Bean and Cheese Dip (Vegan)

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Summer is in the air and outdoor get-togethers are a wonderful way to enjoy the company of friends and family. This bean and cheese dip is easy to make and it’s a tasty crowd-pleaser everyone can enjoy. Serve it alongside tortilla chips and dig in!

This recipe is easy to make vegan by using dairy-free cheese on top of the beans. We used Field Roast™ Chao vegan cheese in this dish and it came out wonderfully. When melting the vegan cheese, it may not melt at the same rate as regular cheese so use your own judgement to determine when yours dip is ready. You can also make this recipe ahead of time if needed. Instead of melting the cheese on top of the beans, simply store it in the fridge and bake the dip for 30 to 35 minutes before serving. I hope you enjoy this recipe!

Ingredients:

15 oz can of black beans
½ cup vegetable stock
¼ white onion
1 garlic clove
2 T fresh cilantro
½ T lime juice
½ T olive oil
¼ Tsp chili powder
¼ Tsp cumin
¼ Tsp salt (or to taste)
5 oz shredded cheese (vegan or regular)


Instructions:

Drain and rinse your black beans. Set them aside using the empty can or a separate bowl.

Finely mince your onion and garlic.

Pick the leaves off your cilantro, avoiding the stems. Mince the cilantro leaves and set them aside.

Add your olive oil, onion, and garlic to a medium sized saucepan. Cook on low to medium heat until your onions are translucent, and the garlic is fragrant.

Add your cumin and chili powder to the saucepan and stir to combine for one minute. This will allow the spices to release more flavor.

Add your black beans and vegetable stock and stir.

Cover the saucepan and allow the beans to cook on medium heat for 6 minutes.

Uncover the beans and smash them until they become soft and spreadable. You can do this using a fork, a large spoon, or a potato masher.

Add your minced cilantro, lime juice and salt.

Cook the beans uncovered for 2 minutes on medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Transfer the beans to your desired serving dish and spread it evenly on the bottom.

Sprinkle your shredded cheese on top in an even layer.

Melt the cheese in the oven by baking it for 15 to 20 minutes at 250°.

Serve with tortilla chips and enjoy!

 

Strawberry Shortbread Sandwich Cookies (Vegan)

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Local strawberries have arrived at the Co-op and the possibilities for scrumptious strawberry desserts are endless. We decided to make these adorably delicious sandwich cookies using freshly sliced strawberries and vegan ingredients so everyone can have a bite. Serve them for dessert or as a sweet treat on a sunny afternoon

 

Ingredients:

For the cookies:

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cups powdered sugar
1 ¼ cups softened vegan butter (unsalted)
½ tsp vanilla extract
1 T water

 

For the filling:

½ cup vegetable shortening or soft vegan butter (unsalted)
2 cups powdered sugar
1.2 tsp vanilla extract
½ T water
10-12 thinly sliced strawberries

 

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 325°. Prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, add your flour and powdered sugar. Mix them to combine.
Add your softened vegan butter and vanilla.

Mix the dough with a hand mixer on medium speed until the dough is blended together. It will be
crumbly but just barely stick together.

Add your tablespoon of water. This will help prevent the dough from crumbling too much when you roll it and cut out your cookies.

Roll out your dough into a ¼ inch thick sheet. Make sure your rolling pin and surface are floured well to keep the dough from sticking. You can also roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper if desired.

Use the cookie cutter of your choice to cut out your cookie shapes. Place your cookies on the prepared baking sheet.

You may continue rolling and cutting out cookies using the leftover dough. Depending on the size of your cookie cutter, you should have about 24 cookies. Make sure you have an even number of cookies to sandwich them in the final step.

Bake the cookies for 14-16 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies are slightly golden brown. Allow the cookies to cool for 30 minutes.

While your cookies are cooling, you can make your filling.

In a medium sized bowl, add your powdered sugar, vanilla extract and water.

With a hand mixer, mix them on low speed until combined. Set aside.

Slice your strawberries and set them aside.

To assemble your sandwich cookies, spread about a tablespoon of frosting on the inside of each cookie. You can do this using a butterknife or a pastry bag.

For half of the cookies, place 2-3 slices of strawberry on top of the filling to create a layer.

Gently press another cookie on top of the cookies with strawberries inside. The filling will create a glue to hold the cookies together and keep the strawberry in place.

After you’ve assembled your cookies, place them in the refrigerator to help the filling set.

These cookies will hold up for 24 hours in the refrigerator if made ahead. Enjoy!

Lime Bars (Vegan)

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A sweet and tangy treat is a great way to celebrate the warmer weather. These bars are a summertime twist on a springtime favorite, the lemon bar. They’re tart with just the right balance of sweetness, and they’re perfect for enjoying while sitting in the sunshine. I hope you enjoy these delicious lime bars!

These lime bars are vegan, substituting eggs and butter for coconut milk and vegan butter. You can also use melted coconut oil or vegetable shortening in your crust recipe. If you’re gluten-free, substituting your flour for gluten-free all-purpose flour will work wonderfully in this recipe. I wouldn’t recommend using a different non-dairy milk in this recipe. Canned coconut milk has a high fat content compared to other non-dairy milks, which helps the filling set and gives it a silky texture.

 

Ingredients:

For the crust:
1 cup melted vegan butter
½ cup sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt

 

For the filling:
½ cup lime juice (about 4 limes)
2 T lime zest (roughly the zest from 2 limes)
1 ¼ cup full-fat coconut milk (one 13-14 oz can)
1 ½ cup sugar
6 T cornstarch
¼ tsp vanilla extract

 

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350°.

Grease the bottom and sides of your chosen pan. You can use an 8×8 square pan, a 10-inch springform pan, or a 10-inch cake pan for this recipe.

Melt your vegan butter. You can do this in a small microwave safe bowl or over the stovetop.

Add your flour, sugar, salt, and melted vegan butter. Mix them to combine. Your dough will be thick and moldable.

Press the dough into the bottom of your pan. Spread it out and pat it down to create an even layer in your pan.

Let your crust bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes. When it’s done baking, set it aside until your filling is ready. Don’t turn off your oven, as you’ll need it in the final steps of this recipe.

While your crust is baking, you can begin making your lime filling.

In a large saucepan on medium heat, add your coconut milk, lime juice, lime zest, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir it to combine.

Add your cornstarch and mix it well until it’s dissolved into your filling mixture.

Stir the filling constantly over medium heat with a whisk. This will keep the cornstarch from settling at the bottom of your pot and help it cook evenly. Continue this for 5 to 8 minutes, until the filling begins to thicken.

Your filling is ready when it becomes thick and gelatinous. It will be difficult to stir, and it will no longer simmer over the stove.

When your filling is done, pour it on top of your crust. Spread it out evenly and smooth out the top. You can also tap the pan on top of your counter to release any air bubbles trapped inside of the filling.

Bake your lime bars for 15 minutes at 350°.

When your lime bars have finished baking, allow them to cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.
Once cooled, transfer your lime bars to the refrigerator to help them set. They will need to chill for at least 3 hours before serving or chilled overnight.

Cut them into squares or slices and enjoy!

 

Tabbouleh (Vegan)

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Warmer weather calls for a refreshing salad and this tabbouleh fits the bill. It’s bursting with bright spring flavors and fresh herbs. This dish is wonderful as a side at your spring barbecues or picnics for everyone to enjoy.

 

Ingredients:

1 cup dry bulgur wheat
2 large Roma tomatoes
1 cucumber
½ large white onion
1 bunch fresh parsley
1 handful fresh mint
2 T olive oil
4 T lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

In a small pot, bring 2 cups of water to a boil.

In a bowl, wash your bulgur wheat and drain the water from it. You can use a sieve, cheesecloth, or a colander with very small holes.

In a large bowl, add your bulgur wheat and boiling water. Cover it and set it aside to soak up the water for 6 to 8 minutes, until most of the water is absorbed.

Squeeze the excess water from the bulgur with a cheesecloth cloth or with clean hands.

Put the bulgur wheat back in your bowl and set it in the refrigerator to cool.

Finely dice your cucumber, tomato, and onion. Set aside.

Finely chop your parsley and mint. Set aside.

Remove your cooled bulgur wheat from the refrigerator and add your chopped vegetables and herbs.

Add your salt and pepper. I recommend using 2 T of salt and 1 T of pepper, but you can customize it to your taste.

Add your olive oil and lemon juice. Stir until all the ingredients are well combined.

Serve your tabbouleh as a side or enjoy it on its one as a refreshing snack. Enjoy!

 

Hummingbird Cake (Vegan)

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Ring in spring with a delicious homemade hummingbird cake. This cake is sweet and moist with fruity flavors that get everyone excited for the warmer weather coming our way. It’s perfect for sharing or entertaining at any picnic or backdoor patio. On top of that, it just happens to be vegan so everyone can enjoy a slice of this scrumptious cake.

 

This cake is vegan and doesn’t call for many special ingredients. If you’re gluten-free, you can substitute the flour for gluten-free all-purpose flour. Additionally, if you have an allergy to walnuts or coconuts, these ingredients are easy to leave out. Omitting the pineapple and banana from this recipe will drastically change it’s flavor, so I don’t recommend removing these ingredients. If you’d like to boost the sweetness and fruity flavor of this cake, you can use applesauce instead of oil. However, the oil adds a richness to the cake and helps it bake more evenly. This cake is very moist and if you use applesauce, you may need to give the cake an extra 10 to 20 minutes to bake depending on the depth of your pan. To keep it from burning on top, place a sheet of aluminum foil over the cake after the standard baking time.

 

When baking this cake, you can use several different kinds of pans. I used a loaf pan for this recipe, but a round cake pan will work wonders as well. The batter makes enough to fit into two 6 inch cake pans, one 8 inch cake pan or a standard loaf pan. I recommend using a pan that is shallow when baking this cake. This cake is very moist and it will not bake evenly in a deep pan.

 

For the cake:

2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 ½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
1 cup brown sugar (¾ Cup if your bananas are extremely ripe)
1 cup mashed ripe banana (about 2 large bananas or 3 small bananas)
½ cup crushed pineapple or pineapple chunks
¼ cup pineapple juice
1 T vanilla extract
¼ cup neutral oil (or applesauce)
2 T apple cider vinegar

Optional:

⅓ Cup coarsely chopped pecans
⅓ Cup shredded coconut

 

For the frosting:

½ cup vegan cream cheese (vegan butter or vegetable shortening)
2 cups powdered sugar
1 T vanilla extract
2 T dairy-free milk

 

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 375° and prepare a large loaf pan or another dish by greasing it with oil, vegan butter or lining it with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine your flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and allspice. Mix them to combine.

Peel your bananas. Add them to a medium sized bowl and mash them until there are no lumps.

Add your sugar, pineapple juice, oil and vanilla into the medium bowl and mix until combined.

Add your wet ingredients into your dry ingredients.

Add your pecans and shredded coconut. Mix until combined. Be careful not to overmix and stop when the dough no longer has dry spots of flour visible.

Transfer the dough into your prepared pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a fork inserted in the cake comes out clean.

Depending on the thickness of your pan, your cake may need longer. Shallower pans may only need 25 minutes while thicker pans may need up to 40 to 45 minutes.

When your cake is done baking, remove it from the oven and allow it to cool for 1 to 2 hours before icing it.

While you wait for the cake to cool, you can make your frosting.

In a large bowl, add your vegan cream cheese. You can also use vegan butter or vegetable shortening in this recipe.

Add your vanilla extract and dairy-free milk to the bowl.

With a hand mixer, mix the ingredients until they are combined.

Add your powdered sugar in batches and mix using the hand mixer on medium speed. This will ensure that you don’t throw a cloud of powdered sugar back onto yourself while mixing.

After all the sugar is incorporated, mix the frosting on high speed until it becomes smooth and fluffy, which may take about 2 to 3 minutes.

Place your frosting on your cooled cake however you’d like. You can use a piping bag, a knife or a spoon to decorate it.

Enjoy!

 

Lightened-Up Deviled Eggs

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Spring has finally arrived and it’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy some of your favorite warmer-weather foods. These lightened-up deviled eggs are right on time for the upcoming Easter holiday and they’re downright delicious. We’ve lightened them up with some plain greek yogurt in place of mayonnaise and without skimping on their classic flavor. They’re perfect as a snack or appetizer and are perfect to take on a sunny picnic. I hope you enjoy these delightful deviled eggs.

 

Ingredients:

6 large eggs

¼ cup plain greek yogurt

1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1 tsp dijon mustard

¼ tsp salt (or to taste)

⅛ tsp pepper (or to taste)

Optional:

Paprika for dusting

Chopped chives to sprinkle on top

Instructions:

Place a large pot of water to boil on the stove.

After the water comes to a boil, place your eggs in the boiling water gently. I recommend dropping them in with a spoon. This ensures that the shells will not crack open when they hit the bottom of the pot.

Boil your eggs for 13 to 14 minutes.

While your eggs are cooking, prepare a large bowl with water and ice.

When your eggs have finished cooking, drain the water and place your eggs in the ice water bath to cool them.

When your eggs have cooled, remove their shells. I find that using a spoon works the best. Gently hit your eggs with the back of a spoon in one or two spots. Then carefully peel the eggs.

Once all your eggs are peeled, wash them under cold running water to remove any eggshell pieces. Dry your eggs after washing them.

Cut each egg in half.

Using a spoon, remove the yolks from each egg and place them in a small bowl.

After you’ve collected all the yolks into your bowl, add your vinegar, greek yogurt, dijon mustard, salt and pepper. Mix it well.

Transfer the mixture into a piping bag. You can also use a plastic sandwich bag. Simply cut off a small piece of one corner if you don’t have a piping bag.

Pipe the mixture into the empty spaces of your eggs. I like to start by filling each one to where it meets the egg whites. Then I go back with more filling after I’ve completed each egg.

After filling the eggs, dust them with paprika and chopped chives if desired. Enjoy!

 

Garlic and Onion Irish Soda Bread

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With St. Patrick’s Day around the corner, this savory bread is perfect to serve alongside a hearty stew or a helping of cabbage and corned beef. Soda bread gets its name from baking soda, which is used to help it rise instead of yeast, making it quick and easy to bake any time. This soda bread uses garlic and onion to give it an extra kick of flavor that’ll have everyone peeking into the kitchen to see what smells so good.

This recipe calls for buttermilk. If you’re vegan or dairy free, you can make your own using plant-based milk and lemon juice or vinegar. Simply add 2 tablespoons of lemon juice or vinegar to 2 cups of plant-based milk. We recommend using soy milk or coconut milk, as a milk with a higher fat content is closer to buttermilk. If you’re a cheese lover, try sprinkling a little bit of cheddar cheese in the dough before baking or right on top 5 minutes before you pull it out of the oven. I hope you enjoy this wonderful bread recipe!

Ingredients:

4 cups all purpose flour (plus more for kneading the dough)
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
1 large white or yellow onion
½ garlic clove
1-2 T oil of your choice

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 425° and prepare a large oven-safe pot with a removable lid by lining it with parchment paper or greasing it. Set the pot aside.
Dice your onion and mince your garlic.
In a small frying pan on medium heat, add the onion and oil. Cook the onion until it becomes brown, but is not burnt. Salt to taste if desired. Add the garlic and cook for 1 to 2 minutes on medium heat.
Transfer your cooked onion and garlic from the frying pan into a small bowl and allow it to cool in the refrigerator until it is at least room temperature.
In a large mixing bowl, add your flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir the dry ingredients together to combine.
Add your buttermilk and the cooled garlic and onion into the dry ingredients. Mix to combine using a baking spatula until the dough becomes difficult to stir.
Begin kneading the dough with your hands. You may do this in your large bowl or on your kitchen counter. Add flour as needed until the dough no longer sticks to your hands and springs back from your finger when you poke it. This may take 5 to 10 minutes depending on the temperature in your kitchen.
Transfer the dough into your prepared pot.
Score the dough with an “X” on the top, about ¼ of an inch thick.
Cover the pot with your lid and bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Remove the lid and bake for another 10 minutes. You will know your bread is done when it is fragrant and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Savory Oatmeal (Vegan)

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Mix up your usual morning oatmeal with these cheesy, savory vegan oats! Plain oatmeal is a blank canvas, allowing you to build all kinds of flavors. I discovered this recipe a few years ago and it’s one of my favorites. Though savory oats may sound odd, they’re similar in flavor to cheesy grits and thicker in texture.

This recipe makes one serving. If you’re serving multiple people, feel free to multiply the recipe as needed. These oats can be boiled on the stovetop or cooked in the microwave, using rolled or quick oats. Using vegetable broth in this dish builds a more complex flavor, however water works just as well to make this dish a satisfying, savory breakfast.

 

Ingredients:

½ cup rolled oats or quick oats

1 T nutritional yeast

1 T soy sauce

⅔ cup vegetable broth or water

1 Tsp chives

 

Microwave Instructions:

Add oats and vegetable broth or water to a large bowl.

Microwave the oats for 1- 2 minutes. The oats are cooked when they have absorbed the water or broth and are thick in texture.

Remove the bowl from the microwave and add the nutritional yeast and soy sauce. Stir the oats until all ingredients are incorporated.

Top the oats with chives and enjoy!

 

Stovetop Instructions:

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the oats and reduce the stove to medium heat.

Cook the oats for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat when the oats have absorbed most of the water or broth and are thick in texture.

Add the nutritional yeast and soy sauce. Stir the oats until all ingredients are incorporated.

Top with chives and enjoy!

 

Vegetarian Tofu Tikka Masala

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This saucy dish is inspired by the Indian dish, chicken tikka masala. It’s great as a hearty dinner any day of the week and works perfectly as leftovers for lunch! This tikka masala only has a hint of warm heat, making it enjoyable for everyone, as it isn’t very spicy. The tofu in this dish incorporates into the sauce very well and the texture reminds me of paneer, another ingredient common in Indian cuisine. You can serve this tofu tikka masala over a bed of rice or with naan bread for dipping to make a tasty and filling meal.

This dish is vegetarian, but you can easily make it suitable for vegans or those who are dairy-free. Substituting with vegan butter, coconut or soy yogurt, and full-fat coconut milk in place of heavy cream will make the dish taste just as delicious as the original recipe.

 

Ingredients for the marinade:

14 oz block of firm or extra-firm tofu
½ cup greek yogurt
1 T minced garlic
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground turmeric
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp salt
1 tsp garam masala

 

Ingredients for the sauce:

1 T oil
1 T butter
1 small onion
1 T minced garlic
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp garam masala
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground turmeric
8 oz canned tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
½ cup heavy cream
½ tsp brown sugar

 

Directions:

Cut your tofu into 1 inch cubes and set it aside.

In a large bowl, create the marinade by adding your spices, greek yogurt and salt. Stir until combined.

Add your tofu to the large bowl and stir it until it is fully covered in the marinade. Set it aside and allow it to marinade for 10 minutes.

To begin making the sauce, finely dice your onion.

In a large pan on medium heat, add your onion and butter, cooking until the onion has softened and become clear.

Add your spices and stir them to incorporate them, allowing them to toast for 1 minute.

Pour the tomato sauce into the pan and stir, allowing the spices to incorporate.

Slowly pour your heavy cream and stir, creating the sauce as you mix the ingredients in the pan.

Add your marinated tofu, along with the marinade into the pan. Stir to incorporate the marinade and the sauce.

Cover the tofu tikka masala with a lid and allow it to simmer on medium to low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Remove the pan from heat and allow it to cool before serving. Serve over rice or with naan bread and enjoy!

 

Sharon’s Apple Pie 

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There’s something nostalgic and heartwarming about an apple pie. To commemorate Black History Month this February, we’d like to share this recipe, sent to us by Sharon Barber and Robin Lyttle from the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project. You can learn more about the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project by visiting their website.

Sharon Barber is a founding member of the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project and has been their Secretary since 2016. She was born in Rockingham County and graduated from Lucy F. Simms School in Harrisonburg, before it became the Simms Center. Sharon’s family has been living in the Shenandoah Valley for generations. Her grandmother, Clara Wallace, was born in Mt. Solon in 1890 and lived in Harrisonburg. Her home was located across from the Friendly City Food Co-op, where the 7-Eleven stands now. Sharon’s mother, St. Clair Roxetta Tams, was born in Harrisonburg and lived here until her passing in 1987. Her family can trace their lineage back to a man named Benjamin Curtis, born in 1756, in addition to the Curtis and Wallace families. These families were born free and worked as blacksmiths, farmers and peddlers in the area. In the 1860’s, several members of these families migrated to Ohio, but many families remained in the Shenandoah Valley and have descendants in the area to this day. In the 1900’s, there were many members of these families cooking professionally in and around Harrisonburg.

This recipe for apple pie was passed down in Sharon’s family from her grandmother, Clara Wallace Tams. Her mother wrote it down for her after many years of enjoying it with her family. Sharon warmly remembers her mother’s and grandmother’s cooking. After speaking with her friend and President of the Shenandoah Valley Black Heritage Project, Robin Lyttle, Sharon recalled their baking fondly.

“We loved everything our mother cooked. She made pies, cakes, rolls, eclairs. We loved it all. I know my mother learned from her mother. When I got married, my mother wrote down the recipes for me and I learned from following her recipes. My grandmother lived where the 7-Eleven is now (across from the Friendly City Food Co-op). I remember going there and watching her cook on her stove that was a coal cook stove. They would get the coal and that is what they used. My family didn’t go to the store much. My father hunted and fished, and they would go to the gardens in the neighborhood. My mother canned everything; peaches, pickles, apples. Grandma taught my mom and they would work for days, canning. We just loved it all. I miss those days.”

We’d like to thank Sharon for sharing this recipe with us and honor the memory of her mother and grandmother. Recipes passed down through a family are very special and Sharon’s recipe makes a simply wonderful pie that everyone will love. It has all the warm spice and sweetness you could desire in an apple pie, thinly sliced apples for the perfect apple filling and an incredibly tasty golden crust. We hope you’ll enjoy Sharon’s pie as much as we did and will want to thank her, too!

For this pie recipe, it’s recommended that you use Stayman apples or Winesap apples. The Co-op regularly carries Stayman apples on the 99 cent table outside, and they are delicious in this pie. If these varieties are unavailable or out of season, any sweet and red apple with a softer texture will work wonderfully in this pie. The pie’s crust calls for Crisco®. Any vegetable shortening you have on hand should work in this recipe, including the Spectrum™ vegetable shortening you can find at the Co-op.

 

Ingredients:

For the Crust:

2 ⅔ cup sifted all-purpose flour

½ cup Crisco® or vegetable shortening

½ tsp salt

⅛ tsp baking powder

8 – 10 T whole milk

 

For the Filling:

5-6 apples (Stayman apples work the best)

1 ½ cup sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp allspice

1 tsp nutmeg

½ cup water

1 T white vinegar

1 T butter

 

Instructions:

Preheat your oven to 350°.

Prepare two large sheets of wax paper and set aside.

For your pie crust, add your vegetable shortening, four, salt and baking powder to a large bowl. Mix the ingredients together by hand or with a fork. The mixture will feel similar to corn meal and slightly stick to itself when it is ready. This may take 5 to 10 minutes.

Add 8 tablespoons of whole milk and mix the dough together with a fork. The dough is ready when it is crumbling but is sticking to itself. If your dough has not come together at all after adding the milk, add another 1 to 2 tablespoons until it comes together.

When your dough is ready, cut it in half. Set one half aside.

Transfer one half of your pie dough to your prepared sheet of wax paper. Place the second sheet on top.

With a rolling pin, roll your pie crust out to about 1/8th of an inch thick. This is about the height of 2 quarters stacked on top of each other.

Lay your pie crust into your pie pan and lightly press it into the pan to shape it. Trim any excess crust around the sides and set them aside.

Roll out your second pie crust using the same method as the first crust. Once it is rolled out, leave the crust between the sheets of wax paper to prevent sticking. Set both crusts in the refrigerator, placing the second crust on top of the pie pan.

In a large bowl, add your sugar and spices. Mix them together until combined. Set aside.

Wash and dry your apples. Do not peel them. Cut the apples in half and remove the core and seeds carefully.

Place the apples face-down on a cutting board and slice them thinly, between 1/8th to 1/4th of an inch thick. Place your chopped apples in your large bowl as you slice them.

When you have sliced all your apples, pour your water and vinegar overtop of them. Stir the mixture until combined. There will be liquid left at the bottom of your large bowl due to the water. This is a reminder to discard this liquid and not to pour it into your pie.

Remove your pie crusts from the freezer. Add your apple filling to the pie crust in your pie pan. Do not add the liquid at the bottom of the bowl to your pie. Spread the apple filling evenly across the pie.

Chop up your tablespoon of butter and place it across your apple filling, spreading it evenly.

Remove your second pie crust from the wax paper and drape it on top of the pie. Crimp the edges with a fork or with your fingers to seal the pie. Trim off any extra dough on the sides of the pie.

Cut several thin vents around the pie’s surface, about 6 to 8 vents. This is where you can get creative with the design of your pie. You may also use the trimmings from your earlier pie crusts to create designs or cut out shape to put on top of your pie crust.

When your pie is sealed, vented and decorated, place it in the oven. Bake it for 1 hour and 15 minutes. It should be golden brown on top and around the edges.

Remove it from the oven and allow it to cool, about 2 hours. If you enjoy your pie warm, cool for about 1 hour before serving. Serve by itself or with a side of vanilla ice cream. Enjoy!