Homemade Butter

We decided to try something simple this weekend, we made homemade butter. Yummy! There's nothing like fresh real butter to take a meal to a new level.

It's really quite simple. Just take heavy cream, a clean jar with a tight fitting lid, and shake shake shake. Just when you think you can't take it, shake it some more! First you will end up with whipped cream, then as you shake a little more it will look like lumpy whipped cream--you're almost there at that point. It will seem like it's getting hard to shake, but keep going--it's almost done. Then you will see the little globs of butter forming and the buttermilk will start to separate from the butter. Yes, this is REAL buttermilk, which has a slightly sweet taste. Strain off the buttermilk, shake a few more times until there is no more liquid coming off, and rinse in very cold water. Scrape the sides to ensure you get all the butter and voila! You have real, homemade butter. Yummy!

We used almost a cup of heavy whipping cream, and it made a ball of butter about the size of a smallish lemon. And it was so good! I didn't add any salt, but if you wish, add a pinch or so after you have rinsed the butter and stir it in. Chill, and you are all set. Keep in mind, real homemade butter is a little firmer than the margerine you may be used to, so set out at room temperature for a few minutes before using.

I got this idea from my friend Joey a while back, but if I'm not mistaken she had used a blender (or food processor?). That would probably be a GREAT idea, because my arms sure did get quite a workout! It was totally worth it, real butter is fantastic!

Thanksgiving Dinner, Pie Ideas

Thanksgiving is just around the corner and thankfully I get to put off making the big dinner for a little while longer, to accommodate out of town guest schedules. I do, however, need to bring along something to Granny's on Thanksgiving. They always cover the traditional stuff, so I'm going to try something new for dessert.

I've had something similar, and have no idea what it's actually called. But basically it's a pumpkin pie, mixed with Cool Whip, which creates a wonderfully fluffy pie. Yummy!Since I don't even know what it's actually called, I couldn't search for a recipe. But I stumbled on a Jello no bake pumpkin pie kit and it gave me the idea to give it a shot.

I got an extra pie crust (graham) and a regular sized container of Cool Whip. So I'll make the pumpkin mix as directed, and then mix in the entire container of whipped cream. I suspect it should fill both pie crusts, if not I'll be in a little pinch! I regularly have heavy whipping cream on hand for coffee or other recipes, so if I must I'll just whip up some homemade whipped cream and top it with that. 

I'll be making the pies tomorrow, and will have the extra so my son will be the guinea pig to see if this Pumpkin pie recipe will be a good fit for Thanksgiving dinner. I was seriously considering a Pumpkin Cheesecake, by using the same mix and a no-bake cheesecake, putting a layer of each in each pie. I still might do that for Christmas, or for the big Thanksgiving dinner we do when Sadie's in town. 

Either way, I got all the ingredients on sale or already had on hand, so I will probably have less than $3 in each pie. Plus, the fluffy pumpkin pie I'd had before was divine, I'm hoping I can make this the way I'm picturing it turning out!

What's cookin?

I found a new weakness. I'm afraid it's going to take over my life. Apple Crostatas! Wow, these are good. And easy to make, too! I spent the day trying to get it figured out, and I think I found a really easy, and tasty, recipe!

Honestly, I rarely measure things when cooking, so I'll do the best I can with sharing this. I looked at a few Apple Crostata recipes online, and just kind of threw it together from there. Each one makes either one good sized Crostata, or can be cut in half and still have a good sized portion.

Preheat your oven to 375F. Unroll one pre-made pie crust, Betty Crocker's are pretty tasty. These come in a nine inch round, and are already rolled out to just the right thickness. Spray a cookie sheet with no-stick cooking spray and lay it out on the sheet.

Peel, core, and dice two to three medium sized apples. I chopped mine fairly small, compared to what I would make for an apple pie. Put them in a good sized bowl, and sprinkle pretty heavily with sugar, brown sugar, about a Tbs of flour, cinnamon, and a dash of nutmeg. Stir until it's all coated pretty well. Taste, and adjust seasonings if desired.

Plop the apples right onto the middle of the pie crust. Spread out the apple mixture to within about two inches of the edges, leaving a slight mound in the middle. Very carefully fold the edges up and over, overlapping and pinching any areas that break. You can make this as ornate or as plain as you like. I went with a somewhat scalloped edge look. The middle area will remain open throughout baking.

Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes. If the edges of your Apple Crostata are browning a little too quickly, cover them loosely with foil. It's finished when the crust has a nice golden brown color.

While hot, top with Caramel sauce and chopped pecans (optional.) Serve with a side of Vanilla ice cream. Caution: these are highly addictive!! I can imagine this way of making Crostatas would work with just about any fruit, and can't wait to try to make it with berries sometime!