SANDRA'S OLD-FASHIONED CHERRY PIE

One fabulous dessert that's not too difficult to prepare
and is so very, very satisfying!

Serves: (6 to 8)

Prep:

Bake: 45 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

Pie:

1-1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 (14.5 oz. cans) pitted red tart cherries, drained,

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 pkg refrigerated pie crusts (Pillsbury: 2 will be enclosed)

Crust topping:

2 teaspoons milk

1 teaspoon granulated sugar + 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

METHOD

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Set a 9" glass pie plate aside.

Lightly dust working surface with flour, gently unroll pastry, and use a rolling pin to slightly enlarge, just enough so pastry is a bit larger than pie plate. Repeat for top pastry crust.

In a large bowl, mix sugar and flour. Stir in cherries; fold to incorporate, and spoon into pastry-lined pie plate. Cut butter into small pieces; sprinkle over cherries.

Cover with top pastry. Brush with a pastry brush the inside of crust (not edges) with milk and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Cut slits cut in top pastry crust; seal and flute.  Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, cover edge with 3" strip of foil to prevent excessive browning; return to oven and continue baking for 25 more minutes, until golden brown and juice bubbles through slits in crust..

Cool on cooling rack at least 2 hours before serving with French vanilla ice cream. ~ Enjoy!

SANDRA’S MOLASSES-KISSED CHEWY OATMEAL-RAISIN COOKIES

This cookie recipe creation yesterday turned out phenomenal!

Back in the kitchen today, upon request,
to bake an additional double batch ~ Gotta keep my guys happy...

Yields: 30 (Appx.)

Prep Time: 15 Mins.

Bake: 8 to 10 Mins.

INGREDIENTS

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature

¼ cup + 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons granulated sugar

2 tablespoons molasses (spray spoon first)

1 large egg

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon double-acting baking powder (or regular)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

Pinch of salt

¾ cup + 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

1-1/2 old-fashioned oats (not quick cooking)

½ cup raisins

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a couple of baking sheets with a silpat liner or parchment paper; set aside.

Beat butter and sugars in a large bowl with hand mixer (or stand mixer with paddle attachment) on medium-high speed until fluffy. Beat in molasses, egg, vanilla extract, baking powder and soda, cinnamon, ginger, and salt. On low speed, beat in flour, and then oats and raisins just until fully combined.

Drop level tablespoons 1-1/2” apart on a prepared baking sheets.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes until tops appear dry for chewier cookies, more dry for less chewy (my baking time for chewy perfection is 9 mins.). Cool cookies on baking sheet 1 minute before removing to wire rack to cool completely.

Store cooled cookies in an airtight at room temperature up to 5 days (or freeze up to 3 months). ~ Enjoy!

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Tip: To retain stored cookie chewiness so they do not harden over time, place ¼ slice of fresh bread inside airtight container ~ Ensure to replace with a fresh piece of bread daily until cookies are gone.

  

SANDRA’S OLD-FASHIONED MEATY BOSTON BAKED BEANS

These old-fashioned meaty baked beans
are great with fresh cornbread,
and although you need to allow time
for soaking and simmering the beans,
this recipe is quite easy...

Servings: (6 to 8)

Quick Soak: 1 Hour.

Simmer: 1 Hour

Bake: 4 Hours

INGREDIENTS

1 lb. pinto beans

1 lb. venison/moose/beef, cut into cubes (I used venison)

1 onion, diced

2 ribs celery, diced

2 carrots, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 bay leaf

1/3 cup molasses

1 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 (15 oz. can) tomato sauce

2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce

1/3 cup dark brown sugar

Pinch of ground cloves

Pinch of ground cinnamon

METHOD

Sort and rinse beans, and ‘quick soak’ by covering them with 10 cups water in a dutch oven, bring to boil and turn off heat and let soak, covered, for 1 hour. Bring the beans to a boil once again in the same water, and reduce and let simmer for 1 hour.

Meanwhile, sear the venison in a skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat, and set aside.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Add the remaining ingredients and seared meat to the dutch oven; stir to incorporate, cover, and bake for 4 hours, or until beans are tender.  Remove the lid about halfway through cooking to stir, and add more liquid if necessary to prevent the beans from becoming too dry.  Remove bay leaf, and toss. ~ Enjoy!

Click  below for recipe 
if you'd like to serve
your baked beans with 
Sandra's Ideal Pepper-Jack Cheese Cornbread

SANDRA'S GRILLED WHOLE-SECTIONED DUNGENESS CRAB

The absolute perfect method
in which to enjoy grilling
the tastiest Dungeness Crab ever...

Servings: (2)
Prep: 20 Mins. |
Grill on BBQ: 15 to17 Mins.

INGREDIENTS:

1 whole, fresh uncooked Dungeness crab, cleaned and sectioned
--(See instructions below***)
3 large cloves of garlic, chopped
--(Reserved juices of crab)
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon old bay seasoning
½ fresh lemon, cut lengthwise,
--(Set aside one half; cut other into 4 wedges for serving)
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon flat-leaf italian parsley, chopped

---Garnish:
4 reserved fresh lemon wedges

METHOD

Pre-heat BBQ grill to medium-high heat (we prefer to use a charcoal.)

***Clean and section the fresh uncooked crab (see below).

Melt butter with olive oil over medium heat, add the chopped garlic and saute for 1 minute. Add the reserved juices of the crab (see below) and old bay seasoning; cooking just until warmed through.

Place cracked crab in a medium cast iron dutch oven. Pour the garlic/butter/oil mixture over the crab sections, and add salt and pepper, to taste, while gently turning crab sections to coat. Place dutch oven (without lid) with crab onto BBQ grill over direct medium-high heat, close lid on grill, and cook for 15 to 17 minutes (depending on size of crab), shells should be pink and flesh opaque when done. Remove from grill, and squeeze 1⁄2-fresh lemon over crab; it'll steam as you do so.

Using tongs, place grilled Dungeness crab sections onto a large, deep platter, and drizzle juices in dutch oven over top. Sprinkle with chopped parsley, and place 4 reserved lemon wedges along side. Provide crab crackers and pickers, including an abundance of napkins ~ Enjoy!

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Tip: You can alternatively roast the crab in a 425-degree oven, using the same method for the same amount of cooking time.

***HOW TO SECTION A LIVE DUNGENESS CRAB 
(For sauteing, roasting, or grilling):

Place the live crab in the freezer for 15 minutes to put it to rest. Put on rubber gloves, and place a large clean pan in sink with the crab in it. Lift the flap on the underbelly while placing your right thumb into the hole and lifting the flap up up - while pressing down on the back shell with your other hand and the top will pop right open. Be careful not to spill the juices, and reserve the shell liquid and crab butter by setting it aside for above recipe. Clean off the gills and whatever parts you are not going to eat, while leaving body and leg sections intact. Hold the crab in both hands so cleaned outside is facing you. Grab both sides of crab sections, so you can bend it into its own belly to 'crack' it in half. Each has four legs sticking out, so stop here if you choose. Or else you could spread and split each leg and body area if you want to separate it further into eight sections.

SANDRA'S YUMMY CRAB and ASPARAGUS QUICHE

A quiche that is most delicious anytime of day
during, brunch, breakfast, lunch, or dinner...

Serves: (6)
Prep: 15 mins. |
Cook: 10 mins. to par-bake pie shell + 40 mins. to bake quiche

Posted: by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

2 slices bacon, browned and crumbled
½ bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1” inch pieces
1 garlic clove, minced
1 (9 inch) unbaked pie crust
1 cup cooked lump crab meat
--(I prefer Alaska king crab)
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups half-and-half cream
2 green onions, finely sliced
¼ teaspoon old bay seasoning
kosher salt and pepper to taste
2 cups gruyere cheese, shredded

METHOD

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until evenly browned. Drain, crumble and set aside. Place asparagus and garlic in a skillet with bacon drippings and cook until tender but still firm, about 5 minutes. Drain and cool.

Place pie crust in quiche baking dish or pie plate, and place foil under a smaller round baking dish and put atop center of crust as a weight (to prevent shrinking); place in oven and par-bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, taking weight off, and sprinkle pie crust with ingredients in this order: crumbled bacon, lump crabmeat, chopped asparagus, and shredded gruyere cheese. In a medium bowl, beat together eggs, cream, green onion, old bay seasoning, and salt and pepper, and then pour over cheese.

Bake uncovered for about 35 to 40 minutes, until a knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let quiche rest for 5-10 minutes before cutting. I like to serve this with a garden salad, dressed with vinaigrette.


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Tip: This quiche is also delicious served at room temperature.