust pie, using a small knife or a pair of kitchen scissors, trim the edge, leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Roll the overhang under itself to create a high edge on the pan rim. Using your index finger and thumb, pinch the dough around the rim to form a fluted edge or make another decorative edge. Freeze the pie crust until it is firm, about 30 minutes.


To pre-bake a single crust:
Preheat the oven to 400F. Line the frozen pie crust with a piece of heavy-duty aluminum foil. Fill the foil-lined crust with dried beans, uncooked rice, or ceramic or metal pie weights.


Bake the lined crust until it dried out, about 15 minutes. Check to see if the crust is ready by pulling up one corner of the foil. If the foil sticks, the crust is not fully dried out. Return it to the oven and check every 2 minutes. Carefully remove the weights and foil by gathering the foil edges toward the center and pulling up and out. Reduce the heat to 350

For a partially baked crust, continue to bake until the crust is lightly browned on the edges and dry-looking on the bottom, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer the crust to a wire rack and use as directed in individual recipes.

For a fully baked crust, continue to bake until the entire crust is golden brown, about 10 minutes longer. Transfer the crust to a wire rack and use as directed in individual recipes.

To make a double crust:
Roll out 1 chilled dough disk and line the pie pan as directed, but do not trim the edges. Fill the lined pan with the pie filling as directed in the recipe. Then, roll out the second disk into a 12-inch round 1/8 inch thick.

Carefully lift the dough round and place it over the filling, making sure to center the dough. You should have a slight overhang.

Using a sharp knife or a pair of kitchen scissors, trim the edge of the bottom and top crust together so they are even, leaving a 3/4-inch overhang. Roll the overhang under itself to create an edge on the pan rim. Using your index finger and thumb, pinch the dough around the rim to form a fluted edge or make another decorative edge.

To make steam vents, using a sharp knife, cut 3 or 4 slits in the center of the top crust. For a more decorative pattern, using the knife or a cookie cutter, cut out a shape such as a star or a heart. This will allow the steam to escape while the pie is baking.

To make a lattice crust:
Roll out the larger dough disk and line the pie pan as directed, but do not trim the edges.

Roll out the smaller dough disk into a rectangle about 8 by 11 inches and 1/8 inch thick. Trim the edges evenly. Cut the rectangle into 10 strips, each 11 inches long and 3/4 inch wide. Fill the lined pie pan with the pie filing.

Beginning 1 inch from the edge of the pie pan, lay 5 of the strips about 1 inch apart over the filling. Use a thin metal spatula to pick up the strips gently if they start to stick to the work surface.

Fold back every other strip halfway over itself. The first time you will fold back 2 strips and the next time you will fold back the other 3 strips.

Place a strip at a slight angle across the unfolded strips. Return the 2 strips that have been folded back to their flat position.

Pull back the 3 alternate strips. Place the next strip across the unfolded strips about 1 inch from the last strip.

Continue folding back and weaving strips until the top of the pie is latticed. Using a sharp knife or scissors, trim the edge of the bottom crust and lattice strips so they are even, leaving a 3/4 inch overhang. Roll the overhang under itself to create an edge on the pan rim. Using your index finger and thumb, pinch the dough around the rim to form a fluted edge or bake another decorative edge.
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