Divas on the Farm - Pie - October 2007

Diva: Michelle

Drinks: Tamara
Hot Apple Pie Drink

1 gal. apple cider
2 c apple Schnapps
2 T brown sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Several cinnamon sticks

Add all ingredients in a large pan. Bring to a boil and then simmer. Serve hot with whip cream.

Appetizer: Sara
Savory Phyllo Cheese Cups

6 Sheets phyllo pastry
¼ c Whipping cream
¼ c Hazelnut oil; warmed
Salt, pepper
Vegetable oil
2 Med. basil leaves; minced

Fromage Blanc Filling

¼ tsp Dried rosemary
8 oz Fromage blanc *
1/8 tsp Dried thyme
2 oz Med. strong goat cheese **
1 T Hazelnut oil
2 Eggs

*(fresh, soft goat cheese, lightly whipped) or cream cheese.
** (such as Montrachet or feta)

Brush each phyllo pastry sheet with warmed oil and stack sheets. Trim stack to measure 15- x 12-inches. Cut into 20 (-inch) squares. Brush small cupcake tin with oil. Press each square of dough into cup. Flatten corners onto pan to form petals. Chill. To make filling, combine fromage blanc, goat cheese, eggs, cream and salt and pepper to taste, basil, rosemary, thyme and hazelnut. Mix until well blended. Pour filling into formed cups. Bake at 350F until cups are golden and mixture is lightly puffed.

Salad: Ashley
Mixed green salad with piecrust croutons.

Soup: Stacey
French Onion Soup

6 red onion, peeled and thinly sliced
olive oil
1 tsp sugar
4 cloves garlic, minced
8 c beef stock (or veggie stock)
½ c white wine
1 bay leaf
½ tsp dried thyme
salt and pepper
8 sliced toasted French bread
1 ½ c gruyere cheese
½ c parmesan cheese

In a large soup pot sauté onions in a little olive oil on medium high heat until well browned but not burned. This should take about 30 mins. Add the sugar about 10 mins. into the process to help caramelize the onions. Add the garlic and sauté 1 min. Add stock, wine, bay leaf, thyme--cover and partially simmer for 30 mins. Season with salt and pepper. Melt the cheese on the toasted bread. Serve on top of soup.

Side Dish: Erin
Sweet Potato Pie

4 large potatoes
2 c sugar (I used less, this just seemed like too much and I liked the result)
1 stick butter
1 pinch cinnamon
1 pinch nutmeg
1 homemade or store-bought pie crust
½ c milk

Boil the potatoes until tender. When you stick a
fork in them it should go in easy but you don't
want them to fall apart.

Let the potatoes cool and then peel them.

Put the potatoes in a large mixing bowl and
mash them thoroughly with a potato masher.
Melt the butter and pour it and the other
ingredients in the bowl of potatoes. Stir
until well mixed.

Pour the potatoes mixture
into the crust.

Put into an oven preheated to 375 degrees.
Cook for about 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick
inserted in the center comes out dry.

Entree: Nicole
Chicken Pot Pie

1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
1 c sliced carrots
1 c frozen green peas
½ c sliced celery
1/3 c butter
1/3 c chopped onion
1/3 c all-purpose flour
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp celery seed
1 ¾ c chicken broth
2/3 c milk

2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery. Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes. Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed. Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk. Simmer over medium-low heat until thick. Remove from heat and set aside.
Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust. Pour hot liquid mixture over. Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough. Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Dessert: Mariah
Fruit Pizza

"A cookie dough crust, cream cheese filling, and fruit topping. Tip: For a quick crust, use one package of ready made sugar cookie dough rolled out to fit a pizza pan. Use an assortment of fresh fruit such as bananas, peaches, blueberries, kiwi, pineapple, and strawberries."

½ c butter, softened
¾ c white sugar
1 egg
1 ¼ c all-purpose flour
1 tsp cream of tartar
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
½ c white sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 3/4 cup sugar until smooth. Mix in egg. combine the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Press dough into an ungreased pizza pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Cool.
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 1/2 cup sugar and vanilla until light. Spread on cooled crust.
Arrange desired fruit on top of filling, and chill.

Lottery: Lovina