June Recipes

PEANUT BLOSSOMS

1 3/4 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon soda
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup shortening
1/2 cup peanut butter (chunky or creamy)
48 Hershey kisses
extra white sugar (for rolling cookie balls in)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Combine all ingredients in mixer except kisses and extra white sugar. Shape dough into balls. Roll balls in white sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. While cookies are still hot, top each with an unwrapped kiss. Yield: 4 dozen.

HEAVENLY TRIFLE

1 package cook-and-serve vanilla pudding
1 container heavy whipping cream
sugar to taste
1 pint strawberries, blueberries or raspberries
milk to prepare pudding
1 pound cake (store-bought or homemade)

Prepare pudding and remove to countertop. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding to prevent "skin" forming. Cool to room temperature. Whip cream with sugar to taste until fluffy. Fold whipped cream into pudding until blended. Cut pound cake into 1/2 inch slices. In trifle dish or other glass container, layer pound cake, pudding mixture and fresh berries. Repeat until pudding and cake are gone. Top with berries. Refrigerate.

FLAKY PASTRY (Pie Crust)

2 1/4 cups sifted flour
1 cup shortening
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup cold water

Mix flour and salt. Reserve 1/4 cup. Cut shortening into remaining flour mixture. Mix water with 1/4 cup flour to form paste. Add to shortening/flour mixture. Mix and form ball. Yield: 2 (9-inch) pie crusts.

PEANUT STREUSEL PIE

1/4 cup peanut butter
1 (9-inch) baked pie shell
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
Filling:
1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups milk
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon salt
3 egg yolks, slightly beaten
Meringue:
3 egg whites
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 tablespoon cornstarch

Cook filling ingredients until thick. Blend peanut butter and powdered sugar until crumbly. Sprinkle 2/3 of mixture in baked pie shell. Then pour mixture on top. Make meringue by beating egg whites until stiff, then adding cream of tartar. Slowly add sugar and cornstarch. Beat until stiff. Place on top of pie and add remaining peanut butter crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes or until meringue is slightly browned.

AMISH VANILLA CRUMB PIE

3 unbaked pie shells
Filling:
3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
3/4 cup white sugar
2 cups light corn syrup
3 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon flour
1 quart cold water
2 eggs, beaten
3 teaspoon vanilla
Crumb Mixture:
2 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/2 cub butter

Boil together filling ingredients, except vanilla. Remove from heat, add vanilla and mix well. Pour into 3 unbaked pie shells.
For crumb mixture, combine dry ingredients and cut in butter. Sprinkle over pies. Bake at 400 degrees F. for 35 minutes.

STRAWBERRY PIE

1 quart strawberries, washed, stemmed and drained
1 baked pie shell
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sugar
whipped topping

Pick out the choicest half of the strawberries and place them in baked pie shell. Mash the remaining berries in a saucepan and add sugar and cornstarch. Cook over low heat about 10 minutes. Let cool and pour over berries in pie shell. Chill. When ready to serve, top with whipped topping and garnish each piece with a strawberry slice. May be made a day ahead.

OLD-FASHIONED STRAWBERRY PIE

1 quart strawberries, stemmed and washed (don't cut up)
1 (9-inch) baked pie shell
3/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
1/2 of a 3-ounce package strawberry gelatin (not sugar-free)
2-3 drops red food coloring

Mix together sugar and cornstarch. Add to water and cook over medium heat until thickened; cool slightly. Add strawberry gelatin to mixture and mix until well blended; add food coloring and let mixture cool. Arrange strawberries in baked pie shell, stem-side down. Carefully pour cooled mixture over strawberries and refrigerate until serving. It's very good with a dollop of whipped cream on top!

AMISH SHOE-FLY PIE

2 (8-inch) pie crusts, unbaked
2 cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
4 cups flour
1 cup butter
1 cup boiling water
3/4 cup molasses

To make crumb mixture, cut butter into the flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. In another bowl, mix together the boiling water, soda and molasses. In the unbaked shells, alternate layers of crumbs and liquid, ending with the crumb mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F. for approximately 45 minutes or until set. Yield: 2 pies, 12 servings.