Upside Down Caramel Apple Pie

My absolute favorite pie!


Glaze and pastry

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 Tbsp butter, melted
1Tbsp corn syrup
1/3 cups pecan halves, coarsely chopped
1 package Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts (should contain 2)

Filling

3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Dash of ground nutmeg
5 large Granny Smith apples
1 Tbl lemon juice

Preheat oven to 425°F.

For glaze, combine brown sugar, butter and corn syrup in stoneware pie plate; spread evenly onto bottom. Chop pecans; sprinkle over sugar mixture. Top with 1 pastry crust; set aside. For filling, combine brown sugar, flour, cinnamon and nutmeg in 1-Qt bowl; mix well. Peel, core and slice apples thin.

Combine apples and lemon juice; toss gently to coat. Add brown sugar, flour, & cinnamon; mix gently. Spoon filling into pie plate. Unroll remaining crust and place over filling. Fold edges of top crust under edges of bottom crust; seal and flute edges. Cut several slits in top crust.

Gently place pie shield or 2-3 inch wide strips of aluminum foil over edge of pie. Bake 30 minutes; remove shield/foil. Bake an additional 25-30 minutes or until crust is a deep golden brown. Remove from oven; let stand for 5 minutes. Loosen edge of pie from pie plate; carefully invert pie onto heat-resistant serving tray. Scrape any remaining caramel topping from pie plate onto top of pie. Cool at least 1 hour before serving. (So says the recipe but I can't wait that long, 30 minutes tops!!)

I am playing with the idea of making more then the recommended amount of caramel topping, if any one makes this and decides to do so please let me know how it turns out.

Red Curry & Ginger Butternut Squash Soup

This is a recipe that was sent to Mark by a friend of his, Rhonda, and with my love for red curry (or anything curry) I couldn't wait to try it. It did not disappoint! Beyond yummy!!

1 lg butternut squash or enough to equal 4-5 lbs
2 Tbsp of your choice of oil (I used olive, she used coconut)
½ cup of chopped carrots
½ cup of chopped celery
1 onion chopped
1/8 tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp sea salt (I used smoked)
1/8 tsp pepper (she used smoked pepper, I didn't have any)
3 cups chicken broth
Water or extra stock for desired consistency
1 tbsp red curry paste
½ tbsp chopped ginger
1/3 cup coconut milk




Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut squash lengthwise and remove seeds. Brush cut side with oil and flesh side down in a pan. Can add water to the pan but I do not, it roasts the squash a little darker and adds a little more flavor. Bake for about 45-60 minutes




Saute' onion, celery, carrot, ginger, red curry paste, salt and pepper in a pan with oil—about 2 minutes. Add some chicken stock and simmer. At this point, can run it through a blender, food processor or immersions blender until smooth. Once squash is cooked, add to the pan, add remaining chicken stock. Can use an immersion blender or add everything back to the blender or food processor. Add in coconut milk and any water or chicken stock for desired consistency. Heat until hot.




This was AMAZING and I will be making it often at our house. Thank you so much Rhonda for sharing this recipe so that I can not only enjoy it but also share with others!

Lasagna Stuffed Shells

I made these for dinner tonight and they were amazing. I thought the shells were easier to work with than layering lasagna noodles but than I seem to be cursed when it comes to lasagna noodles. It was just as good as lasagna if not better & was easier to serve...because as we all know it's hard to serve picture perfect lasagna.

Lasagna Stuffed Shells

18 jumbo shells
4 cups of desired pasta sauce with meat (but the above sauce it so so worth the work)
16 oz. package shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
1/2 cup grated cheese
16 oz ricotta cheese
1 egg
2 tbls fresh parley

1. If not using the pasta sauce recipe below. Brown desired meat (Italian sausage or hamburger) and drain. Add jar of pasta sauce & heat thoroughly.

2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook pasta per package directions. Drain well & rinse with cold water. Lay shells out individually on a cutting board or clean surface so they don't stick together.

3. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta cheese with egg, 1 tbls parsley, Parmesan cheese & 3/4 of the mozzarella cheese.

4. Place a small amount of sauce on the bottom of a 9x9 pan. Spoon the mixture into the shells and arrange them into the prepared baking dish. Once all shells have been filled, pour the remaining sauce over the shells. Cover with the remaining mozzarella cheese & the remaining fresh parsley.

5. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the mozzarella cheese is melted and bubbly.

My "go-to" pasta sauce for EVERYTHING.
(This is the recipe for the lasagna/spaghetti sauce that I can't live without. I also posted it on my blog in January). It makes a large batch. I used half for the stuffed shells & I saved the other half for spaghetti later this week. Quick & easy when the sauce is already done.

1 lb Italian Sausage

1 lb Lean Ground Beef

1/2 C. onions, minced

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes

2 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste

2 (6.5 oz) cans canned tomato sauce

1/2 C. water

1 1/2 tsp. dried basil leaves

1/2 tsp. fennel seeds
2 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1 tsp. salt

2 tblsp fresh Italian Parsley, chopped

In a dutch oven; cook sausage, ground beef, onion and garlic over medium heat until well browned. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato sauce and water. Season with sugar, basil, fennel seeds, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper and parsley. Simmer, covered, for about 1 1/2 hours (or longer if you have time) stirring occasionally.

Better Than KFC Biscuits

When I came across this recipe it said they are just like KFC's biscuits. These are SO MUCH BETTER than KFC's. It's hard to even compare the two. Super easy to make & they melt in your mouth. Yummy!!


2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup 7-up
1/4 cup melted butter

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Fold sour cream into bisquick until it is somewhat combined. Add 7-up and continue to stir until it forms a very soft, sticky dough.

2. Sprinkle Bisquick onto counter or cutting board. Place the dough onto floured surface & press the dough out until it is about a 1/2" to 3/4" thick. Cut with floured biscuit cutter. (Or in my house this so called cutter is a wine glass)

3. Pour butter into 9x9 pan. Place cut biscuits into pan & arrange so that all biscuits fit. Bake for 12-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Oatmeal Cranberry White Chocolate Chunk Cookies

I got this recipe right off of the back of the Ocean Spray Craisins bag one night while we were eating cheese, cranberries & drinking wine. Trust me, wine was the motivating factor in making these. However, the only flour I had in the house was white whole wheat. The recipe calls for white flour, I have never ever made them this way. The white wheat flour gives them a healthy taste. Ya know not completely healthy but, healthy as in I don't feel guilty eating two or three with my morning coffee.  It's like a muffin, in a cookie but better!


2/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups old fashioned oats, not instant
1 1/2 cups flour (or white wheat flour)
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 1/4 cups Craisins Dried Cranberries (or the 5 oz. package)
2/3 cup white chocolate chips or chunks




1. Preheat oven to 375ºF. Using an electric mixer, beat butter or margarine and sugar together in a medium mixing bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs, mixing well. 


2. Combine oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate mixing bowl. Add to butter mixture in several additions, mixing well after each addition. Stir in dried cranberries and white chocolate chunks.

3. Drop by rounded teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.

Makes approximately 2 1/2 dozen cookies.

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

That Paula Deen lives in a special place in my heart...right next to butter. *This recipe does need to refrigerate for 2 hours. Nothing worse then starting a cookie recipe, you have it all mixed up & ready to bake and then you see "refrigerate"so here is a heads up...it's in there.


8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature (used reduced fat & couldn't tell)
1 stick of butter, room temperature
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 (18 oz) box moist chocolate cake mix
Confectioner's sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg. Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls.

2. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon size balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart. Bake for 12 minutes.

3. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey." Cool completely and sprinkle with more sugar, if desired.

Paula Deen's Monster Cookies

This is my favorite Monster Cookie recipe. There is no flour in this recipe so they stay soft & chewy for a few days. I can only vouch for a few days because they never last any longer than that when I make them.


3 eggs
1 1/4 cups packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
13 oz. jar creamy peanut butter (I have yet to find a 13 oz jar so good luck with that. I just put in what I think is 13 ounces.)
1 stick butter, softened
1/2 cup M&M's (seriously...1/2 cup...I double this)
1/2 cup chocolate chips (double this too, sometimes they are dark chocolate)
2 tsp baking soda
4 1/2 cups quick cooking oatmeal (not instant)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. ( I don't always do this & they turn out fine)

2. In a very large mixing bowl, combine the eggs & sugars. Mix Well. Add the salt, vanilla, peanut butter, and butter. Mix well. Stir in the M&M's, chocolate chips, baking soda & oatmeal.

3. Drop by tablespoons 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Do not over-bake. Let stand for 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool.