Polish Style Apple Pie

Submitted by Kasia Niedzwiedzka

Crust Dough:
400g (3 1/5 c.) flour
120g (about 1 c.) powdered sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
180g butter (a bit less than two sticks)
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp. sour cream

Knead everything together.  Separate the dough into two pieces - 3/4 and 1/4 - and put in the fridge for 1 1/2 hours. Then I grate the dough on a grater.

Apple Filling:
6 to 8 apples, peeled and cleaned inside
Cinnamon, as you like - usually about 1 tsp.
Sugar, as you like - I don't add
Raisins and nuts, as you like

Cut apples into pieces (ten per apple). Simmer them with about 1 c. water until soft and mashed (you can leave small pieces). Add cinnamon as you like (usually around 1 tsp.), sugar as you like (I don't add any), raisins and nuts, as you like.

Egg White Foam:
2 egg whites
3 Tbsp. powdered sugar

Beat together.

Layer 3/4 of the dough, then the apples, then foam, then rest of the dough in a 9x9 pan. Bake around 45-55 minutes at 350 F degrees until golden brown.

Balsamic-Glazed Green Beans and Pearl Onions

Submitted by Martha Southwick

1 1/4 lbs. green beans, trimmed
1 Tbsp. butter, divided
6 oz. red pearl onions, halved lengthwise and peeled
1/4 c. fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
3 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

Place beans into a large saucepan of boiling water; cook 3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water; drain well. Place beans in a large bowl; set aside. Heat 1 1/2 tsp. butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add broth, vinegar, and sugar; bring to a boil. Simmer 3 minutes or until syrupy. Add beans, remaining 1 1/2 tsp. butter, salt, and pepper; toss to coat. Cook for 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated.  Serves 8.

Sweet Potato Casserole

Submitted by Julie Ingermanson

3 c. mashed sweet potato (I baked the sweet potatoes & then scooped them out)
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 butter, melted
1 c. brown sugar, packed
1/3 c. flour
1/2 c. pecans, chopped
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
Handful of marshmallows

Combine sweet potatoes, sugar, salt, vanilla, eggs & 1/2 c. butter in a mixing bowl in the order listed. Mix thoroughly. Spread mixture into a greased pan (I used a 9x9 square). Mix brown sugar, flour, pecans & 3 Tbsp. butter in bowl & sprinkle over sweet potatoes. Sprinkle marshmallows over top. Bake 350 F for 30-40 minutes. Allow to set at least 30 minutes before serving.

Citrus Wassail

Submitted by Rachel Mecham

2 quarts apple juice
2 c. pineapple juice
2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. lemon juice
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground cloves

In a large pot on the stove, whisk together all ingredients. Heat to steaming hot then simmer for 15 minutes, or longer if desired. May be transferred to a crock pot to serve warm. (I suppose you could make it in a crock pot if you have the time to wait for it to heat up.)

Swedish Green Potatoes

Submitted by Rachel Mecham

6 large potatoes (or 8 medium)
1 1/4 c. light cream (or substitute evaporated milk)
1/4 lb. (1 stick) butter, softened
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. white pepper
2 Tbsp. chives
1 tsp. dried dill
1/2 package frozen chopped spinach partially cooked and well drained

Boil potatoes with skins on until tender. Then remove skins and mash well with potato masher. Beat in butter, cream, salt, sugar, and pepper. Whip until light and fluffy. Add chives, dill, and spinach and whip together. Transfer to casserole dish with lid and bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes or until piping hot. Serves 6-8. This is a Mecham family favorite. This recipe came from the Los Angeles Times more than 50 years ago. Jesse’s great aunt first served it at Thanksgiving dinner that year and it has been a favorite ever since.

Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Agave Nectar and Fresh Rosemary

Submitted by Meghann Cheney (from Two Peas and their Pod)

3 large sweet potatoes, washed and peeled, cut into cubes
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp. agave nectar
1-2 Tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped or 1-2 tsp. if dried
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Place the cubed sweet potatoes in a large bowl. Whisk together the olive oil, agave nectar, and salt and pepper in a small bowl. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes and toss. Make sure the potatoes are well coated. Add the fresh rosemary and toss again.

Line a large baking sheet with foil and spray with cooking spray. Spread out the potatoes on the baking sheet. Bake for 45-50 minutes. Stir the potatoes every 15 minutes. Make sure the potatoes are soft. Serve warm.

Roots to Boot

Submitted by Rachel Mecham

2-3 carrots, chopped
2-3 parsnips, chopped
1 peeled rutabaga, chopped (optional)
1-2 turnips, chopped
1 sweet potato, chopped
1-2 regular potatoes, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 Tbsp. oil
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. nutmeg or to taste
4 Tbsp. butter
2-4 Tbsp. brown sugar

Spread oil on the bottom of a 9” X 13” pan. Add veggie segments, then salt, nutmeg and other spices sprinkled over the top. Add bits of butter over the top. Bake at 375 to 400 degrees F for one hour. Stir every 15-20 minutes. About 15 minutes before taking out the dish from the oven, sprinkle brown sugar over the top. This recipe was created by my sister-in-law a few years ago.

Summit House Cream Corn

Submitted by Danica Nelson (Summit House recipe)

1 lb. frozen sweet WHITE corn (if you make a double batch you can mix with yellow)
12 oz. heavy whipping cream
1 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1 1/2 Tbsp. melted butter
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. sugar
3 Tbsp. + Parmesan cheese (can be fancy shredded or green bottle grated kind, doesn't matter)
Pinch of white pepper

First pour your cream into a pot and let it get warm. Add salt, sugar and pepper. Then add the corn - add a little bit, stir, add some more, stir. Bring to a boil and simmer 5 minutes. While that's simmering make a rue (I usually put the butter in a cup, melt it in the microwave then add the flour so it doesn't burn). Once your corn is nice and simmered, add rue to corn mix. Mix well then remove from heat. Transfer to a 9x13 casserole dish (the more corn exposed, the more cheese on top, and that's the best part). Cover the top with your parmesan cheese (which is why it may be more than 3 Tbsp. - the more the better!). Broil it for a couple minutes until it starts to barely brown. Serves 6.

Stuffing Balls

Submitted by Kate Waldie

2 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 c. chopped celery
1 tsp. butter

8-10 c. course dry bread crumbs (about 20 slices)***
1 1/2 tsp. parsley flakes
2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
(Optional: 1 (6 oz.) pkg. Craisins)

3 large eggs, fork beaten
1 1/2 c. water or chicken broth
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted

Saute onion and celery in butter until onion is soft and clear.  Combine bread crumbs, parsley, poultry seasoning, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.  Add eggs and water. Stir. Add onion mixture and mix well.

Shape into balls using either a 1/2 c. or 1/3 c. (depending on preferred size) and arrange in a single layer on a greased cookie sheet.  Drizzle melted butter.  Bake at 350 F degrees for about 25 minutes or until golden.

***I use fresh bread and dry it out on a cooking sheet in the oven (at 250 F degrees) for about 15 minutes.

Makes approx. 24 balls

Christmas Raspberry Crunch

Submitted by Lissa Rucker (Lion House Christmas Cookbook)

2 c. crushed pretzels
3 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 c. butter
1 (8 oz.) package cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
1 (12 oz.) carton whipped topping
1 (16 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (6 oz.) package raspberry gelatin
3 c. boiling water
1 (10 oz.) bag frozen raspberries
Whipped cream, for garnish

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Crush pretzels with rolling pin; combine with sugar and melted butter in a small bowl.  Press into bottom of 9x13" baking pan.  Bake 5 minutes.  Cool on a wire rack.

In a large bowl beat cream cheese and sugar until fluffy.  Mix in whipped topping, then fold in drained pineapple.  Spread mixture onto cooled pretzel crust.

Dissolve gelatin in boiling water.  Stir in frozen raspberries and place gelatin in refrigerator until syrupy, about 30 minutes.  Pour over cream cheese layer.  Refrigerate until set.  Garnish with whipped cream.