Apple Praline Pie

One of my favorite things about this time of year is making apple pie! After all, what is more American than apple pie?? ;)

This pie is typically made later in the season, but since we use Gravenstein apples, we get to enjoy it now. :)

Fresh Gravenstein Apples

 

Gravenstein apples are a rare variety that are not found in grocery stores because of their not keeping well. We have the blessing of picking our own from a farm in our neighborhood.

 

 

Apple Praline Pie

 

 

 

Ingredients:

 

 

For the crust:

 

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided use

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes and chilled

1/2 cup vegetable shortening, cut into 4 pieces and chilled

1/4 cup vodka*, chilled

1/4 cup ice water

 

 

For the filling:

 

8 cups peeled, cored, and thinly sliced apples*

1 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4  teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 stick of butter

 

 

For the topping:

 

1/2 stick of butter

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed

2 tablespoons heavy cream

1/2 cup pecans, chopped

 

 

Directions:

 

 

For the crust:

 

1) Process 1 1/2 cups of the flour, sugar, and salt together in a food processor until combined. Scatter the butter and shortening over the top and pulse until incorporated and mixture begins to form uneven clumps with no remaining floury bits, about 10 pulses.

 

2) Scrape down the work-bowl and redistribute the dough evenly around the processor blade. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of flour over the dough and pulse until the mixture has broken up into pieces and is evenly distributed around the bowl, about 4-6 pulses.

 

3) Transfer the mixture to a medium bowl. Sprinkle the vodka and water over the mixture. Stir and press the dough together, using a stiff rubber spatula, until the dough sticks together.

 

4) Divide the dough into 2 even pieces, Turn each onto a sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into a 4-inch disk. Wrap each piece tightly in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Before rolling out the dough, let it sit on the counter to soften slightly, about 10 minutes.

 

 

For the filling:

 

1)  In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients except for the butter. toss lightly and let stand for 10 minutes.

 

Assembly:

 

1) Lay one of the disks of dough on a lightly floured counter and roll the dough outward from its center into a 12-inch circle. Between every few rolls, give the dough a quarter turn to help keep the circle nice and round. :) Loosely roll the dough around the rolling pin, and then gently unroll it over a 9-inch pie plate.

 

2)  Lift the dough and gently press in into the pie plate, letting the excess hang over the plate.  

 

3) Spoon the prepared pie filling into the dough-lined pie plate. Dot with the 1/4 cup of butter, top with the second pie crust (repeat step 1 for rolling), and seal and flute edges. Cut 8 slits in several places on the top crust.

 

4) Bake for 30 minutes at 425⁰ F. Place a ring of foil around the edges of the pie to prevent overbrowning and bake for about 20-30 more minutes, until the filling is bubbly and the apples are to your desired tenderness.

 

 

For the praline topping:

 

 1) While your pie is baking, make the praline top. Melt the butter in a small saucepan on the stove. Once melted, add brown sugar and heavy cream. Heat to boiling, stirring often. Add the chopped pecans and remove from the heat.

 

2) When the pie has 5 more minutes of baking time, set it on a foil-lined baking sheet to catch any drips. Pour the topping evenly over the pie, keeping the topping an inch or two from the edge. Return to the oven to bake the last 5 minutes.

 

3) Cool pie for several hours before serving (with vanilla ice cream if desired).

 

 

 

 

Tips:

 

*The vodka in this pie dough imparts no flavor. It evaporates out, leaving a very flaky crust.

 

*A great product for preparing apples is the Apple Peeler, Corer, Slicer, which can be purchased on Amazon.com. :)

 

*Don't worry if your outcome is an ugly pie crust. The praline top covers it! A troublesome pie crust can be a precursor to a great pie. :)

 

My Mom with a pumpkin pie and an apple praline pie in 1991. :)





 

Crust from: America's Test Kitchen Family Baking Book

 

Enjoy! :)

 



Love,

 

Ava Katherine<3



The Balloon Belles



Hi there! In this post I am going to share a little bit through words and pictures about the development of our balloon-twisting business.
    When I was around age 9 my dad and I picked up a simple balloon-twisting kit from a yard sale. I learned a few simple designs from that and developed an interest in it.


Me with a couple of the creatures I learned at age 9 ;)
 

The Mariposa County Fair always hosts Becky the Balloon Twister. In September 2010 (I was 11), I spent an afternoon there watching her twist her creations. She noticed that I had an obvious interest and took me and my family back to her trailer and taught me the basic twists and a couple of critters. I then got books from the library and watched many a video on YouTube. My generous grandfather also was a steadfast supporter of the business and purchased my first order of professional balloons.

Me with my first balloon order at age 11

 

 After some practice with those things I started twisting creations for relatives and friends :P

   

 

 Once I got more practice, I started to hand a variety of balloon sculptures out to folks at grocery stores, the bank, or anywhere we were running errands. Locals started to tip me a few dollars here and there. Then someone wanted to pay me by the hour for their daughter's birthday party! Soon, the local papers (the Mariposa Gazette and the Sierra Star) both did articles on my hobby that became a business. By word of mouth, it starting growing into an actual business and now we book events from Mariposa to anywhere within 2 hours of Mariposa, twisting balloons by the hour or selling them at festivals. Through the years, my younger sister Ava has picked up the talent. She began as an assistant, picking up popped balloon scraps and twisting the simpler designs. Over a couple years I taught her what I know and she is just as skilled at it now! Our balloon business changed from "Belle the Balloon-a-Twister" to more recently 'The Balloon Belles."

 

Ava, Age 13, Isabel (Me), Age 17

 

 

Now that you know our story, here are some photos of us twisting balloons as well as photos of some of our creations:

Me at age 12 twisting balloons at the Mariposa Farmer's Market



 

Twisting balloons at the Mariposa Butterfly Festival



Bluebirds on a Branch



Balloon Centerpieces for the National Wildlife Federation

Raccoon Centerpiece



5-petal flowers

My grandpa wearing a Frog Hat :)

 



Fish Blowing Bubbles

Alien with Laser Gun Hat

Bride

 

Caterpillar

 

Fairy on a flower



We now dress in a 1950's theme! :D
 

                                                           That's all for now folks!!

~Isabel Rose



Pan Pizza

Another recipe that is a family favorite is pan pizza! So...here is the recipe: :)

Ingredients:

 

 

 

 

For the sauce:

 

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

3 large cloves of garlic, minced or pressed

1 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes in puree

Salt and Italian herbs to taste

 

For the dough:

 

8 tablespoons olive oil

3/4 plus 2 tablespoons milk, warmed to 110 degrees*

2 teaspoons sugar

2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for rolling

1 package instant yeast

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

For the toppings:

 

3 cups mozzarella cheese, grated

Pizza seasoning, to taste

2 other toppings of your choice*

 

 

 

Instructions:

 

 

 

For the sauce:

 

 

1) Heat the oil until it shimmers. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

 

2) Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Add herbs, and then simmer, still covered, for 10 minutes more. Let the sauce cool.

 

 

 

For the dough:

 

 

1) Coat two 9-inch cake pans with 3 tablespoons of oil each (makes two 9-inch pizzas). Turn oven on at 200⁰  F. Once it comes to temperature turn it off.

 

2) Mix warm milk, sugar, and remaining 2 tablespoons of oil in a measuring cup. Mix flour, yeast, and salt in a standing mixer fitted with a dough hook. Turn the machine on low, and slowly add the milk mixture.

 

3) After the dough comes together, increase speed to medium-low and mix until the dough is shiny and smooth, about 5 minutes. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured counter, gently shape into a ball, and place in a greased bowl. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the warm oven for 30 minutes; it will have doubled in size.

4) Transfer the dough to a lightly floured counter, divide in half, and lightly roll each half into a ball. Working with 1 dough ball at a time, roll and shape the dough into a 9 1/2 inch round, and press into the oiled pan, rolling any overhang to create a thicker edge. Cover the pans with some plastic wrap and set in a warm spot for about 20 minutes, until puffy and slightly risen.

 

For the assembly:

 

1) Turn oven to 400⁰  F. 

 

2) Ladle 2/3 cup of sauce onto each round, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle each round with 1 1/2 cups mozzarella cheese. Add seasoning to taste. Layer your other toppings of your choice on each round.

 

3) Bake for about 20 minutes. Let the pizzas rest in the pan for 1 minute. Using a spatula, transfer pizzas to a cutting board and cut into 8 slices each.

 

 

Tips:

 

 

*It is very important that the milk is the correct temperature! Warm milk activates the yeast, but hot milk will kill it.

 

*One of our favorite combinations of toppings is salami with sautéed mushrooms and garlic. :)

 



 

Enjoy! :)

 

 

 

Love,

 

Ava Katherine<3

 

 





A Piece of History: Tent Trailer

For my next post in this series, I would like to write about one of my favorite heirlooms of all, our 1940s tent trailer! :)

 

Exterior of the trailer.

 

It was built by my maternal great-great uncle and aunt, Bud and Dorothy Gilbert.

 

 

Bud and Dorothy Gilbert, Oakhurst, 1979.

It was modified from a plan in a 1940s magazine, either Popular Science or Popular Mechanics.

Once completed in 1949, it was taken on many fishing and camping trips.

 

Dorothy, my grandmother Carol Lee Blair, and Bud on a fishing trip in 1959.

 

The trailer was handed down to my maternal grandparents, Nolan and Carol Lee Blair in the early 1960s, and they camped every year with their three sons and my mom until their children were mostly grown.

 

 

Camping at Big Sur, 1962.

 

 

 In the early 2000s it was handed down to my parents, and I have camped in it since before I can remember.



Me in the tent trailer, 2004. :)



So now that you have a bit of history on it, here is some more information.

 

The canvas is held on by many snap grommets that were WWII surplus. 

On the inside there is a sink, a two-burner stove, and an ice-box with outdoor access.

 The trailer comfortably sleeps four, but you can fit a few more in if they sleep on the floor. :)

 

Here are some photos of the inside:

 

 

The canvas is supported by an aluminum frame, shown in the photo below.

 

 

Here is a photo of the trailer when it is folded up for travel.

 

My grandmother and three uncles, Mount Lassen, 1966. My grandmother is pregnant with my mom. :)

 

 

I am the fourth generation to have camped in this tent trailer, and I hope that it will be camped in by many generations after me.

 

Love,

 

Ava Katherine<3