Prune Cream Pie Extravaganza

Okay, so I'm a little nutty about prunes.  I don't recall what age I was when our family was introduced to the concept of stewed prunes over biscuits by a neighbor, but the effect it had on our family was profound.  I was crazy about them.  As I recall, everyone in our family loved them.  So, every year in September I pick as many as I can hold in my freezer.  I'm a little careful who I tell about this obsession because, in America, admitting a fondness for prunes can subject you to severe ridicule.  I'm convinced that most American's just don't know how good they are when stewed.  I don't like fresh prunes very much.  I mean they are okay, but tt's when you cook them that they turn a beautiful red, purple color with a sweet, tart flavor that is wonderful (after adding sugar.)

Backing up a bit, I was given a 1952 Betty Crocker cookbook when I went away to college for the first time by my Grandma.  It was a great present which I still have and still use.  Within this cookbook is a recipe for prune cream pie.  I don't remember when I first tried baking a prune cream pie, but it wasn't too long after receiving the cookbook.  I have to admit that I get kind of a sick thrill from watching people's faces when I tell them about prune cream pie.  The name conjures all kinds of images, none of which are very pleasant.  It has been several years since the last time I made prune cream pie and this last year I have really started cooking much more, so I thought it was time to break out the 1952 Betty Crocker cookbook and try the prune cream pie once again.  I changed some of the quantities trying to make it little better the second time.  I felt like it didn't have enough prune flavor.

The crust didn't turnout very well at all.  First it was too dry because I was trying to be so careful to not add too much water.  I had to add water after shaping some which didn't turn out well.  I really need to practice making a crust.

Prune Cream Pie

(Taken from a 1952 Betty Crocker Cookbook)

Delicious and homey-tasting.  This prize-winning recipe was sent to us by a prize home-maker, Mrs. W. K. Robbins of Baytown, Texas.

Make Pastry for One-Crust Pie of desired size.  Line pie pan.

Filling for 9” Pie

Beat Slightly…

3 eggs

Mix together and blend in thoroughly…

4 tbsp Flour

1 cup sugar

½ tsp salt

1/4 tsp cinnamon

Stir in…

3/4 cup milk (1 cup in original recipe)

1 tsp vanilla

1.75 cups stewed prunes (1.5 cups in original recipe)

Pour into pastry-lined pie pan, distributing prunes evenly.  Bake until a silver knife thrust into side of filling comes out clean.  Cool.  Just before serving, spread with sweetened whipped cream, if desired.
Temperature: 350° F
Time: Bake 50 to 60 min.

Pie Crust Recipe

Ingredients:

1.25 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 cube cold butter

~4 tbsp cold water

Instructions:

• Mix flour and salt
• Slice up butter and add to flour mixture
• Using pastry cutter, cut butter into pea sizes pieces
• Add a portion of the water and mix/mash using fork
• Add just enough water to form a ball out of the dough
• Refrigerate dough for 5-10 minutes
• Roll dough out from center and place in pie pan

Pickin' Italian Prunes

Quartered and ready to stew

Stewed

Pie Filling ready

My failed attempt at shaping the crust

Ready to cook

Just out of the oven

Ugly crust but it was still delicious!

Coconut Almond Granola

The following is a recipe for granola that I make about once a week for the family. It really says something that my kids still choose this granola over just about anything else even after 6 months of eating it on a fairly regular basis.  As written, this recipe makes a very large amount that takes 3 pans to cook it all so you may want to divide it down.

You can cook this in the regular oven if you choose, but I like the microwave because it leaves the granola a little chewy and I find it more convenient.  The conventional oven tends to make the granola more crunchy.  The first time I cooked it in the oven and burned the whole batch pretty badly.  I then began to cook it in the microwave, first for 12 minutes.  After a while I found that 11 min seems to be about perfect for my oven and pan size.  That extra minute would sometimes cause small portions to get too done.


Coconut Almond Granola

Adapted from http://bakingbites.com/2009/04/coconut-almond-granola/

Dry Ingredients:
    12 cups rolled oats
    8 cups puffed rice cereal
    shredded coconut
    sliced almonds

Wet Ingredients:
    3 tsp ground cinnamon
    3 tsp ground ginger
    2 tsp salt
    2 cups brown sugar
    2 cup plain applesauce
    3/4 cup honey
    3 tsp vanilla extract


In a medium sized bowl, stir together wet ingredients and spices. In a large bowl, stir together oats, puffed rice cereal, shredded coconut and almonds. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir well making sure there are no dry pockets.

Combine in a glass baking dish - microwave on HIGH for 11 min - stirring after every 3 min (2 min on the last set.)  This will vary of course, with several factors such as the size and depth of your pan, the power of your microwave, etc.

After it is cool, fluff with a fork or whatever you have handy. Store in a tight container.

Wet Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

Stir well - this can take quite a while with this amount

Place in shallow pan - I fill this pan 3 times in order to cook it all

Microwave for 10-12 min depending on the power of your oven (mine is 1100W)

Make sure you stir well every 2-3 min

When finished I like to add dried Montmorency Cherries for a little tartness

The finished product

First United Methodist Church of Salem

Here are pictures of the First United Methodist Church which is the oldest church in Salem.  It was completed in 1878 and is the oldest Methodist church west of the Rocky Mountains.  Its architecture is Gothic Revival and has one of the few "tall" spires left in Oregon according to the book " America's religious architecture: sacred places for every community" available on Google Books.  It is tricky to get a good picture with morning light.

 First Presbyterian Church of Salem:

Salem Catholic Church:

Garden of the Gods

These are pictures from mid-October when I took a business trip to Colorado Springs, CO.  I absolutely loved it there!  I went to the Garden of the Gods twice: once in the morning and once in the late afternoon.

Morning pictures:

1 of 2 deer I saw

Can you spot the 2nd deer?

Pike's Peak

Balanced Rock

There were a bunch of mid-century modern looking motels in the area

Afternoon pictures:

Ridge Trail

Ridge Trail

Interesting house on the edge of the park

Focus fail

Amazing a tree could grow here

I tried to jump up onto the rock but didn't make it in time 8)

The next morning as I was preparing to drive to the airport:

This stunning tree was across the street from my hotel room