Apple Crisp

For those who like apple pie (and who doesn't) here's a recipe that makes a very good apple crisp without the hassle of pie crust.

I use a handy dandy piece of equipment that peels, cores and slices the apple all with a turn of the handle. It does a pretty good job, unless the apples are too much out of round. Then it leaves some of the peel. But all in all, it is a lot easier and faster than peeling, coring and slicing by hand:



Apple Crisp
This recipe makes enough to fill a 12 x 8 baking pan.

• 1 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup white flour
• 8 TBS butter
• 6 large apples

Place 1/2 cup of the sugar, water, lemon juice and cinnamon in bottom of the pan. Mix ingredients well. Add sliced apples to mixture.  Blend in the rest of the sugar (3/4 cup) with the flour and butter. Blend until mixture becomes crumbly.  Put over apples and pat down until smooth.  Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes or until apples are soft and crust is brown and crispy.

Pizza Stones And How To Use Them

The home cook that wants to create a great homemade pizza should take a cue from professional pizza chefs. Half of the battle is in the crust. Whether thick or thin, the crust can make or break a pizza. No matter what the toppings are, if the crust is not done all the way through, or done too much to the point of being burnt, the pizza is ruined.

The home cook can come real close to the quality of cooked pizza crust of professional pizza chefs by using a pizza stone. With a pizza stone, a home oven can approximate the heat and cooking method of a commercial oven. A pizza stone increases the temperature and amount of heat that is directly applied to the pizza, so that it not only cooks on the top, but from the bottom also. As a good pizza stone is unglazed, it also wicks the moisture from the crust, which helps to ensure the crust is completely done.

To cook pizza on a stone, you of course need a stone and a paddle, or peel. The peel is made of wood or metal, and transfers the raw pizza directly onto the hot stone, and also removes it when done. But first, the stone.

There are many pizza stones available commercially. Make sure that the stone you get is not glazed. These stones can be rather expensive, but with care a pizza stone can last for a long time. Some have said that you can use regular unglazed terracotta tiles, which are not only cheaper but you can make the cooking are bigger or small by adding or subtracting tiles. I would advise using caution when using unglazed terracotta tiles that were manufactured for other uses besides cooking on. If you are positive that the tiles have no additives that could affect the food being cooked, then give them a try if you want. Otherwise, the money spent on a commercial pizza stone is money well spent.

Always place your stone in the oven before you turn it on. Placing a cold stone in a hot oven is inviting disaster, for the stone could break. Heat the stone for at least 30 minutes; an hour would be even better. For pizza, most times the temperature to set your oven at is 500-550. This allows the pizza to cook rapidly, another secret of professional pizza chefs.

Of course, after being in a 500-degree oven for an hour, the stone will be HOT! That's where the peel comes in. Liberally sprinkle the peel with corn meal, place your dough onto it and build your pizza. When ready to cook, CAREFULLY slide your pizza from the peel to the stone. The corn meal helps the pizza slide onto the stone.

After use and the stone has cooled, anything stuck to the stone can be scraped off with a plastic spatula or other utensil. There's really no need to ever wash the stone, but if you must, rinse it off with warm water only. Don't use detergents because the stone is porous and can absorb it and transfer tastes to the pizza. The stone will turn a dark brown color with use, but this is just the sign of a well-used, seasoned stone and will make it cook even better.

With a little experience, a pizza stone will not only bake a great pizza, but also bread, calzone, focaccia, stromboli, practically anything. With a little care and proper use, your pizza stone will last a long time, develop a patina and get better with age!
Pizza Stones

Rosette Cookies

Rosette cookies are a cookie made from very light batter that is deep fried. A rosette iron is used to make them. They are of Norwegian origin, and are made as a Christmas treat.  Rosette irons come in many shapes and sizes. The more expensive ones are made from cast iron while the less expensive ones are made from cast aluminum. Mine is aluminum and works very well.

The most important thing with making rosettes is the temperature of the oil. It must be kept between 350-375 degrees. Any cooler and the cookie won't cook quickly and evenly as it should, any hotter and the cookie may burn or stick to the iron.  You can use an electric fryer with a thermostat, but I use a cast iron skillet and a thermometer.  The picture on the right shows my setup with a cast iron skillet filled half way with vegetable oil and a probe thermometer hanging halfway into the oil to keep tabs on the temperature.  If you do it this way, keep your eye on the thermometer. You'll probably have to make slight heat adjustments to keep the temperature within the 365-375 degree range.

Rosette Cookie Batter

• 2 eggs
• 1 TBSP sugar
• small pinch of salt
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Beat together eggs, salt and sugar. Add rest of ingredients and beat until smooth. 

Pour oil into pan or fryer, making sure to fill no more than half way to allow for expansion of hot oil when food is placed into it. Make sure you have the lid for the pan or fryer close by.  There is always a risk of oil catching on fire (although it is minimal if you keep it below 375 degrees) and the best way to douse an oil fire is by placing a lid on it.  Safety first!

Make sure rosette iron is clean and dry. After oil comes to temperature. put iron in oil for a minute or two so that it heats up.

Shake off excess oil, and dip iron into batter, but not all the way to the top. Leave a quarter inch or so from the top of the iron, otherwise the batter will cook over the iron and the cookie will be difficult to remove.

Place batter-coated iron into hot oil and cook for about 30 seconds or until brown.  

The cookie may slip off the iron when still in the oil. Just remove it with a metal turner.  If the cookie doesn't come off the iron in the hot oil, give it a gentle shake and it usually will fall off, or gently remove it by putting a metal turner edge alongside one of the edges of the cookie. Place it on a wire rack with paper towels underneath to drain.



Continue this procedure until all the batter is used up.  It may take a few tries to get a perfect cookie, but with practice you'll be cranking them out in good order. Just remember to keep that temperature between 365-375 degrees and you'll be rewarded with some of the lightest, crispiest cookies you've ever eaten! Once the cookies are done, dust them with powdered sugar and enjoy.