Apple Pie Weather

I should be done by early this afternoon with the hats on todays schedule from my long list of hat orders. The Etsy shop has been very busy over the past month with hats going all over the place. Two hats were even sent to Ireland. That was my first overseas sale but received another order for a fox hat to be sent to Australia last night. Grammas Gifts are going all over this year. A new and exciting adventure!

This is my new little panda, besides the flock of turkeys I have to do I am working on a couple giraffe designs for another customer. This is the fun part.... designing new hats from customer suggestions!  The I must get ready for the next show coming up. I have two shows set on on November 9th at the hospital in Oshkosh and one Thanksgiving weekend in Randolph.  

This is a customers photo with her little one in my frog hat. They just make the hats look so good  Thank you all

http://www.etsy.com/shop/grammasgifts

  Years ago, now I am making myself sound old. I had a coworker at Michaels Arts and Crafts that made the best Apple Pie. She said , and we thought she was joking that she precooked the apples. Well, I found a recipe where you do just that and this afternoon when the boys come in from playing we are going to give it a try. The house will smell wonderful and what a kick they get out of helping to bake.


http://britishfood.about.com/od/recipeindex/r/applepie.htm

A classic dessert or tea time treat has to be a traditional apple pie. This traditional apple pie recipe is quick and easy and ensures a perfect result every time. Use cooking or Bramley apples for the best filling, eating apples don't soften the same way.

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes

Ingredients:

• Pastry
• 7 oz/200g all purpose/plain flour
• pinch of salt
• 1 stick/ 110g butter, cubed or an equal mix of butter and lard
• 2-3 tbsp cold water
• Filling
• 1 ½ lbs/700g cooking apples, peeled, cored and quartered
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• ½ cup/ 100g sugar
• 4 - 6 tbsp cold water
• 1 level tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ stick/25g butter
• Milk to glaze

Preparation:

Method

• Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean bowl.
• Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs, working as quickly as possible to prevent the dough becoming warm.
• Add the water to the mixture and using a cold knife stir until the dough binds together, add more cold water a teaspoon at a time if the mixture is too dry.
• Wrap the dough in Saran wrap/Clingfilm and chill for a minimum of 15 minutes, up to 30 minutes.

The dough can also be made in a food processor by mixing the flour, butter and salt in the bowl of the processor on a pulse setting. When the mixture resembles breadcrumbs, add the water, slowly, through the funnel until the dough comes together in a ball. Wrap in Saran wrap/ Clingfilm and chill as above.

Heat the oven to 425°F/220°C/gas 7.

• Meanwhile simmer the apples with the lemon juice and water in a large pan until soft. Add the sugar and cinnamon to the cooked apples. Remove from the heat and add the butter and leave to cool.
• Roll out half the pastry and line a 7 inch/13cm pie dish. Put the cooled, cooked apple mixture to the pastry case.
• Roll out the remaining pastry to make a lid for the pie. Damp the edges of the pastry in the dish with a little cold water, cover with the lid and press the edges firmly together and crimp the edges to decorate.
• Brush the top of the pie with milk and bake at the top of a hot oven for 20 - 25 minutes.
• Serve hot or cold with cream, ice cream or custard sauce.

Fall is here

The temperature doesn't show it but on Saturday we have Harvest Fest in Montello and I am busy finding some muffin recipes for the pancake breakfast and bake sale. It should be a fairly busy day downtown and it is kind of sad to watch the shop get empty but.....nose to the grindstone and looking ahead to the diner. I will still make the sweaters and hats for Josphines in Watertown and the etsy shop. I will get much more done at home, I have already painted the living room and changed things around and the bathroom. The kitchen could use some tender loving care and it keeps my mind busy while all the paper work and waiting goes on. Not that my two little helpers don't keep me busy enough. The shop will officially close October 31st. So there will be big sales as I don't want to store anything and will be making new items for the fall and Christmas shows I plan on doing.

Apple Muffins


These apple muffins smell like apple pie when they're baking. If you can't find cinnamon chips in your local supermarket, simply leave them out. Or use chocolate chips or butterscotch chips instead.
The walnut streusel topping gives these apple muffins wonderful crunch.



Prep Time: 15 minu
Cook Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Ingredients:

•1 cup all-purpose flour
•1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
•1 Tbsp. baking powder
•1/2 tsp. cinnamon
•1/4 tsp. salt
•2 Tbsp. butter, melted and cooled
•1/4 cup ground flaxseed meal
•1 large egg
•1/2 cup sugar
•2/3 cup skim milk
•1 cup chopped apples
•1/2 cup cinnamon chips
•.
•For Topping
•1/2 cup finely-chopped walnuts
•2 Tbsp. brown sugar
•1/2 tsp. cinnamon
•2-3 tsp. skim milk
Preparation:

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a large muffin tin.

2.Whisk together flours, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.

3.In a medium bowl, mix melted butter, flaxseed meal, egg, sugar and skim

4.Fold dry ingredients into wet, stiring until incorporated, but do not overmix.

5.Stir in chopped apples and cinnamon chips.

6.Fill muffin cups two-thirds of the way.

7.Combine topping ingredients. Sprinkle over muffins.

8.Bake 18-22 minutes, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

9.Cool on a wire rack before serving.

 

http://www.indiegogo.com/Patti-Lekas