How you doin’? I love Quick Breads—don’t you? They certainly live up to their name. They're so quick and easy because they don't require yeast, kneading or extra time to proof. Instead of yeast, quick breads use instant leavenings like baking powder or baking soda (or both) to create the bubbles in the batter that makes the bread rise as it bakes. Muffins, pancakes, waffles, scones and biscuits are also considered quick-style breads.
 
Quick Breads are far more versatile than most other baked goods. They allow you greater freedom to add ingredients (like nuts and dried fruit) and make ingredient substitutions.
 
One of the great things about quick breads is that you can use the same batter to make all kind of things—loaves, muffins, coffeecakes, corn bread and Bundt cakes, however each size requires different baking times—and some may require different baking temperatures as well. The larger and thicker the loaf, the longer it's going to take to bake. So, if you're using a different size baking pan than your recipe calls for be sure to adjust the baking times accordingly.
 
This recipe comes from the brunch menu of the Palm Grill Restaurant in Burlingame, California. It was so popular we baked an additional 100 loaves each weekend to sell to be enjoyed outside the restaurant. The quick bread is tender, sweet and delicious every time!
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Bake time:  1 hour
Additional:  5 minutes for cooling
Yield:  2 9-inch loaves / about 24 slices
 
Ingredients
For the quick bread
3 cups all-purpose flour
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
4 tablespoons poppy seeds
1-1/2 teaspoons Fiori di Sicilia (see ChefSecret below)
 
1-1/3 cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs
1-1/2 cups whole milk
2-1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons fresh orange zest
 
For the glaze
1/4 cup orange juice
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon poppy seeds
2 cups confectioners' sugar
 
Directions
To make the cake

1. Preheat oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Spray or butter bottoms of two 9-inch loaf pans.
3. Line the bottom of the loaf pans with parchment.
4. Mix the flour, salt, baking powder, poppy seeds, Fiori di Sicilia, oil, eggs, milk, sugar, vanilla, almond extract and orange zest.
5. Pour into prepared pans.
6. Bake for one hour, until a toothpick or cake tester comes out clean.
7. Cool for 5 minutes.

To make glaze

1. Mix orange juice, extracts, orange zest and poppy seeds.
2. Add enough confectioners' sugar to make glaze.
3. Poke holes in top of Quick Bread loaves and pour the glaze over.

ChefSecret:  If you don’t have Fiori di Sicilia, a fragrant citrus extract, you can make your own using 2 parts vanilla extract, 1 part lemon extract and 1 part orange extract.

Quip of the Day: “Be decisive! Right or wrong, make a decision. The road of life is paved with flat squirrels who couldn’t make a decision.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Baking #QuickBread #OrangePoppySeed #Breakfast #Brunch #Snack  #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                          ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? One thing is certain, during the last year and a half we have all been experimenting with different foods. Just think back to 2019 when most meal providers had a repertoire of only 5 dinner recipes (and at least two of those were made from leftover restaurant meals) to appreciate how far we’ve come. We have all embraced wonderful “comfort meals.” They are all warm and nourishing with a touch of mid-century retro memories of mom and grandma. 
 
Right up at the top of that list is Shepherd’s or Cottage Pie. Think of a deep-dish casserole filled with ground or minced meat, savory gravy, and chopped vegetables, topped with creamy mashed potatoes. The “Pie” is then baked until bubbling hot inside and golden brown across the top. I always thought that this classic dish originated from Scotland, but it goes by different names in various countries where you'll find local versions of shepherd's pie served in France, Chile, Argentina, Britain, Ireland, the US and Scotland, of course.
 
You can make Shepherd's Pie completely from scratch like we did at my Custom House Restaurants, or you can be true to its culinary roots and use up leftover bits of meats and pieces of vegetables in your filling and top it all off with leftover mashed potatoes (a great excuse to make extra mashed). Be sure to bind the filling with a little gravy so you get that perfect bite every time.
 
I make my Shepherd’s Pie with any single or variety of meats—lamb, beef, veal or pork. You can even use ground chicken or turkey. I find it best to use a chili grind for the meats… see ChefSecret for more on this.
 
Prep time:  20 minutes
Cook time:  1 hour 50 minutes
Yield:  6 to 8 servings
 
Ingredients: 
For the garlicky potato topping
4 large russet potatoes, peeled and quartered
10 whole garlic cloves, peeled
1/2 cup sour cream
1/4 to 1/2 cup beef, chicken or vegetable broth
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon finely ground black pepper
Nonstick cooking spray
 
For the seasoned meat filling
4 slices bacon, cut into thin strips or ask your butcher to grind this with your meat
1 tablespoon vegetable or olive oil
2 cups chopped white onion
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt, plus 1/4 teaspoon
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 pound ground beef (or other meat)
1 cup roughly chopped carrots
3/4 cups frozen peas
1/2 cups frozen corn
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 (12-ounce) bottle Guinness dark beer or other dark stout
1/2 cup beef broth
1 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
 
Directions:
To make the potato topping

1. In a large saucepan or kettle add the potatoes and garlic and cover with cold water.
2. Bring the potatoes to a boil over medium heat and cook uncovered until the potatoes are fork-tender, about 15 to 20 minutes.
3. Drain the potatoes in a colander.
4. Transfer the potatoes and garlic to a large bowl.  
5. Add the sour cream, 1/4 cup of the broth, butter, salt and pepper; beat on low speed with a hand mixer until the potatoes are light and fluffy, about 1 to 2 minutes.
6. If the mixture is too dry, add the remaining 1/4 cup broth. Do not overmix. Cover and set aside.
7. Preheat the oven to 350⁰ F.
8. Spray a 10-inch deep round baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

​To make the filling

1. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add the bacon (if using strips) and cook, stirring occasionally until browned and almost crisp, about 7 to 8 minutes.
2.  With a slotted spoon, transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate; set aside.
3. Add the oil to the drippings in the skillet and over medium heat cook the onion and 1/4 teaspoon of salt, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and just beginning to brown, about 10 minutes.
4. Sprinkle in the sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions begin to caramelize, about 3 minutes.
5. Stir in the meat and cook, stirring occasionally, over medium-high heat, until the beef begins to brown, about 7 minutes.
6. Add the carrots, peas, corn and garlic and cook, stirring, until the vegetables begin to soften, about 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the tomato paste and flour while continuing to cook, stirring until well blended, about 2 minutes.
8. Add the beer, bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes.  
9. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, and scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan, about 2 minutes.
10. Add the cooked bacon, the broth, rosemary, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and the pepper, and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes.
11. Spoon the meat mixture into the prepared baking dish.
12. Spread the mashed potato topping evenly over the beef mixture.  
13. Bake until the filling is hot, the topping is lightly browned and the edges are bubbly, about 35 minutes.
14. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the cheeses.
15. Return to the oven and bake for 10 more minutes.
16. Let the Shepherd’s Pie rest out of the oven for 10 minutes before serving.
17. Cut a scoop out the Shepherd’s Pie onto a dinner plate making sure you get meat filling and potato topping. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.

ChefSecret:  I find it best to use a chili grind for my meats. That’s a ground meat that has only gone through the grinder one time. I prefer the “rougher” texture alongside the creamy mashed potatoes.

Quip of the Day: “I really look a lot cuter and younger when I wear my mask. It must be the mystique of the unknown."
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Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Entrees #SheherdsPie #Potatoes #Cheese #GroundMeat #ComfortFoods #Dinner #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                            ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

​How you doin’? Are you a Seinfeld fan? I’ve seen some shows so often I can recite the lines. Do you remember the one where Elaine's former boss steals her million-dollar muffin tops idea, while Kramer promotes a bus tour trying to give away all the leftover bottoms without much success? 
 
Well you can ask anyone and they’ll tell you, the best part of any muffin, arguably, is the top inch or so. Just pop the top where a heaping forkful will get you both the tender cake and the crunchy streusel topping. It’s always tempting to save that part for last giving you time to savor the texture. With this recipe we have some of the top in the middle where the streusel is baked all the way through the muffin, so every bite is the best bite.
 
The batter is made with sour cream or plain yogurt, so it has a nice moist crumb and a natural tanginess that complements the sweet cinnamon-brown sugar crunch of the streusel. The muffins are rich, moist and flavorful… they’re the perfect last-minute brunch treat, coffee companion, afternoon snack, or after dinner treat.

Prep time:  10 minutes
Bake time:  25 minutes
Yield:  12 muffins
 
Ingredients
For the streusel
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
 
For the muffins
2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch kosher salt
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 cup sour cream (or substitute plain yogurt)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
 
Directions
Getting started

1. Preheat an oven to 350°F and adjust a rack to the middle position.
2. Line a muffin tin with muffin liners or prep them with non-stick cooking spray.

To make the streusel

1. In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, butter, and cinnamon. Use a fork or your fingers to mash the streusel into a paste that resembles wet sand. Set aside.

To make the muffins

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well combined.
2. In a separate bowl, mix the butter, oil, and sugar with an electric mixer until all incorporated.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, beating between additions, until the mixture is smooth and all the ingredients are incorporated.
4. Add the sour cream and mix until just incorporated.
5. Gently mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until a thick batter forms.
6. Divide half of the batter among the muffin cups. Place a tablespoon of the streusel in the middle of each cup, leaving the batter exposed around the edges.
7. Cover the streusel with the remaining batter.
8. Finish by topping the muffins with the remaining streusel.
9. Bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 25 minutes.
10. Allow the muffins to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
11. Serve warm.

ChefSecret:  Dress your muffins up a bit… toss in some pecan pieces into the streusel or add some fresh blueberries or chocolate chips to the batter.

Quip of the Day: “Silly you! You thought dogs were hard to train? Just look at all the humans who can’t sit, stay or remember to wear their friggin’ face coverings”
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Do you have a question or comment? Do you want to share a favorite recipe or pictures with our readers? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Baking #Muffins #Seinfeld #MuffinTops #Streusel #CoffeeCake #ElaineBenes  #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                             ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? When you are in a “lemony” mood, here is the perfect melt-in-your-mouth Lemon Cookie. If you love the freshness of tart lemons, then you’re going to love these cookies. They’re light and easy to make. With or without a tasty lemon glaze, they are sure to satisfy any lemon lover!
 
This cookie is very close to the original Girl Scout cookie from nearly 80 years ago.
 
In 2020, Savannah Smiles, the powder sugar-dusted lemon cookies that were brought back in 2012, were retired by Girl Scouts of America and replaced by a new lemon cookie—Lemon-Ups. The Girl Scouts organization works closely with its licensed bakers to replace cookies and bring new ones on to the market based on sales, flavor trends, and consumer preferences. Now you can try the lemon cookie that started all the fuss.
 
Prep time:  15 minutes
Bake time:  10 minutes
Added time:  5 minutes
Yield:  24 cookies
 
Ingredients
For the cookies
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon extract
 
For the lemon glaze
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (strained)
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons lemon zest
 
Directions
To make the lemon cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350⁰ F.
2. Use a Silpat pad on 2 cookie sheets.
3. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt in a small bowl.
4. Cream the butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed.
5. Gradually add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
6. Beat in the sour cream, lemon zest, vanilla extract and lemon extract.
7. Reduce speed to low; beat in the dry ingredients just until blended.
8. Use a #30 scoop (about 2 tablespoons) and drop the dough on the prepared cookie sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart.
9. Bake in the preheated oven until cookies are set and edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool for 1 minute on the cookie sheets; then use a wide metal spatula to transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
10. Dip the top of the slightly-cooled cookies into the glaze, twist and place on the cooling rack. Allow the glaze to set up before storing them. 

To make the lemon glaze

1. In a small bowl whisk together the lemon juice, powdered sugar and zest until smooth.

Chefs Secret:  For best results, when making the cookie dough, add the granulated sugar after you’ve already creamed the butter.

Quip of the Day: “You know you’re getting old when you go to bed at about the same time you used to get dressed up to go out.”
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Do you have a question or comment?  Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com.  All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Desserts #Baking #Cookies #LemonCookies #IcedLemonCookies #GlazedLemonCookies #GirlScouts #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                           ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021

How you doin’? Fasten your seat belt…  this is going to a long blog—but one that will make you a “perfect” pie maker. Did you know that pies are an All-American dessert? Pies are not difficult to make if you start with a well-prepared crust. Of course, you can use a store-bought frozen crust or a refrigerated roll-out crust, but it just isn’t the same. Why bother? Making a pie crust is a cinch. The following is trouble shooting guide to perfect pie crust and my famous Palm Grill Apple Pie. Let’s get going!
 
Do you have overcooked and cracked crusts, soggy bottoms, are they stogy with burnt edges and fruit slush inside the crust? Do your pie crusts poop-out at parties? You’re not the only one. These are the things that drive pie makers crazy, and it happens to even the most experienced pros. If you don’t bake pies on a regular basis, you can easily forget some of the most common solutions. Want the perfect pie that everyone’s talking about?...  then continuing reading.  If not go to the frozen pie section of your local supermarket or skip down to Granny Fanny’s recipe below.
 
Do you have a soggy bottom? Is your undercooked pie crust stuck to the bottom of the pie pan? 
This is horrible and unacceptable. Your top crust is beautiful and golden brown, your filling has achieved that perfect, firm yet a little gooey delicious texture. But when you attempt to serve a slice, your pie server only picks up the filling and top crust.  I hate when that happens! 
 

• Blind bake it:  You probably already know to do this with single crust, filled pies.  You can get a head start baking with a 12-to-15-minute blind bake of the bottom crust.  Use a little bit of brushed butter on the pan, layer in the crust, line with parchment or foil and fill with dried beans or pie weights. 
• Waterproof it:  A leaky hull sunk the Titanic; don’t let excess moisture sink your pie. You can brush the raw bottom crust with egg wash. Long before the filling releases any pie-ruining liquid the egg will set-up the crust, leaving you with a crisp bottom. Another flavorful way to waterproof your bottom crust is to brush on some heated apricot jam. This also prevents soggy bottoms.
• Go lower and slower:  Preheat a sheet pan on the bottom rack of your oven.  Place your pie pan on a heated sheet pan. You’ll be cooking both up and down at the same time giving the bottom crust a bit of a head start. The radiant heat will cook the upper parts of the pie slower, allowing the crust to firm up at an even pace. I use metal pans as opposed to Pyrex pie plates to get a better, firmer bottom. 

 
Are your pies, soupy, sloppy and wet? 
You’ve got all these perfect, fresh ingredients and you’ve been peeling fruit all day. You’ve baked, what appears to be, the perfect apple pie for an hour or so and you come up with apple cider pie—wet, slushy and disgusting. 
 

• Give it a rest:  You’ve added that mysterious (or not) white powder which is some kind of starch—every fruit pie recipe needs starch as an ingredient, which allows the filling to thicken as it cooks and cools. Don’t be tempted to cut in and serve it right away; allow the pie time to rest to allow the juices to set up for about an hour after baking.
• Select the right fruit:  Let’s talk apples to apples. Did you know that there are over 7,500 varieties of apples and they can change in texture depending on the season or the longer they’re held? Soft eating apples don’t beat the heat. When baked in a pie they discharge too much water and get too mushy—applesauce soup. You want to bake pies with firm, tart apples—think Granny Smith, Golden Delicious or Braeburn. These apples will hold up best when baked and properly starched. My deep-dish pies all have between 4 and 5 pounds of fruit in them.
• Use the right starch:  I use a variety of starches depending on the desired result. My Grandma Fanny may have used just 3 or 4 tablespoons of flour or cornstarch for her 9-inch deep-dish apple pies, but there are other starches, such as tapioca starch and rice flour that are easily purchased. As a pie professional I like to use Instant Cleargel or arrowroot (available at King Arthur Flour). The last four starches never make the liquid cloudy after you bring them up to temperature, roughly 185°F to set the starch. 

 
Are your pies suffering from ‘gap-osis’? 
I prefer my fruit pies to be brim high, right up to the top crust—no gaps.
 

• The best crusts are made with a (50/50) combination of butter and lard: Butter gives you that wonderful buttery flavor and the lard can bake longer and still browns nicely. See my basic, never-fail pie crust recipe below.
• Escape, please! Let me go. As the fruit cooks it steams in the crust. It’s just dying to get out. You’ve got to let it go. If it isn’t a lattice crust you will need to cut escape vents to let it all out. Punch out some holes or cut about six 3-inch slits in the top crust. You can also make a decorative lattice top crust.
• Cook your apples first: My best apple pie recipe uses grilled apples—yes grilled. I core and cut apples into rounds or wedges and put them on the barbi. I like the grill marks and the caramelized flavor. You can also sauté them with butter and starch and then add the lightly cooked, but still firm apple filling to the prepared crust.

 
If you’re baking a pie a day you can master pieology in a week. If you are only baking pies once a year, there’s a lot to remember so keep this valuable cheat sheet holiday handy. 
 
                                            Ed’s Perfect Pie Crust
 
Prep Time:  30 minutes
Cool Time:  1 hour
Freeze Time:  30 minutes
Blind Baking Time:  12 to 15 minutes
Yield:  2 9-inch Single-Crust pies or 1 9-Inch Double-Crust Pie
 
Ingredients:
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut in 1/2-inch pieces
1/4 cup cold lard cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons ice-cold water
 
Directions:

1. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade briefly pulse the flour, sugar, and salt to mix. 
2. Add the butter and lard and pulse for 30 seconds or until coarse crumbs form. 
3. Add the lemon juice and water. Pulse just until the dough just starts to come together.  Do not over mix.
4. Turn the dough onto a work surface and gently shape it into two equal disks about 4 or 5 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic food film and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 1 day.

For a single-crust pie

1. Place one of the dough disks between two large pieces of lightly floured baking parchment and roll into a 14-inch-diameter round that’s 1/8 inch thick.  
2. Remove the top sheet of parchment and gently roll the dough around the pin and position the pin over the pie pan. Unroll, carefully easing the dough into the pan, gently but firmly pressing the dough against the sides and bottom, taking care not to pull or stretch. 
3. Trim the edge of the dough, leaving a 3/4-inch margin from the outer edge of the pan. Tuck this dough under to shape a high edge crust that rests on top of the rim. Pinch, crimp and poke with a fork to allow the steam to escape.

For blind baking

1. Freeze the crust for at least 30 minutes before baking. 
2. Preheat the oven to 425° F. 
3. Line the frozen crust with a large piece of foil, fill with pie weights (or dried beans or rice), and bake 12 minutes until set. 
4. Remove the foil and weights and continue baking the shell until golden, about 3 to 8 minutes longer, checking for bubbles (push them down gently with the back of a spoon).
5. Let the crust cool and then brush with egg wash or warm apricot jam.
6. Place the filling into the shell. Lightly, brush the edge of the bottom crust with water.  Roll the top crust around the pin and position it over the filled pie. Gently unroll, centering the dough over filling. 
7. Press the edges together and trim the top crust so it’s 1/2 inch larger than the outer edge of the pie pan. Tuck this dough under itself to shape a high crust edge that rests on top of the rim. Pinch and crimp. 
8. With a paring knife, slash 6 vent holes in the top crust.
9. Bake following the pie recipe directions.

 
ChefSecret:  If only making a single crust you can freeze the second dough disk wrapped in food film for up to 3 months.
 
                           Granny Fanny’s Deep-Dish Apple Pie Filling
 
Prep Time:  30 minutes
Inactive Time:  30 minutes
Bake Time:  1 to 1-1/4 hours
Yield:  1 (9-or 10-inch) double-crusted pie
 
Ingredients
4 or 5 pounds Granny Smith apples, peeled, quartered, and cored, soaked in lemon water
1 lemon, zested
1 orange, zested
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed orange juice
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon rum
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 teaspoon to sprinkle on top
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (or 3 tablespoons of corn starch or other starch)
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground allspice
1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water, for egg wash
 
Directions

1. Follow the directions for making a perfect pie crust above. 
2. Preheat an oven to 400⁰ F.
3. Cut each apple quarter in half crosswise and combine in a bowl with the zests, juices, vanilla extract, rum, 1/2 cup sugar, flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice.
4. Sauté the filling until lightly thickened for about 5 minutes. It will get thicker as it bakes in the oven.
5. Pour the filling onto the blind-baked pie bottom crust.
6. Carefully place the top crust over the filling per the instructions above.
7. Brush the entire top crust with the egg wash, sprinkle with 1 teaspoon sugar, and cut six 3-inch slits.
8. Place the pie on a sheet pan and bake for 1 to 1-1/4 hours, or until the crust is browned and the juices begin to bubble out.  Let the pie cool for at least 1 to 2 hours before serving to set the starches and sugars.

ChefSecret:  I have lots of secrets. Do you need a pie recipe and can’t find that perfect one? Just ask. I have a recipe for any type, flavor and kind of pie—over 500 of them. Just ask by sending me an email at ed@perspectives-la.com.

Quip of the Day: “Some of us are very fearful of Alexa listening in on all our conversations; now Amazon is making a male version which won’t listen to anything.”
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Do you have a question or comment? Send your thoughts to ed@perspectives-la.com. All recipes and cooking tips are posted on our website https://www.perspectives-la.com/covid-19-survival-guide.
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To you and everyone dear to you, be strong and positive, stay well and safe and be kind to others. If you have a little extra in your pockets to share with others at this difficult time, please consider donating to Feeding America. Thanks for reading.

#Desserts #PerfectPies #ApplePie #PerfectPieCrust #DeepDishPie #QuarantineKitchen #Covid19 #FeedingAmerica #PerspectivesTheConsultingGroup

                                             ©Perspectives/The Consulting Group, Inc., 2021