The Pug Hollow Horde Cooks: Old Fashioned Rich Pumpkin Pie

For a rich, spicy pumpkin pie that everyone will love, try this recipe. You will need a 10 inch pie pan. Anything smaller won't hold all the filling.

Cream Cheese Pie crust: Make 1 day in advance

• 1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour (if you have Celiac substitute arrowroot flour)
•  8 tbsp salted sweet cream butter, cubed and frozen
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla 
• 4 oz cream cheese cut into 4 pieces
• 1 1/2 tbsp cold water
• 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

Using a food processor blend the flour, and baking powder, for 10 seconds. Add the cream cheese and process until the flour looks mealy. Add the vanilla, cold water and vinegar. Process again to mix. Add the butter. Process until the butter has been rendered to pea size at largest.

Remove the mixture from the food processor and knead until becomes a homogeneous single ball and is slightly stretchy.  Form the ball into a disk and refrigerate overnight.

Lay the ball out onto a flat floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll the disk into a large enough circle to slightly more than cover the inside of your pie tin. Trim the crust to fit the pie pan, and flute the edges lightly.

Line the crust with parchment paper, and fill 2/3 of the way with dried beans.  Chill crust for 30 minutes and then bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven, and lift out the paper and beans. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork, to prevent bubbles. Return the crust to the oven and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is golden all over.

Pumpkin Pie Filling

1 small pie pumpkin - baked or steamed (see below)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp cloves
3 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup butter melted
1 cup milk
6 oz sweetened condensed milk

To cook your pumpkin: Split the pumpkin in half, and remove seeds. Wrap in foil. Bake until soft all the way through. Scoop flesh out of the rind, and puree. Reserve 1 1/2 cup of the pumpkin. Freeze the rest.

Thoroughly combine pumpkin, sugar, salt and spices. Blend end eggs, milk, condensed milk, butter and vanilla. Pour into baked pie shell. Place aluminum foil around the edges of the pie to keep the edge crust from burning.
Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes more or until a skewer poked into the center of pie comes out clean.

Serve warm with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

The Pug Hollow Horde Cooks - Italian Stuffed Mushrooms

Looking for something to take to an office pot luck or as an appetizer for a gathering? Why not a super simple, super tasty tray of stuffed mushrooms? This recipe can be made vegetarian or with meat and it can be doubled if needed.

For the meated option: 1/2 lb mild ground Italian sausage

For the vegetarian option: 1 small eggplant - grated
1 tsp olive oil

1 lb whole white mushrooms
2 tsp Italian seasoning
1/2 onion - chopped very finely
1 stalk of celery chopped very finely
2 cloves garlic, chopped very finely
1 cup of cheese or cheese substitute (Italian blend for a mild taste or sharp cheddar for a bite)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Clean your mushrooms, and carefully separate the caps from the stems. Set the caps aside.
Finely chop the mushroom stems, onion, celery, and garlic. I like to run all four of the items through the food processor for a finer, more even texture.
Mix chopped mushroom stems, onion, celery, garlic, and Italian seasoning with the sausage. (If taking the vegetarian option mix with the eggplant and olive oil)
Brown well over medium heat. You want the filling to be as dry as possible without burning.
Allow to cool slightly.
Mix in 1/2 cup of cheese.
Using your fingers, press the mixture into the mushroom caps. You should have a slightly mounded final appearance.
Place the mushroom caps, filled side up and sides not touching, in a baking tin.
Cover with foil.
Bake for 45 minutes.
Remove foil cover, and top with the remaining cheese.
Broil until cheese is melted and slightly toasted.

These are also excellent when served with an artichoke dip.

The Pug Hollow Horde Cooks a Howliday Feast - The Bourbon Pecan Pie

Cream Cheese Pie crust: Make 1 day in advance

• 1 1/3 cups of all purpose flour (if you have Celiac substitute arrowroot flour)
•  8 tbsp salted sweet cream butter, cubed and frozen
• 1/8 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp vanilla 
• 4 oz cream cheese cut into 4 pieces
• 1 1/2 tbsp cold water
• 1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

 Using a food processor blend the flour, and baking powder, for 10 seconds. Add the cream cheese and process until the flour looks mealy. Add the vanilla, cold water and vinegar. Process again to mix. Add the butter. Process until the butter has been rendered to pea size at largest.

Remove the mixture from the food processor and knead just until becomes a homogeneous single ball and is slightly stretchy.  Don't knead it too long as you don't want the butter to melt. Form the ball into a disk and refrigerate overnight.

Lay the ball out onto a flat floured surface and use a rolling pin to roll the disk into a large enough circle to slightly more than cover the inside of your pie tin. Trim the crust to fit the pie pan, and flute the edges lightly.

ine the crust with parchment paper, and fill 2/3 of the way with dried beans.  Chill crust for 30 minutes and then bake in a preheated oven at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove the pie from the oven, and lift out the paper and beans. Prick the bottom of the crust all over with a fork, to prevent bubbles. Return the crust to the oven and bake for an additional 15 to 20 minutes, until the crust is golden all over.

Bourbon Pecan Pie

This recipe makes a very rich, custard style pecan pie with a slightly darker flavor than most. If you can get your hands on fresh pecans this recipe will complement them extremely well. 

• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 cup molasses (1/2 cup dark Karo can be substituted if you don't like molasses)
• 3 large eggs, beaten
• 1 1/2 cups pecan halves
• 2 tablespoons good quality bourbon

Preheat the oven to 375°.

In a bowl, stir together the sugar and melted butter until well mixed. Add eggs, molasses, bourbon and pecans and mix until all pecans are well coated. Pour mixture into an unbaked pie shell, and place on a heavy-duty cookie sheet.

To prevent over browning of the pie crust, cover the edges with aluminum foil by following the instructions here: lay out a sheet of aluminum foil slightly larger than the diameter of the pie tin. Fold the aluminum foil into quarters and cut an arc out of the middle. Unfold the aluminum foil (the center will be missing in a circle) and place over the pie. Fold the foil over the edges.
Bake for 15 minutes. Remove the foil.

Lower the oven temperature to 350°, and continue to bake for an additional 25 minutes, or until pie is set.

Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack or trivet.

The Pug Hollow Horde Cooks a Howliday Feast - Bread Stuffing with Fresh Herbs

Ingredients:

1 stick of unsalted butter plus more for the baking dish (use substitute for vegetarian option)
1 french bread loaf, chopped into cubes and dried or toasted
2 cups chopped onions
1 cups chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 1/2 cups chicken stock, divided (use veggie stock for vegetarian option)
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F

Grease a 13x9 baking dish with butter

In a large bowl mix bread, chopped herbs, salt and pepper. 

In a skillet melt your stick of butter. Add the onions and celery and cook until it just begins to brown.

Add to the bread and herb mixture and mix well. 

Add half of your broth and mix well again.

In another bowl whisk your eggs and the rest of the chicken stock together.

Fold into bread mixture.

Pour bread mixture into baking dish, cover with foil and bake for 40 minutes or until internal temp reads 160 degrees. Uncover and bake for another 40 minutes or until the stuffing is set and browned.

Pug Hollow Horde Cooks a Howliday Feast: The Turkey Breast (Crockpot! Version)

For the crockpot

One 4 lb turkey breast - thawed with skin on (I prefer boneless but you can use bone in)

1 head of garlic, unpeeled, cut in half

1 medium onion unpeeled cut in half

5 sprigs of thyme

7 or 8 fresh sage leaves

2 sprig of rosemary

1/8 cup chicken stock

1/8 cup of dry white wine

For the turkey rub

1 1/2 tsp garlic powder

1 1/2 tsp onion powder

1 tsp paprika

2 tsp salt

pinch of black pepper

leaves from 2 sprigs of thyme

4 fresh sage leaves

leaves from 1 sprig of rosemary

2 tbsp olive oil

Gravy

Chicken stock

4 tbsp butter

1/4 cup flour

salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Finely chop the herbs for the rub. Mix all rub ingredients in a bowl. It should be a wet paste.
Pat the turkey dry all over with paper towels.
Slather with the rub, using most for the sides and top.
Place the halved garlic, onion face down in the crock pot.
Lightly bruise and add the additional herbs around the onion and garlic.
Pour 1/8 cup of chicken stock in around the vegetables.
Balance the turkey breast on top of the halved onions and garlic so it is elevated above the liquid.
Cook on low for 6 hours or until the internal temperature reads 165 degrees F.  
*Do not use high!

To crisp the skin (optional but tasty)

Pre-heat the grill/broiler to high.
Set the shelf 12 inches from heat source
Remove the turkey to a baking proof serving dish.
Broil for 3 to 5 minutes until skin is crisp
Serve immediately with gravy on the side.

Gravy

Strain 2 cups of the liquid from the crockpot into a large measuring cup.
Squish the garlic in the strainer to get the flavor.
Top up to 2 cups with chicken stock if needed.
Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat.
Add flour and mix to combine
Pour 1/2 of the reserved liquid in and stir to make a paste.
Slowly add the remaining liquid, stirring as you do.
Use a whisk if needed to make it smooth.
Simmer until thickened (take it off just before it's as thick as you want as
it will continue to thicken)
Season to taste with salt and pepper.